Skateboarding In The Rain | Is It Safe?

As a fellow skateboard rider, I can feel that any rider would want to go out with their favorite skateboard after being confined at home because of bad weather.

Even then, it would be best to avoid skateboarding in the rain. That’s because the rainwater will not only delaminate the deck, you might even face serious accidents.

Obviously, none would wish for such situations while being out to enjoy the ride with your buddies.

In this article, we have thoroughly highlighted “Should you skateboard in the rain?” or “Why shouldn’t you skate in the rain?” So, please hurry up and read our article right away!

Can You Skateboard In The Rain?

Though Skating in the rain sounds thrilling, it brings disaster when you get on board for the ride. Your deck will be damaged or warped. The wheels and trucks will be poorly broken, and the bearing will become rusty.

Moreover, the overall lifespan of your favorite skateboard will decrease. In fact, you might not be able to ride it next time! 

Is Skateboarding In The Rain Safe? 

As a professional skater, you might think that you can easily handle rough weather. However, when you start your skateboard in the rain, you will realize how dangerous the situation can be!

Let’s check out why it is not safe to run your skateboard in the rain.

• At first, the wheels will lose their resistance to a large extent. So, you will lose total control and might face serious injury.
• The wooden deck will soak water and become delaminated.
• The grip tape will lose the grip or even peel off as well.
• The nuts, bolts, and trucks might become rusty.
• The bearings will suffer badly and will deteriorate. Once the oxidation process starts, you can’t sort it anymore.

Thus, running your skateboard in the time of raining is not safe indeed. 

Check Out How Rain Will Affect The Parts Of Your Skateboard!

Waterlogged Or Delaminated Deck

Manufacturers usually compose decks with multi-layered maple wood and glue them together with epoxy resin. Naturally, woods can soak water and might get waterlogged.

Thus the wooden fibers will expand, which will result in a deformed board.

Also, water in the plywood layers might even cause delamination as glue loses its cohesion by being in contact with water.

Low Grip Of Wheels

The wheels of Skateboards usually have lower resistance than longboards as they are pretty hard. Even the soft ones sometimes can’t have a firm grip on slippery or wet roads, causing a severe accident.

Once the wheels lose their grip, you won’t literally have the scope to manage the circumstances and will surely fall.

Slippery Grip Tape

Once the grip tape is wet, it really becomes irritating to ride on it. In fact, sometimes, your shoes might even lose the grip causing an unwanted accident. 

Last of all, water on the grip tape will peel off the tape as it will quickly absorb the rainwater.

Deteriorate Bearings

Though bearings are not much expensive, it would undoubtedly be a waste if they begin to oxidate. If water gets into bearings, it will dissolve and deteriorate with time.

Every skater would want their bone bearings to last for a prolonged period. However, it would help if you took care of it by cleaning them regularly.

Rusted Trucks

Skateboard’s trucks are mostly quite hard, and won’t it won’t break by being wet once.

However, with time, they will become rusty if you don’t dry them properly. Even the rainwater can damage nuts, bolts, kingpins, and hangers as well.

Can You Skateboard On A Wet Road?

You know by now that skateboarding in the time of raining is quite dangerous. Now you might wonder, 

“Is it safe to skate on a wet road?” 

“Can you skateboard on a wet road?”

Well, if it is wet outside, we highly prohibit skating in such weather. Once the board begins to soak water, it will deform with time. Eventually, your grip tape and wheels will also lose their resistance. 

So, Do you really want to destroy your favorite skateboard just for a ride? You must avoid puddles even when your mind is screaming to skate through them.

How To Handle If The Skateboard Gets Wet?

If rain is a regular thing in your neighborhood and it’s an emergency to ride in the rain, you must keep following things in mind!

• On a rainy day, there will obviously be numerous puddles. You have to avoid puddles even when your mind is screaming to skate through them. If you skate in puddles, water and mud will damage your bearings and wheels badly.
• Avoiding heavy rain is a must.
• Once you are safely back from the ride in the rain, don’t leave the skateboard wet; if you want it to be by your side for long.

After being wet in the rain, separating all the parts to dry is the first thing you must do. Let’s check several steps to take care of the skateboard after it has gotten wet.

Clean The Bearings

You can begin with bearing and clean them properly with nail polish remover. After bearings are dry, you should lubricate the bearings with silicone lube.

Dry The Trucks

You can try to dry the trucks with a towel. Trucks are relatively sturdy enough to take a little bit of rain if you can dry them properly afterward.

Dry The Deck Immediately

If the deck has begun to soak the rainwater, try to dry it with a towel or hairdryer. It would be best if you can let it dry under the sun directly.

However, you might not face the heat of the sun for several days in the rainy season. For such consequences, using a hairdryer or towel to prevent absorption is the only available option. 

Can You Ride An Electric Skateboard In The Rain?

Riding an electric skateboard during rainy days might not be a great idea as water can quickly enter the skateboard. It will eventually lead to dangerous consequences for the electric parts and accessories of the board.

Most electric skateboards are not waterproof. Even if they are waterproof, it is primarily the deck that has high water resistance. 

One of the most significant issues to skate on an electric board during wet days is to be soaked up with mud because of the absence of wheel guards.

Even if you pass through a puddle or just asphalt, the wheels will naturally lose grip, and an accident can occur. 

Thus, “No,” you should not ride an electric board on rainy days for being safe. If it becomes a must, installing unique wheels for wet pavements along with wheel guards is the only possible option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can You Skateboard After The Rain?

As we have phrased before, skating on the wet ground after the rain; is definitely a bad idea. It not only will damage the board but also can cause unwanted accidents. Your safety is the first priority, isn’t it?

Q: What Happens If You Skateboard In The Rain?

Running your skateboard in the rain might sound fascinating, but it’s totally dangerous for you and your board. On wet pavement, the wheels will slip, causing an unwanted accident.

Also, the skateboard might be deformed if you leave it soaking for an extended period.

Final Words

Skateboarding in the rain can take a vast toll on you and your skateboard. If it’s an emergency, then take the ride but be very careful because situations might get out of control at any moment.

So, skaters! Hold up your breath and wait for the ground to be dry so that you can enjoy the safest ride.

You can even skate in indoor skateparks, garages, underground parking, or basements as a fun place to ride during wet weather.

However, you must keep in mind that your safety comes first!