EX7 vs R7: Same Press, New Name - The Real Story
Flip over a board on this site and you will see a construction mark: EX7 on Opera decks, R7 on the Madness line. Riders ask us all the time which one is better. Here is the honest answer: they are the same construction. The two names are a piece of skate industry history, and that history just came full circle.
What the letters actually mean
R7 stands for Resin 7. EX7 stands for Epoxy 7. Both describe the same press: 7 plies of 100% North American maple, bonded with epoxy glue, each deck individually pressed. Nothing about the wood, the glue, or the press changes between the two marks.
So why two names?
Sidewalk Distribution was started by skate industry veterans after Dwindle Distribution ended - Bill Weiss launched Opera here in 2023. At the time, the name R7 was proprietary, tied to the resin used in the deck construction, and Sidewalk could not use it. So the press got a new name that told the same truth about how the decks are made: EX7, Epoxy 7.
That changed when Sidewalk acquired the Dwindle brands. The R7 name came home, and going forward Sidewalk is transitioning from EX7 back to R7 across the line.
What this means for your setup
Nothing changes under your feet. If your Opera deck says EX7 and a newer one says R7, you are riding the same 7-ply maple epoxy construction. During the transition you will see both marks in the catalog - on Opera boards from street shapes to the 12" Fatties, on the Pop Slick slick-bottom decks, and across the Madness line.
Pick your deck by shape and width, not by the mark on the bottom - see the deck size guide if you are between sizes.
Quick answers
Is EX7 the same as R7? Yes. Both are 7 plies of 100% North American maple with epoxy glue, individually pressed. The construction is identical; only the name differs.
What does EX7 stand for? Epoxy 7 - a 7-ply epoxy-glued maple press.
What does R7 stand for? Resin 7 - the original name for the same construction.
Why did the name change? R7 was a proprietary name Sidewalk Distribution could not use when Opera launched, so the press was named EX7. After Sidewalk acquired the Dwindle brands, the R7 name became available again, and the line is transitioning back to it.