9 Things Every Skateboarder Should Keep in Their Backpack

Your life is a life in the streets. You leave the house to go skate with no real idea where you’ll end up or how long you’ll be gone. Besides your actual skateboard, you’ll need to strap a backpack on your back. Here’s your skateboarder gear checklist you’ll need to make it through the day.

1. Sweatshirt/Light Jacket

Are you in a major city? Are you taking public transportation? The subway? Or are you hopping on your bike or a City Bike? Cities like SF have different microclimates all over the city. New York can have a summertime monsoon roll in without warning. Or maybe your hot, sweaty day sesh goes all the way into the evening hours and there's a big temperature drop. Bring a light jacket or sweatshirt. Rain resistant if you’re in that sorta place.

Get Jacketed up Here

2. Water Bottle

You’re gonna need to stay hydrated. Fill it up before you leave the house, then know where you can get free refills preferably of the good, filtered stuff. Starbucks always has free water and New York City touts the cleanest tap water in the country.

3. Point and Shoot Camera

A little point and shoot camera is mandatory. Sure iPhones shoot good photos, but take the extra time to capture memories of your homies, the sessions, the cities that’ll last and you’ll take care to preserve. For film, we’d recommend an Olympus Stylus or Yashica T4. A popular alternative these days are Camp Snap cameras: Digital but without a back screen to keep you in the moment—and they’re cheap! $65 Right Here

4. Wax

A skater without wax is like a dog without a bone. How you gonna slide or grind that ledge that’s been neglected a little too long? You wanna get a clip today right? Or maybe you found that new, virgin spot—you’re gonna need to lube it up. Candles work, or every skate company out there makes a conveniently sized bar of wax.

Related: How to Kickflip Like a Pro | Step-by-Step Guide with Dominick Walker

5. Extra Bearings and Hardware

Two most common things to blow out or fall out/get lost while you’re skating: Bearings and hardware. The mean, dirty streets can cause havoc to these two components of your set up. Rough streets will have your hardware rattle right out of your board, or at least give you shakey trucks. A seized-up bearing is even worse. So keep an extra set of both in your bag!

Getcho Roll On

6. A Skate Tool

Part and parcel with the above, you’re gonna need a tool to adjust your trucks, hardware, axle bolts and more. Skating all day requires constant attention to your set up. A tool is mandatory.

7. Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Little portable Bluetooth speakers are all the rage today. JBL makes a nice little clip you can attach to your backpack strap, bike handlebars, or belt. Don’t mind rocking a little extra weight? You can roll with one of the big JBL Charges , bump some serious tunes, and even charge your phone off it!

Buy a JBL Clip for $69 Here

8. Swim Trunks

Swim trunks, yup. Seems like there’s always a swimming pool, beach, lake, river, or hotel pool nearby. A great way to cool off after a hot sesh. So keep a lightweight pair of trunks or sporty shorts you can throw on in a jiffy and take a dip.

9. Phone charger

You’re basically dead in the water if your phone dies. No more communication with your homies, can’t film clips, can’t look up spots, can’t see what everyone else is doing on IG, can’t rent City Bikes or Apple Pay to get on the train. You don’t necessarily need a charging battery, but at least bring your charging cord . You can find an outlet anywhere.

Get a charging cord here

The Backpack Itself

Let’s talk about the actual backpack itself. Get one with skate straps, preferably water resistant. Nixon makes great ones with a separate bottom pouch for extra shoes, wet towels, or dirty clothes. DB Journey has some great, quality bags with a solid team promoting them too.

Pick up that Nixon backpack here for $85

Now that you’ve got this hit list, go out and support your local skateshop when buying!

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