Four Common Skateboard Terms

If you want to get into skateboarding, then you should first become familiar with some of the terminology and phrasing that skateboarders use on a regular basis. After all, skateboarding is more than just a recreation or a sport; it's a lifestyle and a culture that has its own unique personality. Additionally, skateboards themselves are also subject to phrases and terms that can help identify certain parts and aspects of the boards.

As a public service to anyone interested in skateboards, the following glossary listed below is a certain "getting started" guide to different words and sentences which are well-known and often used in the skateboarding community. Now, simply reading this list won't immediately turn you into Tony Hawk, but it will give you an introduction as to how skateboarders communicate when discussing their boards.

SKATEBOARD DECK

This is the actual board, which is flat, long and somewhat oval or rectangular in shape. Did you actually know that classic or standard skateboard decks are usually manufactured from seven separate pieces of plywood (normally maple, of course the type of wood can vary as well) which are then laminated together. Skateboard decks can also be made from other materials such as plastic, kevlar or fiberglass. However, professional skateboarders prefer conventional wooden decks.

SKATEBOARD TRUCKS

The trucks of a skateboard function and operate much in the same manner as an automotive axle. Skateboard trucks are the metal "T" shaped components that are fastened to the underside of the deck. Attached to the trucks are the actual wheels of the skateboard. Normal or common skateboards usually have two trucks, which can be found facing each other. And while the trucks look pretty straightforward, they're actually quite complicated, as they have many facets and pieces to them.

GRIP TAPE

If you've ever looked at the top of a skateboard (the topside of the deck), then you've probably noticed a tough, gritty surface that's layered to it. That's the grip tape, and its purpose is quite simple actually: grip tape ensures that the skateboard sticks to your shoes as your boarding and moving about on the board. Many skateboarders will often slice patterns into the grip tape to make it more comfortable and create a better feeling of control and traction. And while most people see grip tape in black, it actually is available in many different colors.

WHEELS

Attached to the skateboard trucks are the wheels, which ensure that your skateboarding journey is somewhat smooth. The wheels are commonly made from polyurethane and can range from forty to seventy centimeters in diameter. The most important aspect of the wheels on a skateboard is their hardness, which can be measured by using a durometer scale which ranges from zero to one hundred.

These are just a few of the skateboarding terms which professional and dedicated skateboard enthusiasts talk about when discussing their boards. And just as skateboarders can be unique individuals with colorful personalities, their boards are just as vibrant and as extraordinary as some of the amazing tricks that skateboarders can perform on them.

Duke McCallister has one philosophy when it comes to skateboards - and that's to go skate or go home! A skateboarding fan, Duke wants to share his experiences and passion for skateboards with expert boarders and those new to skateboarding. In addition to writing about skateboards, he also visits GoSkateorGoHome.com for all his boarding needs.Whether talking about skateboard decks, trucks, longboards, grip tape or anything else about skateboarding, Duke is more than happy to talk about it, write about it and share stories about it!

How to Buy Skateboards Online

Skateboarding is already a widely recognized sport, and therefore it's usually easy to find a local store that supplies you with all your skateboarding needs - from skateboarding wheels, to decks, to trucks, to a host of skateboarding apparel. The great thing about having a local skateboarding shop is that you get the opportunity to examine the stocks first, then decide later on which one you think fits your needs best.

However, this isn't always the case especially if you live in quite a remote area, or in a location where skateboarding isn't that popular. Because of that, you probably need to travel several miles just to get to your nearest skateboarding shop. It can both be a waste of your time and money.

Why Buy Your Skateboard Gear Online

Here's the next best thing: buying your skateboard online. Buying your gear from the Internet provides you with hassle-free shopping because the stuff that you buy will be sent to you through mail. You no longer have to leave your house just to buy wheels, for example. Aside from that, online stores are generally better stocked with the latest gear than your local shop.

You need to be extra careful, though, when buying your skateboard online, including your skateboard wheels. We'll show you how to make your online shopping experience as hassle-free as possible.

First of all, check out skateboarding forums and reviews of the skateboarding gear that you want to buy. You need to do this because you can't physically check the gear first before you buy it.

