# Boardslide vs lipslide

> Lipslide vs boardslide: on a boardslide your front truck crosses the rail first, on a lipslide your back truck does. How to get on, and which to learn first.

Canonical: https://getskateai.com/boardslide-vs-lipslide
Last updated: 2026-10-10

## The short answer

Both slide the middle of the board across a rail or ledge with your feet over the bolts. The difference is the way in: in a boardslide your front truck crosses the rail first, and in a lipslide you turn the ollie the opposite way so your back truck crosses first. Once you are locked in, the slide looks similar. Learn the boardslide first: it is level 3 of 5 in our guides, the lipslide is level 4, and the lipslide uses the same slide balance.

## The difference

|  | Frontside Boardslide | Backside Boardslide | Lipslide |
|---|---|---|---|
| In short | The middle of the board slides on the rail, rail ending up in front of you. | The middle of the board slides on the rail, rail behind you. | Like a boardslide, but the back truck goes over the rail first. |
| Crosses the rail first | Front truck | Front truck | Back truck |
| Ollie turn on the way in | Backside 90 | Frontside 90 | 90 the opposite way from a boardslide |
| Lock-in | Middle of the board on the rail, feet on the bolts | Middle of the board on the rail, feet on the bolts | Middle of the board on the rail, feet on the bolts |
| Level | 3 of 5 | 3 of 5 | 4 of 5 |
| Learn first | ollie, backside 180 | ollie, frontside 180 | frontside boardslide |

## How you get on the rail

### Frontside Boardslide

Ollie and turn backside 90 so the rail ends up facing you as you land.

**Drill:** Practice backside 90 ollies onto a low, flat ledge you can already ollie onto, then add the slide once the landing feels square.

### Backside Boardslide

Ollie and turn frontside 90, clearing your front wheels over the rail as you turn.

**Drill:** Practice frontside 90 ollies onto a low ledge you can already ollie onto, focusing on clearing your front wheels before the slide.

### Lipslide

Ollie and turn 90 the opposite way from a boardslide, lifting your back truck over the rail.

**Drill:** Get a solid boardslide first, then practice the opposite-direction ollie turn onto a low, flat ledge before taking it to a rail.

## Common mistakes, each trick

### Frontside Boardslide

- **You stall out halfway across.** Keep your weight evenly split between both feet through the whole slide.
- **You slip off the rail sideways.** Commit to a full backside 90 on the pop so the board lands straight across.
- **You can't turn back out at the end.** Look and turn your shoulders back the way you came before you run out of rail.
- **You catch a wheel on the way in.** Pop a little higher before starting the backside turn.

### Backside Boardslide

- **You catch a wheel on the way in.** Turn a little earlier and pop a bit higher so the wheels clear before you land.
- **You spin out too far and land past the rail.** Turn just enough to face away from the rail. Stop the rotation once you're square.
- **You lose your balance looking down at your feet.** Look down the rail ahead of you instead of at your board.
- **The board slides out from under you at the end.** Turn your shoulders and head to lead the exit before you reach the end.

### Lipslide

- **You catch your back truck on the way in.** Pop a little higher and focus on lifting your back foot through the turn.
- **You spin out too far.** Turn just enough to land flat across the rail, then stop the rotation.
- **You lose balance mid-slide.** Keep even weight on both feet, the same as a boardslide.
- **You can't judge the turn direction.** Get a solid boardslide first, then practice just the opposite-direction ollie on flat ground.

## Boardslide vs lipslide FAQ

### What is the difference between a boardslide and a lipslide?

In a boardslide your front truck crosses the rail first; in a lipslide your back truck crosses first. The slide itself looks similar once you're locked in.

### Is a lipslide harder than a boardslide?

In our guides the lipslide is level 4 of 5 and both boardslides are level 3. You have to lift your back truck over the rail on the way in, and the turn goes the opposite way from a boardslide, which feels backwards at first.

### Should I learn the boardslide before the lipslide?

Yes. Lipslide uses the same slide balance as a boardslide, just entered from the other direction, so the boardslide lock-in should already feel solid.

### What is the difference between a frontside and a backside boardslide?

They're entered with opposite ollie turns. Frontside boardslide pops a backside 90, backside boardslide pops a frontside 90. The slide itself looks the same once locked in.

### Is a backside boardslide harder than a frontside boardslide?

Most skaters find backside a little trickier at first because you can't see the rail as clearly on the way in. Both need the same practice with the entry ollie.

### What should I practice lipslides on?

A low, flat rail or box you're already comfortable boardsliding, so the only new part is the entry direction.

App: [Skate AI: Kickflip Ollie Coach on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6814983538)

## Related

- [Full frontside boardslide guide](https://getskateai.com/tricks/frontside-boardslide)
- [Full backside boardslide guide](https://getskateai.com/tricks/backside-boardslide)
- [Full lipslide guide](https://getskateai.com/tricks/lipslide)