The Best Skateboard Wax for Flawless Tricks

Buyer’s Guide: Skateboard Wax

If you’re new to skateboarding, you may feel a little overwhelmed by all of the things you need to buy. A skateboard, wheels, bearings, shoes, and even a helmet and pads could have you reeling from all of the decisions you need to make. But, other, smaller accessories, like skateboard wax, can make a huge difference in your riding experience, especially if you’re learning.

With so many options on the market, we realize that buying skateboard wax could be a confusing task. But it doesn’t have to be. Whether you’re buying skateboard wax for yourself, for a friend, or for someone who loves skateboarding, our detailed and comprehensive buyer’s guide will answer all of your questions. So, let’s take a look at what to look for in a high-quality skateboard wax. And, while we’re at it, we’ll also discuss some other important pieces of gear to have on hand when skating. Trust us, before you know it you’ll be fitting in at the skatepark like Tony Hawk!

What Should My Skateboarding Kit Include?

Skateboarding is more than just grabbing a skateboard and hitting the skatepark. To make your riding experience positive and safe, you should grab a few other essentials. Below, we dive into what every skater should have in their well-rounded kit. These items will not only help you improve as a skater but will keep you protected as well.

Skate wax

If you try gliding your skateboard along a dry edge, not only will it ruin your stunt, but it could also ruin your skateboard. Skate wax is used to soften surfaces so that your skateboard slides across them with ease. There are many different kinds of skate wax, even scented options and waxes that glow in the dark for night riding.

Including skate wax in your skateboarding kit will help you practice hard-to-land tricks — particularly tricks that require a smoother rail or ledge. One pro tip: Make sure to keep your skate wax away from extreme heat so it doesn’t melt.

First aid kit

Sometimes you need more than just helmets and knee pads to keep yourself safe. Keeping a first aid kit in your skate bag can be of massive help in case you or one of your friends misses and landing and scrapes an arm or knee. Don’t worry, you don’t need to carry around a clunky first aid kit; a small, portable kit should do the trick.

Make sure your first aid kit includes different sizes of bandages for different sized cuts and an ACE bandage in case you sprain your wrist or ankle. A light, easy-to-carry first aid kit can come in handy, even if you’re just skating around the block.

Water bottle

As a full-body sport, skateboarding takes up a lot of energy. Regardless of your skill level, it’s important to stay hydrated while you’re skating and practicing your ollies. Carrying a water bottle to avoid dehydration is especially important if you skate in the heat or in the full sun.

We recommend a metal water bottle as it will keep your water colder for a longer time. You can even add an electrolyte drink mix to your water bottle to keep your energy level high.

Skateboard parts

Even if your skateboard is brand new, there’s always a possibility of getting into a situation where you need a spare skateboard part. Keeping spare parts, like tools, bearings, and bushings will help keep your skateboard in top shape — and will give you the peace of mind that if something breaks you can quickly adjust or fix it, all while on the go. Carrying spare parts is also a great way to help other skaters out in case someone else needs a spare part. We recommend keeping these spare parts in a separate box along with your skate wax.

How and When to Use Skate Wax

If you’re a skateboarding newbie and are wondering how you should use skate wax, we’ve got the answers to your questions. The basic purpose of skateboard wax is to slick up rough surfaces, allowing your board to slide along them in a smoother fashion. You can use skate wax in two ways. Either rub some wax onto your hands and then apply it to the surface you want to ride. Or you can rub the wax directly onto the rail or cub you want to ride.

Because it’s quite slippery and strong, we recommend starting with a small amount of wax. If you use too much, you may end up making the surface too slippery, causing you to fall and hurt yourself when you try to ride it. Starting with a small amount will let you feel how the curb or rail feels. Then, after you’ve applied some wax and ridden the feature, you can apply more, according to your preference.

Lastly, remember to alert other skateboarders when you’ve used skate wax on a ledge. That way they know it might be a bit slicker. It’s also a good idea to remove skate wax after you’re done using a surface. This can be done with wax removers, which can be found at skate shops.

Skateboarding Etiquette: What You Need to Know

Skateparks have a certain etiquette that you need to follow in order to be a respectful and welcome rider. Here are a couple of pointers to make sure you have the raddest skateboarding experience ever:

• Always give other skateboarders a “heads up” if your board goes flying when you’re attempting a feature or trick. Otherwise, you may risk injuring or hitting someone who’s not paying attention.
• Don’t practice your flat-ground tricks in the skate bowl.
• Be respectful. Don’t stand in the way of those skating as they land a trick. If you do stand in the way, you risk getting injured.
• At skateparks, all skaters wait for their turn. Don’t cut in front of other skaters or get in their way when they’re skateboarding in the half pipe, on the rail, in the bowl, etc.