Surf skateboarding has gained considerable traction in recent years. The ability to keep the momentum going without having to kick (commonly referred to as pumping) whilst having increased maneuverability are the two main points when thinking surf skate. But there’s more to it than that. Equipment plays a big part. The ability to tailor your setup to suit riding style, mood and local terrain is tangible. Whilst the general concepts of surf skateboarding are common across the board (no pun intended!) creativity is what sets individuals apart. Whatever your situation, however, we’re confident Surfskateboard Shop has the goods for you.

Are you a skater who sees waves?

Waves are everywhere – if you’re a surfer. Standing on beaches, or even close to inland stretches of water, mere ripples are mind surfed. Every little pulse of energy is considered game. Even if only in fantasy.

Historically skateboarding was a way to surf on land. Over time, however, actual features of what you find on land often look like waves. By this we mean they may have an incline or slope. An apex and trough is exactly what a wave is. Just because you happen to be rolling on four wheels doesn’t mean the feeling can be replicated away from the brine. All skaters love a bit of vert. But surf skaters take this one step further. Aiming to actually ‘surf’ the streets and skate parks of the world.

The prohibitive elements of surf skateboarding.

Even though surf skating has grown in popularity there are no two ways about it: the majority of full surf skateboard setups are expensive. The specially designed front truck is what generally makes this so. Unlike traditional skateboard trucks a surf skate truck is much more pivotal and maneuverable. It requires more materials and a different manufacturing approach. 

With wallets ever tighter, due to the strains of modern life, a good many aspiring surf skaters can’t afford a fully fledged surf skate setup. Young people especially haven’t traditionally been able to tap into surf skateboarding’s performance and riding style. But it doesn’t just stop there. Adults too aren’t always able to stump up the funds. 

Who are Surfskateboard Shop?

Surfkstateboard shop are a group of individuals passionate about board riding of all types. Fronted by Mark Graham, with Tez Plavenieks his wing man these are your main protagonists. However, others in the mix provide input – both unofficially and officially. A lifetime of surfing, skateboarding, windsurfing, snowboarding, and (more recently) hydrofoiling has led to this. We also one and operate a number of other content led, e-commerce watersports and action sports websites.

Surfskateboard Shop is committed to delivering the best surf skating equipment possible. We’ve tested and ridden at length much of what we sell so we know how it performs. But we also ride for fun, enjoying surf skating in tandem with our other activities. If you’re after sound advice and some of the best surf skateboarding products on the market you’ve come to the right place. You can read more about us and our story here.

What surf skate setup do I need?

Surf skateboards come in varied shapes, sizes and with all kinds of different wheels, trucks and deck configurations. And that’s the point: there are no rules. It should all be fun.

Directly linked back to rider in question’s style, mood and general riding terrain. This said there are a couple of surf skating traits that can be generalised.

Considerations as follows –

Decks – are often wider for surf skating. How wide is down to you. As is length. Length of board can elongate your wheelbase which some riders prefer. Others, in contrast, prefer shorter sleds for whippy moves and carves. It’s arguably easier to pump on the flat with a shorter deck as well.

Wheels – always get folks talking. And in the surf skate world even more so! Surf skate wheels are usually bigger than with standard street skateboarding, Wider and grippier wheels – sometimes with considerably large diameters – aid stability and deliver better roll. Not everyone wants to slay parks. They may just want to cruise but with a surfy vibe.

Trucks – give your setup the surf skate feel. The front one in particular is designed to lean around 30% more than a standard skate truck. They’re also usually higher to accommodate bigger wheels and help avoid wheel bite. Although riders can be your friend too. In recent times some brands have looked more closely at the rear truck also. Enabling surf skates with full rail carving capability mimics surfing even further.

Check out this post to find out what you need to start your surf skating journey.

Why Waterborne Skateboards.

Waterborne Skateboards was founded by Patrick Dumas over in the States. He wanted a way for young people to access surf skating without it costing a fortune. After much foundation work and a successful Kickstarter campaign Waterborne Skateboards was, er, born.

Originally Waterborne was all about the front surf skate adapter. Being able to retrofit to any existing skateboard deck the surf adapter transforms your setup into a surf skateboarding shred machine. Soon after the rear Surf Rail adapter came which allowed even more lean to be had. Again, being retrofit and affordable meant accessibility. The Waterborne Skateboards surf adapter and Surf Rail are now loved by riders the world over. The brand itself have evolved even more with a stunning array of modular products which can be customised and modified. Whatever your style of riding, mod, local terrain and/or budget Waterborne have an awesome ‘tool’ for you.

What is surf skateboarding (or surf skate)?

