Attention Skateboarders! A question...

I have a question for you skateboarders, my son is 3 going on 4 in about another month and he wants to start skateboarding. I never did, so I am a grommet.

How do I go about picking out a board? What should I look out for?

Is there a Tony Hawk Grommet Kit (tm)?

Instruction videos?

He started bugging me for one about a couple of weeks ago. I bought him a helmet, elbow and knee pads. He is already doing tricks on his bicycle (w/training wheels) and I want to encourage him with things like this to keep him away from the TV. Just the other day we discovered a little used skate park next to the police station (hmmm...) and it looks really good to me.

I promised him a board in the near future, I know there is some serious skate knowledge here, so help a brotha out...

 

1.-BEARINGS, BEARINGS, BEARINGS- the main determinant of what makes it go fast. real good ones will purr along, perhaps too fast fer a 3 year old, and shitty wall mart ones will prematurely stop the board and the fun. sucks big time.
2. wheel size- taller wheels =faster, longer wheels =smoother- pick and choose what works for you.
3. dope- make sure the kid starts smokin it. inhalin may be hard on 3 year old lungs, but practice is necessary, he'll get the hang of it soon, and it is somethin father and son can do together in the trailer park- a true bonding experience.
4. he must cease wearing shirts IMMEDIATELY!!!
5. Drop him off at the mall, 7-11 or Mcdonalds and tell him to watch and learn from the older experienced loiterers. the fine art of intimidating the old and weak is a vital skill. i assume he already knows how to give the finger to security guards.
these are just the basics, but a good start, if you have any more ?'s i will be glad to answer them. i now have to fire up the bowl and go for a sk8

 

Pat, you truly are bad. Sorry, but the kid is going to have to get his own stash...he is already bogarting my Labatts.

 

Since he is a little guy, I would think that a smooth ride is vital. Is there a difference in axle widths that you can buy? I think smooth and stable is the ticket.

 

some of the board companies make "mini" boards, the local skate shop won't have any in stock, but if they are cool they will order one in for you if you ask. it'll be a complete set up with trucks and wheels. perfect for little kids. don't bother with the cheap toy store boards. get a real board. it would probably cost about $100. and last along time, just keep it out of the rain!!!
tighten the wheels up to where they barely move and let him get the feeling of standing on the board, then little by little loosen them till hes gets the hang of it. good luck-jeff

 

My 4yr old has a "termite"deck.It is a small board made for small people.As for the wheels-bearings.He has soft wheels and they are tightened so it is slow.He can push off and it doesn't go like hell.It's cool you support him in this.

 

oh yeah,, and don't worry about wheel sizes for now, till he really starts skating hard it won't make a difference -jeff

 

What is a termite deck? Sorry about the grom questions but I am truly a skateboard neophyte. Thanks for the kudos lulabelle, my dad was too old to do these kinds of things with me.

Maybe I will get a skateboard too.

 

My wife works at a skateboard company ( tum yeto / foundation super co. ) in sales and I could probably get you a good deal on a complete deck . If you want I could have her send you a catalouge and then we could stoke your little gremlin out on cool pictures ( which is the only way to pick a good deck ) . I could also offer a little advice as to what kind / size / wheel / etc that would be good for him . . .

 

That would be great =mike=, thanks a million, I will pm you my addy.

 

I'm not sure who makes it.Any good skate shop will be able to find one for you.Here it is.I told him to smile big.He did!

 

That is hilarious! That is what my son would do...

 

Just go to any skate shop , tell them what you are looking for , they can order it for you.

 

get soft wheels, i forget like 92 or something... its been a cpl of yrs for me, haha... i think they get harder if i remember so like the 98s are nice to slide but the softer ones are like butter, be better for a little kid prolly.

 

When I got my first board, I was clueless... there weren't any skateshops in my town so I got ahold of a CCS catalog... they helped me out a ton! Call them to get second opinions on a good board for first timers.

~Melissa

 

News flash , she says that they do make mini's and she will send you a catalouge . I will get her to juice it up real good with stickers & whatnot . make him feel special . getting things in the mail when you are that age is like crazy magic .

