This time I’m reviewing skateboarding from my amateur/beginner perspective.
Every sport I do pulls at me but I just have to choose one at a time. This week is skateboarding.
I purchased a new longboard by Landyachtz last year to replace a Sector 9 one that had become far too flexible after 20 years. I just didn’t make time for skateboarding enough back then, while college was underway. Poor thing. So I’ll give it another go.
Now that I’m post-college, mid-career, and just starting my 50s, I have plenty of control over my spare time. Skateboarding is still one of the sports I want to be confident with.
So here we go with a recent return to skateboarding in 2025.
Why skateboarding still appeals to me
- I like the breeze in my hair
- Instantly makes me feel like a rebel, especially at my age
- I like to turn heads, at least in theory
- It seems doable, especially on a longboard and not trying to do tricks
- Despite falls in the past, I have more confidence due to better fitting and higher quality padding and helmet
- I don’t feel like I must learn to do tricks, as I did as a youth – I can go at my own pace on a longboard
My current gear
- My main skateboard for casual and social exercise is a Landyachtz Evo 40” longboard
- I also have a few surf skates that I’ve never tried out
- Also have two traditional popsicle decks set up
- And one cruiser that needs to be assembled from parts
- Lots of spare parts and decks, and wheels that are mostly soft and squishy types
I go to nearby parks with multi-use paths
I drive to the park because it’s too far to walk or skate. It’s actually a neighbourhood that has a path and linear-shaped park running right down the centre. Both my home and my elderly father’s house are not near skate-able roads.
Actually, at my apartment, skateboarders whiz by all day long but I don’t know how they do it. The pavement is what I would call lumpy and rough. But they skate along like a hot knife through butter.
Back to me. My reality is that I am only confident so far on new or smoothly paved areas lacking traffic entirely. That would be the park near my dad’s house. He walks and I skateboard or roller skate.
The very first time I tried out my Evo skateboard, I was quite nervous. Like, twitchy every time I heard a noise or saw a pinecone coming up on the pavement.
Several weeks went by and I had purchased REKD padded shorts for roller skating from rollergirl.ca. They were so highly regarded that I took a chance and ordered it. They fit perfectly when they arrived, based on a size recommended by someone online in a chat group who was about my size.
Now I can skateboard or roller skate without worrying about serious pain if I fall. Only mild aches should get through those padded shorts. I speak from experience with hockey pants and these do absorb much of a shock in a much slimmer padded garment. Excellent.
The next time I skateboarded, I was much more confident. Partly from the shorts and partly from having a break. I glided longer and regained my posture quicker every time I pushed off.
Using newer skateboard gear since childhood
Today’s longboards are much better than gear I had for the same price 20 years ago. My Landyachtz Evo was about $320 Canadian last year. It seems a reasonable price for a ready to go skateboard. It rolls smoothly, keeps going easily, and has a lot of useable deck space.
The wheels are relatively soft and forgiving. And it’s low to the ground. My previous longboard positioned the deck entirely above the wheels. I much prefer a ‘dropped’ deck that swoops down. Then you don’t have to reach as far down to push off, despite the large wheels.
My park skateboarding experience so far
I mean community parks here, not skate parks
I’m delighted to report that my last few skateboarding outings have been very positive. Last time, I had my GoPro in one hand, kept my balance, and had a great time. I can now keep up with my dad’s walking speed.
I don’t really have any bad techniques anymore. My new longboard seems to be part of me now. I push off, and somehow my feet end up where they need to be so I can glide. I can take gentle turns without getting nervous. I can absorb mild texture on the pavement. And I’m just at the point where I can start to be a little more aggressive with turning and stopping quickly.
If I can enjoy skateboarding, why not you?
Here are the positives I’ve experienced, as a 50-year-old woman
- Breeze in your hair
- It’s a conversation starter at the park
- Counts as exercise
- Padded shorts and knee pads and a helmet can give you confidence, especially if you’re already got the gear for rollerskating or ice-skating
- Inspire others around you
- Experienced skateboarders generally give a positive vibe to beginners of all types, so it can be social if you’re in a big enough town
- You can skate alongside a friend who is walking or skateboarding
Potential downsides to be aware of
- Cost of safety gear and quality skateboards – they are an investment
- You may not want to go alone, so find a friend or neighbour who is out for a walk anyway
- You might need a vehicle to get to a quiet and smoothly paved place to learn skating, such as as a school yard or a mall parking lot after hours
- It’s a bit of struggle to get the safety gear on, if you have leg, wrist, or back injuries (my struggles are from car accidents, so I’m not just talking about arthritis and aging issues here)
- Once you’re geared up, you need to make sure you’ve got medication and hopefully a cell phone tucked away somewhere
- You might need to get safety gear out of the way if you need to use a public bathroom, or be willing to cut your skateboarding adventure short if you can’t find one quickly!
Bonus tip
I use a runners vest to hold my cell phone, pouch of water, emergency food, and an ID card.
I have diabetes so this is a common practice to have a waist belt or something. I prefer the running vest because it holds full-size granola bars plus my cell phone on my back. It has a pocket alongside my chest for one granola bar, and a zippered pocket for keys. Everything else including the water pouch and drinking tube are kept alongside my back, out of the way. I can cinch up the straps so it nothing jiggles. I found mine for about $30 CAD on Amazon and it works great. Mine comes in purple too – a nice surprise!
That’s all for now. Happy skating, everyone!
Heidi Bada