THE EASIEST APPROACH TO TECH SLIDING FOR BEGINNERS - skateboarding

If you are a big fan of downhill skateboarding, you must have heard about technical sliding which is also known as tech sliding or tech-slide. In this style, skateboarders usually use har wheels so they can make fast-paced and creative slides.

For some riders, this is like the combination of free riding and street skating since the most used skateboard is a regular popsicle deck board. Thanks to the hard wheels with the durometer from 95A to 101A, complex slides can be conquered on smaller hills where less speed and faster response time are needed. For any skaters living near long and steep hills, it is such a pity that they miss the chance of enjoying this interesting discipline.

The most fascinating part about tech sliding is that riders can perform some amazing tricks such as roller coasters, one-footed slides, 360s, blunt slides, or long and drawn-out laybacks. However, in today’s thread, I will only cover the techniques and equipment needed for a proper tech sliding session.

APPARATUSES FOR TECH-SLIDE

Now, let’s begin with the required equipment for technical sliding. Firstly, you can always search for the best beginner skateboard on the internet to save more time in finding the suitable skateboard for this style.  I always recommend other skaters to put on the safety gear to protect themselves from injuries no matter which skating style you’re into. And tech-sliding is no exception as you can easily put your body into positions that can be exposed to the sidewalk.

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Of course, with protective apparatuses, you can get the best protection but you also gain more confidence when conquering hard tricks because there is no need to worry about the common injuries in skating. My favorite brands for these items must be Pro-Tec and TSG equipment which provide affordable options for all riders.

As I stated above, to take up tech sliding, you have to use wheels with a durometer of 95A to 101A to reduce the resistance. In terms of diameter, any wheels with 54mm or upper size are highly recommended to have the smoothest ride.

Because this is a small brand in longboarding, you can still use a longboard that has a width of 8.5 to 9.5 inches and a length ranging from 31 to 36 inches. Actually, there is no standard for a tech slide deck so you can even use a large model like the Rayne Homewrecker or the Bustin YoFace.
Last but not least, you need to pay attention to choosing the right trucks. Trucks are chosen based on the size of their deck and the hanger so that these components are compatible. For instance, an 8.5” truck has to use a 149mm hanger while any decks bigger than 9 inches need 169mm hangers.

TECHNIQUES

In my opinion, the very first challenge in technical sliding must be icing out when switching to hard wheels. You can expect as much kick out and hookup as in soft wheels; therefore, leaning back a little bit is a good way to stay stably on your board. Don’t kick out as hard as you do with soft wheels since it is necessary to compensate for the slider wheels. 

Since this post only discusses the basic techniques in tech-slide, there won’t be any guide to perform any specific trick. For the instructions to do the tricks mentioned above, you can visit SkateAdvisors to check out the tutorials of the most experienced skaters. These experiences are all shared from the experience of author Robert Parker!

To take up this style, you must first learn to control your wheels well. Doing some glove-down Coleman slides is a good way to know the level of resistance your wheels have. For the best results, speed should be limited to only 15 miles per hour while practicing and gradually accelerate to get used to the movements.

Never hold out 25 plus foot slides right away in case you haven’t done some checks on the wheels. Skaters are only capable of doing longer stand-up slides once they are familiar with speed checks.

The next common issue with wheels in this discipline must be the flat spots which are usually caused by sliding 90 degrees; therefore, you would have no problem with these flat spots as long as you don’t perform 90-degree slides. Moreover, keeping your shoulders pointed downhills or carving into the slide will help skaters well in controlling the sliding angle.

Once you have done with the basic techniques in technical sliding, you are ready to move on with some tricks. I usually advise newbies to begin with the Coleman slide to get used to the response of hard wheels. Then, you can challenge yourself with the one-footed Coleman slides or glove down blunt slides.

CONCLUSION

I think that is enough for a new skateboarder to begin with tech-slide, if you have any difficulties in the learning progress, don’t hesitate to ask for advice from pro-skaters so as not to build bad habits.