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The New Sport of Freeline Skating

by Samuel Wayne in Legacy Articles

In the world of extreme sports, freeline skates are relative newcomers. Designed in 2003 in San Francisco, inventor Ryan Farrelly was trying to design a better version of skates for downhill racing. Freeline skates were borne of the idea that instead of standing on a platform on top of wheels, the rider can simply stand on each set of wheels, doing away with traditional skate construction. Unlike regular skates and blades, these are not strapped to the rider’s feet.

Freeline skates are specifically designed to give the feeling of skateboarding, surfing, and snowboarding, all at the same time. A pair of these skates consists of two separate metal plates with two wheels attached to each plate using a specially-designed truck, similarly to how skateboard wheels are attached to a skateboard deck. The wheels are shaped on both sides, rather than just one side like standard skateboard wheels. Otherwise, the wheels appear to be quite similar to those used on skateboards. The aluminum plate is covered in grip tape, the same material that helps skateboarders’ feet grip their skateboards. Overall, the freeline skates look much like two miniature skateboards with dual independent wheels.

New versions of freeline skates are being introduced each year as understanding of the sport develops and more people are drawn to it. This history closely mirrors the early history of skateboarding and other extreme sports, when multiple varieties of skateboards were developed, often vastly different from each other.

The technique used to skate with freeline skates is unlike any other sport. It is known to be quite challenging to learn, even for those who are familiar with other extreme sports. Even if you already know how to skateboard, snowboard, or surf, check out freeline skates for a unique challenge. Difficult to master, there are even YouTube instructional videos to help seasoned skateboarders or snowboarders get the hang of this new style.

Freeline skates are known for high traction on level ground and uphill, and these skates can be used almost anywhere. Freeline skates are used most often on slight downhill slopes, and utilize many of the same movements of other extreme sports, while adding a unique twist. This challenging sport provides great opportunities to use your skills in a new manner of riding and invent new tricks.

When riding, skaters take a sideways stance, similar to the stance used on a snowboard. Freeline skates are propelled similarly to snowboards, as riders shift their weight from heel to toe to change direction. Turns using freeline skates create an ‘S’ shape.

One of the newest innovations in the world of extreme sports, freeline skating is a whole new way to propel yourself on wheels. This new style of extreme sport has been recommended as a way for snowboarders to keep up their skills during the summer months, and is also a fun activity for anyone who enjoys skateboarding or surfing. These portable devices are also the smallest and lightest form of wheeled transportation currently available. Looking for a new challenge? Try freeline skates, the newest invention in the extreme sports world.

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Because of the different roof racks, each will be attached differently, but it’s important that no matter what rack you have, you take care in installing it properly. For rack pads, velcro them on your roof rack bars tightly. For straps, clamp them down tightly and check them for any worn or weak spots. For more specialty paddleboard racks, follow the instructions and make sure they fit properly with your car. After you’ve installed the rack, do a quick post-inspection so you really know that everything is snug and secure. You don’t want to lose a paddleboard because you were in a rush and forgot to attach a part of your rack. For cars with roof rack bars, the standard setup is roof rack pads that fasten to your bars and act as a cushion between the bars and your paddleboard, and a strap system to secure your paddleboard to the rack pads. The pads fit around the roof rack bars and secure typically with velcro. 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Run the strap across the top width of the paddleboard to the other side of the board, underneath the rack bar, and back along the width of the board. There it will meet the clamp end, and you will tighten appropriately. Tie off the excess strap and give your paddleboard and the straps a couple of pulls to make sure nothing is loose. For cars without roof rack bars, securing the roof rack straps is a bit more straight forward. The front straps and back straps each extend from both sides of the car. Pull them up from each side over your paddleboard and secure the plain end through the clamp and tighten. Repeat for both front and back straps, once again giving the straps a couple of pulls to double check. Don’t overtighten your straps. Avoid damaging your paddleboard by wrenching your roof rack straps too tightly around it. Different paddleboards are made of different materials, but you can crack fiberglass or other board materials if you pull your straps too tight. Find that just right tightness for your paddleboard. Mind your straps. Take the extra couple of seconds and make sure your straps are straight and not twisted around your board for maximum contact and hold. Then tie off the ends of the straps, as nothing good can come from them flapping in the breeze. Stacking Multiple Paddleboards When you’re heading out with a couple of your friends and need to stack multiple paddleboards on the roof of your car, one on top of the other, a few more issues come into play. Biggest paddleboard on the bottom. The biggest paddleboard goes at the bottom of the stack of SUPs because it provides the best foundation/ stability. Watch the spacing of fins and tails. Make sure there’s some space between the tails of the paddleboards and the fins facing up from the boards below them. If you stack your SUPs too closely together, with some wiggle or if you hit a bump, the tail of one paddleboard could be cut by the fins from the paddleboard below it. 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