Video Story
Watch VideoNew skateboards for a new season
Story By: Kristin Hawley
Source: KOAA
Are you looking for a new board to roll on? In our Good Housekeeping report we have a few new boards. They're called the wave and flowboard, but these newly designed skateboards don't go anywhere near water or snow.
Engineer, Todd Kent says, "two manufacturers have introduced two newly designed skateboards that are very different than the original. We've decided to test them with eight kids ranging from 10 to 13, and they all had different skateboard experience. One of the skateboards the kids really liked, while the other one, they wouldn't pick up."
The Wave board is two-wheeled and has an hourglass-shape to it. The Wave board was a big splash with the testers. It costs $100. One tester says, "this new skateboard is shaped like an hourglass and has two caster wheels and the kids have to balance on it and shimmy their feet back and forth to get it to propel forward. They really liked the movement, but some of the beginners weren't able to pick it up that easy. it takes some practice to learn." "it had really good turning and you could go really fast, but you couldn't go down ramps or do tricks with it."
Good Housekeeping's testers preferred their old-fashioned skateboard over the new flowboard. Kent says, "from the top, the flowboard looks like a traditional skateboard, but as soon as you flip it over there are seven arced wheels on each side. We really thought the kids were going to like this, but when we were testing it, it turned out that they were slower and they had a harder time controlling it and steering it." One tester says, "I think its like being on a balance and it's hard to swerve on it."
No matter what board your child chooses, make sure your skater always wears safety gear and stays far away from traffic.
