80s Skateboards has had a lot of questions about the KPC Pro Skateboard Complete and here is our review. With this skateboard coming in at under $40 we thought a deep analysis is needed.
There is a reason this deck did not appear in best skateboards for 5 year old kids article and it’s time to get down as to why.
Contents
Specs
Here are the specs, they are not exactly labelled in detail to say the least however, we will drill down further on them in our review.
- Canadian Maple Construction
- 7.75-Inch Deck
- White 52mm Wheels
- Black Aluminum Trucks
- Black Grip tape
- Riser pads
All the components were well set and matches properly. You will need a skate tool to set the trucks and wheels to the correct level
The Deck
The KPC Pro Deck is a medium concave. This deck has reasonable pop and while we can’t give an update on its longevity yet (please check in in 6 months) it held up well. We grinded the tail in our tests and the wear so far appears to be going at a normal rate.
The design graphic at the bottom is a checkered pattern. Nothing to get to get to excited about. Considering this is a 7.75 deck, I think a design focused more at younger children may have been better.
Griptape
The griptape does not have a good grain on it. We were hoping for something a little better, it really is more like a light sandpaper.
Wheels
The wheel quality is acceptable, however, they are on the harder side and unfortunately there was no labelling of their wheel density.
Bearings
Simply terrible bearings in this skateboard. We recommend an upgrade.
Trucks
Indeed the trucks were made out of aluminium, while they were not of the highest quality they did the job for basic riding.
The Ride
This skateboard held up fine for cruising around footpaths however for longer ride you will definitely need to consider larger wheels.
Over time we do not believe this skateboard will hold up doing tricks
The problem with this board, and nearly every skateboard deck under $100 is that something is always sacrificed.
From the analysis of this skateboard the top element is the quality of the maple deck.
However, the griptape, trucks and bearings will not last.
An issue that will occur is that when you start upgrading parts you may as well consider buying a quality skateboard with better componentry.
Potential Upgrades
80sskateboards recommends upgrading the bearings to bones reds and the griptape. This could keep your upgrade to under $20 and will vastly improve the performance of the board.
Pros and Cons
PROS
- Cheap
- Good maple deck and concave design
- Acceptable for cruising short distances
CONS
- Needs upgrades
- Bad Griptape
- Average wheels
- Trucks may require replacing
- Not the best for tricks
- Graphics are boring
Conclusion
Some reviewers have outlined this skateboard as ‘luxurious’ however we can assure you that these reviews are not genuine.
The KPC Pro Skateboard Complete is a cheap skateboard that does attempt to go beyond the quality of a standard Walmart board.
To produce a skateboard with maple, metal trucks and quality wheels at under $40 is simply impossible.
If you do decide to get the KPC Pro skateboard, recognise that you will need to upgrade the bearings to bones reds. Look after the skateboard properly and it could be an acceptable board for someone who is not sure about whether they want to invest decent money. Bones reds bearings last for ages, and remember to pull them out of your wheels when you want to upgrade your deck.
But remember, even though ‘Pro’ is in the title of this deck, this is not a pro skateboard. Check our list of the best skateboards for under $50 if you would like to find something better.
