How to Ride a Ripstick

All right, so you’ve just bought yourself a brand new Ripstick. Problem is, you have no clue as to how to ride it. Well first thing’s first. Let’s get the Ripstick out of the package. This is almost as hard as riding it, because they have so many plastic connectors on them. I recommend using pliers for the plastic, and then using scissors to cut the rest of the cardboard surrounding it. Note: There is a CD inside the package, so don’t go cutting the box up like a maniac.

Getting Started
Anyways, After you get the Ripstick out of its packaging, Check the casters. See if they need lubricant spray, or whether the casters are properly set. Then set your Ripstick down (on a FLAT surface) , tilted towards you. Remember: the panel that points inward is the front. Step with your non-dominant foot onto the front panel, and as quickly as possible, push off with your back foot and move it to the back panel; making sure not to step on the tail. If you are not comfortable alone, try to get a friend to hold you while you push off. As crazy as it seems, the faster you go, the more controlled you are. Once you push of start moving your back foot forward and backward until you feel you are at a sufficient speed. Then cruise for a while until you reach the low limit of your speed, and start moving your feet forward and backward again.

Turning and Stopping
Now that you know how to go straight, lets focus on turning and stopping. To turn left simply tilt the front panel backward, and the back panel forward, and to turn right you need to tilt the front panel forward, and the back panel backward. The more you tilt the panels, the faster and more aggressive your turn is. To make your turn even quicker and more aggressive, you need to twist your body with the board. Try not to twist too fast though. Also, try not to jerk your legs when turning, because you have a greater chances of falling then if you just move smoothly. Another thing you should try not to do is twisting in your turns while going fast. If you twist while going fast, your board will be sideways and you will fall forward. To stop, all you need to do is step backwards off of the board. While getting off, be sure not to jump off the board. You will lose your balance and fall. Do not get off the front side because when you get off, the board will still be moving forward, and it will hit the back of your legs. For beginners, try to be going as slow as possible when stopping.

Safety
Riding a Ripstick may be fun, but it can also lead to serious injury or death. When riding a Ripstick or any other boards, make sure you use as much protective gear as possible. ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET. If you fall on your head, you could break your neck or even damage your brain. So make sure to always wear a helmet. Be Safe and have fun riding your new Ripstick

Maintenance
Sometimes, the parts of your Ripstick may become damaged or jammed. Every month or so, use lubricant spray on the casters (not the wheels, you’ll slip when riding it). If your casters or wheels get broken go to sports authority and see whether you can get them replaced. They probably won’t take completely broken ones, so remember to take good care of it.