Caster board
A caster board, also called a vigorboard or waveboard, is a two‑wheeled, self‑propelled board with two narrow decks connected by a torsion bar and a strong spring. Each deck has a polyurethane wheel with a caster that can steer independently, and the caster is tilted about 30 degrees for turning.
The board was created by South Korean inventor Singi Kang as EssBoard in the early 2000s. It was produced by Slovie and Decolee and later faced competition from cheaper copies. Kang later earned a US patent. Early on, licensed versions appeared in the United States as RipStik, and Razor later gained worldwide rights outside Korea and China. Designers around the world soon introduced small variations, but the basic idea stayed the same.
How it works: To move, you twist the board side to side with your hips and legs. Each wheel sits on a 30° angled caster, so twisting causes the board to rise slightly and then drop, pushing it forward as the weight shifts. The motion is similar to inline skating propulsion, not the usual skateboard push. Because of the angled wheels, the board’s speed comes from the rider’s twisting motion and weight shifts. If you twist too hard, balance can become unstable.
Riding basics: Foot placement matters. Put your front foot over the front caster’s center and place your back foot to push for speed. Beginners may need a quick back‑foot push to gain balance; experienced riders can move more quickly with practice. A common move is the manual: keep the rear foot on the back deck and lift the front foot. You can hop to adjust foot placement without stopping. Turning is done by leaning the front foot into the curve and the back foot out of it, which makes the front wheel turn inward and the back wheel turn outward to form a turning arc. Weaving can propell the board while turning, but leaning both decks the same direction is not the right way to turn and can cause slipping.
Safety and tricks: Wear a helmet, elbow and knee pads, gloves, and shin guards. Riders can perform many tricks, including various flips and manual maneuvers, similar to skateboard tricks.
Parks and rules: Some skateparks restrict caster boards; others allow them with limits (for example, boards with four wheels and a single deck may be required in some parks). Some boards, like the RipStik G, have design changes to enable grinding on rails or curbs.
Use in schools and health benefits: Caster boards have been used in schools to teach movement and balance. Studies in the UK found vigorboarding increased heart rate and energy expenditure significantly, suggesting it can be a useful, engaging way to boost activity for people who don’t like traditional sports.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 08:37 (CET).