Skateboarding in bad weather is usually a bad idea. Where I live it sometimes rains or snows for days, so skateboarding outside is out of the question. It’s time to get creative and think of alternatives to keep in shape and still improve your skateboard skills.
It’s not the end of the world if you don’t live close to an indoor skatepark. Abandoned buildings, basements, your garage or even your living room can be used to keep skateboarding during bad weather.
So let’s see what options there are to keep skateboarding off season and maintain your dopamine levels. Here are a couple of ideas to keep skateboarding in the winter, fall and rainy days. Make sure to grab an old skateboard with old trucks and bearings.
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Where to Skateboard When it’s Cold or Rains
You can skate in indoor skateparks obviously but you also have a few less obvious options to pick from. You could also focus on core strength and your balance to keep yourself in shape until the weather improves, the gym isn’t for everyone though. If you skateboard during bad weather (especially when it’s cold), layer up to keep yourself warm and grab an old skateboard.
Make sure to use an old skateboard deck. Snow, rain, and ice is devastating to your board.
Skate in Your Garage or Basement
Many skateboarders start out in their garage to learn the basics because they are a bit embarrassed to go out there (seriously, don’t be). It’s time to clear out your garage and maybe even build a smart 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.
Practice on a Carpet
Carpets are great to practice your technique at least I see many videos of skateboarders using a piece of carpet to get some ollies down. Might 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.
Indoor Skateparks
Well, I should mention indoor skateparks but not everyone leaves near an indoor park. Take some of your friends and split the gas, usually, you have to pay entree fees. If you’re new to indoor parks, don’t hesitate to go. Make sure you don’t get in anybody’s way and ask about skatepark etiquette. If you act nice, people will be friendly and gladly help you out.
If you don’t have a local skatepark try to have one build, in order to do so you can contact the Tony Hawk Foundation and they’ll tell you exactly what you need to do. From what I understand it will cost you about 2 hours a week.
Abandoned Buildings
This may not always be legal, depending on where you live but abandoned buildings are a good place to practice skateboarding. Explore abandoned urban landscapes and bring your camera to get some great shots. Make sure to check for broken glass or debris that might cause you to fall or injure yourself. If you spot needles, get the hell out.
Parking Garages
If you have one around, go for it. Parking garages are perfect! Sometimes they might be a bit slippery and keep an eye out for oil stains. You might have this happen to when playing Tony Hawk Pro Skater, but it actually can happen.
Not everyone appreciates the presence of skateboarders. You probably get kicked out by security eventually. Careful when you make a turn, hitting a car can be painful.
Clear Ramps Using a Floor Squeegee
If you want to skate your local mini ramp and it’s still wet, bring a floor squeegee. Depending on the temperature, the surface dries up quickly. Bring some friends and carefully go back an forth in the mini ramp, quarter pipe or funbox.
This usually speeds things up and after 15-30 minutes your good to go. If you’re out of luck it starts raining again (I hate it when that happens). Use your rain deck and also bring an old towel to get rid of wet spots the squeegee can’t reach.
Last Option, Your Living Room
I wouldn’t advise this but if you have no other option consider your living room. You’ll require skate trainers to prevent a board from moving and destroying everything in its path.
I never tried it myself and I don’t think I can convince my wife this is a good idea. If you decide to use your living room, make sure to get a piece of carpet or a Yoga mat if your floor is made of wood. You don’t want to mess up the floor.
Can You Skate During The Winter?
Skating during the winter is certainly possible, but it kind of depends where you live. Those who are blessed to live in sunny California probably won’t even worry
For those who live in places like New York City, Milwaukee, Chicago , where the weather gets gnarly and temperatures drop below 20ºF, I would suggest to ride indoor.
It just takes long before your muscles to warm up in the cold, and slams hurt more than average. I personally hate skateboarding in the cold because of that. Not to mention slippery stairs and the higher risk of injuries, been there done that, hated it. Just don’t stick your tong on a rail.
Falling on a skateboard and slamming on the concrete during the winter will hurt more when it’s cold, especially when you are not warmed up enough to skate. The concrete can also be slippier with less traction when turning and stopping.
Other Stuff to do When the Weather Sucks
If you don’t have skateparks, parking garages or any options to skate inside there’s still some skateboard related stuff to do. Get creative using a balance board, grab a bag of popcorn and watch some video’s or play some games.
As a last resort, try your living room. If you’re lucky enough to live near mountains, snowskating and snowboarding are a great way to keep yourself in shape.
