Long Board – Gear Review

There’s a certain feeling you get when you pick up one of your favorite things.

It’s the feeling you get when you grab that thing in the same way you’ve grabbed it a million times.

For me, that thing is my long board.

Now, BEFORE you start making fun of me for riding a long board and not a skateboard, hear me out. At Texas A&M University where I currently go to school, our sidewalks are notorious for throwing riders off of their boards or bikes.

I’ve seen students use wheels on their skateboards that are the size of a Black Diamond Camalot C4s. Their brains bounce between their ears as they fly across the fragmented walkways.

Anyway, this board makes sure I get to my afternoon math class on time every Tuesday and Thursday, and I am eternally grateful. While everyone around me sweats in the hot Texas sun, I create my own breeze.

Longboards are well, longer than the their skateboard cousins, so they are much easier to balance on. They are unlike the skateboards as they aren’t built for doing tricks. I’d recommend them for the person who needs to cover short distances, fast. They are much easier to mount than a bike, but aren’t really built for the distance.

So the longboard keeps me from eating a skin on concrete sandwich. Most of the time.

The best part is the 5 minute breaks I get between staring at the computer screen. The board forces me to ride, and only ride. There is no surfing the Internet, or scrolling Instagram. Not unless I want to meet my maker at the hands of a 2 inch bump in the road.

So I’d also recommend the board to someone who needs a break from the screen every now and then. Just pick up your plank and hit the road with some headphones. Clear your mind. Then you can get back to whatever you were doing.

After a couple of weeks, you’ll start to get better at gliding over the bumps with grace. Eventually you’ll be able to turn. You might even be able to go down slight declines if you practice. It can feel difficult, but once your body gets used to it, you’ll be a pro in no time.

And be thankful for the cracks! They are the reason your brain has to focus. They keep you off your phone, and in the present.

The board keeps you balanced, and the cracks keep you honest.

Thanks for reading. What do you ride to work/school/the crag?