Skim board
Flatland Skim boarding
- These boards are wooden and flat. They tend to be heavier than wave skim boards.
- Beginners should start with flatland skim boards as they look to get started skim boarding. Wave skim boarding is for more advanced riders.
- BPS Gator Skim board is a great flatland skim board for beginners.
Wave Skim Boarding
- These boards are lighter as they are made specifically for riding waves.
- They are typically made of foam on the inside with fiberglass covering the outside.
- Where flatland skim boards will be flat, wave skim boards often have a curve on their front nose, referred to as a rocker, in order to help with riding waves. Sometimes they will have a pin-tail shape on the back of the board providing the rider more control in waves.
- These boards are more expensive than the average flatland skim board.
- Below is an example of a wave skim board looks like from Slapfish Skimboards. This board is a solid choice and comes with a traction pad already installed on it.
Wax or a traction pad
Wax for a beginner isn’t a necessity.
However, if you do plan to apply wax, make sure that you apply it to the top of the board where your feet would sit. Do not apply wax to the bottom of the board. This will cause the bottom of the board to stick with the ground and prevent the board from skimming along the water like it is supposed to.
Traction pad
Traction pads serve the same purpose as wax as they help give the skim boarder extra grip to the board. One benefit of having a traction pad is that once you have it set up, you don’t have to do anything again. With wax, you will have to re apply each time you go skim boarding. However traction pads cost $30-$40 whereas wax can cost a couple of dollars.
- Traction pads help with foot placement as you can get a feel for where your feet are easier.
- We recommend investing in a traction pad once you’ve learned how to skim board and if you plan on continuing into the future.
Waterproof clothing
- Unlike boogie boarding, wearing a bathing suit is totally fine. You won’t need to worry about wearing a wet suit unless you’re wave skim boarding in cold water.
Sunscreen
- Any sunscreen works here. We prefer Sun Bum Original as it is convenient to pack, water resistant, easy to apply, and doesn’t leave that usual sticky feeling residue on your hands after you apply it.
Final thoughts
- Now that you know what you need to start skim boarding, make sure you read how to skim board, and check out our tips for getting started!
