What is the Razor RipStik?
The Ripstik Caster Board has only two wheels and is aimed at a younger audience primarily 12 and up. The main body of the board consists of two oval shaped platforms connected with a tension bar.
Each platform has a slight concave which keeps the rider’s feet centered on the platforms. For additional grip, the platforms are lined with traction pads.
The wheels are on the Razor RipStik are very different compared to other skateboard wheels. For this board, the wheels are castors which means that they can rotate in 360 degrees. This is why you can’t ride the RipStik as you can a traditional skateboard.
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How to Ride
Instead of the traditional pushing of the board, riders swivel their bodies in a serpentine motion to move the board forward. It is designed to generate a feeling similar to surfing or snowboarding except on land.
When the crew at Review Longboards took a Ripstik out for a spin, they discovered that much of the written material about the Ripstik was true. Though there was a short learning curve, it only took a half hour to master the art of moving around on the board.
Quickly swiveling their legs, each rider was easily able to go up a hill and then quickly race back down taking sharp turns at high speed. With the special traction pads built into every board, the riders felt secure that the board would not leave or slide out from their feet.
Despite the relatively short testing time with the board, a couple riders reported ease in trying basic tricks by using the kick tail to jump up in the air.
Advantages to the RipStik
The primary advantage the Ripstik has is that it drastically improves balance. Riding on only two wheels initially requires a small amount of balance but as riders spend more time on the Ripstik, they find out that their balance and coordination improves quickly.
Along with balance, the RipStik is great for riders who want to improve their snowboarding skills in the off season. With the castor wheels and swiveling motion, it is the closest you can get to a cheap snowboarding equivalent for the road.
Check the pricing and reviews of this board here!
For surfers, Razor has recently developed a new product called the RipSurf. Just like the Ripstik was designed to be a hybrid between a skateboard and a snowboard the RipSurf is a hybrid between a skateboard and a surfboard. For more information see our full RipSurf review here.
Unique Tricks
With only 2 wheels but kicktails at both ends, riders can perform tricks unique to RipStiks while also mastering some skateboard tricks on a different platform.
One of the easier tricks to do with this board is a nose manual otherwise known as a nose-wheelie for short. To perform a nose manual, first, gather some speed with your board and then slowly move your front foot towards the front of the board. As you are moving press down lightly, and the back of the board just rise off of the ground.
As shown in the picture below, you can perform other popular skateboarding tricks as well on the RipStik. In addition, the torsion bar connecting the two decks can make a great base to grind some rails with.
