{"id":1780,"date":"2021-03-26T16:00:27","date_gmt":"2021-03-26T09:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bitesizebkk.co\/?p=1780"},"modified":"2021-04-04T14:20:00","modified_gmt":"2021-04-04T07:20:00","slug":"ride-the-wave-surfskate-bangkoks-newest-trend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bitesizebkk.co\/ride-the-wave-surfskate-bangkoks-newest-trend\/","title":{"rendered":"Ride The Wave: Surfskate, Bangkok\u2019s Newest Trend"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Photo credit: Rip Curl Thailand<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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If you\u2019ve been on social media recently, chances are, you\u2019ve seen people flock to parking lots or skate parks. Here, you\u2019ll see skaters swerving in and out, dodging obstacles and tackling ramps on the latest phenomenon that\u2019s taken Bangkok by storm: surfskates.<\/p>\n

Born out of a need to enrich the urban lifestyle, surfskates provide ample opportunity for thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies alike to get their fix. Even complete newbies have found themselves stepping up to the challenge, fully embracing and becoming engrossed in this new trend. If you\u2019re one of the few people that haven\u2019t yet jumped on the surfskate bandwagon (or board), here\u2019s all you need to know.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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SO, WHAT EXACTLY<\/i> IS SURFSKATE?<\/h3>\n

To the untrained eye, surfskates appear to just be skateboards, albeit, with a slightly different shape; but the moment you ride one, the differences become apparent. In reality, the mechanics are much more similar to surfing and snowboarding (the board was afterall invented by surfers and snowboarders for entertainment during a flat ocean day and during the summer).<\/span><\/p>\n

Unlike a skateboard where you kick off the ground to generate and maintain speed, the surfskate relies on \u2018pumping.\u2019 With \u2018pumping\u2019, you throw your shoulders from left to right, relying on your upper body to generate momentum. If done correctly, your board will propel itself forward in a zigzag motion where you can go on indefinitely barring any obstacles or slopes. If we think of \u2018pumping\u2019 as the forward motion, \u2018carving\u2019 is the turning motion. With \u2018carving\u2019, you throw your body into the turn, swinging your shoulders and tipping the board into the direction you want to take.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Photo credit: Mega Bangna<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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WHERE CAN YOU RIDE?<\/h3>

The beauty of the surfskate is that you can ride it anywhere. But Bangkok\u2014the city as it is\u2014has embraced the trend in a somewhat over-the-top manner, as if overcompensating for the lack of love it’s shown the skateboarding community in recent years. Skate parks are popping up at an absurdly fast rate and we\u2019ve even seen parking lots temporarily converted.<\/p>

Siam Discovery<\/h5>

Siam Discovery is the latest victim to fall to the surfskate craze. The skate park is open to all, but reservations are required with a limit of only 15 people per session. You can opt for either the \u2018freestyle session\u2019 for THB 150 per hour or the \u2018class session\u2019 for THB 450 per hour. For both sessions, you\u2019ll receive a free sticker pack, demo board, and even a professional photographer to capture that moment you plummet face first into the concrete. Composed of mostly flat surfaces, the park is ideal for beginners.\u00a0Reservations can be made through\u00a0<\/span>Eventpop<\/a>. Open from 10AM to 10PM only until May 2, 2021.<\/span><\/p>

Mega Bangna (Parking Lot)<\/h5>

This parking-lot-turned-skate-park is the largest location on our list at over 9,000 square meters. With such a wide space, this makeshift park allows the surfskate to do exactly what it was meant to: shred some serious concrete. By the end of the day, you would have worked up a hearty appetite, enough to indulge in the patented IKEA meatballs (we\u2019re only half kidding). Open from 4PM to 10PM.<\/p>

ESC Space Pumper<\/h5>

Located next to a wake park, this newly opened skate park has already attracted many skaters. ESC Space Pumper has an exciting mix of terrains: from a sloping track to a flat surface area and even a skate bowl, this park has it all, making it perfect for both advanced and beginner skaters. Open Monday to Thursday from 3PM to 10PM; Friday from 3PM to 12AM; and Saturday and Sunday from 9AM to 12AM.<\/p>

Honorable Mentions:<\/h5>