Whether you’re passionate about skateboarding, or your friend is interested in learning
skateboarding, you can be assured of one thing, it’s definitely worth every minute and pain to pick up this cool sport. Or if you’re a parent who is looking for a hobby for your child to pass time, you may
want to consider skateboarding before others. Although being new to
skateboarding can be tough, it can also be very rewarding and enjoyable. If
that is not enough, here is a list of why you should learn skateboarding
today:

1. It’s new and challenging!
If you the sort of person always constantly looking for something new and
interesting to try out, then skateboarding is just what you have been looking
for. Over the recent years, this unique sport has gained mass popularity with
many sponsored competition, street courses, and kick-butt indoor skate parks
for you to display your skill. Not only does it offer a new experience every
time you try a different ramp, trick, or skill, you can also ensure your brain
will stays active and mentally challenged to your limits. (unlike surfing,
which you can only surf on ocean waves).

2. It helps you in staying fit!
Yes, believe it. Skateboarding is a form of exercise! It is not hard to break a
sweat during skateboarding as it is a very aerobic‘exercise’. The most important thing about skateboarding is maintaining that perfect
balance at all times and by doing so, your core will gain strength and an
excellent workout for your legs. Hence, that is why most hardcore skateboarders
are lean and tough.

3. It can build your character!
Trying to learn a new skill or trick is no easy feat, let alone creating a
totally new move, but for skateboarders who are passionate about it, every
scrap from the falls and tumbles will be worth it once they have mastered it.
Not only does it give you the bragging rights to at your friends (although it
is a big plus in itself!), it also instils confidence and strength in yourself
and proud of your unique ability that not every other person can simply
achieved. Through continuous hard work, time and patience, it sends out a
powerful message to all skateboarders that‘Nothing is impossible when you set your heart to do it!’

4. It’s a great way to make new buddies!
There is definitely no denying that skateboarding open up the door to a whole
new circle of friends. Whenever you pick up a hobby such as skateboarding, you
will very likely meet other interesting people who share similar interest with
you regardless of age. Opportunities will be abundant for you to talk to these
new people whether you are looking for skateboarding gear in a store, joining a
local competition or just skateboarding in your skating park. After all, who
wouldn’t be impressed by a few cool skateboarding tricks?

5. It is just simply fun!
After listing down all the above advantages of skateboarding, it still boils
down to the fun factor in the end. And honestly, skateboarding is a whole new
level of fun to have, which unlike the fun of reading a book or watching a new
TV series, skateboarding is an adrenaline pumping activity straight down to
your toes sort of fun. Every time you learn a new trick, or nail that ramp the
way you imagined it, every corner and every leap will absolutely make your
heart pounding with excitement! To simply put it– Skateboarding rocks!

Ok, so with 36 wheels in total (3 per set, 9 per tread) you’re probably not going to be pulling off any tricks with this thing, but that’s not why it was created. The large free-wheeling treads make the Descender usable on almost any surface, whether it’s grass, snow, or even rocky terrain. So you’re able to use it all-year-round wherever you want to.

Ironically it’s probably not actually going to be useful for impressing your friends at your local skatepark, but recklessly careening down a mountainside provides more of a thrill anyways. Available sometime this spring, for kids, teens, and adults, as long as they’re under 200 pounds. [Rockboard via Coolest Gadgets]

Article source: http://gizmodo.com/5882247/treaded-skateboard-turns-any-mountain-into-your-halfpipe

About the Skateboard

RB Rockboard has created a bright little number called the Radiate Skateboard. It’s part skateboard and part, well, night light. The skateboard comes clad with a rechargeable LED light system that rims the bottom edges of the skate deck. There are over 40 lights in all and when fully charged they’ll undoubtedly get the homies talking about your sparkling skatepark entrance. So be prepared. With such a high profile glow about your feet, you’d better have the skating skills necessary to annihilate the asphalt or the forethought to map out the nearest and quickest skatepark exit before you go. One other caveat I should mention. The skateboard is said to accommodate riders up to 90 pounds, so you’ll need to be light on your feet in order to take a ride. The skateboard comes in a variety of colors and graphics like Rasta, Burst and orange. It comes with 95A wheels, ABEC 5 bearings, 90A bushings and aluminum cast trucks.

Where You Can See It

The skateboard is expected to retail for $99 and be available online as well as through select retail locations. If you want to see this skateboard up close and don’t live near any of the designated retail locations, you have one other option providing that you’re also a member of the toy industry. You may opt to head to the American International Toy Fair this month where the skateboard will be on display. The fair is set to take place in New York City at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and showroom locations from February 12 through the 15, 2012.

