To the reader,
I hope this message brings you some comfort and perspective.
Every living being—every single organism that has ever existed or will exist—is navigating life without a clear path or destination. There is no definitive right or wrong way to live; life is simply about surviving and finding meaning in our own ways.
Some individuals pursue power, wealth, and prestige, believing these things will bring fulfillment. However, in the vast expanse of the universe, such achievements are ultimately insignificant. When the universe meets its end, all our deeds and accomplishments will fade into oblivion.
So, please, try not to worry too much.
If you haven't yet, consider the impact of bringing new life into the world. Understand that any new life will face the same challenges, confusion, and suffering that we all do. Instead, if possible, focus on uplifting those who are already here—those who are struggling, unwanted, and unloved. Helping others leads to a better life for everyone.
If you find yourself unable to help right now, that's okay. Relax. Take a breath. Appreciate what you have, and live in the present. Take things moment by moment, step by step, and you'll find your way.
Warm regards,
A fellow traveller
P.S. Pass on this message if it resonates with you.
I've only been surfskating for about a month and had been skateboarding for about another month before that, so maybe take my advice with a dash of soy sauce.
Personally, I currently only have one surfskate. My set up consists of the Waterborne Surf Adapter with their Fin system, with the Fin set to "Super Carver" mode. This was the most expensive part of my set up and cost me ~£90. I'm using a blank, 8.5" popsicle-stick deck I got from Venom for ~£27 and the rest of my set up I got from aliexpress, i.e., the longboard trucks, wheels and hardware as a ~£35 package, and an off-brand Rail adapter (the counterpart to the Surf adapter) for ~£12. The grip tape I already had, as I had been freeline skating prior and go through grip quite quickly because of it (I bought a 60' roll of Jessup Ultragrip for ~£85).
Regarding research, I mostly watched YT videos to see them in action:
There's also an app you can to help you choose a surfskate, but I personally haven't tried it.
Obviously I can't attest to other setups, but regarding mine, I'd say the biggest issues I have with it are:
Aside from the Waterborne, the other surfskate that caught my eye was the Curfboard. I like that its design seems to use something akin to an Ackermann steering system, which apparently is more stable than "turntable" systems used by most other surfskates. Here's an interesting blog post on it I read which talks about the geometry/physics behind it.
Ultimately, I went for the Waterborne, as I liked that I could use it with whatever trucks I want and because its Fin system provides some adjustability to the truck angle, which allows me to experiment and decide which setting I liked best.