Do surf skates actually help you surf?

It’s a question that comes up often on Reddit: Should I get a surf skate to practice surfing on land? There’s no short and sweet answer. So let’s go down this rabbit hole, shall we?

I don’t own a surf skate. I have two street skateboards and a Penny board. I don’t do tricks. I don’t do pools. If I’m lucky, I cruise straight along the beach path without falling sideways onto the sand. And you’re asking me if you should get a surf skate?

Sure, why not. If you can afford it. It’s supposed to be fun! And every little bit helps—especially when it’s too flat or too big, or you’re landlocked.

A bit of history

The “bad” surfing conditions are the very reason we even have skateboarding. In the 1960s, it was literally called sidewalk surfing, and the boards were produced by surfboard manufacturers like Makaha and Hobie.

Skateboarding came into its own pretty quickly thanks to a group of teenage surfers from Dogtown (Santa Monica + Venice Beach, for you non-Angelenos), known as the Z-Boys (Zephyr team). You’ve probably heard these names: Tony Alva, Jay Adams, and Stacy Peralta. They reinvented skateboarding—it became more aggressive, with signature low crouches, sharp cutbacks, and of course, aerials. Pool skating followed soon after, thanks to the notorious LA drought. If you want to learn more, I recommend Dogtown and Z-Boys by Stacy Peralta, who also directed Riding Giants.

Surf skating vs. skateboarding

But surf skating is not skateboarding. You trade stability and the ability to go straight for more turning power and lean—just like in surfing. The first surf skates appeared in the early 2000s when companies like Carver designed special front trucks that rotate more freely, allowing for deeper carving and pumping—much closer to how surfboards move. These trucks can be either spring-loaded or pivoting, and that’s what totally separates them from regular skateboards or cruisers.

They’re popular. It’s also popular to hate on them.

The surfing community can’t quite agree on whether surf skates are actually good for your surfing. Maybe because the answer is: it depends.

✅ What they’re good for

Let’s start with what surf skates are good for: improving pumping, upper-body movement, timing and coordination, and compression/extension.

What are surf skates useless for? Paddling. Dealing with the lineup. Reading waves. Positioning. Catching waves. Dealing with the drop. Popping up…

So if you’re a beginner still learning to stand up or navigate the ocean, a surf skate will be fun—but it’s not going to magically transform you into a decent surfer.

But if your intention is to practice balance and leaning into turns, then a surf skate is as good as—I don’t know—a snowboard. It drives repeatable movement and builds muscle memory. That said, this can become a problem if, instead of performing a surfskate pump (good for improving turning in surfing), you end up doing a wiggle (which will make you look like a kook).

If you watch a video comparing the two on YouTube, you’ll immediately understand what I mean.

The mixed reviews

Some surfers will tell you surf skates are just overpriced novelties and there’s no substitute for time in the water. Others will swear that by practicing surf skating intentionally—and even filming themselves—they managed to solve specific technique problems they were facing in the lineup.

I read an Amazon review from a guy who used to be a competitive surfer. After a few years out of the water, he tried a surf skate. He said:

“In the context of surfing mimicry, the carving is spot on, and although I found my roundhouse cutbacks a little wider in their turns, without a doubt this board will be a great surf trainer.”

So I guess… there’s no harm in trying?

The best surf skate boards retail just under $400. Entry-level cheapos can be found for under $100. Or, if you already own a board, you can convert it into a surf skate using a truck adapter.

Let’s go surf skating!