Similar Skateboards

The Radiate Skateboard may be the latest one to sport an LED system but it’s not the first. There are several others including a more expensive longboard made by Flexdex. It is called the Clear29 LT and comes with GullWing Trucks, ABEC 5 bearings and see-through wheels. The Clear29 LT tends to retail for $170.

My children are skaters and I have a history of following the sport.

More from this contributor:

Arniko Skateboards Takes Skateboard Construction to a Higher Level

National Scholastic Skateboarding League 2012 Season Off to a Good Start

Jameson Dublin International Film Festival to Show Hill Street Skate Doc

Straight to the Internet: Circa and Friends Skate Video Released

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Crailtap’s Shit Pro Skaters Say Featuring: Chris Roberts Written by: Alex Olson Ben Colen Sam Smyth Rick Howard Aaron Meza Chris Roberts Filmed & edited by: Aaron Meza Guest appearances: Rick McCrank Daniel Castillo Sebo Walker Lil’ Schmatty Zak Allegri Joey Brezenski Alex Olson

About the Company

Arniko Skateboards is based in Nepal and uses a blend of Swiss design and Himalayan tradition to create its skateboards. The decks are constructed from various types of wood veneer like most skate decks, but that is where the similarity ends. The blank decks are then turned over to local craftsmen who are based in the Kathmandu District of Patan. The district is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which only makes these skateboards even more exceptional. The craftsmen work their magic, giving each skateboard a unique look. The decks are then sent back to Arter for the addition of trucks and wheels. In my opinion, these skateboards are a thing of beauty and adding traditional grip tape to them would be downright criminal. Check them out online and make that decision for yourselves.

About the Skateboards

Purchasing an Arniko Skateboard may not bring you inner peace or good karma but it will definitely give you a skateboard worth cherishing. The skateboards come in three styles (classic, Makalu and eighties). Classic decks are 67 cm x 17 cm. Makalu decks are 63.5 cm x 19.5 cm and eighties decks are 67 cm x 23 cm. You may expect to pay $217 or more per skateboard. You may purchase the skateboards online or through select dealers noted on the company’s website.

Other Artists

Arter is just one of many who have used skateboards as a canvas. To my knowledge, however, his are the first ones to be hand carved in Nepal and completely functional. In the spring of 2011, German museum curator Tobias Megerle had a dozen Mahim woodcarvers in Mumbai create stunning skateboards for an exhibit entitled Final Cut. The skateboards, despite being aesthetically pleasing, were not practical. They were skate art pieces for art’s sake and not art for skate’s sake. Other skate artists known to use wood carving or wood burning techniques include Piotr Woronkowicz and George Peterson. Unlike those three, Arter’s skateboards are pieces of art meant to be ridden.

My children are skateboards and I have a history of following the sport.

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Am Skater Eric Carlin Breaks Pro’s Record for Most Ollies in 60 Seconds

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San Francisco Chronicle
February 2, 2012 04:00 AM
Copyright San Francisco Chronicle. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Article source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/02/01/BAIJ1N1VJ3.DTL

The sight of skateboarders on the streets or in parks is not an uncommon one
these days. Even if it still is where you live, nobody is spared by the
greatness of skateboarding as its popularity shows in the media like
television. Originating in the 1950s as a result of some surfers’wish to surf on the streets, skateboarding is now a popular recreational
activity and when it is brought to a higher level, it can make you money. Even
celebrities are being carved out of skateboarding which has evolved into more
of a serious sport than a simple hobby.

Many perceive skateboarding as a pointless activity due to its small population
of embracers as well as the many danger threats it poses. They stereotype
skateboarders as people who are putting their time to waste and are being
unproductive in life. However, true lovers of this activity have every reason
to pursue what they are doing.

Skateboarding isn’t an expensive activity to get involved in. The basic need of course is just a
skateboard but many may require protective gear for their liking. Either way,
it will provide skateboarders an immeasurable amount of fun and thrills as it
just allows skateboarders to do what they love to do and let their real self
shine.

Sports play a big role in social lives and it is safe to say that all sporting
events are a time to make friends. The same goes with skateboarding but in this
area it is not as simple as starting out a conversation and moving on from
there. It is all about getting into the crowd and basically skate. This way,
the simple act of skateboarding is your medium of communication and with this,
seasoned skateboarders can train the new ones while the new ones get better as
they get along with the rest of the gang all in the name of having fun out of
skateboarding.

Skateboarding is not just about doing what can be done on a skateboard. It is
doing what you think can be done. It is with a mindset like this that which
allows professionals to create their own tricks as well as signature skills.
Therefore, skateboarding is also about creating and pushing yourself into
finding the original skateboarder in you. There is of course, the inevitability
to get injured along the way but if you succeed at the end of the day, it will
be a price worth paying. After all, getting up every time you fall will only
earn you more respect than not wanting to give it a go at all.

