The past two parts of the gear posts were mostly about the things that you absolutely need for riding, things that would guarantee your safety when going fast or things that you need in order to progress farther in the sport. However, there are a few things that I personally carry around whenever I go events, that I find are extremely valuable both in terms of safety and convenience.
Also just a note; in my opinion, these are items that you should carry in your pack if you ever decide to go out riding with a bunch of people, they’ll love you for having these items. But you don’t really need it if you’re just going out to ride in the streets to work or whatever.
Duct Tape.
Duct tape! The stuff that fixes everything. Yes, indeed, this is the stuff that may save your skin, literally. Sometimes when you are longboarding, you fall. And when you fall, you may rip your clothing. When clothing gets ripped, you have to patch it up with some tape, or you risk falling on the same spot and absolutely ravaging your skin, and trust me, road rash hurts.
What I end up doing is actually making little patches of the stuff. I lay some tape down on a table and I weave a bunch of pieces of duct tape together and make a little trapezoid-shaped pad of duct tape that I stick on my butt when I go sliding. Saves my butt and my clothing. You’ll figure out where to put those pieces as you fall more.
Duct tape can also rain-proof your wheels by just sticking a piece to cover the bearing. It can also go on the sole of your shoe when you footbrake to save your sole! (Chuckle chuckle)
Sunglasses.
Shades aren’t just for looking cool! They help with your riding! Many times out of ten, you will run into situations where are riding in the light. With hills going in any which direction, the sun may flicker in and out of your eyes constantly, distracting you and potentially leading you into a tree on the side of the road. All morbid jokes aside, wearing sunglasses when it’s bright outside will make it much safer to ride. I recommend them strongly.
Snacks.
Riding for a long time will definitely tire you out pretty badly. Sometimes, I like to keep a few protein bars in my pack in case I ever get the rumbles while I’m rumbling.
Water.
Riding. Dries. You. Out.
More on this later, but when you’re going in the wind and breathing through your mouth, your body will be evaporated of all the moisture that it has. Always carry water or the dryness will totally distract you and potentially make you lethargic and unable to ride at your highest capacities. I really like those little running squirt bottles that I can drink from. Super convenient and lightweight. I appreciate those.
Go faster! -Ryan L. Longboarder.