You may have noticed that longboarding has become increasingly popular and has grown from an obscure past time for teenagers in California to a fully fledged sport for adults! In fact there are a number of pro riders who make a living from longboaring and there is no reason why you shouldn't have a go and enjoy the sport.
Longboarding is similar to skateboarding, the most obvious difference being the size of the board. Skateboards are smaller and great for tricks and flip whereas longboards are primarily designed for cruising and slalom racing. If you are new to longboarding you may decide to purchase a complete longboard, if your budget permits it is always advisable to avoid cheaper boards and spend a little more so as not to compromise your longboarding experience. There are a variety of designs available from manufacturers including Sector 9 and Loaded.
It is also important to remember that you won't become the next 'Tony Hawk' overnight, that comes with hard work and plenty of practice but do be prepared for a number of 'bails' or falls. Ensure that your budget includes the purchase of, at the very least, a helmet and gloves and if possible, knee and elbow pads, they may not look that cool but you'll be pleased to have them on as concrete is not a very forgiving surface!
So what can you expect from longboarding? As well as cruising and slalom it is also possible, with practice, to boardwalk. This type of board 'dancing' is usually only possible on boards over 40 inches in length and can involve 'cross stepping' (moving the feet, in front of, or behind the other up and down the deck) and the 'shanker' (turning 180 degrees with your foot on the nose so that the tail of the board pops up then returning to normal stance).
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