How to choose a mini skateboard?

People of different ages ride on skateboards. It is suitable for people who are fond of alpine skiing to keep fit in the warm season. More and more often on the streets you can see even 4-5-year-old kids, quite dashingly handling a capricious board.

The first skateboards or skateboards appeared in California in the 40s of the XX century. Then these were just ordinary boards with attached wheels - surfers trained on them when there were no necessary waves. In the early 60s, surfboard companies began making them. And 10 years later, polyurethane wheels were invented, and the popularity of the new sport grew rapidly: skateboarding companies, skate parks, and the first tricks appeared.

Simply put, any skateboard is a "board", a small plane made of glued layers of wood (maple, bamboo) or fiberglass with two pairs of castors or casters. Standing on it and pushing off or changing the position of the body and the force of pressure, you can ride, turn and do various tricks.

There are several varieties of skateboards depending on use case or size - from tiny fingerboards to complex stunt boards. The following varieties can be distinguished:

• skate - a special "board" for a variety of tricks;
• longboard - long with larger wheels for fast driving on asphalt;
• fingerboard - very small, rather a copy of the usual, a toy for the fingers;
• mini skateboards - small models mainly for children or miniature adults;
• cruisers - small but very maneuverable boards with soft wheels and a streamlined deck.

Mini Skateboard - Small boards no more than 24 inches long and 6 inches wide (that is, less than 61 cm long and 15.25 cm wide). They are mainly intended for small children from 3 years old.

The boards (or decks) for them are made of wood or plastic (also called penny boards). Wooden decks are most often made of Chinese maple (9 layers of maple veneer), suspensions are made of aluminum or plastic, light and strong (3.5 to 5 inches in size), bearings are simple but reliable.

Penny boards are made of very durable plastic, and each manufacturer has its own material. These boards are even smaller - they are no more than 17 inches (about 43 cm) long and 5 inches (less than 13 cm) wide. They are designed for loads of up to 50 kg, but their large wheels smooth out uneven asphalt.

It is quite difficult to choose a high-quality and suitable mini-skateboard without knowing some of the rules - there are so many models.

It is better to give preference well-known brands, while you should not chase cheapness. The brand name is a kind of quality mark.

A cheap fake of low quality will not only quickly fail and will not allow you to enjoy the ride, but also create a real risk to your health.

Before buying, study all the pros and cons of a particular brand and model by reading reviews - after all, they are often much more useful than official information and technical specifications.

As a general rule of thumb, the larger the leg (and weight), the longer the deck. In fact, even a 4-year-old can already be put on a large board (up to 19 cm wide), and he will be able to ride normally. But you can also choose a deck strictly according to your foot size.

There are the following categories here:

• microdecs - for babies under 5 years old with a foot size less than 18.5 cm and weighing up to 20 kg (the width of such decks is approximately 6 inches or 15.2 cm);
• mini decks Suitable for children aged 6 to 8 years with a foot length of up to 22.5 cm (deck width approximately 7 inches or 17.8 cm);
• medium decks 7-7.3 inches wide (17.8-18.5 cm) will be good for schoolchildren from 9 to 12 years old;
• full-size decks useful for teens 13 and older (they are wider than 7.5 inches or 19 cm).

If there is no board of the required size, then you can take a skate a little larger - this will not greatly affect skiing, and next year the board will be just right.

The length of the board is also important - after all, when rolling, your feet should be directly above the rollers.

It is worth paying attention to the date of manufacture - especially when it comes to wooden boards. After all, if the soundboard was stored for a long time in the warehouse, then it could dry out. And such a board can quickly delaminate.

Particular attention should be paid to suspensions and bearings - maneuverability and safety depend on them. The best pendants are made from aluminum or durable plastic. Reliable bearings are made in Japan, USA, Germany and Sweden, but those made in Russia or Taiwan are often defective. For beginner skaters, ABEC bearings, Grades 1, 2 or 3 are suitable.

For a start, it is better to choose small and soft wheels - this will facilitate riding, increasing traction.

The necessary parameters may not always be taken into account in one finished model.

This is exactly what experienced skateboarders do - they select all the components for themselves. This can be done in small proven stores - skate shop addresses are on all specialized sites and forums.The advantages of such shops are that their owners, as a rule, are fond of skateboarding themselves and are well versed in their products.

And the last thing. For children or those who are just starting to ride, in addition to a skateboard you should definitely buy a helmet and protection for your wrists, elbows and knees.

If you don't have the time or desire to delve into the features of individual parts and their assembly, then you can buy ready-made models. In this case, it is worth contacting specialized online stores. They are also owned by people “in the know”, prices are lower than in large offline stores, and the choice is great. In addition, there is always the opportunity to read customer reviews about a particular board.

In the category of the best mini-skates on the Internet, a model was spotted Jdbug RT03 - three-wheeled skate for children from 6 years old and weighing up to 80 kg. It is very light (weight 1.4 kg) and compact, you can put it in a backpack. The deck is plastic, the suspension is steel, very reliable, the bearings are long-lasting ABEC 5. There is a niche for the front leg and automatic braking (that is, the skate stops if you jump off it). You can both ride it and learn the first tricks. According to customer reviews, after several months of use, only the plastic of the deck was slightly frayed.

You don't need to have superpowers to start riding any skateboard.

To begin with, it is important to stand on it correctly: the feet are located above the rollers across the board, slightly wider than the shoulders. You can just stand on the board, feel it. Knees need to be slightly bent and spread apart, hands can be balanced.

If you just stand, the skate won't go anywhere. But if you press your toes on the edge, then the rollers on this side will come closer, and under the heels, on the contrary, they will disperse in different directions. At the same time, the board leans forward. When you press with your heels, everything will turn out the opposite - the board will tilt back.

Having mastered this, you can begin to move. It is best to start on a level surface with no slope. Place one foot above the rollers in front of the skate, and with the jogging foot (for most people, this is the right one) push off slightly, as when riding a scooter, and then place it over the rear rollers. If you need to go fast and for a long time, then you should push off the road several times.

It is very important to learn how to brake properly.... In this case, you should not jump off a skateboard at full speed - this way you can break both the board and your legs. To stop, you need to slow down: put your leading foot on the ground, and transfer the weight to the back of the skate, lifting its nose.

Having mastered the movement on a flat surface and braking, you can try to ride down small slides (the slope is no more than 25-30 degrees). There is no need to push off here, but the ride will turn out faster. It's a little harder than driving on a flat surface, but much more fun.

Choosing a good and comfortable mini skateboard is a snap. You just need to adhere to certain rules and not chase external beauty. And then the pleasure of riding it will be guaranteed.

You can also see helpful tips for choosing a mini skateboard in the following video.