Here are some of the top new and original alternative skateboards out there, most of which are so different in what they offer that they are only considered skateboards in name, rather than in form. Skateboarding has taken on many different forms through the year, as shown by these examples of modern alternative skateboards that are popular on the market today.
1 – Loaded Vanguard Carver.
Available from http://www.loadedboards.com. Some of the most innovative carving skateboards come from Loaded, and Loaded also makes snowboards as well. The decks and trucks are engineered together in a way that allows them to compliment one another, forming a unique and effective carving board. The Loaded Vanguard Carver, for example, is designed in a way that it can be a balanced all around carver skateboard, allowing it to be good at tackling most if not all of the things that you would like to ride. It is a pure carving machine, more so than a skateboard or a long board.
2 – Arbor Pocket Rocket.
The Arbor Pocket Rocket Mini offers many of the same features as an Arbor long board, but it is built to standard skateboard scale. The result is a crazy little skateboard that offers a super smooth ride, carves like no other board can, and that makes barely any sound as it rolls along. Getting tricks done with the Arbor Pocket Rocket mini can be a little difficult, but not outright impossible for you to accomplish. The Arbor Pocket Rocket Mini skate board is a brilliant mix of skateboard and long board, and this board certainly rides well.
3 – Streetboards.
Available at http://www.streetboarding.com. Streetboards are a lot like skateboards, but there are two points of flex where the nose and the tail of the board are allowed to pivot. On many streetboards, though not all of them, your feet are actually strapped in which gives you the capability to perform excellent tricks. The flexibility of the board allows you to maneuver in ways that are considered to be impossible when it comes to regular skateboards. Streetboard standards are managed by the World Streetboard Association or WSA.
4 – Flowboards.
Made by Flowlabs. These boards are made from Flowlabs and have crazy DCS trucks with as many as 7 wheels. The result is a board that rolls much in the same way that a skateboard was, but also moves fluidly like a snowboard and also allows for much deeper carves than anything else that you will likely find on the market. Flowboards are especially popular for snowboarders looking to train in the summer months, but they are also widely popular for skateboarders looking for a completely unique experience all year round.
5 – Stowboards.
Available through http://www.stowboards.com. The stowboard is a board that is about as long as an ordinary skateboard is, but it also folds up into a nice little block that you can easily shove into your locker, your backpack, under your bed or just about anywhere else. The Stowboard rides smoothly, it steers well, and it pretty much has what is considered to be the best possible balance of flexibility and strength out there.
Originally posted 2008-12-27 14:15:43. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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Skate boarding and the entire skater culture seems to become more and more popular every year. Twelve-year old girls who’ve never even stood on a skate board suddenly beg their parents for skater shoes. Shoe store employees are then faced with befuddled parents who aren’t quite sure of the differences between a skater shoe and a regular pair of tennis shoes, and without the expert help, probably would have purchased a cool looking pair of sneakers that were as far removed from skater shoes as tap dancing shoes are removed from roller skates.
So what makes skater shoes different than regular shoes?
They’re designed specifically for skateboarding, with their signature flat rubber or polyurethane sole that allows skaters to make better contact with the board and have maximum control while skate boarding. They’re also made wider to allow for more grip. The differences don’t stop there, though.
Some skater shoes have air pockets built into the heel to allow more shock absorption while skating to prevent bruising. Often the shoes are made from suede, and have double and triple stitching so that they stand up to the hard work of skate boarding, particularly trick skate boarding. They have shoelace protectors that keep the laces from hanging loose and possibly causing accidents. They’re cushioned and reinforced especially for the way the feet move and make contact with the board while skate boarding, and to make the shoe more durable. Still, avid skate boarders will wear out a pair of shoes faster than someone who doesn’t skate. The rough grip on top of the board wears at the soles, especially if a skater practices regularly or does lots of tricks.
While you might think you can still wear any old shoe to skate board, consider that all these features that make skater shoes special are there, not only to make you a better skater, but to keep you safer. A skater shoe allows you to grip the board better. You have more control which makes you a better skater, but also keeps you from falling off the board or having accidents as much. Control is key in learning to skate properly and remaining on the board. If you’re wearing a regular tennis shoe, you won’t have that same measure of control and you might find yourself surprised to be on the ground, hurt.
