SkaterTrainers are actually a decent idea if you’re into the whole “training” aspect of skateboarding instead of just going out there and doing it. If that’s your mentality (no judgement) then these might be for you. There are plenty of training devices out there for other sports like tennis and baseball, why not skateboarding? One thing setting these apart form other ollie trainers, you can actually sort of roll on these, as seen in one of the videos. So they have the ability to bridge the gap between stationary and moving. Still, $25 bucks seems pricey for four pieces of simple extruded rubber, but they have to pay for all the forms right? Shipping is free right now if you’re curious. I was really ready to lay into these guys when I first saw this a couple weeks ago, but I sat on the post too long and they’ve since removed some absurdly ridiculous content that used to be there. How about a page titled “Your bearings are dangerous” that offered to remedy the situation by selling you the absolute best bearings for a beginner. I think they were ABEC 3 or something. They had a couple other product pages like that with advice on the best wheels for beginners, which they were ready to sell to you. It was shameless, selling generic skateboard components under the guise of safety and performance. It was so over the top, I almost felt they were intentionally trying to be funny. They must have had a change of heart because all those pages are gone now. Not only are the links gone, but I had one page bookmarked and it’s not there anymore… I’m glad they repented, but it’s hard to for them to be credible after that. In the many video “product reviews” it’s amusing to hear “I got my first set of skater trainers” because it sounds like a potty training device. Product shots and videos after the jump.
– Thanks to Matthijs for the tip.
http://youtu.be/L2s81j33tnM
http://youtu.be/uBNm8e7L_KQ
http://youtu.be/UDsLS7Go5aM
16 comments
jeff
can you get skatertrainers in the uk?
Scarlette
I think these are great. Im 16, and I live in Minnesota. I love to use these during the winter. Because usually, I would go on grass, or on a crack in the sidewalk, but there is snow everywhere! So these are very helpful just to pop on and practice in my garage. They are also great to help people who have some fear of getting a good pop. I am one of those people. Just because I had surgery on my ankle not too long ago, and I dont want to re-injure it. Also f you need to work on your board control and landings. So I strongly recommend these, especially in the winter 😀
Dave
This product looks corny but getting slower bearings is solid advice. It’s really not necessary to go super fast on a skateboard in most cases, just push more when needed.
Brianisbrain
Ha! I still use “grass” as a skate trainer…
mudslingerskates
Its a clever idea for learning how to be a flat ground freestyle skater. Transition, rails, ledges, and SPEED Will have to be learned the old fashion way… Get out there and do it.
tim
throwing a piece of carpet on pavement would probably work too, like the grass, but you’d get a lil more pop.
T-Rizzy
I’ve been skating since 1986, I will admit that I learned how to ollie and kickflip using a training device.
It was called Grass, some called it yard and others lawn. It was the perfect device to ensure the board wouldn’t roll out from under me while I got my tricks on lock. Grass did have a slight disadvantage, I could never get that same pop as I would get from skating on concrete but this became an advantage because the added pressure it took to pop on grass made my concrete tricks that much higher.
talentlessquitter
Over here, we have these notorious 1x1ft pavement tiles. They have a 45 degree edge. Two together form a one inch gap. Locks your wheel in pretty well.
SkaterTrainer
Thanks for the write up, I think? Either way, I like the website and am happy to have our product on it.
The fact of the matter is their are tons of people who never get past the kickflip, etc, so they need some help. These are kids who tried for months and never got it. They are not quitters or wusses, they are just struggling. Its not about “training” its about accomplishing what you set out to do.
Your interpretation on the wheels and the bearings is way off. We were trying to capture attention with the titles, but the intent is real. I see noobs at the park all the time with crappy bearings and crappy wheels and it is a huge problem for them. They are trying to drop in or do tricks, and the unpredictability of their roll really causes problems. The most important thing about any piece of equipment is it must be reliable and consistent. Bearings that drag and wheels that are not round or are plastic make this not so. We will be selling bearings and wheels. They will be great for beginner Skaters, will be high quality, and they will cost less than the ones with the pretty pictures. The choices in wheels and bearings is overwhelming to a beginning skateboarder, they don’t want to get a masters degree in pseudo technical babble doing a research project on durometers, BS special formulas, ABEC’s, etc….they just want to skate as good as they can.
Thanks again. Put a link up there!
http://www.SkaterTrainer.com
Mark
Thank you for a great response. My son has just started and is very gifted it seems (a Natural) I think this will help him perfectly. He, like any kid, does not want to get hurt and getting hurt can keep any kid from excelling. Of course they all get hurt but it is the beginning that maters.
The Shralper
When is the chrome-plated version coming out?
Skate Trainer's Dear Old Mum
If You really cared about the kids, you’d let them roll. Not OK. Not at all.
I heard in China they don’t use nappies. They just let the little ones, run around shitting and pissing everywhere until they work out how to use the loo. I like that idea and wish I would have used it when I was raising you…
…now look at you.
Love,
Mum
Dear Old Mum's Cranky Old Hubby
Mum, get yo’ass back in the kitchen and make me some pot pie.
Uncle Susan
Growing girls will build strong muscle with those. Really fill out those flannel shirts.
Kilwag
You’re welcome, I think. I did take those headlines the wrong way, but that’s not really my fault, because the rest of the copy didn’t make it clear that it was a put on. So, I stand by what I said, which is that those were pretty irresponsible, or at the very least, misleading headlines.
Training or learning device? Pretty much the same thing. I don’t think a kick flip is something you need to “get past.” In fact, I never really learned to do kick flips consistently, and It hasn’t stopped me from enjoying skateboarding or progressing. Still, you send a set my way and I’ll take that challenge, and write up a proper review.
Eric
As a wee lad we used to just crank down on the axle nuts to keep the wheels from barely turning. I guess that worked, we only did it for about 5 minutes and went back to whatever we were doing. Anyone remember putting your bolts upside down in hopes that it’d catch the edge of your shoe to help you ollie higher? Ah the sucker of youth…