Help for Heavy Skaters - how to not break so many skateboards
Thursday November 13, 2008
I just got an e-mail from the mom of a solid young skater who keeps breaking skateboards. She was wondering what to do - are there tougher, stronger skateboards out there? Is there anything he can do differently?

This is a GREAT question! I myself am a more solid guy - I got into working out back in college, I'm a little tall for a skater, and cookies don't help. I have four ideas to help - read this new skateboarding FAQ, "What should heavy skaters do, to not break so many skateboards?" to get some great insights for you or your kid. There are a few things that the skater can do differently, and there are a couple of companies that make stronger skateboards.

And if you are the heavier skater, reading this, don't get down on yourself! Some great skaters are tall or stocky. There are some huge benefits to being a bigger skater! If you are having a tough time learning to skate, read this other FAQ, "What should big or tall skaters do when learning to skateboard?" And seriously, dude, bigger is better! It can be nice to have some presence to throw around the skatepark. Enjoy being who you are!

If you have any other suggestions to add, or know of any other tough skateboard brands, leave a comment!

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Skateboarding in the Military
Monday November 10, 2008
Photographer's Name: LCPL Christopher L. ValleeTomorrow is Veteran's Day, and in celebration and honor of our troops, I thought we could talk a little about the rich history that the military has had with skateboarding.

You might be confused. You should be. But, as you can see by this cool photo, the military did once have in mind to actually use skateboards in combat situations. Click the photo to check out a much larger version of the picture at the Defense Visual Information Center. Here's the caption for the photo:

LCPL Chad Codwell, from Baltimore, Maryland, with Charlie Company 1st Battalion 5th Marines, carries an experimental urban combat skateboard which is being used for maneuvering inside buildings in order to detect tripwires and sniper fire. This mission is in direct support of Urban Warrior '99.

Too bad this plan got cut! Man, can you imagine? Honestly, I can't see how riding a skateboard would actually be useful in a combat situation, but if it was, how sick would that be?! War movies would have looked way different ... I'm impressed that our military thinks so outside the box.

Even though Urban Warrior didn't turn out with skateboards after all (as far as WE know ...), I'm stoked that the military was, and is, not anti skateboards and anti skaters. For example, tomorrow there will be a Veterans Day All Military Skateboard Contest in Coronado, California. The link tells you little more than that it exists, and time and location. I bet it'll be fun.

So here's to our veterans! If you are a veteran and a skater, or if you know of other military skateboarding stories or contests, please post a comment below!