Blog Entries/ July 4, 2022September 26, 2022

Pre Longboard Life – Equipment and Choosing your Longboard!

Hi Dear Readers!

The time has finally come where I start my new DyP (Discover your Passions) series which I’ve chosen to call “Longboard Life” or LL. The premise is the same as with all other DyP-series; I will show the process of learning a specific skill. This includes anything from research, finding the ideal equipment to learning the actual skill. As you may have guessed, Longboard Life is where I learn how to ride a longboard. However, since the idea of these series is that you guys can learn the skills with me, I though I would include a Pre-Longboard Life, where I cover the equipment I will be using as well as walking you through finding the ideal longboard for you. Pre Longboard Life – Equipment and Choosing your Longboard!

NB: I want to make a point in saying that I’m a complete longboard beginner. So, the information I am providing below is based purely on the research I’ve done when I was getting my own longboard. Therefor, there will more than likely be points or valuable information that I have missed, so please do your own research before you start

Longboards and Style

When it comes to longboard, there are many different styles you can go for. Some being more ideal to start out with than others, if you are a beginner. On top of this, there are different types of boards that provides you with different specifications that makes it more suited for certain styles. It’s important to be aware of this, as certain boards can work against you depending on what you want to use your longboard for. This is not to say that you can use the same longboard for Cruising, and you would for Freestyle. So, ones I’ll be mentioning in the following are not all the types there are.

Before even thinking about which type of board you will be getting, if you are just starting out, it’s important to settle on a style first. Because depending on the style, you would need a specific longboard to match your wishes. When I first looked into longboards, I had a completely different shape longboards in mind than what I ended up with.

Cruiser Longboard (Cruising)

Cruising is probably the most basic of any other style. It is exactly as it sound; you basic just rolling along and enjoying the ride. Since Cruising is so basic in nature, it’s about the easiest style for any rider to start out with. There are not any crazy tricks where you need a certain skill level. Of course, you need to have a decent balance and coordination, just like with skateboarding.

Dance Longboards (Dancing)

It may sound weird that there’s such a thing as ‘dancing’ longboards. Like, how are you supposed to dance on a big skateboard? The dance you do on longboards are cross stepping, walking and tricks, which is why the width of the board is important. That is why Dancing was the style i wanted to learn. I though it looked really cool.

Downhill Longboards (Downhill)

Downhill racing is a lot more extreme than say Cruising or Dancing. Unlike cruising, where you’re just riding along the street, Downhill is about going as fast as possible down hill. You do this by riding crouched down on your board to minimize the wind resistance. This is of course super advanced, and you need to be a very skilful rider.

Freeride Longboard (Freeriding)

The Freeriding Longboard was actually the ‘shape’ of longboard that I had originally thought I would get. It was at least the way I thought all longboards looked before diving further in. In reality, Freeriding is an expert level style, that is not really the best style to start out with. Like Downhill you ride down a hill, but you would include chaining slides to control the speed you go at. The way you do this is turning your board to the side like you would do a snowboard. As with Downhill racing you need a certain skillset to be able to perform this style safely.

I wouldn’t suggest starting out with Downhill or Freeride, unless you have past experience. But I decided to include Downhill and Freeriding to give you an idea of the potential longboarding has in case you really get into it.

General Equipment

This might be the ‘lame guy’ sections, but it has to be mentioned. Just like with skateboarding, biking or roller skates, safety equipment is a must. The safety equipment includes Using a helmet, elbow, knee, and hand protection. As you could potentially go at a very high speed, skate on various surfaces, etc., a helmet can safe you from serious head injury, not to mention scrapes or bruises. So, when you join me for this series, be sure to get your safety Equipment in order.

On that note, if you have ever had an interest in skating or longboarding, I really hope that you will join me on this journey! I will be posting the Longboard Life Series here on my blog, but also over on my YouTube Channel. Please Subscribe!♥ On top of that, I will share small updates as well as bits and pieces of my practice session on my Instagram. Please use #holmlongboardlife when sharing your own journey, so we can support each other!

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