Penny boards
It’s hard to imagine that a piece of plastic not quite 2 feet long and just about 6 inches wide has gained the trust of students of all shapes and sizes.
But to a casual observer, it seems everyone these days can be seen rolling through the hilly campus of this university on a penny skateboard, a type of miniature plastic skateboard that has seen a surge in popularity of late.
To a nonskater, a person riding a penny board might immediately call to mind comparisons to, say, a clown riding a miniature bike. It no doubt takes skill, but watching it leaves you with all kinds of questions: Can a penny board really handle the steep hills so common across this university’s campus? What type of damage would a pebble in the road do to both board and rider?
Practiced penny boarders are quick to defend their hobby.
I managed to get a word in with junior Anthony Slaton as he rushed to class. When I asked him why the penny board was his transportation preference, he answered as expected.
“It’s a lot easier to carry and easy to get around with,” Slaton explained.
This answer wasn’t unique. When asked why they use a penny board instead of another method of transportation, the most common response from riders I spoke to referenced the ease of carrying the small, light board to class, an advantage the penny has over the longboard, a longtime favorite of skaters on the campus.
However, my conversations with penny board riders also confirmed the risks: falls are frequent, and it seemed that almost every rider had experienced a wipeout on their way to class. But they’re still alive and riding.
More than 6 feet tall, Esteban Garcia, a freshman government and politics major, can often be seen riding down long hills, making “S” patterns on his downward journey.
How do people 6 feet and taller ride these small boards? Garcia had a quick solution.
“I used to have a smaller one, but I was too tall, so now I use a nickel board,” Garcia said.
Yes, folks, when a penny isn’t enough, upgrade to a nickel: 27 inches long, to the penny’s standard 22 inches.
Although I have been longboarding for years, I have always been skeptical of penny and nickel boards, as balance hasn’t always been my strong suit. After riding a borrowed one, I can affirm these tiny pieces of plastic on wheels are actually very stable, although I cannot attest to their performance with a loaded backpack.
Many penny boarders were quick to reassure me that the backpack effect is trivial, however.
And unlike a longboard, it can easily fit under a chair during class. Unlike a bike, it doesn’t need to be locked up. So perhaps the popularity of the penny board is well-earned and deserved. Ride on.