Forums are generally a reliable source of information when it comes to the performance of particular skateboarding gear. You can then base your buying decisions on the feedback of the people in the forum. Alternatively, you could join skateboarding forums yourself and ask for the opinion of other people.

Once you've made a choice, find out if these are reliable brands that you're buying. By reliable we mean that the company should always deliver high quality products and has a good track record of delivering the goods to its customers quickly and reliably. Again, you can consult online forums on this one.

There are online stores that sell used skateboarding gear, which could get you great deals if you're looking for discounted stuff. However, there are types of gear that you should always buy new. These include skateboarding wheels, bearings and decks. Used wheels may be more susceptible to flat spotting, used bearings may already be worn out badly, and old decks may already have cracks in them. Besides, getting new wheels, bearings and decks are generally affordable, so don't skimp on these things.

Find out too if there are a variety of shipping options available to online buyers like you. Most online stores accept credit cards, so that means a more hassle-free transaction for you. Just be a bit careful when using your credit card online to prevent cases of identity theft and the like. Check out if the site is secure enough before you buy.

All in all, buying your skateboard gear online helps you shop from the comfort of your own home. So if you don't want to get out of the house to buy, let's say skateboard wheels, online shopping is the way to go. It's great too if there aren't any nearby local skate shops in your area. Just remember that a little research and caution will help potential problems that are the bane of shopping online.

The Fastest and Cheapest Way to Building the Best Skateboard

Unlike pro skaters who can afford to change decks, skate wheels, and other parts of their board at will, most of us don't have sponsors who will foot the bill for every customization that we make. This is especially the case if you're just starting out and you are trying to build your board out of your lunch money. You simply cannot afford to plunk down your money for something that you will end up being unhappy with eventually. Of course, you can sell the board off later. But if you can get something right from the beginning, wouldn't you do that?

So, when it comes to the fastest and cheapest way to building the best skateboard for you, it is actually the slowest one. What's the deal, then? When you work slower, that's how you get the best results that you're looking for. Read this article and we'll show you how you can make haste slowly but surely, as an old saying goes.

What Do You Want Out of Your Board?

The first step, of course, is to find out what you want and don't want from your board. This takes a lot of time with you experimenting on a variety of boards and configurations. And again, if you're going to build one configuration just to find out if you like it or not, then, you're going to bust your wallet in the end. What should you do, then? The answer: borrow and test as many boards as you can.

With every board that you borrow and test, find out the stuff that you like. Also, see what doesn't feel right. Are the skateboard wheels too fast? Is the deck too wide? Whatever you notice, ask for the corresponding figures from your friends. If the deck's too wide, for example, check out the width and try to look for a deck that's a little narrower.

It also helps to check out online forums and reviews on particular brands of decks, skate wheels and other parts of your skateboard. Of course, they won't be as good as trying the board yourself, but the information that you'll get will give you a good idea of what to expect from specific brands.

Another thing that you should consider is the type of riding that you often see yourself doing. Analyze the way you ride. Do you like doing tricks? Are you in it for speed? Your answers, of course, will determine the type of skateboard that's right for you.



All the time, you spend analyzing your riding style, borrowing skateboards, and all those things will definitely take a lot of your time. But realize that you will be able to arrive at exactly the right kind of board that you're looking for at the end of the day. The end result is that you spend your money on the right stuff and you will never have to throw anything away. Of course, you might have to change a few things as your style changes, but what you'll have is a board that grows with you as you become a better skater.

For beginners just starting to skate, the best choice of skate wheels would be the softest you can get your hands on to provide grip and from there you can gradually increase the hardness as you advance in skill level.

Modern Skateboarding

Skateboarding has been a popular sport for the past 3 decades, and is quite modern. In fact, skateboarding has been around since 1980, which happens to be the year in which the first modern skateboard was made. Since then, both young and the not so young enjoy carving the streets and experiencing the adrenaline rush of free riding, trick skating, and the like.

