Finding good spots

Parks are great, but a lot of skating happens in the street: ledges, stairs, banks, rails and smooth ground that weren't built for skating but work perfectly. Good spots aren't always on a map, so finding them is part of skating.

What to look for

• Smooth ground. Rough ground eats your speed and catches your wheels.
• Ledges. Low, waxable edges for grinds and slides.
• Stairs. For ollies and flips.
• Banks. Sloped walls for transition-style skating in the street.
• Rails. Handrails, or flat rails.
• Run-up and roll-away. Room to build speed before the trick and to stop after it.

Where to look

• Plazas and public squares.
• School and office areas on weekends.
• Parking lots and garages.
• Parks (not skateparks): benches, ledges, paths.
• Bank buildings with big plazas.
• Along rivers or canals.

Look up and around when you walk or ride somewhere. Spots hide in plain sight.

When to go

• Early mornings and weekends are often quieter.
• Evenings after businesses close.
• Avoid times when the spot is being used for its real purpose.

Respect the spot

• Clean up after yourself.
• Be polite if asked to leave, and just go.
• Don't damage anything. No chipping, no breaking.
• Keep noise down near homes.

A spot that gets complaints gets capped with skatestoppers.

A worked example: a new ledge

Leo walks past a bank plaza on a Sunday and sees a low, smooth ledge with a long run-up. He comes back the next Sunday morning with his board and some wax, skates it for an hour, picks up his trash and leaves before people start showing up. He shares it with a few friends in person, not online, so it doesn't get blown out.

Keeping spots alive

• Don't over-share. A spot posted everywhere can get busted fast.
• Skate it when it's quiet.
• Leave it better than you found it.

The spots map

Global SKATE's SPOTS tab maps around 30,000 skateparks from OpenStreetMap data plus spots skaters add. It's great for parks and well-known spots. For a fragile street spot, think twice before adding it; there's a "Report spot" option for places that shouldn't be public. The spots map: finding parks, water and Wi-Fi explains it.

Reading a spot

When you find a spot, check before you skate:

1. Ground: smooth? Cracks or pebbles?
2. Features: what's there, and what can you skate?
3. Run-up: enough room to build speed?
4. Roll-away: enough room to stop after?
5. Traffic: cars, people, bikes?
6. Owners: is it private? Is there security?
7. Hazards: curbs, drains, glass?

A spot that looks good from a distance can have a crack right at the landing. Walk it first.

DIY spots

Some skaters build their own spots: a ledge in an empty lot, a little bank against a wall, a box in a parking garage. DIY spots are a big part of skate culture. If you build one, do it where it's allowed or tolerated, keep it safe, and expect it might get removed. Never build anything that blocks paths or creates hazards for other people.

Spots for filming

Some spots are great to skate but bad to film: no space to stand, bad light, a busy background. When you scout a spot, think about where a filmer would stand, where the light comes from at the time you'll be there, and whether there's room for a clean clip.

Spots for a game of SKATE

A game of SKATE only needs smooth flat ground. The best SKATE spots are empty parking lots, plazas and smooth sidewalks with nothing in the way. Look for ground that's smooth all the way across, with room for a push and a roll-away.

Weather and ground

Rain changes spots. Wet ground is slippery and soaks your deck and bearings, so skip it. After rain, covered spots like parking garages and spots under bridges stay dry. In hot weather, early mornings are cooler and the ground is less sticky.

Common mistakes

• Skating when people are using the spot.
• Leaving trash.
• Over-sharing fragile spots.
• Arguing with security. Just go.

FAQ

Is street skating legal?

It depends on where you are. Some places allow it; some don't. Respect posted signs and requests to leave.

What's a skatestopper?

A metal knob or bracket bolted onto ledges to stop skating.

How do I find spots in a new city?

The spots map for parks, and just walking around for street spots.

Next: Board maintenance: bearings, grip and wheels

Join the testers at skatelabs.app/testers and play a Game of SKATE with your friends. Global SKATE is free and in testing on iPhone and Android.