In other news: I finally ordered some slalom gear. It should be here next week. Now I just need to find some more people…

I can’t wait for my shortboard to arrive. A longboard is just not right in the pool.

1. Would you try it?
2. If it tastes the same, would you switch?
3. Would you encourage others to switch too?
4. Would you feel like a tight-ass for not buying branded cola?
5. Do you think you’d be seen as a tight-ass for not buying branded cola?
6. Can this anology be applied to blank vs. branded skateboard decks? (or computer equipment, iPods etc.)

Flipping this the other way around:

1. If you wouldn’t try it, why not?
2. If you wouldn’t switch, why not?
3. Do you feel better drinking branded cola?
4. Do you think others see you as better for buying branded cola?

Minilogo Deck 8″

Brand: I don’t really care about graphics, but I do care about quality. For those that don’t know, Minilogo is Powell’s attempt to compete with unbranded blank decks. They are effectively a blank deck, although coloured, but with a small Powell logo.

Size: simple, I’m big, with big feet. Strength is important. I’m not too concerned with the higher rotational mass of a bigger board; I’m not that good yet that the effect is significant.

Independent Trucks

I don’t know a lot about the truck market. It came down to a choice betwwen what I percieve as the big brands (Independent, Gring King and Gull Wing). They must be popular for a reason and the cost difference was negligible.

Bone Reds Bearings

I’m very pleased with my current Minilogo bearings. Bones Reds (another Powell brand) are the next step up.

Spitfire BlueTech Wheels (56mm)

Choosing wheels was my hardest decision. I think it may take a few more sets to really get to grips with what I like. They are a 97A durometer wheel; slightly softer than most modern wheels. I chose this because the New Zealand roads are a much larger chip than most others and the softer wheel gives slightly more grip and a less bone-jarring ride. For the same reason, I went for a wheel that’s slightly bigger than the normal 51-53mm.

• Minilogo Deck
• Independent trucks
• Spitfire Blue Tech wheels (56mm)
• Bones Reds bearings

Cost US$125 including freight to NZ (NZ$185). To buy this in NZ would cost about NZ$100 more.

When vert skating was big everyone wore at least knee pads, and most wore helmets. Now that street is way more popular, I rarely see any PPE.

I don’t wear pads, but if I’m doing more than a flatland cruise or a play at the local skate park I do wear a helmet, particularly when I know I’m going to go faster than 30km/h (19mph).

Generally, New Zealander’s attitude to safety, in particular young males, tends to be quite blase. This is also reflected in road statistics.

The human body is fragile, but great at repairing itself after most injuries. <lecture>It’s much better to not get injured in the first place. PPE will help with that and also when you do get hurt, will most likely reduce the level of injury.</lecture>

Whenever I go out on my longboard I get watched by guys (and girls) of all ages. It’s not often they see someone my age on a board having fun. That’s when the ones that know have ‘the look’.

You can see it in their eyes – first the vacant look as they cast their mind back, then the grin as remember the fun they had, then the smile with envy and admiration as they see somone of my age still prepared to act like a kid for no good reason other than they want to.

To all you guys (and girls) that give me ‘the look’: Just do it! Get yourself a board and start having fun!

I’m right-handed/footed. My stance is goofy (for surfing too, which is not a problem). However, my pushing foot is my right foot, which means that I push with my front foot, not my back foot. Consequently, my style is to ride with more of my weight on my back foot. I’ve since been informed that this stance is called ‘mongo’ (thanks Stu, and wikipedia)

I’ve tried switching to regular so that my pushing foot is where it should be but it just feels so wrong. I’ve tried doing goofy properly (back foot pushing), but with only my right foot on the board I have no control. I would like to do one or other of these, but breaking a 25 year habit is hard.

Probably the biggest issue is braking. It’s next to impossible to brake with the front foot. This is a bit of a problem, especially going downhill.

Although the comparison does not require the same amount of effort, I have successfully swithed to become a left-handed mouse user. This was because when I became a full-time webmaster I spend most of my working day operating a mouse and didn’t want any sort of strain injuries, so I use left hand at work and right hand at home. It took about a week to get really productive and about a month to become just as competent as mousing with my right hand.

I would love to have eight hours a day to get competent skating another stance. Since I don’t, I guess it will take longer.

Has anyone else tried, or heard of anyone try, to dramatically alter their skating stance before? I think that it would have to be done cold-turkey to prevent reverting to the old style. Any advice appreciated.