How to Skateboard in the Winter

Skateboarding might have been born in sunny, 72 degree southern California but it has since grown to every part of the globe. And this includes areas that experience real winters.

Places like New York City who experience tons of snow every year but still have a rich, thriving skate scene. With an unyielding love for skateboarding, skaters will always find a way to skate, even if the skatepark is experiencing a snow day or if it’s just plain cold weather.

So if you’re wondering how to skateboard in the winter, you’ve come to the right article.

In this article we’ll go over:

  • Risks related to Winter skating
  • How to Skateboard and where if it’s raining outside
  • How to Skateboard and where if it’s snowing outside
  • How to Skateboard in the Winter

In addition to the weather making it harder to skate, there’s other factors of skating in the winter. We’ll talk about making learning how to skateboard in the winter your next successful adventure. Including where to skate if it’s raining or snowing outside, to things you can do to keep learning new tricks and reduce any winter related injuries.

Need help understanding skateboarding terminology? Check out our Skateboarding Glossary to become an expert on skate nomenclature in 10 mins or less!

Now that we’re all set, let’s GOSKATE!

Risks related to Winter skating

Skateboarding always comes with the disclaimer: skate at your own risk. But thanks to information we’ve sourced as the largest network of skateboarding instructors in the world, we’ve mastered proven ways you can skateboard safer.

However, it always stems from understanding the risks involved and in this case – risks involved when skateboarding in the winter.

Risks related to learning how to skateboard in the winter:

  • Damaged Skateboard Components – if rain and water is bad for skateboards, we can all imagine snow and ice. But what we might not realize is our skateboards can become warped or even rusted if left in the freezing garage (not to mention outside).
  • Always Warm Up Your Body – warming up is an essential part of learning how to skateboard in general but it is even more important when learning how to skateboard in the winter. Make sure you stretch and spend some time skating low impact to warm up and get your blood flowing to reduce the risk of injury.
  • Falling Hurts More in the Cold – Falling is always going to be associated with pain, however when it’s colder outside everything hurts quite a bit more. Bumping your elbow, hitting your knee or shin can feel like someone just took a hammer to your body; so make sure to wear the proper safety equipment and warm up sufficiently.
  • Dangerous Transportation Skating – Many skaters use a skateboard for transformational purposes, like a longboard or a penny board. But bad weather can mean icy streets and closed down skate parks. Always understand the risk of the poor weather or you’ll be wishing you had a snowboard to get you home instead of a skateboard.

How to skateboard and where if it's raining outside

We cannot stress enough how skateboarding in the rain or through puddles or wet ground can compromise the integrity of your skateboard. If your skateboard deck becomes wet it will lead to becoming “water log” which greatly reduces the ability to pop your Ollie with soggy weight. and wet grip tape.

Skating through a puddle can also rust your bearings and trucks, so be diligent to avoid water at all costs. Water is also much slipperier and can result in a hard slam.

That being said, if you still want to skate when it’s raining outside, you’ll have to find dry ground. Here are several places skaters go to skate when it’s raining:

  • Parking Garages – Parking garages can be a great place to skateboard when it’s raining but make sure the presence of cars is minimal. The best parking garages will have little manual pads or curbs to practice learning new tricks.
  • Indoor Skate Park – While indoor skate parks can be harder to come by, many places that experience winter weather or bad weather for skating have private indoor skateparks.

How to skateboard and where if it's snowing outside

Snowfall is a different story than rain, as sometimes you won’t even be able to get out the driveway. If that’s the case, don’t be afraid to grab a snow skate for the day. But if you want to skate when it’s snowing outside, here are some places for hot to skateboard:

  • Indoor SkateparkThis one should have been a no-brainer since it appeared in the rain. However, they are not always available if the snow fall has closed the roads for skaters looking for a dry place in the winter months. Which brings us to our next point.
  • Your Garage – You might be surprised to learn the amount of pro skateboarders who have spent significant amounts of time skating in their garage – especially those pros who are from a place with bad weather. It’s a great practice space to skate and even film yourself practicing kickflips. Maybe if you’re super lucky, your parents can squeeze in a mini ramp or consider starting a social media channel or youtube to track progress.
  • Living Room – Yes, we said it – living room. Okay parents, before you freak out, there’s ways in which skaters have practiced skating in the living room. for decades and without damaging anyone or anything.

The trick is to have a skateboard deck only, usually without grip tape, so you can still practice kickflips, pop shuvs or just maintain your balance during manuals.

How to Skateboard in the Winter

As you can see, there are several ways you can still learn how to skateboard in the winter. It’s actually a proven aspect of the skateboarder spirit, to skate at all costs.

But as you might have guessed we’ve saved our best tips on how to skateboard in the winter for last.

  • Film Yourself and Submit for Video Feedback Some of our best video submissions have been from people skating in their own garages or backyard skateparks. We can provide you with tips and instructions on how to land that coveted kick flip or rock n roll on the mini ramp. Oh, did we mention how it’s free?
  • Hire a Skateboard Instructor for a private lesson at an Indoor Skate Park – With over 3,000 instructors and two decades of skateboarding heritage, GOSKATE instructors can provide you or your loved one with proven techniques for advancing your skating.

Find out which skateboard instructors are available in your area to meet you at an indoor skatepark this winter!

Zane Foley

Zane Foley has been writing professionally since 2014, since obtaining his BA in Philosophy from the California State University, Fullerton. Zane is an avid skateboarder and Los Angeles native. Follow him on Instagram for links to his other published works. @zaneyorkfly