Editor’s Note: The following #RADGEAR is done in partnership with the cool folks at Surfskate.
If the waves are flat, there’s still a chance to give your wave pumping practice a go. Waves might be brewing a few hundred miles away, but for the time being, we might as well surf the streets instead of praying for a swell. SurfSkate finally introduced a product aimed to cure that ocean minded boredom, combining skate cruising and surf pumping all into one board.
My first time on a Surfskate didn’t go as planned; bloody elbows and heaps of embarrassment are all I remember. At the time, I lived in Australia, studying abroad and looking for easier transportation from train station to train station. In regards to my recent skateboarding past, I expected an easy transition to the SurfSkate. I ended up being completely wrong.
After watching Jamie O’Brien shred the streets on his own pro model board, I thought I might have a chance. The Hawaiian free surf king pumps up and down in fluid motions along his North Shore neighborhoods, carving up drive ways and throwing quick snaps – making it look easy and justifying why the company gave him his own pro model.
The board line up at SurfSkate, including the Jamie O’Brien pro model (far right). Photo: SurfSkate
The difference, I soon learned, was the front truck and back truck that each swivel from left to right, instead of allowing just one truck to swivel. Labeled as a V-Truck, the idea is to allow you to pump and carve as if you’re riding a surfboard. The key element to mastering the board is balance, which I soon learned (after one ride) I completely lack. My Surfskate skills are similar to my surfing skills: depressing, but I’ll never give up.
What drives me to actually purchase one of these bad boys is the fact that I can practice applicable surfing skills out of the water. Practice your carves and pumping along your neighborhood streets or practice on your commute to work.
If I were Jamie O’Brien, I’d start pushing these through the factory lines and out the door to all major surf shops. Simply tell the bleach blonde teenage customer “this could help your surfing” (because it actually does) and boom. One board sold. Just be cautious with your first few pumps and carves, because face plants are no fun on cement.