 

Thanks man, I guess instead of my name, put "Patrick" instead.

 

Um, still send the big-boy's stuff, dad is going to buy one too.

 

Good for you El Caballo. Skateboarding is one of the best things you could get your kid into. They're so fearless when they're young....it's never too late to learn yourself. Have fun!!!

 

Get him some 411 video magazines too! Pretty good to steal tricks from....
But, that's maybe when he gets a little older...
A good friend of mine has a 4 year old son and skates al little bit already... Pretty cool...

 

I don't know the top of a board from the bottom. But talk to Skate Fink,he's right into that stuff.

 

I got an OLD skateboard from the 70s...had it since I was about seven and never learned to ride the damn thing. It's one of those thick plastic deals that are way thicker and narrower than what kids ride today...with a little kick-up in the back. Mine's kind of a white/pink/purple swirl color with red wheels...a little chewed and slightly greasy from occasional use as an impromptu trans-mover!

Does anybody RIDE those little relics anymore?

Anyone here WANT to?

You can have it...if you vow to ride it!

 

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I don't know the top of a board from the bottom. But talk to Skate Fink,he's right into that stuff.

[/ QUOTE ]

Safety equipment is a GOOD thing. "In the day"....I got knocked out several times, had both wrists sprained a couple times and other assorted scrapes and bruises. It all comes with the territory.
The skating now is so radical, you can REALLY get busted up. The helmet and pads make falling a lot less harmful. When skating moved from the streets to the parks (and safety equipment was mandatory) the injuries were far and few between. Now that it's moved back to the streets, there's no "supervision." Cool for the kids, hard on the body (just watch "Jackass"..)
Add to this, MY passion was always longboards and surf style. Carving was cool, but very little air time. Despite being a "lab rat" in the 70's....I couldn't do drugs and skate. Skating saved my life!!

Here's a site with loads of info... also call them at 1-888-338-4562 and ask away (NOT suggesting buying from them. Don't have a clue as to their products. Just a source of info)

 

Hey Elcab........go check here for a board for your kid:

www.ccs.com

it's about the best mail order place and prolly the cheapest
place to get a complete deck for your kid. They make their own brand of decks and they may have "minis" for groms and they are way cheaper. i know for sure that they have lots of grom skate clothes too. I got a young son (8) who skates too. i have bought his stuff there and they always have great service. Oh yeah.....make sure and get him a sub. to
"Thrasher" magazine. every good skate rat needs thrasher magazine. you can order him a how to video that kicks ass from Thrasher's website. try www.Thrashermagazine.com

John

 

El Cab....i just went to the Thrasher website....they have three good how to skate videos, all of them under $10 bucks each!

They also have kids skate shirts....you gotta get him some skate threads so he will be cool! hahaha hope you have medical coverage on him......he's gonna bust his ass, it's a gaurantee, i know i did and my son has....the joys of having a skate rat kid!
JOhn

 

fat hack- pm'd about that board, i will ride it fer sure

 

John, I just won an ebay video by Vans on how to skate for $7.00 so I am ahead of the game there. I'll check out ccs later. Thank you.

 

Get him a full size deck, that way if he sticks with it he won't have to readjust to a gigantic board, soft wheels like everyone else said, and the larger the wheel is the less times you get slammed from hitting a little rock, the tiny wheels always got me hurt from hitting the tiniest of pebbles. The trucks you get really depend on the width of the board, you don't want him riding a board that looks like one of those hondas with the wheels sticking way out. If ya use the big wheels ya might have to put some little riser pads on it so the wheels don't rub. Keep the trucks tightened down on it so it ain't so wobbly, at least until he's a little bigger. and don't let him drink your labat and skate or he'll end up like me and not be able to anymore.

 

El C, the best thing you could do as a dad is encourage your kid. Encourage him to do the best he can, and don't get pissed at him if he isn't good at it and gives it up a few years after you buy him all the stuff (personal experience talking).

 

Sage advice JK, not to worry, I will be watching the video for my own education as well. I am going to get a long board for me and I'll skate his stuff or ebay it if he really doesn't get into it. I doubt I will ever have to though.