All you need to know before buying a Smoothstar

The Smoothstar surfskates are made for everyone. Whether you´ve never skated, you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced there is a Smoothstar out there for you. In this post we will try to resolve all your doubts that you may have before buying a Smoothstar. The ideal skating to improve your surfing.

The brand

Smoothstar has been perfecting their boards and models for many years to adapt them to different surfers and styles. The Australian brand has invested a lot of time in their Thruster axis to emulate surf. But also includes many improvements in the wheelbase, wheels, length of the deck and most importantly in the outline of the board and its concave.

Training with a Smoothstar

Its axis

The skateboards from Smoothstar replicate the sensation we get when surfing in the water thanks to its front axis called the Smoothstar Thruster. What this thruster does is lets the front be loose. Something that lets the skate turn and be boosted from the back axis. This boost replicates the same movements of the surfboard in the water when you go rail to rail.

smoothstar thruster axis

Smoothstar Thruster Axis

Its turns aren’t perfect, flexible or rigid but “smooth”. The Thruster has a spring in its aluminum cover that gives it resistance and reaction to the movements and turns of the riders. This spring lets the board turn beyond the capacity of a normal skateboard.

The combination of tension from the spring and the internal steel bearings lets it do smooth transitions rail to rail. This lets you flex and push in each turn that you do to generate velocity and fluidity that analogue to surf.

Once the surfer’s impulses themselves with the rail to rail movement, this creates the movement of auto propulsion without pushing with your foot.

smoothstar axis

How does Smoothstar simulate the surfing sensation?

Smoothstar model

A bit ago we posted a comparison of the Carver vs. Smoothstar surfskates. In this article we will tell you the different models that this brand offers. We will talk about the 4 skateboards that in our opinion are the best to improve surf technique. In the case of Smooth Star, we have a special mention for the Smoothstar 32.5” Johanne Defay and the Smoothstar 34” Filipe Toledo 77.

You can see the catalogue of skate from Smoothstar here.

Smoothstar for all levels

If you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced surfer, you can always count on a surfskate to help you get better. In fact, there are many surf schools that use these types of skateboards with their students before entering the water. The Smoothstars are ideal to correct bad habits that we have in our posture when we´re on the surfboard. Knees flexed, back straight and head looking towards the front. Does this sound familiar? Well good, thanks to these types of skateboards you can dominate this part quickly without having to fight in the water to catch a wave.

How to improve my posture with a Smoothstar skateboard?

One of the best tips that we can give you is that you use your smartphone to record yourself or that you try to get in front of a mirror and you observe yourself. Face the mirror, put your Smoothstar on the floor and observe the posture that you have on the board. Next we´ll tell you step by step how your posture should be on the skateboard:

  1. It’s important to maintain the distance between your feet. Keep the distance wider than the width of your shoulders.
  2. Flex your knees and keep them flexed while you’re standing. If you have your legs extended it will be easier to lose your balance and fall.
  3. The waist has to be pointing in the same direction. Back straight.
  4. Distribute the weight uniformly between your legs. If you place your weight back or you have your feet too close together, you´ll brake and won´t move. If you put all your weight on the front foot, you´ll fall face first.
  5. Your front arm must point frontward and be slightly bent.
  6. Very important: your gaze. Your head and your eyes should be looking frontward and in the direction of the movement.

Surf maneuvers on your skateboard

If you want to learn how to do surf maneuvers on your skate we encourage you to visit our Surfskate section. Or our YouTube channel and check out our tutorial videos. We explain step by step how to pump, do a floater, a cutback, a front side and backside reentry on your skateboard. Once we have the skateboard maneuvers clear, it will be time to translate that to the water.

We leave you a few tutorial videos with some of the most important surfskate maneuvers:

  1. Improve your pump technique with the skateboards:

  1. Improve your cutback on your surfskate:

  1. Improve your floater on your skateboard:

Benefits of Smoothstar

If we still haven’t convinced you that it’s worth it to invest in a surfboard of the asphalt, we recommend you check our post on the benefits of having a surfskate in your quiver. In large strokes buying a Smoothstar will help you:

  1. Improve your balance
  2. Correct postures and improve your technique
  3. Refine your style
  4. Better coordination
  5. Lots of fun
  6. Don’t stop surfing even when the day has no waves

What model do I choose?

If you are doubting about which Smoothstar to buy, call us or send us and email and we will help you. Get your surfskate starting at 29 euros a month in Single Quiver. Don’t miss our tutorial videos and our tips to maintain them in good shape.