Surf skating aims to mimic the movements surfers employ when riding waves. Back in the day (think Dogtown and the Z-Boys era) skateboards were used as a way to stay in shape and hone surfing moves when the waves were flat. This was the original form of surf skateboarding. As any skater will be aware, however, this quickly evolved to become more than just carving and cruising. Skateboarding is now full of all types of rider riding all types of terrain and doing all kinds of tricks. It’s even an Olympic sport!

Surf skating in some ways, therefore, harks back to the original way of rolling on fours. But with much-improved engineering and manufacturing surf skate products are much more attuned to surfing than ever before. For us at Surfskateboard Shop surf skating comes down to one thing: fun! Most skaters are never going to fling themselves down stairs, drop into a half pipe or kickflip huge gaps. Yet surf skating is a way to tap into the lifestyle in a non-life-threatening way. Does it mimic surfing? Maybe. That depends on you and your riding style. Can it help with surfing? Possibly. At the least, it’ll keep you fit and subtle between saltwater sessions. In all instances, however, surf skateboarding is just a good thing to do.

Carving versus pumping.

A surf skateboard offers (generally) two distinct types of performance. Both can be leveraged together or as riding styles in their own right. And you can also apply both carving and pumping to varied terrain.

Pumping – this is where riders create forward momentum without having to kick. From static, in many cases, using your front front and hips to ‘wiggle’ from side to side the front truck specialist design helps push your surf skate wheels forward. The more you pump the more momentum you generate. Tighter pumps can help increase speed while more drawn out pumps can help with flow.

Carving – the unique truck setup or surf adapters riders use with surf skates can create extreme carving capabilities. Predominantly, with most surf skate brands it’s about carving from the front. Some brands, however (such as Waterbone Skateboards) take this one step further with add ons like their rear surf rail adapter. This allows full rail carves, utilising the whole length of your surf skate setup. Some argue this gives a more authentic surf skateboarding feel.

Transition riding versus flat land surf skating.

Surf skateboarding does fit park riding well. We know a lot of skaters who use their surf skates in parks. And by this, we don’t mean death-defying obstacle sliding. We’re talking bowls, doable vert and humps for tail sliding. Obstacles that suit the maneuverability and carving properties of what a surf skate is. Of course, some ride more critically than others. But generally speaking, surf skateboarding in skate parks is still mellow and more about flow than anything.

On the flat your surf skateboard setup is primed for pumping and cruising. Some enjoy practsing those low speed super carving turns. They may not cover huge distances but cutting back, jamming some tail, and leaning are what’s it all about. Others, meanwhile, may prefer cruising. But cruising with additional agility. Your chosen style is down to you and what you feel like. There are surf skaters who switch between all these riding styles. Which is another beautiful aspect of surf skating.

How decks make a difference with surf skateboarding.

It’s easy to think that your chosen deck won’t have too much bearing on your surf skating experience. Yet this isn’t correct. A good quality deck puts the rider completely in touch with their undercarriage. This in turn delivers the best feel with rider feedback being 100%.

When you’re feeling what your equipment’s doing you have more confidence. More confidence leads to riding in a dynamically enhanced way. And this can mean more fun. Skateboard decks come in all shapes and sizes and with the retrofitting of a Waterborne surf adapter, you can breathe new life into your older gear. For those who want tip top performance, however (which you may do), then a specifically designed surf skate deck will be a good choice. BUT. We hasten to add. You don’t NEED this. Surf skateboarding can be enjoyed without all the latest and greatest (expensive) equipment. It’s just there if you want it.

How wheels make a difference with a surf skate setup.

As with all parts of your skate setup wheel scan play a big part in how the whole thing feels. Skate wheels have always been a big talking. They’re one of the most aesthetically pleasing parts of skateboarding. But there’s more to it than that.

Skate whilees can grip like stink, offer improved stability, release and help with tail slides or a combination of all these things. They can roll and roll, serve up additional speed and cushion your ride. Whatever wheels you choose depends on what you’re trying to achieve. Surf skateboarders often prefer grippier wheel with an element of release. This allows full throttle turns and the ability to power through each move in full confidence. Too loose and you may risk sliding out in an unwanted fashion. Equally, you may like this. One of Surfkstateboard Shop’s team likes really big wheels. It’s pretty unorthodox but works for him. This shows once again there are no hard and fast rules with surf skating.

Don’t forget those surf skate trucks!

Trucks can make a big difference in terms of the feel of your surf skate. Both traditional king pin trucks and reverse king pin trucks give quite different performance.

Check out this video for more info on surf skate truck setups – 

Bushing considerations.

It’s only in recent times that skate truck bushings have started to be tinkered with. With new urethane formulas being developed by skateboarding brands riders can now swap out bushings according to their hardness. This durometer measurement can influence how rigid or loose your trucks are. And this directly knocks onto teh type of feel you’re aiming for with your ride.

This video demonstrates further how changing your bushing can alter the ride of your surf skateboard setup.

