Jumping is a blast—if you have a good jump. A plastic skateboard ramp is the most popular way to add hangtime to the neighborhood RC scene, but what if you want to go bigger? Ramp maker LandWave offers stackable, molded ramps that make it easy to customize your launch pad. The system makes it easy to build jumps as wide and tall as you like, without tools. Here’s what you get and how it works.
What You Get
There are two parts to the system: the ramp (which looks like the molded ramps you’re familiar with), and the deck, which is essentially a flat box and makes the stacking feature possible. Tabs and grooves align to connect the ramp and deck so they don’t slip, and the ramps and decks can be assembled side-by-side as well as stacked to make jumps wider, taller, or both. The jump and deck each measure 28 x 38.5 x 12”, so they are large enough to have fun but not so big that they take up too much space when storing them. Or, just leave them outside since they’re weatherproof plastic.
Getting Air
I did my testing with the LandWave starter pack, which consists of two ramps and a deck. I had no trouble connecting the pieces to make a double-wide ramp, a table top and a double-tall ramp. Disconnecting the parts required a little shaking to break them loose, but it was nothing that would keep me from buying them. A single ramp by itself is wide enough to hit with no problem, but it’s definitely easier to line up on a double-wide jump. With the LandWave system, there’s no gap between the jumps when you fit them together side by side—the same can’t be said for other molded ramps I’ve tried. I also found the LandWave jump’s textured surface allowed good traction all the way up the ramp. LandWave’s heavier, sturdier construction also helps the ramps stay in place instead of moving when you hit them. The only thing to watch out for is your approach speed. In order to allow the stacking function to work, the ramp face is flat instead of curved. At speeds over 20mph or so, the transition from flat ground to the angled ramp is abrupt and can unsettle the car. If you’re setting up off road, you can put dirt on the front edge of the ramp to smooth the transition (which is what I did), and your launches will be smoother. Overall, I had plenty of fun with the LandWave jumps. They locked together well and didn’t move during my jumping sessions, and I really like that you can build a ramp as wide or as tall as you want by adding more ramps and decks. The LandWave system offers superior made-in-USA construction and much greater versatility than department store ramps, yet surprisingly costs less. A two-pack of similarsized ramps at WalMart.com sells for $134. For $125, LandWave’s Starter System includes two ramps plus a deck, puts a better ramp system in your
PLUS
Versatile, stackable design
Easy to connect, stays put
Textured surface gives good traction
Minus
Uncurved design can cause harsh launches