Generally speaking, I think it’s safe to say that most skateboarders are pretty broke.
A lot of them are still in school and don’t even have jobs, so it’s pretty understandable, but it doesn’t change the fact that a lot of skateboarders can’t always afford skateboarding.
Sometimes skateboarding can be an expensive hobby to have, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be. There’s certain costs that you can’t get around, but over the years I’ve found a few ways to not just save money on gear but also make what I have last longer.
Today we’re going to be going over a few ways to save money skateboarding.
Boards / Decks
Buying new decks is one of the biggest costs in skateboarding because depending on how often you skate, you could easily need a new deck every couple of weeks. The price of skateboard decks has remained pretty stable over the past 30 years, with most boards costing around $40-$50.
Now it’s pretty hard to get around the cost of a new deck, but there are a few things you can do to save money on boards.
When it comes to buying skateboards, it’s good keep an eye out for sales at your local shop. Sometimes if they have a new line coming out or just want to get rid of some odd sizes or weird graphics that haven’t sold, they might be willing to give you a discount.
Another thing that’s worked for me before is buying more than one board at once. I know it might sound weird because you’re spending more money upfront, but I’ve had shops sell me 2 decks for 75 instead of 1 deck for 50.
It also helps if you consistently buy from the same shop, because as they get to know you they’re more likely to hook you up.
As far as making decks last longer, there are a few things you can do. It might sound simple, but the best thing you can do is to just stop trashing your board. This means no throwing it when you get mad, or slamming it on the ground, or just shooting it across the park like a lot of kids do.
Also, one thing I always recommend is for people to stop kicking out so much. Now I get it, kicking out helps you get a feel for a spot and sometimes you just don’t catch a trick right, but every time you kick your board away you’re sending it into the ground which is going to chip it up over time.
This leads me into my next tip, which is trying to skate better spots. If you’re constantly skating rough street spots your board is going to get messed up way faster than if you’re skating a brand new skatepark. Now obviously I’m not saying to not skate street, but if you always skate a spot with rough ground and puddles everywhere your boards aren’t going to last as long.
Another good thing to keep in mind is your board size.There are a lot of benefits to smaller boards like better concave and less weight, but they also tend to break easier. If you like to skate skinnier boards that’s completely fine, just keep in mind that if you find yourself going through a board a week it might help to move up a size.
Trucks
Other than your deck, trucks are usually the most expensive part of a skateboard. The good thing about trucks is that they normally last a few years, as opposed to boards which for some people only last a couple of weeks.
It’s going to be tough to find good trucks for cheap, but you can try some of the usual tips at your local shop like buying a pair that have been sitting for a while or waiting until they have a sale. They may also give you a better deal if you buy some other stuff too, so if you get a full complete or need some new clothes and shoes then try to buy everything at the same time.
If you take care of trucks, they can usually last a couple of years. Just doing a little maintenance every now and then makes a huge difference, and it can really help you get the most out of trucks.
One of the biggest maintenance tips for making trucks last longer is to just keep your hardware tightened. If you don’t keep your hardware tight, the holes are eventually going to warp and it essentially ruins the baseplate. It’s such a simple solution, so it’s crazy to see the number of skaters that don’t do it.
So even though it’s good to keep your hardware tight, the opposite is true for your axles. Skating loose trucks is going to make your bushings last longer because there isn’t as much pressure on them. It’s fine if you like to keep your trucks a little tight, just try not to over-tighten them to the point where the bushings are ripping.
I also recommend to keep the nuts on the ends of your trucks loose enough so the threads don’t show, otherwise they’ll get worn down and it’ll be hard to put the nut back on if you ever take it off. You can buy a skate tool with a rethreader if that happens, but it’s still a headache to deal with so it’s better to just avoid it by preventing it in the first place.
Now baseplates tend to be a common part to break on a truck, but sometimes the hanger of a truck can break too. Usually if a hanger breaks it’s because it’s been skated for a pretty long time. Occasionally people get a defect and the truck breaks even though it’s hardly been skated.
