Intro

Every time I have seen people on their Ripstik Caster boards, I have never really considered getting one, I figured I would just fall on my face and then just stop riding!! If you are afraid of falling, that is definitely no reason to skip out on this gliding piece of work. If you put in the effort of trying for a couple weeks, the Ripstik will be fun, second nature, and worth every single penny.

Video And Shoes

Almost every ripstik package comes with a video that will teach you how to ride, and I highly suggest that you watch it after a little practice! It didn’t really do much for me in the beginning, but after some practice it does help quite a bit. The video shows you how to ride, and actual people riding. Look very closely at how to ride, and then watch how the people do it, and your set! If you please, you can keep the video incase you stop riding for a while and forget how, but I doubt that will happen. Once you learn you will never forget, just like riding a bike. The ripstik board is beautiful, and the design never wares out. Part of the design has rubber traction plates that keep your feet on the board. The ripstik also consists of two wheels, 2 concave deck platforms, and a Rubber Paddle handle in-between the platforms. I would most definitely recommend skateboarding shoes when you ride a ripstik, especially in the beginning. If you have a pair of “Etnies,” you are set. Etnies have grips on the back of their shoes that work excellent for staying on the ripstik. Almost every type of skate shoes work except for my favorite brand, “DC” shoes. DC shoes have grips, but they still slip on the ripstik, and most DC shoes are loose, and slip off your feet.

Skateboard Fans

If you are a big Skateboarding fan, the ripstik is still for you! Once you master the ripstik movements, you can fly up to speeds just as fast if not faster than a skateboard! The ripstik is also capable of flying down a steep hill with no wavy unstable movements (like some skateboards do). The ripstik board lets you swerve down any hill, even letting you make a sharp turn at the speed you are going!

How To Ride

Riding the ripstik is a lot different than riding a skateboard. When you ride a skateboard you have to put one foot on the skateboard, push off, even out your feet, and then go. To start riding with a ripstik, you have to even out the ripstick from the ground, place one foot in the middle of the front concave deck platform, push off with your back foot, and place it on the back platform. After you learn how to do that, it becomes very easy to do, and happens fast. The push does have to have some force involved, but not too much. You just need enough to keep you balanced until you start moving. To move you have to use your waist and your legs, (not your feet!). Keep your waist and legs moving in a pattern, either from left to right, or from right to left whatever is more comfortable for you. If you are riding on flat ground, I suggest you take long strides with your ripstik. To take long strides, just simply take slower and wider strides with your legs. If you are riding in a small area, or up a hill, take shorter strides by moving your legs faster, but more narrow. Shorter strides help you make fast turns and if your riding up a hill you can get their quicker, and without completely stopping. And again, this will come with at least a couple weeks of practice so keep that in mind before you just stop trying.

Old wheels

After about five months of having your ripstik, you may notice your wheels get really dirty, and start to loose a noticeable amount of speed. You can simply remove the wheel and replace it with a new one that you can by at any Sporting goods store, online, or where you purchased your Ripstik Caster board.

Tricks

The ripstik has a Kick Nose on the very front, and a Kick Tail on the very back that allow you to do tricks easily. The most common trick done on the caster board are the two types of manuals. A regular manual, and a nose manual. If you do a nose manual you have to get some speed, then put your front foot towards the Kick Nose, and leave your back foot where it already is. You can then shift your weight towards the front of the board gently, and your doing a nose manual! To do a regular manual on a ripstik, just push your weight back gently, leaving your feet where they already are (on the middle of both deck platforms), and then your doing a manual! The ripstik makes it fun and easy to do any trick on your skateboard with some practice. I myself cannot do an ollie or a kick flip on a ripstik, but I have seen both skateboard tricks done on a caster board. You can do as many tricks as you can think of with some practice. Once you get really good, you could even make some of your own tricks!

Final Thoughts

I have had my Ripstik for around six months, and I haven’t stopped riding it since! Its an excellent, fun way to spend your time learning new tricks, or just riding around. If you decide to buy a ripstik, I would go for one with a higher price that is worth your money. Enjoy the rest of your day, and thank you for reading!