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The Rise of Surfing without waves
Thanks to the pandemic-inspired activities, the popularity of Surfskating, all of a sudden witnessed a rapid ascend. One may overlook, but can’t deny the fact that the impact of the latest skateboarding craze has taken the world by storm in the recent times.
From being one of the most favorite sports of those who treasured extreme sports-type games in the 80s and 90s once, Skateboarding today, has become the cool sport. It is not only the new hype in the arena but is also a new contender in the sport league. Now, from parks to the streets, from roads to the engrossing social media news feeds, one can witness its growing footprint!
The rise of Surfskating
At first, it may appear like the typical skateboards with a flat wooden deck and four wheels, but a closer look shows that this new craze is actually a new breed of skateboarding called Surfskate. We may say the pandemic proved boon in disguise for Surfskating as many people credit its success and popularity to the soft lockdown in several areas.
What is a Surfskateboard?
Much similar to the traditional skateboard, the idea behind designing and developing Surfskate was initially to mimic the feel of surfing on the streets. What differentiates the Surfskates from street Skateboards and Longboards is the unique Surfskate truck system. This system enables the riders to feel of real surfboards and mimic the movements.
How do the Surfskateboard work?
The adapters and trucks of surfskates use an array of springs coupled with bearings to achieve the pivoting effect. These allow the front truck to pivot from side to side, which provides the riders an augmented range of motion, much similar to how a Surfboard functions on a wave.
The backtrack acts like fins, gripping the pavement, whereas the front is more free flowing, which allows the riders to explore myriad stunts and perform various manoeuvres, also known as “Carving” and “Pumping”.
If you too want to Surfskate withtout waves, just get our hands on the best Surfskates. Choose from these…
While surfskating has caught on in Thailand recently, the scene has been around for over two decades. Some of the pioneers include North American brand Carver Skateboards, which launched the first prototype of surf skateboard in Venice, California, in 1996. Surfskating is also very popular in the world-class surfing destinations of Spain and Portugal, with the Spanish brand YOW one of the leaders in the surfskate industry.
With its slightly wider shapes and mostly bulkier size than normal street skateboards, a surfskate provides more stability when entering and exiting a turn.
Unlike the primary purpose of a skateboard to perform complex tricks, surfskates mostly use deep bodyweight shifts that transfer energy and speed into the board without ever needing to push your foot on the ground or ride downhill. Since it is less complicated to learn and enjoy, surfskating quickly became a very appealing sport to all kinds of riders. A wide range of people have taken up the sport — couples skateboarding together, parents with their young children, and older, former skaters who are now re-engaging with surfskating.
Yet surf skating requires safety and protective equipment just like other extreme activities. Lessons can be learned from recent accidents, such as where one man fell in a Bangkok parking lot without any protective gear. The accident broke his kneecap which cost over 360,000 baht in medical treatment and a three-to-six month recovery period.
The new trend ain’t cheap Much like the cycling trend, which has seen huge growth in popularity too, some turned to online ordering from abroad and have had to wait up to several months for the store to stock certain boards. Many brands are in short supply.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT SURFSKATE
Surfskates come in a variety of sizes and styles, with each offering a different feel. You pick the right size board for you depending on your physical build and condition. Surfskates are less stable and harder to handle than street skateboards and longboards. An important factor is the size of the deck and brand to buy based on your budget, riding style and the experience you’re looking for. Here are the four top surfskate brands in the market.