If that happens then sometimes you can get a free pair if you send an email to the company explaining the situation. This really only works with the better companies though, so if you buy some cheap pair and they break you probably aren’t going to send you another set.
If you happen to be someone who constantly breaks hangars, chances are you’re either jumping down big things or grinding a lot of pools or ledges to the point where it just wears down.
Now I could say just skate smaller stuff or use more wax, but honestly if you’re breaking trucks just with your normal skating then you’re either skate really cheap trucks or you’re doing something right because there’s not a lot of people out there that skate that hard.
Wheels
Wheels are really the only part of a skateboard setup that have any real flexibility in terms of price. Everything else has a pretty set price, but wheel can range from $20 for a really cheap set all the way up to $40 or more just depending on the brand.
Obviously you could just buy a cheaper set to save money, but in the long run you’ll probably end up spending more because they just wont last as long.
What I always recommend is buying the best quality you can afford, because more often than not you get what you pay for. If you buy cheap wheels, you’ll just end up spending more because you’ll go through them faster.
While on the topic of wheels, I just want to mention that the same goes for bearings. You can find some sets of bearing for pretty cheap, but they’re not going to be as good or last as long so always buy the quality ones if you can. Also make sure you use washers to keep your bearings from rubbing up against the hanger and the nut. This will not only helps with speed, but it also makes bearing last longer.
So when it comes to making skate wheels last longer, there’s a few things to keep in mind both when you’re buying them and when you’re skating them.
When you buy wheels, it’s good to keep in mind that harder wheels are going to last longer than softer wheels, and they’re less likely to chip. Now if you like skating soft wheels then by all means skate them, there’s a lot of advantages of soft wheels over hard wheels, just know that they aren’t going to last as long.
If you want to make skate wheels last longer it’s good to rotate or flip them occasionally. This not only helps you maintain a consistent level of grip, but it also allows the wheels to wear evenly.
Skate Shoes
Skate shoes are definitely one of the biggest expenses when it comes to skateboarding. Depending on the brand and model, skate shoes typically range from $35 on the low end to $120 on the high end.
Even though skate shoes are one of the biggest expenses in skateboarding, there are a lot of ways you can save money on them.
To save money on skate shoes it’s always good to try getting some on sale or just buy one of the smaller brands. Shoe sales are much more common than finding a sale on boards or trucks, and generally speaking, smaller shoe brands are going to be a little more affordable than the bigger name brands. Also smaller shoe companies are usually the core skate companies, so not only will you save money but you’ll support a skater-owned brand.
Typically canvas shoes are going to be the cheapest skate shoes out there, but I always recommend paying a little extra for suede shoes. I promise canvas skate shoes won’t last nearly as long as suede, and normally the price difference isn’t that much.
Also if you really want to find shoes that will last a while, look for a pair with a rubber toe cap and minimal stitching. Personally I like the Adidas Matchcourt, but I also really like Converse CTAS, and Huf Classics. I’m not saying they’re the best, but that’s the style of shoe that I’ve found that lasts me the longest.
Once you have a solid pair of skate shoes that you like, there are a ton of ways to really stretch the life of them. A little bit of super glue, hot glue, shoe goo, or tape is great for preventing or fixing any holes or ripped laces on skate shoes.
I also recommend swapping out the stock insoles if you can and investing in a solid pair of padded insoles. It is an additional cost, but good insoles will last you a while so you can always swap them out when you get a new pair of shoes.
Most skate shoes have pretty bad insoles, and they just don’t last very long. Also aside from saving money on future medical bills, good insoles just feel better for your feet, so it’s worth investing in a pair.
How To Save Money Skateboarding
Skateboarding can be expensive at times, but it doesn’t always have to be. Just like with most other activities, there’s always a way to save a few dollars, you just have to be a bit creative.
Hopefully these money-saving tips help you out, and if they did, be sure to share them with some friends.