Vigorboard

The Vigorboard is a board similar in style to a skate board or long board. A vigorboard is constructed from two platforms each supported by a single caster with a single wheel giving the board a total of two wheels. the two platforms are connected by heavy metal torsion bar that enables the board to twist in the center. The vigorboard has been released under various tradenames including:

* Vigorboard (China, 2003; USA, 2005; Australia, 2005)
* essboard (Korea, 2003)
* exboard (UK, 2004)
* X-board (UK, 2004)
* The Wave (USA, 2004)

Vigorboards are still one of the least common of the skateboardesque boards and for that reason are mainly available online but can be found in extreme sports shops. There are many different companies that distribute Vigorboards and other than logos and colour there are no significant differences in the design or construction of the board.

Riding technique

The Vigorboard, unlike a skateboard, can make an efficient mode of transport due to the ease of cornering and lack of need to make contact with the ground.

To ride a Vigorboard you must move the plates in opposing directions to provide a forward motion. This can be achieved by either:

* Moving the front and the back of the board must be pushed in opposing directions by the legs (good for short bursts of acceleration but fairly unsustainable), or

* Holding the front of the board still while moving the back plate in a large swoop left to right (good for long distance riding but slow acceleration), or

* Holding the back plate still and moving the front plate in forward swooping arches (tiring and slow but rarely needed)

There are far fewer tricks that can be performed on a Vigorboard than on a skate board due to its weight (approximately 4 kg)and its highly brittle plastic construction, although as a fairly new invention there are many possibilities yet to be explored

Trivia and other information

* On at least some of the LA Vigorboards carry cases the LA Boards logo is spelt "LA Boards"
* The Vigorboard is often incorrectly referred to as Wigorboard, Fingorboard, Huricaneboard (a different board that is in existence), Wiggleboard and Wobbleboard.
* The name Vigorboard refers to the vigorous way in which the rider moves his legs when using the board.
* A Vigorboard hot spot is Great Cornard Upper School in Suffolk where Vigorboards can be seen ridden on a regular basis by students between lessons and in breaks, this was introduced mainly by Patrick Woodward a pupil at the school. Sadly some teachers at the school banned vigorboards due to various safety issues whereas others thought it was just a bit of good fun.