Skateboarding Winter Survival Guide

Skateboarding in unfavorable weather is a bad idea. Skateboards are not snowboards. It wont be the end of the world if an indoor skate park is not near to you. Abandoned buildings that are safe, large basements, or even a garage could be used as a space for skateboarding during terrible weather.

Let’s check out what options you have for skateboarding in the winter or bad weather. Here are a few ideas to keep skateboarding in the winter, and rainy months.

Where to Skateboard When it’s Cold or Raining

Make sure to use an old skateboard deck. Snow, rain, and ice is devastating to your board.

Skateboarding in a Garage or Basement

Lots skateboarders start learning to skateboard in their garage. Maybe It’s time to clean out your garage and maybe even build a small quarter pipe.

Practice those axle stalls, rock to fakies, blunts, or anything you’re comfortable with. Even if space is tight, you can get creative and create a couple of obstacles. Make sure not to damage your (moms) car.

Practicing on Carpet

Carpets can be a good place to practice technique. Keep in mind that this may not be a good idea if you live in an apartment, your neighbors probably won’t appreciate it.

I personally never tried this, but hey, it’s better than doing nothing. To reduce the noise consider placing a large piece of wood under the carpet, it will become a bit bouncy though.

Practice on a Balance Board

Practice your skills using a home made balance board, its done with a large bottle of water. By wrapping the bottle in duct tape it will make it stronger, you don’t want the cap to fly off. You will also need to remove your trucks or use an old deck. You could also buy a balance board designed for skateboarding.

Indoor Skate Parks

New to indoor parks? Don’t hesitate to check them out. Its a good idea to laern skatepark etiquette so you dont get in another skate boarders way. If you act polite, others will be friendly and gladly help you out.

Abandoned Buildings

Abandoned buildings are a good place to practice skateboarding. Always check to make sure you are not trespassing and that the area is safe to skate board.  Explore an abandoned urban landscape and dont forget to bring a camera or camera phone to get some great shots. Always look for broken glass or debris that might cause you to slip and fall or cut yourself. If you spot needles, leave!

Parking Garages

Parking garages are a fun place to skate! They could be a bit slippery so keep a look out for oil spots. Not everyone appreciates the presence of skateboarders and you could get kicked out by security eventually. Be Cautious when you make a turns, hitting a car can be painful and not very courteous.

Clear Ramps Using a Floor Squeegee

Bring a floor squeegee If your local mini ramp is wet. Depending on temperature, the surface should dry up quickly. Invite friends and carefully ride the mini ramp, quarter pipe or fun box.

Squeegeeing usually speeds things up and after 5-15 minutes you should be ready to go. If it starts raining again you could use your rain deck. Dont forget to bring an old towel to get rid of wet spots the squeegee can’t reach.

Your Living Room

If no other options are available to you consider using a living room. Its suggested to use skate trainers in order to prevent a board from destroying everything in its path. Grab a piece of carpet or a Yoga mat if your floor is made of wood. You don’t want to damage the floor.

Other Stuff to do When the Weather is Bad

If there are no skateparks, parking garages or other options to skate inside you could still use a balance board, grab a bag of popcorn and watch some video’s or play some games.

Get an Old Deck and Have Some Fun in the Snow

Snowskating

Snow skates are available in a few variants. Snow skates are made from special plastic with grooves on the bottom with patches of rubber on top to keep you from slipping. As soon as the first snow drops  grab old decks go to the nearby slope.

Consider Snowboarding

Snowboarding is different from skateboarding and its really is a cool and fun sport. If you’re interested in learning more check out this artical Can Skateboarding Help With Snowboarding?

Remember Rain, Heat & Cold is Bad for Your Skateboard

Skateboards are usually made with Ply Wood, so extreme heat or cold can damage the board. Moisture is the worst of all as it gets in between the ply’s and dissolves the glue and your grip tape will come off as well. A waterlogged board loses its pop and de-laminates.

Your trucks can handle some moisture but your bearings can not get wet. If they do, take them apart, dry them and lube the bearings with Bronson Cleaner.

 

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