Can you skateboard in the rain? Yes, you can skateboard while it’s raining, but as much as possible, keep your skateboards from getting wet. Skating on wet surfaces is not advisable at all.
There are people who find skating in the rain fun and exciting. Others who tried find it hard to skate properly on wet grounds. You can ride your board in the rain, but expect a lot of differences and some limits, unlike when you are skating on dry grounds.
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Can You Skate in the Rain
Skateboarding in rain may be a fun experience. If you are a professional skateboarder, you can try doing tricks while raining that will add up to your skateboarding skills, but lots of safety precautions should be taken. If you are just a newbie, it is not recommended by any means.
Skateboarding while raining or on wet grounds is not a good idea. One of the proper ways of taking good care of your skateboards is to prevent them from getting wet.
Skateboarding in the rain and constantly wetting your skateboards will damage parts such as the trucks, the wheels, the bearings, the bolts and nuts, and even your board or deck. As a result, they will wear out sooner than expected.
Rainwater will not just damage your skateboards; it can also cause you some serious injuries. Wet grounds can reduce your ability to control your skateboard.
Hydroplaning is a dangerous condition that causes the moving wheel to lose contact with the ground. This condition can happen to you any time while skating in the rain or on wet surfaces.
Your skateboard deck will also get slippery and you can lose grip from it. You can fall off your board, and you will never know what can happen as you fall.
There are places where, more often than not, it is raining and the ground is always wet. If you can’t help but skate on wet surfaces, be extra careful while skateboarding and doing your tricks.
What Happens After Riding a Skateboard on Water
1. Deck or Board
Skateboard decks are made of wood, and wood absorbs water. Constant contact with water will cause your deck to soften, deform, and delaminate.
Your grip tape will lose adhesion and will peel off sooner or later. Even after drying the board, you will notice there is no more crisp pop.
2. Bearings
When bearings are exposed to water, they lose their lubrication and will deteriorate inside. As the bearings lose their lubrication, your board will tend to slow down and lose its strength over time.
3. Trucks, Bolts, and Nuts
As your skateboards get wet more often than not, your trucks are exposed to water. Your trucks are made of metal, and metals, when exposed to water and not dried out properly, will rust.
Your bolts and nuts will also rust after water intrusion and will break eventually.
3. Wheels
If you are not using rain wheels, your wheel’s parts will wear out as you constantly expose them to rainwater.
Tips for Skating
Be mindful of these essential tips before you start skateboarding.
The first thing you should remember is to avoid puddles at all costs. This will ensure your trucks and wheels have less contact with water.
As much as possible, avoid heavy rains, or do not skate at all. Wait for the rain to subside. With minimal visibility and slippery roads, you will just put yourself in danger.
When you are done skating, do not forget to dry your board completely after every use. This will protect the skateboard parts from rust and prevent your boards from wearing out too fast as well.
If your board is dry, make sure your shoes are not wet before stepping on it.
Finally, if you’re traveling, try not to leave your board outdoors. Rain or snow can come without warning and damage your gear.
What to Do if Your Skateboard Gets Wet
Here are the simple steps that you should do when your skateboard gets wet.
- The first thing to do is to remove the hardware. Using your skate tool, detach the trucks from the deck. A skate tool can provide all the socket sizes you will need.
- Detaching the trucks using a Phillips head screwdriver or a socket wrench will also do if you don’t have any skate tool with you.
- Dry your skateboard deck, trucks, and grip tape using soft and absorbent towels. Dry them completely using a hairdryer if possible.
- Dry the bearings completely from the inside out and apply lubricant to prevent rust. Use a bearing remover in taking out and putting back your bearings.
- Lastly, let your skateboard dry completely under the sun. Then, reassemble your board using proper skateboard tools to prevent damage on any part of your board.
Conclusion
You can skateboard in the rain, but it is not a good routine for you and your board. It is not advisable or recommended, even by pro skateboarders. It is risky and dangerous and will just damage your gear.
Now that you have finished reading this article, if you are asked by a friend or a newbie skateboarder, “can you skateboard in the rain?” I hope you can now answer them correctly and confidently.
The next time that you want to do some skating tricks and there’s heavy rain, try to refrain from going outside at all. If not, you can still go skating, but try some other options like skating at an indoor skateboard park or your garage if you have any.
Skateboarding is fun and exciting, but remember to think of your safety at all times as well. Better to be safe than sorry, right?
Hi, I am Charles Harris. I opened this site to write as much as I can about my biggest passion – skateboarding!
I started as a clumsy yet passionate rookie 10 years ago to now a still passionate yet much better skateboarder! But I have to tell you, the whole journey has always been fun and rewarding, indeed not without hardship.