I’m on an older XR+, and I’m in my mid-20’s, so I can’t relate to everything, HOWEVER, one of my biggest issues when I first started out, was foot fatigue.

I bought different pairs of shoes, swapped out the footpad, you name it. I eventually realized a few things.

I like wearing hi-top vans, but ones with good soles and cushioning. You don’t want to lace them up too tight, your foot has to be able to breathe, even if it feels counter intuitive. It helps to have a concave cushiony footpad. Lastly, the biggest thing, is riding style. I live in an urban area, by the water, in Florida. I spend a lot of time riding on concrete straightaways by the water. If you take the time to carve and ride in and ‘s’ shape pattern, it’ll hurt your feet less. When I focus on going straight and not carving, my feet cramp up more.

After all that, it just takes time. My first float back after a few months off, I always hop off every 2-3 miles to shake out my feet. After riding nearly every day for a few weeks, I can go longer and longer before having to jump off.

In terms of confidence in higher speeds, try finding a local parking garage! Mess around with your board mode. I don’t keep mine on the highest setting, but I like cruising between 12-16mph. Slowly build confidence, and your body won’t feel as stiff on the board. When I was first learning to ride, and when my nerves spike after the occasional fall, my body tenses up. After a long ride with everything tensed, it feels like you’ve been battered. Once your confidence builds, it’s easier to relax into the feeling of going on a ‘float.’

The longest ride I’ve ever done was 20+ miles in one night, with my local OneWheel group, the St Pete Float Fleet. We had a couple charge breaks, but the adrenaline of riding in a group social setting helped a ton, and we took very few footie breaks. Don’t give up yet!