We give Penny Skateboards a try

If you thought skateboarding was just for kids or tattooed dudes wearing backwards baseball caps and pretending they’re still teenagers when actually they are closer to thirty, you need to get the hell up to date, Granddad.

Skateboard brand, Penny Skateboards, who seem keen to dispel such preconceptions, sent one of their new boards our way, telling us that “skateboards are the epitome of urban adventure, and with no rules or expectations, you can let go, live in the moment and have fun.” One of the things they are trying to do is expand the sport from the skateparks and the cliques and get your average Joe/Jane (back) on a board. Well, there’s no-one more average than our editor, Bobby. So we thought we’d let him have a go on one of the 27” Penny Skateboards (they also come in 22”). Bobby told us he hadn’t set foot on a board since he was about 12 and mumbled something about “I’d better not break my arm” but reluctantly gave it a go anyway.

Turns out, it’s as easy as riding a bike/skateboard. Fifteen minutes after tentatively stepping on a board for the first time in a couple of decades he was speeding up and down the street in Redfern with what can only be described as “a moderate level of competency”. Half-an-hour, and a few wobbles, later he was still whizzing about. For a self-confessed grump, he seemed to be having a brilliant time and was incredibly reluctant to let anyone else have a go. But we all did, eventually, and can heartily recommend it, no matter how good/rubbish/young/old you are. The best thing for us was how large and stable the 27” board felt. It really helped with balance. The fact that our editor did not, as he feared, break his arm, is testament to that. So, if you’re a beginner or returning after a hiatus, this is a good place to start. If you are more advanced, then the 22” might be for you. It is lightweight and manoeuvrable and easy to carry around.

There are a bunch of aesthetic choices too. The original Penny Skateboards are available in a range of bright colours, including Pink, Red, Purple, Yellow and Blue. The Classic Collection also includes unique boards such as the Glow board, which, as its name suggests glows in the dark. This is the one we tried out. Meanwhile the Pastel Collection is a toned down, trend-savvy version of the Penny Skateboard Classic Collection. And new this month is the Painted Fades range, whose decks are designed to fade and scratch to reveal a hidden deck colour underneath – no two boards will be the same and yours will tell its own story. Pretty cool, huh?

For more deets about these boards, visit www.pennyskateboards.com.au or follow them on Facebook.

Grab yourself a board and we’ll see you at Springfield Gorge.