What is a Surfskate? Complete Guide
What exactly is Surfskate? Is it the same as Skateboarding? Where can I find the best surf skateboards? What’s the difference between surfboard and Surfskate? If you have any of these questions, you’re not alone.
For beginners, learning how to surfskate may seem like an intimidating prospect at first, but it’s not that different from the way you learned how to skateboard or surf longboards.
Here are some tips on what you need to know about getting started in surfskate boarding, so you can try it out and see if it’s right for you!
What Is Surfskate?
Surfskate is a type of skateboarding that simulates the feeling of surfing on a landlocked board. There is often a comparison between it and street skating, but the two disciplines are quite different and have different goals.
Surf skateboarding is all about style and flow, while street skating is more focused on tricks and obstacles.
The Different Types of Surf Skating
There are a few different types of surfskate boards available on the market. The most popular type is the longboard, which is designed for stability and speed.
Other types of surfskate boards include mini-mal, fish, and hybrid. Choosing the right one for your needs is important since each has its own benefits and drawbacks.
Longboards
However, Surfskate longboards are more difficult to maneuver than other types of surf skateboards, so they might not be the best choice for those who want to do tricks or skate in tight spaces.
Longboards are the best choice for those who want to cruise around on flat surfaces or go down hills. Additionally, they’re easy to balance, making them perfect for beginners.
Mini-Mals
Mini-Mals are smaller and more maneuverable than longboards, making them a good choice for those who want to do tricks or skate in tight spaces. They’re also easier to transport since they’re lighter and shorter. Balance can be more difficult with mini-mals because they are not as stable as longboards.
Fish boards
Fish boards are designed for speed and maneuverability. They’re narrower than longboards and have a shorter wheelbase, which makes them easier to turn.
Fish boards are also lighter than longboards, making them easier to transport. Their stability is not as good as that of longboards, and they can be more difficult to balance.
Hybrid boards
Hybrid boards are a combination of longboards and mini-mals. They’re longer than mini-mals but shorter than longboards, making them a good choice for those who want to do tricks or skate in tight spaces.
Hybrid boards are also easier to transport since they’re lighter than longboards. Despite their stability, they can be more difficult to balance than longboards.
With you now having a greater understanding of the different types of surfskate boards, it’s now time to determine which skateboard suits your needs the best.
Consider your skill level, skating style, and transportation needs when making your decision.
Different Parts of Surf Skate
Surfskate are made up of several different parts, such as decks, trucks, wheels, and bearings. Skateboard performance is influenced by each part.
The surfskate deck is the flat surface of the skateboard that you stand on. It is usually made from plywood or fiberglass and is covered with a layer of grip tape to help keep your feet in place.
The surf skate truck is the part of the skate that attaches the wheels to the deck of the skate. Various sizes and widths of skateboard wheels are available so that they can fit a variety of skateboards.
The wheels are round pieces of plastic or rubber that roll along the ground. Skateboard wheels come in different sizes, hardness, and colors.
A bearing is a small metal ball that sits inside a wheel and allows it to roll freely.
Grip tape is a sticky, abrasive material that is applied to the top of the deck to help keep your feet in place.
Most surf skates also come with a nose and tail. The nose is the raised part at the front of the skateboard, and the tail is the raised part at the back. These are used for performing tricks.
How to Get Started with Surf Skating?
Before you can start surf skating as a beginner, you will need to do a few things in order to get started.
Obviously, the first thing you will need to do in order to get started is to buy your own surf skate. It is possible to find the boards that you need at your local skate shop or online if you search for them.
Once you have a board, you’ll need to find a place to skate. If you’re lucky, you live near a skate park. You can go to any smooth place if you don’t have one.
Once you have your board and a place to skate, it’s time to start practicing. Start with the basics: learning how to stand on your board, how to push off, and how to turn.
Practicing these basic skills is the key to learning more advanced tricks. YouTube videos and online tutorials are excellent resources to learn these basics. In order to get the most out of you board, you should get comfortable with it as soon as possible.
Skateboarding is all about experimentation and finding what works for you. It is important to remember that skateboarding has no right or wrong way to do it.
Different Surf Skating techniques
Below are some Surf Skating techniques that you should learn first:
- Learn How to Properly Balance Your Weight On the Board
- Learn How to Stop Quickly and Efficiently
- Pushing
- Turning
- Jumping
Learn How to Properly Balance Your Weight On the Board
One of the most important skateboarding techniques is learning how to properly distribute your weight on the board. In this way, you will be able to maintain your balance and stability while skating.