Skateboarding is deeply influenced by and derivative of the art and sport of surfing. Surfing, which was developed and rooted in Hawaii, is the act of riding waves with a surfboard. Similar to surfing, skateboarding entails riding a skateboard on land, and more specifically, paved or concrete surfaces. Skateboards are made in different styles and made with different skating methods in mind.

Some skateboards are styled and fashioned after longboard surfboards. While these skateboards are not intended for extensive tricks, longboard skateboards are great for bombing hills and carving while you cruise the streets.

There are also skateboards that are intended for trick skating. These skateboards are shorter boards which allow the skater to manipulate movement more quickly and effectively to perform stunts and tricks such ollies, casper flips, nosegrinds, and back stabs.

Skateboarding has been popular since the 1980's, as was mentioned in the early part of this article, and has then spawned its own culture. The skateboard culture is also known as punk or skate punk culture. Skate punk culture, like many different cultures, has a fashion and language of its own.

There are many brands and companies of manufacturers of skateboards and skateboard-related items. With the popularization of skateboarding and the image that it entails, also came the monetization and financial aspect of this sport. There are numerous skating contest events, skateboarding magazines, and skateboard fashion and clothing companies. Some of these companies include Element skateboards, Sector 9 skateboards, Birdhouse skateboards, Baker skateboards, the classic Powell skateboards, and many more. Usually, each skateboard brand has a team of sponsored professional skateboarders that represent them at skateboarding events.

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Few Methods to Repair and Maintain a Skateboard

Like any other sports materials skateboards also need a lot of maintenance for providing its optimum capacity to the skateboarders. Many people neglect this or do not get the time to maintain their skateboards, as a result of which their performance degrades. People, who use skateboards regularly, must do proper maintenance. Many people purchase high quality skateboard decks, skateboard trucks and wheels from the well renowned manufacturers, but when it comes to the maintenance of the board they go for the cheap tools. The result of such negligence is known to all. Either the skateboarders do not get optimum performance from the boards or crash during racing and land up in any hospital.

If you are an amateur skateboarder, you may not know about the maintenance procedures of the skateboards. You can either do the maintenance yourself or contract a skateboard maintenance store. Giving a skateboard in a skateboard maintenance store everyday is not possible for the regular skateboarders. For them, the maintenance kits are the best. The skateboard maintenance kit consists of several tools like the skateboard rails, bearing lube, skateboard wax etc. these tools are very important for the maintenance of a skateboard at home. However, if you do not know the exact procedures for maintaining a skateboard, you must take the help of a maintenance shop. There are several things that should be looked after during this procedure. The balance of the board should be checked, the wheels must be replaced with new one according to its condition. There are several other procedures that must be conducted on the skateboards for optimizing its performance.

While repairing the skateboards at home, the skateboard wheels must be taken well care of. Wheels are the most important part of a skateboard. Due to regular usage the wheels may wear out, which can result to bad performance. The skate wheels must be replaced as soon as you find out that your wheels are not in the condition to be used. During cleaning, the bearings of the skate wheel must be opened and cleaned. Due to regular usage, dirt gets deposited within the ball bearing of the skate wheels. If proper cleaning of the wheels of the skateboards is not done, it can slow down the board while racing and even cause several sounds. Besides cleaning the wheels, the skateboards decks must also be taken well care of; mainly the balance and the grip of the boards. It should be seen whether the grip of the skateboard is good enough to hold the skateboarder. If the grip is not good enough, the rider may crash during competing with others.

Besides the skateboard maintenance tools, the safety tools required for skateboarding are also very important. As we know, skateboarding is a risky game and a slight mistake can cause severe injuries to the skateboarder. To prevent such situations, proper safety measures must be taken. A person must use proper safety tools like the helmet, elbow and knee caps to prevent such injuries. People must not neglect these maintenance tools and safety tools of the skateboards.

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Music and Skateboarding

Music has always been involved in the world of skateboarding since its earliest history. The counterculture of skateboarding, in fact, is known for its wide variety musical styles. Today, there are several different genres that are closely identified with skateboarding. The music most identified with the sport tends to have a fast beat to pump up your adrenaline while skating.

