esk8 Weekend in Pornichet

Friday, we start with the woods

The first riders arrived at the shop in the early afternoon. The team welcomed everyone, adjusted boards, checked equipment, and answered questions from those who were new to it.

In the late afternoon, we headed to Bois-Joalland in Saint-Nazaire. The BMX track offered a great session, with well-designed bumps and a pleasant surface. The spot is locally known for its lines suitable for all levels: newcomers got their bearings on the lower bumps while more experienced riders linked jumps and more committed lines.

In the evening, we met up at Camping Le Bel Air for dinner. Accommodation in mobile homes and meals on-site, in addition to the welcome at the shop during the day. Everything was designed to streamline logistics and allow riders to extend their conversations without worrying about transportation.

Saturday, the day we won't forget

The shop was busy all morning. New riders arrived, others came to try a second board or compare models. It was also a time when the team took the time to explain in detail the differences in board behavior and guide each person according to their riding profile.

We rode together to Up to Play, a few streets from the shop, for a high-speed indoor session. This indoor karting track was repurposed for the occasion as an esk8 track: smooth surface, banked turns, long straightaways. A rare playground that allowed us to push the boards safely away from urban constraints.

The highlight of the weekend was the evening aperitif. The esk8riders event was combined with the GlissEvolution anniversary. The kite and wingfoil riders from the community joined us, creating a meeting point between our board sports disciplines. Nearly 200 people were present, with a burger food truck and an atmosphere that lasted late into the night.

Sunday, mountain board to finish

In the morning, we left Camping Le Bel Air after returning the mobile home keys, then we headed to Rouans. The Loire-Atlantique Mountain Board Park awaited us, about 45 minutes from Pornichet.

The terrain at the L.A. Mountainboard Park impressed those who were discovering it: committed descents, flow sections, jumps on the BoarderCross. The Diablo and Renegade were perfectly suited. Several riders who had stuck to their street boards ended up trying them too.

Lunch on-site brought everyone together around the barbecue. Yvan and Max took the opportunity to perform some demos on the park's most challenging features, a concrete demonstration of the boards' potential in technical conditions. The weather conditions remained mild throughout the weekend, which allowed us to stick to the program. The afternoon remained free, everyone continued to ride at their own pace before heading home.

Weekend Conditions

Mild weather over the three days, clear skies on Saturday, slight ground humidity Friday morning in the forest. Three spots, three atmospheres, and three very different surfaces: exactly what you need to understand how a board reacts depending on the terrain.

At Bois-Joalland, the BMX track was dry in the early afternoon: rough asphalt in places, smoother sections elsewhere, and some dirt traces in the curves, typical of a well-used spot that mixes surfaces. The forest environment also provided welcome shade for the afternoon sessions.

Up to Play, being indoors, removed the weather variable from the equation: karting surface, consistent rolling surface from one lap to the next. A rare comfort to push hard without worrying about the outside.

The L.A. Mountain Board Park in Rouans was in very good condition, with recently maintained features and dry grass between zones. Real testing conditions to measure the behavior of the Diablo and Renegade on challenging terrain.

Ideal conditions to run the boards without mechanical constraints, and especially to compare: clean street, mixed forest, open terrain. Three different experiences of the same board in 72 hours.

Testing in real-world conditions

Several models were available for testing: Fusion, Diablo Bamboo, Diablo Carbon, Diablo Renegade, GTR2 Bamboo, and Stoke X. Everyone was able to ride the boards they were interested in, comparing the sensations between a bamboo deck and a carbon deck, between street wheels and all-terrain wheels.

Riders primarily exchanged with each other during the weekend: sensations, settings, usage feedback. More than individual trials, it was the conversations that made the difference.

Beyond the friendly aspect, the weekend had a clear educational dimension. After these three days, everyone left with concrete information about their board, their own riding profile, and a better understanding of what suits them. Knowing what you like, what you're looking for, what you don't use: that's what allows you to make the right choices later, without guessing.

What we learned from the riders

What emerged from the discussions was, first and foremost, the pleasure of being able to test models in various conditions over the same weekend. Many riders primarily use their boards for street riding, and the format allowed everyone to broaden their horizons: trying terrains they don't necessarily frequent daily, feeling how a board performs on other surfaces, and sometimes discovering a type of ride that resonates more than they expected.

Ultimately, there's no perfect board. There are preferences, uses, body types, and terrains ridden daily. Everyone builds their setup based on what they actually ride, and that's what makes the range so rich.

"Trust is precious, trusting customers enough to leave the stock open was appreciated. The boss participating, accessible, sharing his vision, it's great."

A weekend rider

"The seafront for riders who don't live on the coast, it's legendary."

Grégory Schneckenberger

To everyone who made this weekend happen

To all the riders who traveled, some from very far: thank you. The skill, the discussions, the good vibes, you brought them all, and that's what transforms a schedule into a memorable weekend.

A big thank you also to the GlissEvolution kite and wingfoil community who joined the Saturday evening aperitif. Seeing our worlds intersect for an evening was precious.

Thanks to Camping Le Bel Air for the welcome, to Up to Play for lending the track, and to the Loire-Atlantique Mountain Board Park for hosting us on Sunday. Without these partners, the format of this weekend wouldn't be possible. And thanks to the entire esk8riders team for the behind-the-scenes organizational work, from start to finish.

See you next year. We already have ideas for what's next, and many of them come from you.