I love long boarding, you can do it with any one, no matter how old, or young, guy or girl, it doesn't matter.
Of course, it takes practice. As do all things. Some people can pick it up really easy while others it takes time. For me, I had to learn how to skate at a longboarding party. I didn't know how to skate and then I was thrown into the deep end by having to skate about 3 km to the hill where we were skating.
After that party I pretty much bought the cheapest longboard on eBay. I wasn't disappointed with the cheap board that I got either. I got a Friction Downtown pintail for only $60. I still couldn't really skate that well, but I was soon on my board pretty much everyday.
I customised it too. Here are some ways you can customise yours:
1. Changing the wheels- Different wheels have different purposes. Like if you wanted to slide more on your board, you would get sliding wheels like Drifters. But if you wanted to go faster you wouldn't buy sliding wheels.
2. Changing the bearings- Bearings are the discs inside the wheels that actually make the board go. If you want to go faster, you would buy higher abec bearings. My boards either have 5 or 7 abec bearings.
3. Changing the trucks- If you've been reading this whole thing without knowing what trucks are, just to let you know they aren't dump trucks under your board. Trucks are the metal things that connect the board to the wheel. I personally haven't changed my trucks before but if you find that your board has become really heavy going up hills or that you can't turn very well, then you can change the trucks.
4. Changing the tightness of your trucks: Everyone has a different preference on the tightness of their trucks. If you don't like the turning circle of your board you can change the tightness of your trucks with a t-tool.
My board is really great. I love it, but everyone else who tries my board say that it's dangerous and wobbly. But I say the same thing about their boards. Your board is only good if you like it. If you don't like your board then it's not good.
I still have that board that I was talking about and 2 others. In fact I have a skateboard deck that I got when I was about 10 that had the trucks broken off after I ran over a nut. I was really disappointed. I still didn't know how to skate, so that probably explains why I broke it.
Tell us what you do or give it a go!
Cheers
Matt