You should also learn how to properly turn the board in order to make tight turns and avoid obstacles.
Learn How to Stop Quickly and Efficiently
Other important skateboarding techniques include learning how to stop quickly and efficiently and how to jump on and off the board without losing your balance.
In order to master these skating techniques, you will need to practice more and more, which will in turn give you more enjoyment skating.
Pushing
One of the most basic but important skateboarding techniques is pushing. This is how you move forward on the board and is an essential part of skating.
A good rule of thumb is to put your front foot on the board’s nose and your back foot in the middle when pushing.
Once you have your feet in the correct position, you will need to bend your knees and lean forward slightly.
As you lean forward, begin to push down with your back foot while simultaneously pulling up with your front foot.
Remember to keep your feet in the correct position and do not let them come off the board.
As you push, you should feel the board start to move underneath you. Continue to push until you reach the speed that you are looking for.
You can stop by reversing the pushing motion and returning your feet to their starting positions.
Turning
Another important skateboarding technique is turning. This is how you change directions on the board and is an essential part of skating.
Keeping your front foot on the board’s middle and your back foot on its tail is the key to properly turning.
Once you have your feet in the correct position, you will need to bend your knees and lean your body weight to the side that you want to turn.
Using your back foot to push down, pull your front foot up concurrently as you lean.
Remember to keep your feet in the correct position and do not let them come off the board.
As you turn, you should feel the board start to move underneath you. Continue turning until you reach your desired direction.In order to stop, simply reverse your turning motion, and place your feet in the same position as when you started.
Jumping
Jumping is another important skateboarding technique that allows you to clear obstacles and perform tricks.
As with turning, when you jump on the board you need to place your front foot in the middle of the board and your back foot on the tail of the surf skate.
Once you have your feet in the correct position, you will need to bend your knees and lean forward slightly.
As you lean forward, begin to push down with your back foot while simultaneously pulling up with your front foot.
Remember to keep your feet in the correct position and do not let them come off the board.
As you jump, you should feel the board leave the ground beneath you. When you land on the ground, roll away softly.
The jump can be stopped by reversing the motion and returning your feet to the starting position.
My Personal Best Surf Skate Boards
Slide Surf Skate
The Slide Surf Skate is a high-performance surf skateboard with a nice design and a soft response. The patented truck system gives you the best carving experience on the market.
Try it, and you will be addicted to this perfect balance between carving and pumping!
Globe Surf Skate
The Globe Surf Skate is a fast and maneuverable skate that is perfect for the beginner surfer. You can ride it in the surf, alone, or with friends.
With this Surf Skate, you can learn how to surf and improve your surfing skills at the same time. Furthermore, it helps you stay fit and have fun at the same time.
Surfboard Longboard Designs
When it comes to surfboard longboard designs, there are endless possibilities. Whether you’re looking for a classic surf skate cruiser, surf-style skateboard, high-performance race board, or something in between, there’s a longboard out there that’s perfect for you.
If you’re just getting started in the world of surf skateboarding, it’s important to choose a board that’s going to be stable and easy to ride.
A lot of first-time longboarders make the mistake of choosing a board that’s too small or too unstable, which can make the learning process quite frustrating.
Once you’ve got a few sessions under your belt and you’re feeling more confident on your board, you can start experimenting with different designs.
If you’re interested in doing some serious racing, you’ll need a board that’s lightweight and fast.
On the other hand, if you’re just looking to cruise around town or hit the occasional wave, a larger and more stable board will be more suited to your needs.
No matter what kind of surf skateboarding you’re interested in, there’s a longboard out there that’s perfect for you.
What Size of Surf Skate Should I Get?
Using the chart below, you should be able to find the surf skate that best suits you:
| Height | Weight | Surf Skate length |
| 140cm – 150cm | 25kg – 60kg | 26″ -28″ |
| 150cm – 160cm | 25kg – 60kg | 28″ -30″ |
| 160cm – 170cm | 55kg – 75kg | 30″ -32″ |
| 170cm – 180cm | 65kg – 85kg | 32″ -34″ |
| 180cm – 190cm | 75kg – 95kg | 34″ -36″ |
| 190cm – 200cm | 85kg – 10kg | 36″ -38″ |
| 200cm – 210cm | 95kg – 11kg | 38″ -40″ |