The cost of a complete surf skateboarding setup.

As already mentioned the cost of a a complete surf skateboard setup can be pricey. This is all because of teh unique style of trucks that make a surf skate feel the way it does. There are other factors, such as wheel type and overall manufacturing quality of the deck.

Many skaters – particularly young riders – don’t have the disposable income for a fully surf skateboard setup. Others also don’t feel the need to splash the cash when they already have skateboards. This is where products from the linked of Waterborne Skateboards come in. Surf skate adapters are more affordable, can be retrofitted to any deck are will last for years. 

Retrofit – breathe new life into old skateboarding decks.

Another cool thing about surf skateboard adapters is being able to breathe life into old skateboards. You may have discarded something that you feel no longer has a place in your quiver. But with the ability to retrofit surf skate components a renewed interest in these older ‘machines’ is a good thing.

And from an environmental impact that’s also worth considering. If something can be upcycled and given a second lease of life then we’re all for it at Surfskateboard Shop.

Dad skating or pushing the envelope?

Surf skateboarding appeals to many demographics. One particular group is older riders. Unfortunately, as we age, we don’t bounce as easily as when we were groms. And injuries take longer to recover from. Surf skating is a way to reconnect to your youth but in a non-life-threatening manner. You can ride at much lower speeds, don’t need to go anywhere near stairways, and yet still enjoy the stoke.

Equally, if you’re a skater who fancies pushing the envelope then you can certainly do so with surf skateboarding. The sport’s versatility is one of its great traits. Appealing to a broad range of rider abilities and skills surf skating is probably teh most accessible performance-orientated skateboarding discipline out there. Dad skaters apply! Rippers also apply!

Surf skating’s impact on the environment.

Here at Surfskateboard Shop we’re incredibly keen to reduce our impact on the environment and Planet Earth. The products we sell all have superior longevity inbuilt. Rather than be thrown away surf skating equipment can be repaired and given a fresh set of ‘legs’ as it were.

In general, we try an operate sustainably with our methods aimed at working in harmony with Mother Nature. We appreciate more needs to be done and we’ll endeavour to reduce, reuse and recycle even more (as much as we can) moving forward). If you have any suggestions then we’re always open to hearing your thoughts. The door’s always open, just get in touch.

Surf skateboarding styles.

As we say above there are no rules with any of this stuff. You’re free to be as creative as you want with surf skating. That said there are a few general styles of surf skateboarding that you may subscribe to. Or mix and match as you see fit.

Shortboard style surf skating.

Shortboard style surf skateboarding is the way of riding that perhaps tries to mimic surfing the most. Ripping, shredding, pumping and sliding on shorter setups is energetic and a lot of fun. Shortboard surf skating can be done on the flat, in parks, on teh street or anywhere else you see fit.

Longboard style surf skating.

Longboard surf skating is exactly what it says on the tin. Riding a longboard skateboard enabled with surf skate performance. Most likely to be found on flat lands and downhill venues it’s a tad more mellow in terms of riding style. Drawn out carves, distance pumping, shallow inclines and occasionally a bit of transition riding (depending on the setup).

Electric surf skating.

Using an electric skateboard enabled with surf skate performance is a thing! With Waterborne Skateboards surf adapters in mind, riders can turn their eSkate setup into a surf skateboard ripper. Within the realms of e-surf skating there’re then the sub genres of short and longboard. Think similar to the above but with the additional boost of battery-powered juice. Trust us when we say it’s highly addictive. (You can see us riding an e-surf skate in video embedded in the ‘Dad skating or pushing the envelope’ section above).

Wing skating.

What’s wing skating we hear you ask? Well, utilising both the hyper maneuverability of a surf skate and inflatable foil wing riders use the wind to propel themselves along on land. We’re no strangers to wing skating here at Surfskateboard Shop – we do a fair bit. In tandem with our business, Foilshop UK, wing skating makes complete sense when you fancy some wind powered fun.

SUP skating (formerly called land paddling).

Another fringe skate discipline we’ve done a considerable amount of is SUP skating. Back in the day it was called land paddling. But in recent times the activity has seen a name change and can now be described as SUP skating or pole skating. An offshoot of both stand up paddle boarding and surf skating riders employ the use of a ‘stick’ or paddle as well as a surf skate for propulsion. We appreciate SUP skating isn’t necessarily for everyone but it’s still something seeing a resurgence of interest currently. And another way to enjoy your surf skateboard. Check out the video below to see some SUP skating action.

Summing up the surf skating experience.

Surf skating is addictive. It’s a lifestyle. In some situations complimentary to other hobbies. Whilst some riders focus 100% on the discipline. Whatever your situation, wants or needs we’re confident we have the equipment to suit in our online shop.

Give us a shout to discuss your situation and we’ll try our best to guide you accordingly. Time to get some lean in your life!