No more boardslides
March 14, 2006 8:24 PM Subscribe
Freeline Skates [embedded video] make skateboards. One for each foot. As I watched these videos my brain was trying to put a regular board where it expected to see one.
Wow.
posted by arcticwoman at 8:36 PM on March 14, 2006
posted by arcticwoman at 8:36 PM on March 14, 2006
Whoa, those were weird! The board tricks on 'em looked kind of awkward though. I'm sure that given enough time the average bored suburban teenager could come up with something cooler than the depicted mini-ollie.
posted by Ogre Lawless at 8:52 PM on March 14, 2006
posted by Ogre Lawless at 8:52 PM on March 14, 2006
Man, I've seen a hundred "skateboard replacements" come and go, and some stick around in the form of carving boards, balance boards and mountain boards, but these are the very first that actually look properly engineered and potentially as fun if not more fun than a skateboard.
That in and of itself is worth a thousand slick Flash pages and goofy videos of local kids attempting to ride your product. Good job.
posted by loquacious at 9:23 PM on March 14, 2006
That in and of itself is worth a thousand slick Flash pages and goofy videos of local kids attempting to ride your product. Good job.
posted by loquacious at 9:23 PM on March 14, 2006
hm.
looks like air isnt really much of an option on those things w/o straps. . .
. . . as a form of transport though. . . they'd fit in pockets/backpack.
no more carrying my skate with me to and from class?
posted by Dom at 9:26 PM on March 14, 2006
looks like air isnt really much of an option on those things w/o straps. . .
. . . as a form of transport though. . . they'd fit in pockets/backpack.
no more carrying my skate with me to and from class?
posted by Dom at 9:26 PM on March 14, 2006
I want a pair that can make a sandwich and serve beer while I skate.
Now THAT would be impressive.
posted by roguescout at 10:09 PM on March 14, 2006
Now THAT would be impressive.
posted by roguescout at 10:09 PM on March 14, 2006
Pepsi Raspberry?
posted by planetkyoto at 11:15 PM on March 14, 2006
posted by planetkyoto at 11:15 PM on March 14, 2006
those are crying out to have magnets built in so that they can stick to some trainers. then get some serious air!
posted by lemonfridge at 1:24 AM on March 15, 2006
posted by lemonfridge at 1:24 AM on March 15, 2006
Interesting.
Drawback: You can't jump or take drops without hanging on to each 'board'.
Advantage: They look tiny. Easily packed away, and very flexible.
posted by Kiell at 1:38 AM on March 15, 2006
Drawback: You can't jump or take drops without hanging on to each 'board'.
Advantage: They look tiny. Easily packed away, and very flexible.
posted by Kiell at 1:38 AM on March 15, 2006
Sideways rollerskates!
Agreed.
Ollies would be impossible because its the board of the skate board that make them possible. Alot of the grinding tricks are rendered impossible.
And they're just sideways rollerskates - a decent set of inline skates would be a far better option.
Like the Snake board these will just dissapear.
(and no, I'm not just biased)
posted by 13twelve at 3:24 AM on March 15, 2006
Agreed.
Ollies would be impossible because its the board of the skate board that make them possible. Alot of the grinding tricks are rendered impossible.
And they're just sideways rollerskates - a decent set of inline skates would be a far better option.
Like the Snake board these will just dissapear.
(and no, I'm not just biased)
posted by 13twelve at 3:24 AM on March 15, 2006
Pepsi Raspberry?
posted by planetkyoto
God forbid that anyone should ever post about anything that can be sold, marketed or promoted in any way whatsoever. I am not a skater (after badly twisting my ankle on a skateboard I never tried again) but I thought this looked very cool.
posted by tellurian at 3:30 AM on March 15, 2006
posted by planetkyoto
God forbid that anyone should ever post about anything that can be sold, marketed or promoted in any way whatsoever. I am not a skater (after badly twisting my ankle on a skateboard I never tried again) but I thought this looked very cool.
posted by tellurian at 3:30 AM on March 15, 2006
Well, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, because while you got me to look, you'll never get me to buy.
posted by crunchland at 3:53 AM on March 15, 2006
posted by crunchland at 3:53 AM on March 15, 2006
What I found most impressive was the size. The problem with inline skates is the size and amount of time it takes to put them on and take them off again. No such problem with the Freelines. And a traditional skate board will never fit in your backpack or wherever.
Of course, IANAS(kater) as I'm a complete pussy with extremely poor balance.
Cool stuff.
posted by slimepuppy at 3:54 AM on March 15, 2006
Of course, IANAS(kater) as I'm a complete pussy with extremely poor balance.