Spend the extra money on well-designed skater shoes. You’ll skate better, and you’ll have less risk of injury. And they’re not as expensive as you probably think they are. You can find excellent skater shoes like Fallen Troopers for $50 to $75 dollars, and skater shoes made by Vans, a company that’s been making skater shoes longer than almost anyone else, will run an average of $60. Globe is another skater shoe manufacturer that makes some of the best skate boarding shoes, also in that price range. A regular pair of shoes could cost that much or more, and with skater shoes you’re getting protection built right in.
Originally posted 2008-12-08 17:24:19. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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There is a great deal of interest in high tech deck skate park materials today as more and more people are becoming interested in the sport once again. As you watch the interest in skateboarding becoming more popular every year, there is more reason than ever for the innovations in skate park material to become high tech.
Recently there has been some information that skate parks and boards have been undergoing some changes over the years. Many of these changes are very high tech and will change the way that skateboarding is done forever. The materials that are used in skate parks has fueled a whole new interest in the design and building of the best skate parks in the sport.
There are some changes to skate parks in the area of water collection. Many times a hover board park or skate park will serve as a water collection area as well as the skate park. They must have high tech draining, filtration and methods for bringing the water where it needs to be after it is collected in the skate park.
The high tech deck skate park of the future can be an important part of your community. The simple fact is that if your city or town does not have a skate park, kids will skate in areas where you might not want them to be. When the town makes the decision to build a skate park, there is a greater ability to enforce safety rules and make sure that kids have a smaller chance of being injured while skateboarding. This is a great point to bring up to the city when you are lobbying for a skate park.
The skate parks can be designed to increase the fun that a skater will have while at the same time keeping everyone as safe as possible. If you don’t want the neighborhood kids using a vacant parking lot for skating, then a high tech deck skate park is the answer.
The sport has evolved over time to include many innovations in the boards and the tricks that they are able to accomplish. The skate parks have developed over time as well to become a safe place for kids to hang out and try their hand at the tricks that the pros use. It is also a great place to hold exhibitions for professional skateboarders to come and have events that local kids can participate in with their favorite pros.
With a little time and investment, a high tech deck skate park is a worthwhile addition to any community. When kids have a place to go where they can practice their tricks on the skateboard, there will be much less chance of kids skateboarding down city sidewalks creating an unsafe environment for pedestrians.
If your child is skateboarding, make sure that they are wearing the proper safety equipment while they are at the skate park. Helmets, knee pads and elbow pads should be worn to avoid serious injury. Make certain that your child has this equipment while they are at the local skate park.
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180 – This is a term that refers to a half rotation.
360 - This is a term that refers to a single full rotation.
540 - This is a term that describes a 540-degree rotation while in the air. This is equal to one and a half full rotations.
720 - This is a term that typically refers to two simultaneous 360-degree turns, either forward or in a backward direction.
900 - This is a term that describes two and a half full rotations.
5-0 Grind - This term describes a type of grind in which the only trick that is grinding is the back truck.
50/50 - This term describes a type of grind in which both of the trucks are grinding.
Abec - This term is used to describe the tolerance rating system that is applied to bearings, designating the level for the bushing’s stress resistance. Higher Abec ratings refer to tighter bearings and lower Abec ratings refer to looser bearings.
Acid Drop – This refers to riding straight off of an obstacle, free falling to the ground.
Air – This is the term that is used to refer to situations where riders are clearing obstacles or jumps.
Alley Oop - This refers to a situation where a trick is being performed in an opposite direction from the direction that the skater is moving in.
Backside - This refers to a situation where a trick or a turn is being executed in a direction that the rider’s back is facing.
Bank - This is any area that is sloped below 90 degrees.
Bearings - There are both inner and outer parts in bearings, and the balls ride on them, making it possible for the wheels to turn.
Blunt - This describes a situation where a trick is being performed and the board’s contact spot with whatever obstacle is being used is the tail area behind the board’s back trucks. The wheels should also be on top of the item in question.
Board – In skateboarding, this is also known as a deck, and is the platform part that all of the hardware is mounted on to. The most common material used for a skateboard deck is maple laminate.
Boardslide or Railslide - This is a trick that involves sliding on an obstacle or a lip where the underside of the board is the contact point.
Brain Bucket – This is a slang term that refers to a helmet.
Caballerial - On flat ground this is a term that describes riding fakie, do an ollie 360 without any grabbing. On a vert ramp, this is a term that describes riding fakie, and doing an ollie 360 without grabbing at the lip. This trick was invented by Steve Caballero
Carve - This is a term that describes making long curving arcs while skating, especially downhill.
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