Long boarding is becoming a cultural trend for transportation and recreation around the Austin area, and many St. Edward’s University students are jumping on.

St. Edward’s freshman Chandler Sager has started cruising smoothly across campus to his classes on his longboard.

“A lot of people use it [long boarding] for transportation,” sophomore Mitchell Hallmark said. “It’s a great way to get from point A to point B, mainly because they’re easy to carry, small, and easy to use. After a couple of times, it’s pretty easy to get balanced.”

The board’s size is one of the main reasons it is becoming a popular means of transportation.

“It’s a good alternative to a bike because unlike a bike, you can pick up a long board and take into class and set it against a wall, where a bike is more bulky,” Hallmark said.

While it is easy to mistake a longboard for a skateboard, there are many distinct differences between the two.

“Unlike your original, regular skateboard, usually the nose and tail are narrower, and that helps the arrow dynamics of the longboard,” Hallmark said. “They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, depending on the rider’s preference.”

Longboards have looser trucks, mechanisms that turn the board, compared to a skateboard, which makes mobility easier for the rider. The loose trucks allow the board to pivot and move better than a skateboard. The ease of mobility is what attracts people to use long boards for transportation.

Longboards have ultimately evolved from the surfing world.

“Long board initially started as a surf board for when surfers couldn’t go surfing,” Sager said.

Today there are long boards designed to mimic the feeling of surfing and snowboarding so that athletes can practice their skills year-round.

“Longboards are used for transportation first, and then tricks come when you get bored with transportation,” Sager said.

Tricks on a longboard are more about the individual rider’s style than about doing specific tricks.

Hallmark uses longboarding to satisfy his need for speed as well as to socialize with friends.

“I also think it’s a good way to go outside and just enjoy being outside whether it’s hot or cold,” Hallmark said. “Me and my friends will go longboard pretty much any time of the year, especially in Texas since there is not much snow and rain.”

Sophomore Mason Brennan also recently started longboarding and said he enjoys riding around Austin.

“It’s more about me being out at night away from school and keeping my mind off of everything but what I’m doing at the time,” Brennan said.

Most longboard riders consider longboarding an outlet for riders to enjoy together without getting overly competitive.

“It’s a hobby that’s more sociable,” Brennan said. “Anytime you meet someone and you have that [longboarding] in common, it sparks an instant friendship.”