Cool stuff.
posted by slimepuppy at 3:54 AM on March 15, 2006
Yeah, they're cool'n'all, but remember, just like hoverboards, they don't work over water.
posted by kcds at 3:55 AM on March 15, 2006
posted by kcds at 3:55 AM on March 15, 2006
Also, youtube has a few neat videos on the topic (that are not on the official website), including the inventor talking about the basics of using the damn things. (youtube embedded video)
Apologies if this is somewhere in the FPP and I didn't spot it.
posted by slimepuppy at 4:01 AM on March 15, 2006
Apologies if this is somewhere in the FPP and I didn't spot it.
posted by slimepuppy at 4:01 AM on March 15, 2006
Me neither crunchland (are you sure 'because' I got you to look?), if I can't handle a skateboard I'm pretty sure I'd be bending my ankles every which way from Christmas whilst doing the splits on these things.
posted by tellurian at 4:05 AM on March 15, 2006
posted by tellurian at 4:05 AM on March 15, 2006
I don't know tellurian, somehow having the two legs 'free', I would find it easier than a skateboard... I've done a lot of ice-skating in my time though, so I'm more comfortable with having my legs not tied down to a plank of wood.
posted by slimepuppy at 4:15 AM on March 15, 2006
posted by slimepuppy at 4:15 AM on March 15, 2006
I watched the instructional video on the website and either he's a crappy instructor or these things are way harder to get started on than the "in progress" videos make it look.
Pushing off from a rail or a lamppost every time you want to get on? You will totally get called out as a poser if you have to do that all the time.
posted by tim451 at 4:57 AM on March 15, 2006
Pushing off from a rail or a lamppost every time you want to get on? You will totally get called out as a poser if you have to do that all the time.
posted by tim451 at 4:57 AM on March 15, 2006
Very cool. They look easy and fun. Serious jumps? I still can't figure out how I get onto a sidewalk without starting over.
posted by rxreed at 5:16 AM on March 15, 2006
posted by rxreed at 5:16 AM on March 15, 2006
Slimepuppy, one plus side of skateboards I always thought was the fact you where not physically attached to the deck. As opposed to inline skates, which where quite heavy and when things had gone wrong, had a tendency to go where they wanted and not where you wanted (I've fallen down several sets of stairs on failed handrail attempts..)
posted by 13twelve at 6:39 AM on March 15, 2006
posted by 13twelve at 6:39 AM on March 15, 2006
(The guy in that instructional video is quite patronising and annoying.)
I haven't quite figured out how you are supposed to slow down once you're travelling at speed. With blades you can simply turn a foot sideways and drag the wheels to slow you down. With a skateboard, you can drag a foot or powerslide to reduce speed.
How do you brake?
posted by Kiell at 7:10 AM on March 15, 2006
I haven't quite figured out how you are supposed to slow down once you're travelling at speed. With blades you can simply turn a foot sideways and drag the wheels to slow you down. With a skateboard, you can drag a foot or powerslide to reduce speed.
How do you brake?
posted by Kiell at 7:10 AM on March 15, 2006
They look pretty horrible to me, but I've been skateboarding for over 20 years and I have a slight bias... these just look like a really lame skateboard-related gimmick. These things won't be around long.
posted by grimcity at 8:36 AM on March 15, 2006
posted by grimcity at 8:36 AM on March 15, 2006
Once upon a time, people made skateboards by taking apart a roller skate and screwing the trucks onto a piece of plywood. Now someone's made a pair of roller skates by cutting the piece of plywood in half and strapping each piece back onto the feet.
Next, I expect that someone will invent an amazing new transportation device, perfectly suited for these post-peak-oil times, by taking the engine out of a motorcycle and replacing it with a pair of pedals!
posted by Mars Saxman at 9:35 AM on March 15, 2006
Next, I expect that someone will invent an amazing new transportation device, perfectly suited for these post-peak-oil times, by taking the engine out of a motorcycle and replacing it with a pair of pedals!
posted by Mars Saxman at 9:35 AM on March 15, 2006
"perfectly suited for these post-peak-oil times, by taking the engine out of a motorcycle and replacing it with a pair of pedals!"
and people will still sit in their cars in traffic jams, using up their expensive oil and just complain
posted by 13twelve at 9:53 AM on March 15, 2006
and people will still sit in their cars in traffic jams, using up their expensive oil and just complain
posted by 13twelve at 9:53 AM on March 15, 2006
they look pretty gimicky, but still fun.
i'd have ordered some if they weren't $120 just to see how they fared.
posted by teishu at 11:16 AM on March 15, 2006
i'd have ordered some if they weren't $120 just to see how they fared.
posted by teishu at 11:16 AM on March 15, 2006
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posted by Balisong at 8:33 PM on March 14, 2006