Getting tossed off your mountain board into a cactus or sticker bush is rarely a positive experience. Even worse, however, is when your board suffers similar injuries. All it takes is one tiny little thorn to puncture your tube and your ride is over. Patch kits are lifesavers on days like this.

Most patch kits are very small, making them extremely convenient to carry. Unless you enjoy walking down what you could be riding, then keep a kit in your pack or your pocket; it could save your ride.

There’s two different types of kits, with and without glue. Either one will work although the glue-less is more simple and therefore better for those of us who’ve cracked more than our share of helmets. All kits include patches, a scuffer of some sort, and glue (if required).

Here’s the basic steps:

1. Remove the tube.

2. Run your fingers through the inside of the tube to assure that it’s free of stickers or thorns.

3. Fill the tube with air and find all the holes (it helps if you can mark them somehow). Also, finding the holes is easier if you submerge the tube in water (if its available) and watch for bubbles.

4. Clean the area of each hole with water, spit, or whatever you have to make a clean surface.

5. Use the scuffer to scratch the area where the patch will be placed. This will help the patch stick better.

6. If your using a kit with glue, place a small amount of glue on THE TUBE (not the patch) and smear it evenly over the area with your finger. Now let it dry until it’s tacky- this is important, the patch will not stick well if the glue is wet.

7. Now your ready for the patch, each kit is different but most have a plastic piece that will need to be removed. Glue-less patches always have a plastic piece attached to the sticky side.

8. Carefully place the patch over the hole. Apply pressure to the center of the patch first, then smooth out the rest from the inside out to prevent air bubbles.

Once all holes have been patched correctly, the tube should hold air again and you can continue riding. No one wants to make the disgraceful walk downhill when they could be riding.

For more tips on preventing flats, check out “Bullet-proof Tubes”

The addiction has begun. For one reason or another, you have stumbled upon the sport of mountainboarding and you’re hooked. The very smell of dirt fills you with excitement. You find yourself spotting potential riding spots everywhere you go. Even your daydreams send an anxious dose of adrenaline through your body. You want to ride. Your have to ride. But you still need a board.

When looking for your first board there are two main determining factors. Your weight and your riding style. Although there are other factors, such as brand and price, these have more to do with personal preference or what’s in your wallet.

Weight is easy. Are you a light or heavy rider? If you’re a lighter rider, you’ll need a softer deck. If you’re a heavy rider, you’ll need a stiffer deck. Most board companies provide specific information on which board is right for you according to your weight. If you ride a board that is too soft or too stiff, you’ll find you either bottom out all the time or you can’t get the board to respond or “snap.”

Riding style is the next factor. There are four main styles: freestyle, freeride, boardercross, and kite. Although any mountainboard can be used for any style, the more serious you are about a specific style, the more you will want the right tool for the job.

Freestyle is all about getting air and doing tricks. For this you will want a smaller, lighter board. This doesn’t mean you get a board made for a lighter rider. Boards are made light by the materials used for the deck, trucks, and even the hubs and tires. Your board stiffness, depending on how much air you are going for, will need to be high in order to support your landings without bottoming out. Too stiff, however, will take away from the pop you need to leave the ground.

Freeride is about riding the whole mountain, and attacking various terrain. Boards for this style have to be tough and heavy. The deck should be stiff enough to support cliff drops and extreme terrain. Some companies make 9 inch wheels for freeriders. Bigger wheels provides more clearance which means you keep riding instead of getting tossed. Some boards include a handbrake that allows for steeper rides or single tracks (especially beneficial to the beginner).

Boardercross requires a light and very maneuverable ride. Pay special attention to deck stiffness. Your board needs to be able to respond exactly when you need it to. This will depend on your weight and how aggressively you ride. The harder you ride, the stiffer your deck should be.

The last style is kite. If you plan to ride the winds, you will need a light board with a soft deck. You’ll never leave the ground if your board weighs too much. Every ounce you can shave off counts.

By considering both weight and riding style, you’ll be able to get a board that will let you ride how and what you want. As was mentioned before, most companies make an effort to point out which board you need according to these factors. That way you can find what you need to feed your new addiction. Good luck.

I was out on my board a few weeks ago and the day was ruined by two punctures in quick succession. I dragged my miserable self home and dumped my kit in the garage. I began to dig out my puncture repair kit when I came across a product which I use on my mountain bike and the light went on in my head. I could have used this on my board and saved myself a bag load of unhappiness.

The product is tire slime. It’s a green goo which carries thousands of small length of fibre about 1cm long. The idea is, when you get puncture, the air pressure of the tyre pushes the fibres and goo into the hole blocking it and stopping the puncture.

How to use it; you will need to check the configuration of your board’s inner tube, if like mine it has a removable valve you are in luck. Take out the valve and squirt in the gloop, remembering to remove all traces from the valve itself. Put the valve back in and re-inflate to your desired pressure.

Fingers crossed I have not had any problems since. Give it a go.