Frequently Asked Questions (renamed thread)

The little bang?

that took some reading, i still use my old rectors and wear vans maybe when i get better i will upgrade (im not using green wheels yet)

Well hello every body. First post but I thought I'd hit it here. I skated from about 1986 until around 1998 every day and off and on til around 2002. I really loved it but new babies, work ect. Now I am 36, be 37 in June. I have been excersizing, working out and trying to be in good shape. I was thinking of things to add to my excersise regemnet and just decided to go by the local skate shop for kicks. Well I walked out with a new stick! I've skaing around the local public park WITHOUT pads. However not really trying anything ground breaking. I started hitting the transitions and found the first day I had a hard time keeping the thing from shooting out from under me. After a couple weeks and 4 or 5 trips I am carving the place up and even catching some grinds on the 6 ft transition. I even popped a front side ollie on the 3 footer! My observations are this. I used to rip as a yound skater. My mind seems to know what to do but my old ass body doesn't. I want to try some things now that I am getting my legs back but having a family that depends on my [aychecks to live, I cannot justify not padding up. I am going to buy knees, elbows, wrists, and a helmet. I think it will make me try some things I would not without pads. ALL the kids at the park wear 0 pads....none. It trips me out. All the old guys that come out all pad up. However thinking back in my hay day, we padded up when we skated vert, mostly half pipes, never bowls or parks, but street skated with none. Old habits I guess.

I want to try some things now that I am getting my legs back but having a family that depends on my [aychecks to live, I cannot justify not padding up. I am going to buy knees, elbows, wrists, and a helmet. I think it will make me try some things I would not without pads.

Same for me. As soon as I started making a living w/ my brain, there was no excuse not to wear a helmet. Too much riding on the hopes of not taking that one weird fall.

Skating street is still slow/low enough not to wear pads, but any time at the park demands a helmet.

//H

Ban hammer?

[Carl Arnfield]

Ban hammer?

banned and deleted all posts

Ban hammer?

banned and deleted all posts

Ah come on SNAKEBITE wasn't that bad was he?

To be fair, I would ban me.
Have you seen some of the crap I come out with?

nice one joolz ,good advice for newbies....

Jannypan?
I sense a "down the pan" coming on.

Well as a born again skate 'prospect' I can sorta see both sides here. I never used to wear pads, it just wasn't part of our little skate clique's (mostly street skating) culture, what was compulsory was fairly permanent gravel rash on yer 'sticky out' bits and a respectable scab to skin ratio. The people that tended to be padded up were the same conspicuos, mum fussed, noobs who covered their expensive skates in big blobs of protective plastic so they woul'nt ruin their precious graphics. All very piss ripped and frowned upon you see. Besides i could afford to go and spend cash on safety gear even less then than I can now. I also subscribe to the 'pads give you a false sense of invincibility' theory.
All that said, with the skate landscape now chocker block with concrete parks and such it seems to me there are far more opportunities out there for a skater (specially a sketchy rusty old duffer) to go smash his napper in a million bits. Anyhow any man of the world will tell you, chicks actually dont dig scars..they mostly just go 'eeeewww!!!' in my experience, and add it to the list of reasons they wont be going out with you. Good point about not being able to pay the bills with a smashed up bod too, whoever said it, very true. And no government will ever be able to force me to wear a helmet while I skate, They've failed miserably in the past at preventing me from doing all sorts of destructive unhealthy things to myself and I aint givin up the struggle any time soon.....tho I have given up most of the destructive habits....fook me, turned into a bit of a waffle that one.

PWWWEEEESE

Wear pads, we're old and breaky

just back from a 5 day snowboarding trip, much discussion on building a 4ft 'pipe in the back garden, busted knee on second day and I cant do a thing for 6 weeks.

and thats on snow

and I know what I'm doing ( honest )

wear pads

BTW - hi, first post, just found y'all

Ta

Dave

The advice i like the best is

Ace advice Brano

Just to add my opinion (not that it matters!)

I've never skated, ever. I've taken it up 3 months ago at the age of 35. I've not been risk adversed -> mountain biking (DH & XC), road racing pedal bikes, surfing, coasteering etc....

But this skate boarding malarky is insane! It hurts. You need BIG balls. And when they grow and it goes wrong, it hurts....and sometimes seriously.

My opinion is that pads have helped me progress. I think I have the ability, but it's the fear factor that stops me. Pads help get over that. My aim is to get better, pads help that (and if i get it wrong it hurts a little less), so therefore I'm for it.....but as many have said -> it's all opinion.

....I'll always make my 6yr old wear a helmet and pads - so why shouldn't I practice what I preach?

Just remember use the force luke-use the force.

+1 for Pads here!

I dived into the bowl here at Port Lincoln for just two sessions with just a board and no pads.
Having only really skated in a fairly straight line on clean smooth paths falling off had never really been a problem before.
But this sk8park malarky is a whole different dealy.
Well, two padless baby steps bowl sessions later I was mucho bruised and scabby, and not a little uncomfortable.

A quick buying spree on Ebay was the order of the day.
Helmet, Elbow and Knee Pads and Wrist Guards were purchased.
After 5 more sessions I looked at my pads, noted the depth of missing plastic and was thankful for the skin that I still owned due to their clever design

After trying to drop in for the first time from the 5 foot bowl I now also know I need some padded shorts too (of course my bum bounced all the way to the bottom of the concrete bowl and my board went off on a trip of its own)...so now learning to drop in can wait until I am firmly locked into the required posterior protecting panties.

Anyway.. I agree, it pays to pad up guys.

[BOOMERDOG]

your body will appreciate it!....