This is a full review of the Santa Cruz VX skate deck. I’ve been reviewing all of the strongest skateboard decks lately. I find myself going back to the VX deck more than any other deck. At the time of writing, I am about to skate my third VX deck. It is the black and orange one I put in the image above.
Of all of the skateboard decks I reviewed, the Santa Cruz VX deck is the one that felt the most natural to me. I skate the 8.0″ by 31.6″ version. I started reviewing these because I saw that they kept their firmness and pop. That is a detail that has always plagued the skateboards that I’ve bought, and my skating suffered. I wanted a board that felt consistent on day one and day fifty-one.
Here are the snap shot specs of the VX deck.
Santa Cruz VX Skateboard Deck Specs
Pros:
- The Strongest Skate Deck – 2 Special / Carbon Fiber Layers with 5 Maple Ply Layers
- Excellent shape – Concave is perfection
- It doesn’t get soft or soggy overtime. This feels the same on day one and day fifty one.
Cons:
- It gets razor tail like any other wood deck.
- It is about $15 – $20 more than a seven-ply normal skate deck.
Sizes:
The vx Deck comes in a variety of widths. 7.75″, 8″, 8.25″, 8.38″, 8.5″ and 8.8″First Impression of the Santa Cruz VX Deck
When I first set this deck up, it felt lighter than a regular seven-ply maple deck. When I stood on it for the first time, I loved the shape. I got the 8.0″x 31.6″ size. The concave is subtle and felt great underfoot.
The board itself had a matte finish. I grew to like this for slide tricks as it never seemed to get sticky.
There is the perfect level of concave and pop too.
Why Did I Buy the Santa Cruz VX Deck?
Growing up skateboarding, I never had money to buy decks. As a result, my skating suffered because my boards would quickly lose their pop and feel soggy whenever I skated. The result is my boards always felt lackluster, and I would bail anytime I would try tricks off higher drops.
I bought the Santa Cruz VX deck because I wanted a board that had that crispy new feel whenever I stood on it. The fact that it is incredibly difficult to break is an extra benefit and boost of confidence to not bail. As a result, I’ve landed tricks I never landed as a younger skateboarder just learning.
What do I like/dislike about the Santa Cruz VX Deck?
I love the shape and that it is a resilient deck that holds its shape. Each deck comes with a little card that showcases its tech specs. Here is what the card looked like on the newest one I bought.
I love that it lasts me longer than other decks. This even lasted me significantly longer than the Powell Flight Deck. You can see my full comparison review here.
In terms of dislikes, I don’t like how it can razor tail faster than a board that has traditional maple plys.
With the VX deck having two thin proprietary carbon layers and only five thin maple layers, the tail tends to razor faster. That is ultimately why I swap these boards out. It isn’t because I break them. It is because the shape of the tail starts to feel different.
Who Is the Santa Cruz VX Deck a Good Fit For?
Anyone.
I think the Santa Cruz VX deck is perfect for any intermediate to advanced skaters because its resilient. If you’re skating off higher drops, this will give you the stability to figure tricks out without needing to land perfectly over your trucks.
Alternatively, this is also beginner-friendly because it is light and consistent. Imagine trying to learn to kickflip, and your board felt the same the entire time. It would reduce your learning curve.
What Other Benefits to the VX Deck are There?
I didn’t realize how slide friendly this board would be. Being that its on the firmer side, I find that it tailslides beautifully. Santa Cruz has a few different finishes for these. The one with the matte seemed to slide the best for me.
Overall Rating
| Considerations | Rating Out 5 |
|---|---|
| Strength of Skate Deck | 4.6 |
| Wood Quality (Chips / Splinters / Breaks) | 4.3 |
| Pop | 4.6 |
| Shape & Feel of the Deck | 4.7 |
| Overall Quality | 4.6 |
Editor’s Rating: 
4.6 out of 5 stars
Would You Recommend the Santa Cruz VX Deck?
Absolutely. Of all of the carbon fiber skate decks, this is the only one I’ve purchased multiple times. I am about to skate my third VX deck.
If you’re looking for the best of the strong skate decks, then you need to get a Santa Cruz VX deck.
Where Can You Buy a VX Deck?
Or you can also find these at Amazon too.
You can get a Santa Cruz VX deck right here. These sell out fast, so get yours while it is still in stock.
Looking for more skateboard reviews? Check out the other reviews I’ve written
- Powell Peralta Flight Deck Review
- Santa Cruz Everslick Deck Review
- Creature Birch Monster Deck Review
- Girl Pop Secret Deck Review
- Foundation Skateboards Review
- Powell Peralta Dragon Formula Wheels Review
- Braille Skateboards Deck Review
- Element Flat Bar Review
- Cariuma Catiba Pro Skate Shoes Review
- The 10 Best Skate Shoes
Steve Weber is the passionate snowboarder, skateboarder, and author behind Board of the World. He understands that most gear reviews focus on having the perfect snow conditions, but his testing methodology is different. Living in Pennsylvania, Steve describes exactly how a board performs when the conditions aren’t perfect. His reviews cover performance on ice, hardpack, and flat-out brick conditions. In other words, he reviews boards for the conditions that East Coast riders actually face.
Bringing 27 years of East Coast snowboarding and 21 years of skateboarding experience, Steve is a 42-year-old intermediate park rider. His recommendations are informed by decades of battling icy conditions, ensuring every review accounts for the board’s performance on the roughest of terrain.
For the last five years, Steve has poured his passion into writing in-depth, unbiased reviews that help riders make informed decisions about the gear they’ll use. He also works part-time at a snowboard shop in Northeastern Pennsylvania, which gives him a direct line to learning about the new gear tech months in advance. When he’s not writing reviews, Steve is often found riding at Montage Mountain and testing out new boards.
Steve’s goal with Board of the World is simple: to help every reader find the right gear so they can have fun outside from the first time they use it.