2015 is here and it’s time to look ahead to the hot trends in Longboarding™.

As it turns out, stiff, high performance downhill boards are not very good for what most people do with their longboards.

Actually going fast and gripping stuff is super rad, sometimes even radder than slowing down a lot. Kids might figure this out once they get that crucial third-digit switch topside they’ve been practicing.

CHINESE HYPER MIDS

Kids finally realize that good urethane is highly overrated and super low-end Chinese freeride wheels take over the market. Who needs roll speed, durability and predictable grip when you can do 50’ slides on your freeride hill, leave thane lines and core your shit in 2 sessions?

STREET LUGE

Last year we had the “Skate Everything Movement,” in which longboard dudes highlighted their mediocre street and transition skills. This year it’s gonna be all about laying down for maximum speed and bitchin’ core strength. Who’s gonna break 100MPH first?

DOWNHILL BOARD SLAPPY GRINDS

Coring your wheels is out. Axling out your trucks is in.

IPHONE FILMING

Thanks to Casey Morrow’s groundbreaking VXPOD2000 video, the iPhone is the new VX1000. The three people in long boarding who actually know what a VX1000 is are all going to take offense to that statement. I hope they’re keeping it roots with the standard definition GoPro Hero.

TUCKED IN T SHIRTS

More aero. More swag. Don’t worry about it, just get with #tuckedin2k15.

RACING IS WAY TOO REAL

Dudes just raced a parking garage for $3000 and I didn’t qualify for Maryhill last year. Racing is getting way too hard these days. For proof, recognize that the same ten dudes have been keeping major podiums on lockdown for the last five years. Kevin and Patrick run this shit, and Byron is too busy skating vert to mess with them.

ROOTS DOWNHILL SETUPS

Street luge has a classic luge class, so it’s time to run classic skateboard races. Dig out that old Evo and your ABEC11 Gumballs, ‘cause the pre-2008 downhill setup is the new hotness. Max Wippermann is going to wreck this category.

SPLIT EVERYTHING

Split angle trucks, split duro bushings, splitting the check at restaurants, split duro wheels, doing splits to stretch, and splitting lanes through traffic: all hot new shit for 2k15.

FOOTBRAKING

Smoke is the new ‘thane lines.

There it is folks. Go forth and be the cool kid on your block.