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Skimboard: everything you need to know to get started
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Tom
- Posted on
- Skimboards
In skimboarding there are two main styles, very different from each other: flatland with skate-like wooden skimboards, and wave riding with surf-like foam boards.
Flatland consists in sliding the skimboard on the shoreline to perform tricks similar to those you do on the skateboard, such as ollie, shove it, and various slides on wooden structures or PVC pipes. This style is preferred by freestyle enthusiasts, it’s very technical and can be practiced almost anywhere because it requires little water. It can reach surprisingly high levels of difficulty and technique and is very common in Europe, also due to the lack of waves necessary for wave riding. The latter consists in reaching a wave, taking advantage of the undertow, and then riding it to the shore. Once on the wave, you can then perform the typical surfing tricks and acrobatics. In Italy, however, there are excellent beaches for surfing and they are concentrated in Sardinia, Liguria and Lazio.
For this reason we love skimboarding, because it allows two types of approach, as a skater or as a surfer.
How do you throw a skimboard?
Whether you are a flat or a wave skimboarder, you need to learn how to flip the board before jumping on it. Getting on the skimboard is not that easy. And if you can’t control it, you’ll never be able to reach waves or ramps. That’s why throwing techniqueis a fundamental skill in skimboarding.
One of the most common mistake people make is running with the skimboard’s nose pointing to the sky or down to the sand. Instead it must be held firmly and parallel to the ground. One hand on the side and one on the tail. The goal is to release the board so it hits relatively flat water and starts sliding fast.
The best way to get on your skimboard is to perform the run-drop-slide technique. Drop the skimboard under you feet, or slightly in front, and with a quick step walk on the board first with one foot and then immediately with the other. In flatland skimboarding it will be natural to use the front foot first, while in wave riding the back foot is recommended in order not to lose speed. However, in both cases, nothing prevents you from dropping as you prefer, the important thing is to walk on it one foot at a time. The faster you are, the less speed you will lose.
So basically, instead of throwing the skimboard in front of you and then chasing it, you have to make yours an almost unique movement, that requires patience, technique and time. Do several tests on the beach until you are comfortable with the drop. With practice you will get better and better at throwing the board and you will do it effortlessly.
There are plenty of skimboarding beaches for both wave and flat fans, but it’s a lot harder than it seems to find the perfect one. There are some variables to consider: tides, wind, rocks, slope and crowds.
Gentle slopes are the perfect place for wave skimboarders, while very steep beaches are not as perfect as you might think. The entry angle of the skimboard too sharp will lead you to a disastrous wipeout.
Flat skimmers face slightly different problems. The quality of the sand and the amount of water available on the surface are fundamental conditions. A smooth, solid, clean ground with half an inch of water covering it is the ideal place. More water means more pop but less speed.
Skimboarding is often considered the perfect mix of surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding. That’s why finding the perfect spot is harder than it sounds.
How to pick your first skimboard?
Wooden skimboards can be of different types and qualities. You can find simple bazaar boards, intermediate boards and professional skimboard boards to use in pools, on structures or in the sea, which allow you to perform tricks and have the right feel on the board. Here are some light and practical boards to start skimboarding in style.
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DB Skimboards – Flex Proto MediumProduct on sale€149.00
The skimboard is growing a lot and the lifestyle launched by DB Skimboards is unique and recognizable. The quality of DB products is confirmed by the numerous riders who create their own tailored shapes for maximum performance. Here are some examples of PRO level boards:
On Skimcorner.it you can find your ideal skimboard!
We are exclusive resellers in Italy for the leading US brand DB Skimboards. On our online shop you will find the latest models of composite, flex and standard skimboards and combinations of shape streamline and proto, as well as accessories and clothing for the skimboard.
