Skateboarders are always asking the question, Can you skateboard in the rain? Skateboarding can be a little tough when it’s raining outside because your board will get wet and slippery.
You should avoid skateboarding on wet surfaces or doing any tricks. It’s also not recommended to ride your skateboard in the rainy season. Skateboarding in the rain ruins your board completely and makes your skateboard a piece of garbage in very little time.
Why do we recommend you avoid skateboarding in the rain or when it’s wet outsides.
- Your Skateboard Bearings corrode and seize, causing internal damage.
- Griptape becomes loose and peeled off.
- Deck gets waterlogging. It warps, loses pop, and gains extra weight.
- When skateboard wheels get wet in water, they lose grip
- Other parts such as Bolts, Nuts, and Trucks get rust and stop working.
Why You Should Never Ride Your Skateboard If It’s Wet Or Raining
Skateboard Bearings And Shaft Get Damaged
Skateboard bearings are different from most pieces of equipment because they’re not sealed. When you ride your skateboard in the rain, water seeps into the bearings and rusts them completely.
And causing them to seize up after a while. A seized bearing will never rotate or spin again which means you’ll have to buy new ones if it does happen to seize.
Your Griptape (grip tape) Peels Off Easily And Quickly
When it rains nearly all surfaces get wet and slippery making it extremely hard to skate on concrete, sidewalks, driveways, etc.
Grip tape provides good traction when the board is being used. Without grip tape, it will be nearly impossible to use your skateboard.
Skateboard Deck Warps And Bulges When It Gets Wet
When wood boards get wet, they warp and become weaker than usual because of the water soaking into the board itself.
That’s another reason why you should avoid skating in wet conditions. If you’re already riding when it starts raining, stop your ride immediately just to be safe.
Dry Your Board Before Bailing Out
It is advisable that you dry out your board if you are not able to wipe it down properly. Before storing at home/garage or wherever you keep it. So as to maintain its original shape and performance consistency even getting soaked in rainwater.
You Will Lose Traction And Control
When riding a skateboard, you need to have stability and balance to perform tricks. While going on foot so as to control the board’s movements. Skateboards are not meant for rain conditions.
Because they become extremely slippery when there is water on the surface. This leads to loss of traction and control over the skateboard resulting in accidents during high speed turns or doing stunts.
How To Avoid Getting Your Skateboard Wet
Be sure to keep your board in a sealed container or bag. Doing this will prevent your board from getting wet and protect all of its components.
It is highly recommended that you only use the skateboard when there is no chance of rain occurring. Because the surface gets wet easily during rainy seasons. You can also wipe down your ride with a dry towel before using it. If it has gotten slightly damp outside after sprinkles.
You should never bring your electric skateboard inside when it’s raining outside. Because water-killing motors and bending rods are never good for performance. As with most things, prevention is key.
“Can You Skateboard In The Rain?”. Skateboarding in the rain will ruin the bearings. Riding in wet conditions does not help you improve your skateboarding skills and makes it hard to control and balance. Skateboard decks get warped when they get wet and no longer perform like normal.
Avoid getting caught up in the rain by bringing a small umbrella or portable poncho with you so you can stay dry until the rain stops completely.
Don’t Ride Your Skateboard In The Rain
Your Skateboard Bearings corrode and seize, causing internal damage. Griptape becomes loose and peels off easily.
Skateboard decks warp and become weaker than usual. You lose traction and control over the skateboard, making it harder to balance on slippery surfaces which leads to accidents during high speed turns or stunts.
It’s important that you always keep your board in a sealed container, bag, or something similar so water does not get inside of it.
If you have a special case for your board, bring it out when it starts raining because the ground gets wet quickly and will destroy your equipment if left outside in the rain.
When there is a small chance of rain in the forecast, be sure to wipe down your board before riding it. If you’re still not sure whether or not it’s safe for you to ride your skateboard in wet conditions, talk to someone who has been doing this for a while and they can help you out and give their advice.
What To Do If And When Your Skateboard Gets Wet
If your board gets wet, you need to dry it off as quickly as possible. Handle the board with care and place it upside down so all of the water falls out of it. DO NOT leave a wet skateboard in a case or bag for a long period of time because moisture will cause internal damage and rust if left there too long.
You don’t want your new skateboard deck to bend or warp because this causes even more problems than just getting it wet!
When you wipe down your board, make sure to get any dirt or grime off of it because this stuff can stay on your grip tape when you use the towel and make things slippery again. Then find somewhere sunny to sit your board while the glue dries (a car is preferable) and wait at least an hour to use it again.
Wiping the surface of your board with a towel or rag makes no difference because water can still seep into the wood, metal, or plastic parts. You’ll notice that your bearings are now rusting after using your board in wet conditions because water kills any lubrication they had before.
The rain causes grip tape to peel off easily which makes it more difficult for you to stay on top of the deck when doing tricks/stunts. Although you think nothing’s wrong right now, riding your skateboard in these conditions will only make things worse!
How Can You Skateboard When It’s Raining?
You can’t do a whole lot when it’s raining, except wait until it stops to be able to skateboard again. Skateboarding in the rain causes many problems that you hope won’t happen to your board.
Waiting until later to start skating will give all of the water time to evaporate from the ground. And make conditions better for riding. But if you cannot wait to stop the rain and you need to skate we recommend you to go indoor skatepark.