The best gift for your middle-aged outdoorsman. Argh! I guess I am middle-aged.
I just turned 45 and I told my wife, all I wanted for my birthday was some winter socks and hugs.
That’s because a few weeks earlier, I bought myself a new toy. The older I get, the more random gifts I purchase for myself.
What is it?
Ever heard of a One-Wheel? They are super awesome.
It looks like this…
Riders say that it’s closest to snowboarding.
I was always a newbie at snowboarding, falling leaf style!
There were so many years that I’ve wanted to take winter vacations to shred the slopes (yeah right) and it always fails to happen.
This gives me that feeling without me having to freeze my ass, worry about bindings or the cost for a lift pass.
It will also prepare me for the day when I actually make it to the mountains.
Um, there is also an app for it!
You will find that there are many others that have One-Wheels and that there are groups on Facebook, Meetups, Instagram and elsewhere that get together to ride.
Is it easy to learn?
Yeah! Maybe! Sometimes!
I nearly did the splits on my first dismount. Tumbled over and got some tire burn after I fell in the grass on the second day.
It took me nearly a week to get use to riding it. I still get scrapes now and then attempting to bail.
One thing I noticed while riding it everyday is how my feet, ankles and legs felt fatigued. It definitely made me feel like I never had used those muscles before and showed me how unstable I really was on my feet.
It gets better every day. Been about a month now and it’s second nature.
How much does it cost?
Brand new, you could spend anywhere between $1050 to upwards of $2200. There are four models Pint, Pint X, XR, GT. Oh and there are acce$$ories.
There are companies like Craft & Ride and The Float Life that help you empty your wallet.
You should also consider safety equipment like a helmet, elbow and knee pads, wrist guards. I found some gear on Amazon. I went with the Triple 8 brand and spent a little over $100.
My buddies failed me here because they knew I was getting a one-wheel and no one bothered to mention that they were releasing new models soon… like a week or two after I got mine.
With the new models (Pint X and GT) that were just released, a lot of people are selling their Pints and XRs on Facebook Marketplace, so you could look at the used market for a deal.
Is it safe?
It’s as safe as any man on wheels or in this case, wheel. I personally, cruise! I don’t purposely try to max it out but sometimes it happens and I respect the board. The board lets its rider know when its limits are being tested. If he fails to back down, the board will shutdown and he will eat shyt. Here’s some video of the consequences.
Summary
After the very limited amount of time I’ve had it, I plan to continue riding it as much as I can just to get my mind off of things and enjoy the breeze. I almost always have at least my helmet and wrist guards on.
If you run out of cool things to get the guy, this could be an option. If he is adventurous as I would think he is because he’s an outdoorsman, he’s gonna love it. If he’s just into picking flowers and worried about mosquito bites, then maybe not. Also, nobody said you can’t get one for yourself. Get 2! Enjoy!
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