The media could not be loaded. For context: I am someone who's snowboarded for many years, skated on and off for years, and started longboarding a few years back, but only done a surfing lesson.

Seeing all these new surfskates and systems from Carver, Yow, Smoothstar, Swelltech, and others made me want to try them, but pulling the trigger on a new board can be expensive as all heck. This looked like an affordable way to give it a shot with gear I already own.

Packaging, Build, and Features: You get an octagonal box, with installation instructions printed on the outer facets if the interior box. Everything is packaged well, so no cosmetic nicks or blemishes due to shipping. Hardware is in color coded bags for front and rear adapters. The adapters them self are well built and feel substantial in the hand and on a board, adding heft.

Unlike a Carver C7, or Yow Meraki system, Waterborne used a unique square bushing system to create the surfy front truck.

Because it raised my boards above either of their stock riser heights, and was designed with a limiter to prevent wheel bite, I did not need to use risers or shock pads on either board with the Waterborne adapters. The increased ride height made me not want to try any tricks on it, however, aside from manuals, which somehow felt easier? 🤷

Another potential benefit to non-surfers is that it will work out muscles you didn't know you had and allows you another method of generating forward momentum.

Riding Experience: I tried these out on two different boards I've owned so far, a Sector 9 Ninety Five Cascade Mini-Cruiser with Gullwing Shadow Trucks and Sector9 Nine balls 60mm stomeground wheels, and a Landyachtz Ripper Watercolor Longboard with Bear TPK trucks, and 63mm Fatty Hawgz wheels. . Both times, I swapped the trucks and wheels from the original boards, just installing the surfskate adapters, though I also did try them out with Waterborne's Living Water surfskate wheels.

I'm 5'10, ~200 lbs, for reference.

The Sector 9 was the first experience and while it was fun, it wasn't quite right for my riding style and body type. The wheelbase was too short and it was kind of a strange stance. But it was still fun and interesting and the thing carved super deep and turned on a dime. It felt like a super carvey mini cruiser, but it rode very tall and the overall narrow width of the board made it harder to balance on if I needed to push. The smaller, rounded lip wheels also broke loose unintentionally once, leading to a fall. The Living Water wheels were a straight improvement there.

The Ripper, on the other hand, immediately felt like the winner. Stable, surfy, and very fun to ride. Turned faster and carved deeper than stock, of course, but also so playful. The Ripper was already one of my all time favorite setups, and now it's even better. It's slightly less stable to push on for distance, but it is also easier to push and ride normally than the mini cruiser. It really does feel like a surfboard, and I've had so much fun bombing around on it and exercising with it.

Conclusion: Really, because you could put this on any board and try it out, it does make it a universal adapter, and while it's not the same as say, a Carver C7 or Yow Meraki, it's definitely a great way to experience whether or not surfskating is for you.

As far the rear adapter, I like it. I don't think it's strictly necessary, but I've enjoyed my time with mine.

Disclaimer: I have not been paid or otherwise compensated for my review. I bought this product with my own money for my own purposes. My experiences are subjective of course, so ymmv.

Firstly I would strongly recommend getting this. Changed my board up completely in the best way. I am carving and pumping and gliding like there's no tomorrow. Might need a little grease out of the box to cut down on squeaking but that's easily remedied.

However, I would order some deck mounting hardware to go along with it. The bolts that come with it are 3/4" which might be okay for a thin Walmart popsicle, but I'd strongly recommend 1" bolts for most cruisers (I used a Loaded Omakase deck for reference). Might not seem like a big deal but it's the difference between your hardware flying off the board when you ride or not. Have hardware at the ready if you intend to skate it the same day.

Anyway, I'd definitely recommend it. Just a small but really annoying blemish on an otherwise awesome cruiser upgrade.

Cons:
1. The Hardware is nowhere near average grade Skateboard hardware(Think Shortys). Two of the hex bolts crossed threaded, so I ended up going with my own hardware.
2. The rear creeks and rattles on my board... Ordering two new sets of shock pads, going with Doh Dohs and, washers to end the noise(per others suggestions). You can wrap the King Pins with Teflon Tape as well.

Pros:
It will change you and your favorite board. I can't imagine going back and NOT having this amount of turning and carving! I just got back from my first ride and I'm smiling. You can shred with this setup.

Meepo Mini 2 Install:
Tools: Dremel with Drum Sander and Cutoff wheel. Drill and 3/8" drill bit.
You have to drill, cut, and sand for this. Turn back now if you're not comfortable with this information!
1. Remove Front and Rear Trucks, Battery Cover, and Speed control Cover.
2. Place the Battery Cover BACK one set of screws, so the board holes closest to the front truck go un-used. Now with the battery cover as a guide, drill two new holes in your deck and re-use the same bolts to hold the cover in place.
3. Notch the Battery Cover so the power cord can fit. Wrap power cord with electrical tape to protect exposed wires and use some black RTV if you ride tricks to protect it even more.
4. Secure the Battery and Cover in place with power cord exposed about 1' inch. This will allow the front truck to clear the battery cover at full throw!
5. Install front surf adapter and truck per instructions.
6. With the Speed Control cover removed, place the the rear rail adapter in the location and mark the speed control heat shield and padding to clear the adapter. Cut on the line and sand smooth.
7. Place the speed control cover over it's mounting holes and mark the cover where the adapter hits. You'll need to cut about 1.5 inch radius 3/4 circle to clear the the adapter and wires.
8. Place the rear truck in the most forward spot on the adapter, where only two holes align. (You need the rear truck to clear the adapter). NOW DRILL two holes into the rail adapter and use supplied hardware on all 4 holes.
9. Install rear truck per instructions(I had to use my own hardware for the rear truck to board, since the Meepo board is thicker).
10. Re-wire up the speed control and motors, run wires in a clean fashion back into and under the Speed Control Cover, then install the cover!

Done

If you dont have a surfskate board or surfskate trucks and you want to pump or have a surflike feeling get these. They are amazing, just started longboarding at 36yo (havent step foot on a skateboard in over 25 years) five days ago and i had a hard time pumping on a freeride board with gullwing trucks. My fault since the board wasnt really designed for it. These things made pumping much easier for me, the turns are real sharp and you can feel the carve. Its fun as hell and as they advertise works on a lot of board setups.

Im using a sector9 faultline perch, installing the rear required flipping part of the adapter to fit and i had to use a soft mallet to knock the plate back into place. The front adapter required a little more improvisation because of the trucks the outside spacer was a real tight squeeze. Also couldnt use the provided washer for the same reason. I ended up using a flat washer and cutting part of it with a dremmel to make it fit.

For the price, they are kinda pricey for someone frugal like me, but damn they are worth it. Great work out too.

Edit: just to point out, not sure if it was just me but there were no install instructions. Had to youtube it. Would be nice if install instructions are included if not already.

Also the square bushing squeaks like heck. I used bicycle grease around the bushing to see if it would help only to realize the squeaking is from where the bushing is seated. The bushing is seated so tightly i cannot remove it without potentially damaging it. Since its so new ill just have to deal with it. Praying the drops of lube i added seaps into the creavace and reduces squeaking over time.

Update: squeaking is almost completely gone. If you have really tight square bushing just put a few drops of bearing lube in the creavace where the bushing sits.

I ordered black and they sent me pink. The surf adapter did not fit onto the screw holes for my cruiser board or my longboard.
Edit: I emailed them and they responded within a day. They offered to modify my trucks to fit the adapter and send me the right color all free of charge😲 my trucks didn't fit bc they're old school so make sure u have the right trucks before u buy