Of all the fun and thrill providers of this era, skateboarding certainly beats
video games in terms of how the fun and thrill is actually obtained. It gets
the blood pumping and provides adrenalin-boosting rushes of fun. There are the
risks but as long as you do not try it out for yourself, even a simple push of
the board to get you moving a few feet, you will never know.

About Carlin

Eric Carlin has been skating for some time now and is known to favor both park and street. He is also a member of the Dunlop Tires Team. If you go to his Team Dunlop HookIt web page you can scope out photos and videos of him busting out tricks like a wicked noselide shove out down a 5 stair hubba. While on the website you can also opt to follow his skate career’s progress and learn about what New Jersey skate spots he recommends.

About the Record

Some skate fans may recall that in mid July 2011 Carlin broke Dyrdek’s 2007 world record for completing the most consecutive ollies. At the time, Carlin bested Dyrdek’s record by 32 ollies while Dyrdek was busy contending with his Street League Series. This go round Carlin set his sights on another one of Dyrdek’s 2007 records, completing 42 ollies in 60 seconds. This time he bested Dyrdek’s record by two. You can check out video footage of Carlin’s latest feat on the Philly Burbs website.

About Dyrdek

Carlin readily admits being inspired by the 37 year old pro skater’s list of accomplishments and who could blame him. Dyrdek’s long line of skate related feats is revered both within the sport and without. Case in point, video footage of Dyrdek’s latest stunt is set to be aired during Super Bowl XLVI. That stunt involved kickflipping a Chevy Sonic over the world’s largest skateboard. Incidentally, the world’s largest skateboard also came to us courtesy of Dyrdek. It is over 36 feet long, more than 8 feet wide and sits 3 feet 7.5 inches off of the ground. Dyrdek created the behemoth skateboard along with Joe Ciaglia in 2009 as part of Dyrdek’s show, Fantasy Factory. Not impressed yet? Just type the man’s name in the search box on the Guinness World Records website and see what else pops up.

My children are skaters and I have a history of following the sport.

More from this contributor:

Pro Skater Rob Dyrdek Kickflips His Way into Super Bowl XLVI

SurfSkate Creates Skateboard Trucks that Spin 360 Degrees

Skater Buster Halterman Gives New Meaning to Greasy Wheels

Despite Donation NOLA’s Skatepark Plans Stagnate: Fan Reaction

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About the Skateboard’s Design

First let me start off by saying that after seeing these trucks in action I am impressed. It looks like a lot of fun. The skateboards in the SurfSkate video have a typical stationary truck at the tail but a modified truck at the nose. The modified truck at the skateboard’s nose is capable of rotating on both a 360 degree horizontal and a 180 degree vertical axis. It is made from a chrome moly and air-craft grade aluminum blend. At one point in the SurfSkate video one of the skaters spins around like a top without his feet ever leaving the skateboard. I can only imagine what one of these skateboards will do in the hands of a professional pool skater. You can check out the photos and video yourself on the company’s website.

Where You Can Get One

While on the company’s website you can also purchase two different skateboard models with the modified truck. The first is called the Premiere and it features a maple deck that is 42 inches long and over 10 inches wide. It also comes outfitted with a special traction pad on the tail in place of traditional grip tape. Be prepared for sticker shock though. You’ll need to fork over $260 for the privilege of owning one. The second model is called the Stunner and it retails for $239. It is also a bit smaller. It is 36 inches long and slightly over 9 inches wide. You get the same traction pad on the tail along with what looks like colorful grip tape strips running diagonally across the center of the skate deck. The company also sells skate apparel, skate hardware and wheels.

Other Modified Skateboards

The SurfSkate is just the most recent modified skateboard to make an appearance this year. Earlier this month ARIS Sport released information about their Blade Runner skateboard. It features conical shaped wheels and an odd shaped deck. It, however, is apparently still in the prototype phase of development.

My children are skaters and I have a history of following the sport.

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The SurfSkate features a 360-degree rotating front truck that’s significantly more narrow than the fixed rear. The free-rotating truck reportedly allows a greater degree of movement and allows you to pump for speed. The SurfSkate comes in two varieties: the 42-inch Premiere, which retails for $259 and the 36-inch Stunner, which goes for $239. Both are constructed from seven-ply Canadian maple and available through SurfSkates online store. I’m not sold on it really matching the ride of a surfboard—though it looks damn close—but it certainly beats replacing the front wheels with office chair casters. [SurfSkates via Gizmag]

Article source: http://gizmodo.com/5880718/360+degree-trucks-make-this-skateboard-ride-like-a-surfboard