Safety First: Skateboard Protective Gear Buying Guide

Skateboarders should wear protective gear regardless of their level of expertise. Accidents can happen to anybody and sometimes they can be quite serious. But protective gear can prevent that. Each piece has a special design that allows skateboarders full freedom of movement at the same time offering 100% protection. Proper protection should be your number one priority. After all, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Protective Pads for the Knees, Elbows and Wrists

What should you wear while skateboarding? First on the list are knee pads. Knee skate pads protect the knees when a skateboarder falls badly. Sprains and fractures in the knees, feet and ankles are among the most common injuries that happen to skateboarders. And wearing skateboard pads is the key to preventing an injury of that sort from happening in the first place.

Knee pads come in different sizes. You can find small ones as well as extra-large. Why is it important to get the size right? Because a skate pad that fits you perfectly protects you fully. Opposite of that, a skate pad too big can get misplaced and further complicate things instead of protecting you. Too small skate pads won’t fit you at all and even if they do, they will restrict your movements and the tightness will make you feel uncomfortable.

Knee pads are made from the best materials and use the latest technology (naturally, they can’t protect you if they have a low quality). The dual-density foam absorbs impact and has a cushion-like effect. The lining on the inside dries fast and prevents sweating. They have a special solid cap that protects the knee and elastic straps that allow you to adjust the pads perfectly. Everything on the knee pad is seamless so that it doesn’t cause irritations and it’s comfortable to wear.

For the same reasons you need knee pads, you need elbow pads as well. When it comes to elbow skate pads Australia has quite a few brands that make high-quality ones. Their design is similar to one of the knee pads. They are elastic, allow the skateboarder to have a full range of motion and have extra thick padding that does a great job at absorbing impact and offering protection. You shouldn’t hesitate to buy elbow skate pads Australia the same way you shouldn’t wonder whether you’re going to need wrist guards too.

Wrist guards support your wrists and prevent major injuries from happening. The wrists of a skateboarder are most commonly affected because the first instinct of a person that’s falling is to use the hands as protection. For that reason, you need to make sure you’re wearing wrist guards before jumping on the skateboard. Wrist guards are made from strong materials and have straps that allow for further adjustment.

Protective Skateboarding Helmet

Do helmets help skateboarding? While skateboarding helmets may not improve your skateboarding technique, they can save your life if you have a bad skateboarding technique and a tendency to fall often. I mentioned above that the wrists of a skateboarder are the ones most affected when it comes to skateboarding injuries. Well, the head falls in that category too. Therefore, you should take risks less and wear a skateboarding helmet more.

Skateboarding helmets are made from two layers. The first one, the external layer is either made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or fibreglass. It’s a hard layer and very strong at the same time. It protects you from impact and prevents anything from penetrating the helmet and hurting your head. It has a shell-like shape and protects your head fully. The second internal layer is one made of foam. The foam is impact absorbent and makes the helmet feel soft and comfortable to wear.

Getting the size right is important for helmets as well. The helmet can’t protect you if it constantly slips off of your head. That is why you need to take your measurements carefully or even better, go and try the helmet before buying.

Also, you need to check your gear (especially your helmet) before you put it on. If you notice that something is damaged you need to immediately replace it. Damaged helmet and gear, in general, does not offer 100% protection and it’s risky to use them.

Shoes that Offer Protection, Comfort and Support

You really can’t compare basic shoes with ones made especially for skateboarding. The level of support and comfort that skateboarding shoes offer is unmatched. Good skate shoes absorb shock, have great traction and minimize the risk of ankle injuries and joint pain which is something you can’t expect from regular shoes.

There are a couple of things you need to pay attention to before choosing a pair of skate shoes. First, the material from which the shoes are made. If you want shoes that are going to last opt for ones made of suede and leather. Skate shoes made from these materials offer you the much-needed flexibility while you’re on the skateboard.

Second, watch out for the construction. Vulcanized shoes are very lightweight and a great choice. You’ll be able to feel the skateboard while wearing them and be more in control. But, if you’re looking for comfort, pick cupsoles – shoes with a midsole constructed out of multiple layers. Usually, cupsoles contain EVA foam which is known to be soft and make for extremely comfortable shoes. The last layer, the outsole should be a non-slip one otherwise you’ll lack stability on the skateboard. When it comes to skate shoes, the outsole is considered to be the most important component.

Again, the size is crucial. And you shouldn’t be guessing which size will be ideal for you, instead try on the shoes and see what works best. You can’t give the maximum on the skateboard while wearing shoes that are too big or ones too tight-fitting that cause you discomfort. The size depends on the brand too. You can pick any ruling streetwear brand but note that there’s no such thing as a standard size so try not to make a rookie mistake.

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