he longboard has skated its way onto the University campus, rolling over nicknames like “lazy man’s skateboard.”
The longboard originated from California surfboards and ranges in length from about 32 inches to 60 inches.
Jessica Champlin, communication studies and philosophy senior, owns both a longboard and short boards. She said she rides the long board because of its convenience.
“They’re better for transportation,” Champlin said. “You don’t really do tricks, and you go faster down hills. You get to class faster.”
Champlin and other longboarders have made the switch from the short board for safety reasons.
Shorter skateboards have a tendency to “wheel bite,” resulting in more accidents and broken bones.
“Short boards catch cracks more easily, called wheel biting,” Champlin said. “I wheel bit one time and broke my elbow.”
Architecture freshman Grant Gutierrez has longboarded down both of the Pete Maravich Assembly Center ramps. Gutierrez said he uses his longboard to get a surf-like experience.
“Longboarding’s smooth ride is as close as I can get to surfing on concrete,” Gutierrez said.
Longboarding can sometimes isolate skaters like Champlin and Gutierrez from the rest of the commuting campus.
“You get detached from people,” Champlin said. “It’s kind of like you’re in your own world, kind of like the feeling of being free.”
Champlin said relaxing, hanging out with friends and not taking yourself too seriously is a longboarder’s creed.
“There’s definitely a camaraderie,” Champlin said. “We all know who boards.”
Because of the extra length and width of the longboard, many novice skaters find it easier to learn how to ride.
“Learning longboarding is 200 times easier,” Gutierrez said. “The way you push your feet is different. You don’t have to worry about crossing your feet.”
Champlin said the time it takes to learn how to ride and fall safely is also significantly less.
“A person can learn longboarding in a day if they have average balance,” Champlin said.
Longboards can be purchased in a limited amount of stores, as well as online.
Tator Ashford, an employee at Rukus Board in Baton Rouge, said many stores do not stock the longboards.
“We don’t have the longboards in the stores, but we do order them and have them shipped in if somebody wants one,” Ashford said.
Ashford said the average price for a longboard is $140.
Gutierrez said many longboarders just build their own board.
“Making your own board is real simple. All it is is making the balance and knowing where to put the trucks,” Gutierrez said.
 
Contact Marko Marjanovic at mmarjanovic@lsureveille.com