Skateboarding at Night: Interesting Facts You Should Know!

Besides being a sport, skateboarding can also be a form of recreation. It allows skaters to chill, zoom around, and enjoy exercise without any spirit of competition. And since skateboards offer various tricks to enjoy, you can also have fun with them in relaxing ways.

One of these fun ways is by skateboarding at night. Is taking your skateboard out in the evening a viable idea? Absolutely! But because a darker skating spot has a few drawbacks, there are things we should consider before late night skateboarding.

Skateboarding at Night and Why It is a Thing

Compared to skateboarding during day time, riding your board at night differs significantly in lighting. But just because it’s dark in the evening doesn’t mean it’s something to avoid. Here are a few reasons you should try dark skateboarding.

1. It’s freeing

Not everyone likes to roam around the streets at night when cold air hits and the roads are almost empty. But such an idea doesn’t apply to many skateboarders.

Riders who choose to skate at night get those freedom feels, added with their favorite playlist. Only a few people are around, the roads are less busy, and they can do almost anything they want.

2. Night skateboard parks exist.

As mentioned, only a few people could be around when you’re street skating at night. Now, imagine increasing the thrill through a skate park.

Lucky are skateboarders with accessible skate parks that remain open at night or 24 hours. Here, they can enjoy conquering obstacles without considering tens or hundreds of skaters around.

3. Embarrassment could be overwhelming.

Feeling embarrassment while failing during a trick or slipping off the skateboard is normal. However, it could be more embarrassing if many people witness your mistake, and such a thing happens in the daytime.

Hence, some skateboarders opt to ride at night. Some people could be watching, but at least not many of them.

4. The roads are yours.

Not that pavements are always empty at night, but traffic lowers significantly during this time. That means cars, bicycles, buses, crowds, and other vehicles appear less frequently.

And with that, you won’t have to share the streets with many occupants. In turn, you’re safe from potential vehicular accidents.

Therefore, please take a look at these skateboard footwear & safety gear:

• The safest skateboard helmet
• Top-rated skateboard knee pads for optimum protection
• The most trusted skateboard wrist guards for extra protection

5. More flexibility with time. 

People of any occupation or schedule can ride skateboards at their convenience. So, students or professionals can work or study by day and take their skateboard out at night.

6. Evening skateboarding could be a perfect summer counter.

As we know, summer is when things are hottest. Outdoor activities remain fun, but not everyone can stay long under the sun.

This is one of the reasons some skateboarders ride at night. It’s cool, calm, and relaxing. While it could make you shed some sweat, there is no sunburn to worry about.

Places to Skateboard at Night

But if skateboarding is viable by night, where is the best place to do it? Here are a few options.

1. Skate parks

As mentioned, some skate parks stay open after dusk. That means their gates are ready to welcome you and let you practice on or dodge those ramps.

What’s better is most of these parks that open by night are well-lit and secured. Thus, you can skate with reasonable safety.

2. Parking lots

Imagine taking on a long, spacious track without humps and other pavement obstacles. That’s what you’ll likely get when you skate in empty lots.

However, you should ensure the parking space is open to the public by night.

3. Streets

The streets are a skater’s friend at night because of minimal to nonexistent traffic.

But unlike the skate park, the streets may not be as bright and lighted. Hence, a bit more caution is necessary.

4. On campus

It could be unorthodox to skate on your campus at night, but nothing’s wrong as long as you have permission.

Steps to Do When Skateboarding at Night

Skateboarding under the sunlight is risky in several aspects, and so is riding at night. Here are a few things you can do to protect yourself.

1. Wear protective equipment

This hack applies to skateboarding at any time of the day. Generally, the impact of accidents worsens in the case of a skater not wearing safety gear.

You might not need to put on skateboarding apparel from head to toe, but a helmet is mandatory above all.

2. Use skateboard lights

Is a lighted skateboard possible? Absolutely!

Good for you if you skate in a well-lit spot. But what’s the best thing to do to prepare your skateboard for darker areas? Install attachable lights.

These lights could be under your trucks, whether front or back. But whatever their type, our goal is to make the skateboard visible on a dark path.

3. Use a headlamp

Besides lighting up your skateboard, you can also brighten the path ahead using a headlamp. This way, you will see whatever is approaching or if you are about to bump into something.

4. Wear reflective clothing

Reflectors work even with bicycles or cars. These accessories may not be as bright as energized lights, but they’re better than wearing dark or flat-colored clothes.

What Are the Risks?

We’ve been talking about the risks of roller skating at night. It’s time to identify them and decide how to counter them.

1. Road obstacles are less visible.

There are soft skateboard wheels to go over road cracks and debris. But will using them at night help? To an extent, yes.

If we get startled by road obstacles during the day, when we can see almost everything, what chances do we have against them at night? Thus, unless you’re practicing in skate parks, consider using soft rollers when roaming around in the evening.

2. Route unfamiliarity

Taking your board to an unfamiliar road at night may not be worth the risk. Not only do you lose confidence riding, but you also put yourself in possible danger. Such a danger could be in an adverse road condition or getting lost.

3. Speeding

Riding your skateboard fast at night could be an absolute threat. Yes, cars are fewer. But speeding up might cause mishaps once your board crashes into something you haven’t seen.

So, try late night skating at a more manageable speed. Unless you see what’s ahead of you, ride gently.

What Lights Can You Use to Skateboard at Night?

We talked about lights being a significant factor and game-changer when skateboarding at night. While you can make a DIY skateboard light fixture, there are plenty of options in stores to choose from. So, what are the best lights for skateboarding at night?

1. Headlamps

Skateboard headlights vary based on their coverage, brightness, and technology. The most common lights under this category illuminate as broad as 5′ around you. Such a type exposes large nearby objects but probably not tiny cracks.

Hence, you may want a better tech headlamp with higher lumens. That means it’s brighter and can yield better coverage. Here are a few Amazon products to check.

• SLONIK Rechargeable Headlamp
• Zebralight 53W AA Headlamp

2. Skateboard lights

Skateboard lights are no longer alien to us. Several brands have designed lamps that withstand vibrations, water, and other potential threats.

The average range of skateboard lamps goes around 3′ to 10′, wide enough to help the skater see a reasonable space. Here are a few types you can check.

• Board Blazers LED Skateboard Lights
• IWONDER Skateboard Lights

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it legal to skateboard late at night?

Awareness is the key to deciding whether to skateboard at night or not. That means we should check with the authorities about permissions and restrictions for riding our skateboards late in the evening.

The good thing is several places allow skating at that time of the day. But if there are two things that make skateboarding at night illegal, that’s skateboarding too loud at night and breaking into private properties like garages.

What is the best time to go skateboarding?

Generally, skateboarding at any time of the day yields various benefits. Here’s what to expect skating at your preferred time.

• 8 AM – People on Reddit suggest this time for skaters who don’t like crowds.
• 11 AM – More skaters begin to occupy the parks. This is the best time to seek advice or tips from pros.
• 2 PM to 7 PM – This schedule works best when skating to make friends and find a regular skateboard buddy.

Conclusion

Skateboarding knows no schedule, as long as you know where to take your board. But if the authorities impose restrictions, never insist on ignoring them. Abiding by the rules won’t harm you.

So, when skateboarding at night, it’s best to consider the risks, safety requirements, and location. This way, you can enjoy the benefits we’ve shared with you.

Remember to use lights, take a route you know, and ride carefully. By doing these things, your evening skating experience will be fun, relaxing, and safe.