Safety gear

Get used to the idea that pain is going to happen! It’s probably going to take a few hard falls to land that kickflip to nose grid, flip to darkslide (need a gnarly trick here! ). Anyone who’s been skating a while knows that you can’t skate without there being a certain amount of blood and gore… but it’ll defo be worth it, right?! Now, here’s the thing. We reckon the helmet/pads decision is totally up to you… but it might be a good call for those of you just starting out - at least until you’ve built up your skills and balance a bit. We’ve got heaps of respect for guys like the Bone’s Brigade who totally rocked back in the day. They were super pros, and even they knew to keep their skulls encased and their wrists wrapped up safe.

If you’re still not convinced, just ask yourself if you really want to miss valuable skate time from having majorly damaged yourself? Seriously… having your head smashed open at the bottom of the ramp isn’t recommended.

This clip tells you all you need to know to get the perfect fit.

There’s some stellar advice to get you thinking here too. www.boardology.co.uk/Skate/Skateboard-Helmet-Guide.ice

So, in summary, here’s some thoughts on helmet use:

Beginners - for sure! Woah…these little rippers are so good already! Great to see they’re all kitted out good and proper!

Vert – definitely! The X-games vert xperts know the score.

Downhill – absolutely! Check this brutal longboard crash that happened in Costa Rica….

Just remember that getting a good fit is vital for it to do its protecting thing – so definitely try before you buy with these!

Now, despite the inevitable blood and bruising that’ll sometimes occur, there are ways to minimise the hurt. Obviously pads are the way to go for vert or bowl skating… and you can even learn to slide out on them in the event of a fall. :D But you can also help yourself by teaching your body the best ways to fall to avoid injury.

Here’s a neat vid to get you newbies ready to jump off, kick out or roll off any epic bail situations you find yourself in.

Alternatively you could follow this guy’s lead and use a sleeping bag for full body padding… :D

Back to the serious help and advice! This next clip has some good points… although it is pretty hilarious.

There’s just something about a slightly older dude repeatedly falling over… Lol! Guess it’s good to laugh and learn. Thanks bro.

One last notable funny - this ninja style of falling looks incredible :-) Probably not one to be trying out yourself though!