SHOP BY DISCIPLINEFoiling Knowledge, skateboarding, wing foil, Wing skate knowledge
Surf skating versus wing foiling – 7 ways skateboarding can help your foiling.
Surf skating might appear to be world’s apart from wing foiling. After all, one is for land-based fun while the other is found only above water. And yet, there’s a lot of synergy. Here at Foilshop UK we’ve been using skateboards for wing handling drills (wing skating) for a few years). More recently, however, surf skating has taken hold and we’ve found it helps our wing foiling and foiling in general no end. Here’s how.
Waterborne Skateboards surf skate rail adapter (for your front and rear trucks)
Waterborne Skateboards surf skate and rail adapter fin system had us sceptical at first. But that very first surf skating session opened our eyes to its performance.
Waterborne Skateboards adpaters have some differences from other ssurf skateboard systems. It can be subtle. And so it is with the surf rail. We find …
Waterborne enabled Braw Skateboards surf skate complete custom skateboard.
What’s surf skating?
Unlike conventional skateboard setups, surf skates feature generally wider and longer decks. This is so riders can adopt a wider stance as they would when riding a surfboard. Wheels are often bigger – usually starting around 60mm in diameter and up. Bigger wheels offer more stability, roll momentum and grip. Which is better for surf skating moves.
Surf skate trucks are the magic component though – particularly the front one. Offering hyper manoeuvrability the amount of lean and carving ability you get is significant when compared to a standard street skateboard. The other benefit is being able to pump. Often from stand still, without having to push. Some brands do offer rear truck surf skate performance as well. Which gives full rail lean and further opportunity to carve.
Is surf skating surfing on land?
Surf skates were invented with land based surfing drills in mind. There’s a lot of debate about whether surf skateboards replicate surfing. For our money, it’s very similar. But it also depends on your riding style. We know a few surfers who also surf skate and tell us their techniques are very different between the two disciplines. But there are others who suggest it’s the same and has helped them surf better.
Surf skating is more about the order’s approach and mentality. Rather than seeing terrain as a launch pad for flip tricks and grinds obstacles, slopes and transitions are used for carving, generating further momentum for the next turn and finding that flow state.
Surf skate cost – Waterborne Skateboard surf adapters.
If you search online for surf skates you’ll no doubt come across a whole plethora of complete options, Here at Foilshop UK, and over on our sister sites Surf Skateboard Shop and North Coast Wetsuits we also offer a variety of full setups. However, these can be pricey. But there’s another way.
Waterborne Skateboards offer an affordable way to turn any existing skateboard setup into a surf skate. Waterborne surf and rail adapters (front and rear) retrofit to existing sleds and deliver that additional lean and surf skate feel without costing the Earth. The adapters are incredibly versatile and are made from top-shelf quality materials. If you’ve never experienced surf skating before this is a wallet-friendly way into the sport.
Wing foiling feels.
Anyone who’s passed the beginner and early intermediate stages of wing foiling will know how it’s a discipline that can also replicate flow. Yes, there are the aerial antics you see some freestylers get up to. But for the majority everyman wing foiler fulfilment comes from cruising, lining turns (gybes and tacks) and riding bumps or waves.
Flow state is as much a thing with wing foiling as it is with surf skating. Which in itself is a comparable element. Pumping is another. Being able to generate speed and momentum via body movements is a foundational skill for both ways of riding.
Compression and elevation.
Perhaps one of the biggest similarities between surf skateboarding and wing foiling is compression and elevation. When riding on foil there’s a degree of undulation as you fly across the brine. Foilers have to manage this ride height so as to not breach or touch down too often.
Surf skating features this same scenario. Even on flat land when pumping the skater will need to compress and unweight (elevate) through each pumping turning. Driving from the shoulders the two biomechanics work in tandem to generate speed and propulsion. Developing this muscle memory helps both sports become more efficient.
Waves and transitions.
Wing foilers love a wave or bump. Riding swell, with the wing flagging behind, is a real buzz and something many wingers search for. When on a wave the same compression and elevation characteristics can be felt. Even more so as the rider carves up and down the wave face.
Surf skating in bowls or on transitions is similar. After all, a ramp or slope is just the same as a wave. You have a vertical part, a transition or trough and the flats. Pumping up and down the transitions, throwing in carves and cutting back and forth uses similar muscle memory to foiling in waves. Therefore the act of surf skating in parks can help riders develop the subtleties needed for controlling the foil intuitively when wave riding.
Our old friend wing skating.
Here at Foilshop UK, we love a bit of wing skating. We’ve done a lot! It’s a great way to get your wing fix when conditions on the water aren’t happening. It’s also a bona fide way of developing your wing handling skills and working out new moves such as tacks and gybe variations.
Using a surf skate for wing skating is extremely fun. Plus, the hyp[er manoeuvrability of the surf skate can replicate the nimble reactivity of turning on foil. And all at slower speeds which helps build confidence and isn’t too threatening to bodies. You can, of course, still fall, but at a slower pace, it’s not too bad.
Key takeaways.
Suf skating is a great tool for winger foilers who like the idea of cross-training. Just as with surfing, if used the right way, it can help you with your foiling. And it’s fun in its own right. Here are the key takeaways of how surf skates can help your winging.
- Surf skating helps riders develop muscle memory around compression and elevation.
- Learning to pump your surf skate and generate momentum without pushing will impact your wing foiling positively.
- If you decide to surf skate in bowls or on transitions this can help your foiling in waves.
- Wing skating with a surf skateboard is a great way to dial in further wing handling skills.
- Surf skating keeps you fit and subtle when you’re not in the water.
- Both are incredibly fun!