Easiest slide to start with?

[klen]

Like many others here, I want to get better at sliding. First from a safety/stopping standpoint, second because it is just fun and looks cool.

So, this whole time I have been figuring that the Coleman slide is probably the easiest to learn, so I have been practicing them for a couple of weeks now. About 1/3 of the time, I end up on my ass.

Tonight, I tried a "toeside slide":

http://www.faltownskateboards.com/fa...asp?SkoolID=25

and nailed it first try, then tried it about 10 times after that, and nailed it about eight more times. I found it much easier to commit that way, and it stopped me on a dime.

My question is, are certain slides considered the best "starting point" for people learning to slide? I am goofy foot, if that matters.

Thanks.

-k

[ryan]

when I learned, toeside 180's were easiest for me

[Rak]

you mean with your face toward the pavement? easier for me too.

[JaeKay L M N O P]

When I first started sliding, heelside 180s were very easy for me, and toeside 180s were very intimidating. I couldn't see where I was going as well, so it freaked me out. And a few times, I ended up going toeside, stopping short, and landing on my back.

[Andrew in Ontario]

i find toeside is easier, but i learned pendulums pretty easily too
(like a coleman but with hand on the board between your feet)

[moondog]

aye, i concur on the toeside slides ... they were much easier for me to get.

for some reason, i feel more vulnerable sliding heelside. if you think about it my logic is backwards; landing on my face would hurt a heck of a lot more than my butt.

[klen]

aye, i concur on the toeside slides ... they were much easier for me to get.

for some reason, i feel more vulnerable sliding heelside. if you think about it my logic is backwards; landing on my face would hurt a heck of a lot more than my butt.

True, but the toeside puts less strain on my wrists, and is a more natural position for my arms and shoulders. It's kind of like doing a push up, so it feels more natural. If my hands are down, I won't hit my face- Worst case is I will prop my body up and maybe roll out of it if I lose it...

-k

[strictly carved]

no i dissagree the heelside has got to be the easiest . considering that its easier to kick back or even grab back. and its easier on bigger wheel but keep on trying those colmens the'll come.

[moondog]

klen - i thought the same thing until one of my pucks snagged a crack in the road during a toeside slide ... my feet kept moving but my hand was stuck up the hill. eventually my chest went smashy-smashy into the pavement.

[klen]

klen - i thought the same thing until one of my pucks snagged a crack in the road during a toeside slide ... my feet kept moving but my hand was stuck up the hill. eventually my chest went smashy-smashy into the pavement.

Hmmm. I have been using leather palmed gloves up until this point.
I have all of my supplies here to make a set of sliding gloves, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to melt the puck to the glove, or go the velcro/glue breakaway puck route.

One vote for velcro......

[kawsakimx6]

i felt that the heelside was the easiest to lewarn first....it just depends where you are comfortable

[kawsakimx6]

here is a vote for melting to the glove....you will need a new glove before tthe puck wears out, and this way you arnt gonna loose th puck on a crack in the rd!

[moondog]

Hmmm. I have been using leather palmed gloves up until this point. I have all of my supplies here to make a set of sliding gloves, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to melt the puck to the glove, or go the velcro/glue breakaway puck route.

One vote for velcro......

velcro here, too.

i attached velcro to my gloves with shoe-goo and to the pucks with contact cement. i cut an oval puck for the palm of my hand, and made sort of a boomerrang-shaped puck for my fingers. both pucks were routed because i was finding that the hard edge is more prone to snagging on cracks, etc.

anyway, i like being able to take off the pucks from the fingers and keep the one of the palm. that way i can actually grip the side of my board, but still be able to slide my hand on the ground in a deep carve.

i should add that i haven't lost a puck because of a crackv ... they've stayed in place despite being velcroed. in fact, i threw my gloves and pucks into the back of my car the other week. of course the puck landed velcro-side down and when i went to pick up the puck, the stinkin' thing was stuck to the carpet. i had to pry it with a screwdriver to get it loose.