Since skateboarding grew out of surfing culture during the 1950s and 1960s, it follows logically that the music and culture of skateboarding was originally quite similar to that of surfing. However, skateboarding would soon be seen as more counter-culture than surfing, and began to develop a rebellious attitude displayed through clothing and music. This punk influence is still quite evident in today's skateboarding culture.

One of the first music styles to be associated specifically with skateboarding was reggae. In the late 1980s, the SMA Rocco Division skateboarders, including Jesse Martinez and Jef Hartsel, helped to usher in the emerging reggae-skateboarding culture. The song "I N I Style" was credited to Jef Hartsel and fellow skateboarders from Rocco, Jamie Zebulon and Albert Naphtali. Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, several of those involved in the skateboarding industry recorded reggae-style songs.

While skateboarding has traditionally been associated with punk or rock music, recently hip-hop and street culture have embraced the sport, having a huge influence on the music enjoyed by skateboarders. Today, skateboarding has grown to encompass a diverse fusion of cultures, including punk, hard rock, street, and hip cop culture. As a result, there is a wide variety of musical styles that are enjoyed by skateboarders around the world, though there is also a style popularized in skate shops that is specific to skateboarding and related sports.

One of the more recent moves within the skateboarding culture is the trend towards "emo" or "pop-punk" bands like Fall Out Boy or Green Day. These bands are very popular not only within the skateboarding community but also in the larger world.

Often, skateboarders will listen to their favorite music when skating around town or trying to get themselves pumped up to try new tricks. A perennial favorite among skateboarders is the band "CKY." The brother of popular pro skateboarder and stuntman Bam Margera (known for his "Jackass" movies) is in the band, one reason for the band's continuous popularity within the skateboarding subculture. Formed in 1996, CKY videos and music have long been favorites of skaters.

MXPX is another mainstay among skaters. MXPX is for upbeat music that is good for practicing tricks. For skaters who particularly enjoy getting their adrenaline pumping before a big race or performing a new trick, check out Offspring, NoFx, Rancid, Dropkick Murphys, or Flogging Molly. All are quite popular among the skateboarding crowd.

If you are a skateboarder looking to find some new bands, head to your local skateboarding shop. Skateboarding goes hand in hand with the local music scene. Often, it is the smaller local bands that are more popular within the skateboarding sub-culture. If you skateboard with friends, ask them to bring some music; you never know what new bands you might be introduced to. While there are certainly some bands that remain popular with skaters year after year, the styles are always changing, and the subculture of skateboarding has grown to accommodate nearly every musical style.

Skateboard Helmets - All You Need to Know

No matter how skilled a skateboarder you are (or think you are) you will eventually crash or come off your skateboard. AND... it doesn't take much to do some damage to one of the most vital parts of our body...OUR BRAIN! Many countries have also set laws which require a helmet to be worn when you are skateboarding.

Important points to remember:

1. Buy a skateboard helmet, not a bicycle helmet - they are specially designed to protect you while you are skateboarding and often offer more coverage than bicycle helmets.

2. The best interior foam for skateboard is probably Expanded PolyPropylene (EPP). It looks like bike helmet foam, but feels a little bit rubbery. Unlike bike helmet EPS foam, EPP recovers and is good for the next hit.

3. This may seem like common sense but make sure you actually secure the helmet to your head! A helmet that will just fall off your head is absolutely useless if you come off and land on your head. Make sure also that the strap and buckle are strong.

4. Make sure your skateboard helmet meets the industry standards of your country. You should find a sticker telling you as much inside your helmet. Ensure it is Skateboard standards and not Bicycle standards.

5. A good Skateboard Helmet shouldn't need replacing every time you fall or crash. Keep an eye on the straps and buckles though and replace if necessary.

What Does a Skateboard Helmet Do?

A helmet softens the impact when the foam inside crushes or slowly deforms.
The hard shell on a skateboard helmet holds up under multiple impacts.

What Brands are good to buy?

A reputable brand of skateboard helmet is one that is dual certified (ASTM and CPSC). Such as Arc Freestyle, B-2, Pro Tec, Free Agent and Mirra.