What You Need to Know Before Longboarding or Skateboarding on Campus this Fall
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE LONGBOARDING OR SKATEBOARDING ON CAMPUS
YOUR FIRST FEW MONTHS AT COLLEGE WILL BE RIFE WITH CHANGES,
new scenery, frustrations, and accomplishments. Starting out on the right foot at your new school includes maneuvering your campus, mapping out your classes, and starting to carve out your new life in college. The vastness of some campuses can feel overwhelming when you’re first familiarizing yourself. Luckily, longboards and skateboards provide the absolute best way to quickly navigate from class to class. Your board can easily be carried and stowed away in any classroom, or even equip your backpack to carry your longboard when it’s not needed.
Before hopping on and going, get to know your campus by taking a walk around. Understand the shortcuts, find paths you can use, and ask around to find out what spots get the busiest during the day. This can be especially helpful to beginners who are getting started on their boards for the first time. Understanding the route you’re taking is half the battle to efficiently skating on campus. Getting caught weaving in and out of crowds can be dangerous for both pedestrians and you as a rider. Riding downhill can be especially challenging to both new and seasoned riders. The challenge on campus is also met with avoiding fellow classmates on foot. Be courteous and attentive when you’re riding. The last thing you’d want to do is wipe someone out on your first day of classes.
Different kinds of longboards and skateboards render different results and can affect everything about your ride. The speed, control, comfort, and maneuverability largely comes down to what board you’re riding. Starting out on any board will have its own set of learning curves. Each board rides differently, feels distinctive, and will garner different results.
For a lot of personality and impressive control, opt for mini plastic cruiser boards. Don’t be put off by the fact that they’re plastic. The beauty of these vibrant boards can be found in the level of control they offer. Their petite nature makes them easy to control, and soft wheels absorb cracks and bumps in the road. Our version, Quip, is your high-performance, easy-to-control, portable, mighty little dream ride you’d expect from Ten Toes. Quip’s molded and durable waffle deck eliminates the need for grip tape. Once you’ve reached your point B, Quips compact design can easily fit into a backpack for easy stowaway.
If you prefer the classics, the tried and true longboard style is the ideal choice for facing campus rides. This time-honored form is built for flawless street coasting and responsive maneuverability. The design and construction provide for a smooth, surf-like ride bringing you back to California roots, even if you’re cruising on a crisp fall day. ZED, our ride or die longboard, is equipped with top notch hardware that looks as good as it rides. The spacious kicktail is ideal for urban maneuverability and flawless street coasting. ZED’s lightweight yet sturdy aluminum trucks come complete with riser pads in order to reduce vibrations for a stable and surf-like ride.
Drop-thru longboards will satisfy the speedier side of you. The design helps to improve control, keep your feet secured on the board, and keeps your center of gravity low as you conquer hills, curves, and dips of campus. Ten Toes take on a drop-thru longboard equips you with the agility and control needed to bomb hills and pivot quickly and responsively. Drop feeds your inner speed demon with reactive and smooth gliding slant reverse 180mm kingpin trucks with precision abec-9 bearings, high-rebound bushings, extra gritty and abrasive grip tape, and durable wheels.
Safety is of utmost importance while riding on campus, or anywhere, for that matter. With plenty of people around, there’s always a chance that you might wipe out on your board. Be prepared with a helmet, and even knee and elbow pads if necessary. Secondly, be aware of your surroundings. You’ll be sharing the campus with plenty of cyclists and pedestrians. Avoid texting while on your board, and communicate openly and loudly if you’re in a situation that prevents you from slowing down as fast as you may need to.
A lot of things will come and go in college, having a reliable form of transportation can make your journey that much easier.
START THE JOURNEY
These next four years will go by in the blink of an eye, keep something on hand to remember it by.
QUIP
Quip is your high-performance, easy-to-control, portable, yet mighty little dream ride. Made out of high-strength injection-molded plastic, this complete kit features soft wheels perfect for soaking up all those street bumps and sidewalk cracks while giving you the smooth ride you come to expect from Ten Toes.
ZED
Brace yourself for the ultimate joyride: ZED longboard is 44 inches of blissful, classic cruising. Ethically sourced bamboo meets exceptionally durable Canadian maple in an 8-ply construction unsurpassed in strength. Crafted from natural materials, ZED’s bamboo grain intricacies vary from board to board.
DROP
Built for speed, Drop 41-inch drop longboard from Ten Toes equips you with the agility and control needed to bomb hills and pivot quickly and responsively. This unique board features a symmetrical drop-through shape for added balance and improved push-power without the risk of wheel bite as you carve.