Snowskating
Snowskates come in a couple of variants but you could go for a single board. Snow skates have special plastic with grooves at the bottom and rubber patches on top to keep you from slipping. I’ve never done this myself but it looks like a ton of fun.
Watch Skateboard Videos
This might get you more frustrated because skateboard videos just make you want to go out there and shred. I recently gathered a list of 40 skateboard videos in chronological order.
There’s something for everyone, old school skateboarding by the Bones Brigade in the ’70s and gnarly hardcode street skating in Mouse, mini ramp fun time in Cheese & Crackers and make sure not to miss Rodney Mullen’s Round 3. You can check out the list here, scroll down if you want to watch something more recent.
Get an Old Deck and Have Some Fun in the Snow
I used to do this with a couple of friends when I was younger. As soon as the first snow dropped we grabbed our old decks and went to a nearby slope.
Super fun and exhausting but way less painful than skateboarding.
Practice on a Balance Board
Practice your skills using a custom-made balance board, it takes a few minutes and a large bottle of water. Consider wrapping it in duct tape to make it a bit stronger, you don’t want the cap to come off. This also requires you to remove your trucks or use an old deck. You can buy balance boards designed for skateboarding but it’s not really necessary.
Here’s a video of a guy balancing on a bottle, quite amazing actually. It’s probably safer to use a baseball bat instead of a bottle. I’d say this is only useful for practicing manuals.
Tony Hawk Pro Skater Video Games
So here I am, doing everything I can… I played this game so much back in the day that my friends decided to kidnap the game, they even left a ransom note, good times! The latest Tony Hawk Pro Skater remake is just awesome!
S.K.A.T.E is still my favorite game mode, I wish I still had my Playstation. Such a shame the recently released Playstation Mini doesn’t have the game. Update: Glad they remade THPS 1+2!
Consider Snowboarding
While snowboarding is quite different from skateboarding (and a lot more expensive) it really is a great sport. If you’re decent on a skateboard you’ll learn snowboarding much faster.
Maybe balancing and riding will take some time as they are different, but as soon as it clicks you’ll learn tricks much faster. Slide some rails and jump some gaps, it will make you more confident the next time you step on your board.
Pros and Cons of Skateboarding in the Cold
There aren’t many pros, but it’s a matter of perspective. Keeping up and learning when it’s cold will make you a seasoned skateboarder.
You’ll learn and get familiar with different circumstances and adept to them. Great for muscle memory and your ability to anticipate unsuspected situations.
Slippery and icy surfaces requite your full attention, before you can think your board slip away and you will get a few new bruises.
It also can be a challenge, try to powerslide on icy surfaces and how long can you last (might want some buttpads). There is always room for creativity.
The biggest con is really the time it takes to warm up, and the slams, those are the worst. Just make sure to scan the area before you do anything you aren’t ready for.
Is Rain, Heat or Cold bad for Your Skateboard?
Wood is an organic material, so extreme heat or cold can damage the board. Moisture is the worst as it dissolves the glue and your grip tape will come off. A waterlogged board loses its pop and delaminates.
It’s not just your board, your trucks can take a lot but your bearings should never get wet. If they do, take them apart, clean them and lube the bearings with Bones Speed Cream. Salted roads also are really bad for your bearings and really hard to clean.
What is The Best Temperature For Skateboarding?
It depends on what you personally prefer but overal skateboarding is around 65ºF (18ºC) to to 70ºF (21ºC) is great for skateboarding. Ideally without any wind or rain. This really depends on where you grew up, I love skating in the heat because it warms up my muscles.
80ºF to 95ºC works fine for me, others call me crazy. I draw the line when I can fry an egg on a metal transition. It explains why I hate the cold probably.
Dress properly, it doesn’t matter if you feel a bit cold if you go out and skate, you will warm up during a sesh. If the sun shines, try to avoid the shade.
Conclusion
Winter sucks for skateboarders, depending on where you live. You just have to make the most of it. It’s also a good time to keep in shape. Work out, go for a run, and make sure to be fit before spring hits. It really makes a huge difference.
Hit an indoor park when you can, even it’s just once every two weeks. It will be great for muscle memory and you still work out a bit.
I’m an aged skateboarder and still shred responsibly. Started skateboarding 25 years ago, peaked in the 2000’s, and still ride to this day. I am a total geek when it comes to skateboard gear, love test to stuff and share my findings.