I've been an on and off longboarder since '98 and have never tried it BF. I dislike bombing, am unskilled at sliding, but love deep carving and cross country. Questions: 1. How do you deep carve BF? I use my arch area for backside carves. How do you you heels without messing up the carve? 2. How do you go XC? I mean you have to PUSH! Sounds like trouble to me. 3. Bailing? Ouch! 4. How do you slow without footdragging? Foot stomping seems like a bad idea, too. Thanks!
Pushing XC is easy, MUCH Pushing XC is easy, MUCH easier than walking or running barefoot. Some barefoot riders will slide to stop since you can't really foot brake, but at the slow speeds I ride I slow down by "pushing" in reverse. If too fast for that I bail and just run it out. The thing is I don't really do hills anymore, I skate as if falling is not an option (I'm 58 1/2 years old), so barefoot skating is actually a safety precaution..... it keeps me from building up too much speed on small hills and reminds me to take it easy and safe.
You just push. The pressure You just push. The pressure of your sole contact to the ground is lighter than running, and in genereal you are trying to skate on smooth surfaces. Even my 98 mm Abec 11 Flywheels start to ride uncomfortably rough if I am on pavement that is hard on the soles. Try it......you'll like it!
Oh, and you must push with Oh, and you must push with both feet reversing stance every so often if you are going to be doing extended X/C. Better all around for your body anyways, snd splits the workload on your soles in half. Try even mongo in the mix. I alternate between natural and goofy, mongo and normal for four different pushing configerations.
Longboard wrote:The thing is Great statement, I couldn't of said any better myself. I do small, very small hills nothing crazy anymore, especially if I am barefoot. As far as carving, I don't put any thought into that, I just do it really. Pushing off, I just push off normally as well, and to stop I will just jump off the board, or lighly tap the ground with my forefoot. I think from the years of barfoot running my feet are somewhat well conditioned that I can do these things without any abrasions on the feet.
Nyal wrote:I've been an on I definately suggest ditching the shoes and not looking back. Just like learning to run barefoot after running in shoes for a long time, you might not be able to go as fast or as far right off the bat. If you just stay within your comfort zone at first and slowly build up (and learn techniques like sliding and speed checking) you'll eventually be able to hit more than you were ever able to do in shoes. After some practice, I was able to go anywhere on campus longboarding barefoot. the biggest challenge was avoiding car traffic.
When I started longboarding When I started longboarding all those years ago it was still a sport dominated by old men from the 70s. Often they would talk in hushed tones about the riders who went barefoot on a wicked long walking board and reproduced the best surf moves. Others made decks with that in mind, including one I saw that was a cutout of a barefoot and had shag carpet on top. Always, it was presented as a hardcore move of supreme confidence by those with a soul board. Do longboarders even have a soul board anymore? Do they still have "quivers"? Do they still make their own boards? Would longboarders today ever dream of buying a complete? I feel like an old man.
I can't say I know what a I can't say I know what a soul board or quiver is, but I know some people that make their own boards (or the decks at least). Most longboarders buy parts and put it together, and constantly update/customize them. I personally bought my deck as a complete, definately a newbie move out of convenience, but it let me focus on my riding before it got clouded with gearheadedness. the technology has advanced so far, I think focusing too much on it can get in the way of enjoying the ride. I happened to pick a pretty good setup even though I didn't know what I was doing, and I don't think I would pick something different knowing then what I know now. shag grip sounds scary... I feel like I'd be sliding around too much. I kinda like how standard skate grip feels.
Our family quiver includes Our family quiver includes over a dozen longboards, and another three or four homebuilts. And I'm not a guy from the seventies, I came of age in the sixties! My favorite board was a complete, a custom ordered from G&S 46" Pintail w/ Abec 11 Gumballs on 150mm Randalls. Thin, light, lively, and really snaps out of carves. Still like the Landyachtz Evo w/ flywheels for rough roads, and my Gravity classic concave. One son prefers oddball boards, like his Carve Board w/ oversize bearings, and his Carver Board with pivoting front truck that pumps away all day, even up hills. The other likes his Sector Nine Luke Nosewalker which allows for true surf moves, but really can get dancing on his Loaded w drop through trucks. So many boards, but the streets are snow covered right now. Good time to dream about a perfect Soul board though! I'm thinking something from Kahuna maybe.
My soul board is a high My soul board is a high quality ash waterski restored and repainted with Jelling motifs, Scandinavian flags, and a touch of Rune themed edging cut into the grip. I moved the back fin to the top (shark style) and put some Gullwing Mark I's (yes you read that right. Big fan of the old school.) on a wide, wide wheelbase. Wheels are Abec-70 Flashbacks (I would prefer those dual D gumballs, though. Those are niiiiiiiice.) on some Swiss Blacks. The effect is a technical, though stable at speed board that (thanks to the Gullwings) is pretty nimble despite the wheelbase. Very narrow, though, you have to be very confident with your footwork, but that's how I like it. It feels like a croos between a banana board and a FiberFlex. Plus you can walk around on it all day. I actually usually tool around on a wicked awesome old school slalom board. I found it one day in a trash heap and adopted it. It was so old the trucks were three holed and the wheels where PRE-precision bearing. The deck was the only thing that could be salvaged, as it was aluminum (14 by 5). The trucks and wheels were rusted brittle. I sawed them off, got friend to redrill Randall holes and I repainted and gripped the top. I put Randall slaloms (the OLD kind) on with some Abecs and I got a wicked quick and snappy tiny board that handled like a longboard. It actually handles better than most longboards, even at speed. No wobbles. It can carve insanely. My favorite board, the one I want to be buried with isn't even a longboard. I call it a funnyboard. I researched the brand name, Grentech, and found they stopped making boards long ago and now only make piping for mobile homes. I researched and researched and found a similar board made by the same company, but slightly bigger selling for over three grand. Wow. I showed it to a local collector, who boasted the BIGGEST old school skateboard collection in the world. He had THOUSANDS of boards. But not mine! Do I want to sell it? Not a chance! My favorite board, in its original state:
There sure has been a lot of There sure has been a lot of talk about longboarding around here lately.
TJ used to joke about adding TJ used to joke about adding a longboarding forum at RW, this is the best of both worlds. A longboarding thread on the premier barefoot running site. There were a bunch of " Barefootn' " threads on Silverfish maybe 5 years ago, here's one: http://www.silverfishlongboarding.com/forum/general-longboarding/20379-best-board-barefooting-2.html but soon the BRS will be the place for barefoot longboarders to hang out. Oh, and I've got 70's Flashbacks on my Gravity Classic Concave right now.
I recall seeing a photo of TJ I recall seeing a photo of TJ on a popsicle stick taken less than two years ago, probably on that other site. C'mon Tam, post it here so these guys don't have to waste time hanging out there while searching for it.
