Stowboard: The futuristic skateboard which transforms…

Someday, foldable skateboards might become as popular as folding bikes. The Stowboard is alive and well at http://www.stowboard.net. I received mine a couple of months ago, and I love it (proves you can be a geezer and still enjoy riding).

Hey Kevin, That's too bad you aren't riding your Stowboard anymore. For me the Stowboard has been great!

I read that review too and I think he's very balanced and I definitely agree with most of his points. For the negatives, it did upset me that I couldn't put my front foot sideways, but that does allow you to get a lower center of gravity which I think is very important, so it's a tradeoff I'm willing to make. The grip is weak I agree, so I just stuck some grip tape on it and it's fine. The back wheel issue he mentions actually was a worse problem for me then what he states. My rear wheels completely failed (the outer core became separated from the inner plastic core) Stowboard sent me replacement wheels for free but those failed too. After going through the replacement wheels I replaced the defective rear wheels with normal skateboard wheels combined with spacers to keep them centered. However, now at stowboard.net they have addressed that issue with the so-called "v2 rear wheels". I have a set and they basically accomplished what the original design was going for, I think they're actually faster, and they won't fall apart. The only other problem I think he cited was that in stowed form it is still somewhat sizable. I was thinking they could have reduced the weight by maybe scooping out the aluminum more, or using scalloped edges... but still, what are we talking about here!? Compared to rolling into a crowded lecture hall with a 4 foot longboard, the stowed- stowboard is SO much more discreet. Seriously, come on, it's not even close, I don't see how someone can complain it's not compressed enough when compared to a ginormous longboard! For instance, you can easily slide a stowed Stowboard under your seat or put it inside your backpack, while the same can definitely not be said for any usual longboard or even new school decks most of the time. The other benefit alluded to by the reviewer was the high quality of the front wheels as well as the chassis (basically everything other than the rear wheels which have now been corrected by the company), if you get used to riding the stowboard you will realize that thanks to the low center of gravity combined with the large front wheels, you can actually skate very, very fast with one. I have been riding a Stowboard for about 2 years, on flat ground there is no human powered skateboard I have seen that can get from point A to point B faster than I can on a Stowboard. Now grant it, I have the new v2 wheels from stowboard.net and I have upgraded my bearings to Bones Reds (I tried Bones Ceramics and I actually like the Reds better! Go figure.) On flat ground I can ride as fast as my friends on beach cruisers where each of us is pedaling as fast as possible without breaking a sweat (that's how we normalized the experiment :). Also, there is no skateboard that I know of that feels as smooth. You can ride over rough pavement that would be intolerable with new school hard wheels, and when on normal pavement it is amazingly silent and vibration free. Try Riding a normal skateboard and compare the amount of vibrations you feel in your feet. Finally, let me just highlight the low center of gravity again, on a normal longboard with a deck that must be at least the height of the wheels plus trucks plus risers you're standing maybe 5 inches off the ground! With the design of the stowboard and flex of the chasis you might be more like 1 inch off the ground, this gives you the ability to get more power from each kick and also helps you easily "walk through" (pushing the stowboard with small steps) crowds or places you'd normally have to pick up your board, then thanks to the low center of gravity when you get open road again you can accelerate rapidly.

Overall, I'd sum it up like this the Stowboard I'd say is not for everything:
-If all you do is carve extreme downhills, go with a Loaded deck
-If all you do is vert or street tricks, stay with a new school deck
-If you travel further then 3 miles per trip and/or you have to pass through dirt roads, and/or it rains or snows all the time, you won't be riding any skateboard- go with a bicycle.
-But if you're doing urban or suburban commuting, maybe with mixed transport - car - to bus to train to metro.. and you go places where space is minimal - especially on a campus of any sort - I don't see how it gets any better than having a Stowboard..

I ride mine everyday & I couldn't live without it. I calculated I save at least 20 minutes a day over walking which if you add it up is like 5 days a year! So I basically get an extra week of life per year thanks to the Stowboard! You might say I could achieve that time savings with a normal board, but due to the folding capability I believe I can actually ride the Stowboard in more situations then I'd be able to if it were a normal deck. Also thanks to the higher speed I can travel at on a Stowboard, I'm always getting from point A to point B faster for each trip than I would be on any other skateboard (unless of course I'm riding with my friends on their regular boards because then I'll have to wait for them : )

So wow, sorry I didn't mean to write a book, but I guess I get pretty excited when i start talking about the Stowboard and I want everyone to share in the joy! lol, peace out bro, I hope you give your Stowboard another shot. - But order your v2 wheels first! I got mine at stowboard.net

Jason, thanks I've fixed the link. I like the construction, but it isn't a practical skateboard replacement. I tend to agree with the review over here.

Hey, Great article, but I think the site is actually STOWBOARD.NET Do you still ride yours?