Before you get started riding your Ripstik for the first time, you’ll want to wear the proper safety gear. Since riding a Ripstik is so similar to riding a skateboard, the best safety gear you can get is the kind made for skateboarding. At the very least you’ll want to wear a skateboarding helmet, but you can also get knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist pads, all of which will protect you when you fall.
Learn How to Ride a RipStik in 6 Easy Steps
1. Get proper safety gear
As for the proper attire, athletic shorts and a t-shirt will give you a more free range of motion than say, jeans and a button-up shirt, but ultimately you should wear whatever you feel comfortable in. When it comes to shoes, however, I would suggest getting yourself a pair of skateboarding shoes. They have a flat outer sole, so more of your shoe’s surface area comes in contact with the board, giving you better traction. Also, if you ever start doing Ripstik Tricks like ollies, where your shoe slides up against the board, your shoes will last longer as they are more resilient to scraping.
2. Find the right surface to ride
Once you’ve geared up, you’ll want to choose a spot with a smooth, even surface that has a slightly sloping surface. Ideally, this spot will have grass off to the side in case you need to practice standing on the grass or in case you fall. Although a sloped surface is not necessary, it will make the process easier. Just don’t choose a steep hill or anything like that. Now that you have this preliminary information under your belt, let’s get started learning how to ride a Ripstik!
3. Place your ripstik properly
First, you’ll want to place your Ripstik on the ground, with the nose (or front end) pointing in the direction that you want to go. Stand to the side of the Ripstik so that your front foot is near the nose end and your back foot is near the tail end. If you don’t know which foot is your front foot and which is your back foot, think about which foot you usually use to kick a ball–that one will most likely be your back foot, which will also be your more stable foot.
4. Face your toes perpendicular to the board direction
Now put your front foot in the center of the nose end portion of the board, with your toes facing perpendicular to the direction of the board. Make sure that your board is not tilted one way or the other and put your weight on your front foot, lifting your back foot up and placing it in the center of the tail end portion of the board.
5. Start moving your feet back and forth
start moving your feet back and forth to gain momentum. If you are doing this correctly, both ends of the Ripstik will be turning opposite ways. If you are pushing your toes down on your left foot, then you are pushing your heel down on your right foot and vice versa. When you are ready, start making the motions bigger and bigger by incorporating your hips into the movement. This will give you a continuous motion forward. Keep doing this until you are comfortable, and when you are ready to start making turns, all you have to do is slightly lean your body in the direction that you want to turn. Depending on the direction you want to go, your weight will either be more on the toes of both feet or more on the heels of both feet.
6. Stop your ripstik properly
The final step of stopping is probably the easiest. When you are ready to stop, you can either hop off your board or steer your Ripstik to a patch of grass. The latter option is usually safer for your board and your legs.
Just like anything else in life, riding a Ripstik gets easier with practice. If you just started learning how to ride a Ripstik and it’s not going so well, don’t get discouraged. Some people with more balance and coordination might learn how to ride faster, but the only thing you need to focus on is yourself because everyone has their own learning speed when it comes to skills like riding a Ripstik. If you stay patient and keep at it, you’ll be riding your Ripstik in no time!
