Popular Fun Activities

As I write this, we are coming up on the Christmas season, but this gift buying guide can be used or referred to year round because it isn’t just Christmas time when we need to buy gifts for people. Since skateboarding and all extreme sports are becoming so popular, there is a good chance that you will need to buy a gift for somebody who skateboards, snowboards, rollerblades or does one of the many emerging extreme sports made so popular by ESPN and the X-Games.

I am going to start with a list of ideas (in no particular order) then expand a little on some of them. Remember, many things like skateboard shoes are popular with all extreme sport athletes and are used every day even when not skating.

• Skateboard Shoes
• Sweatshirts or T-Shirts
• Backpacks or Bags
• Elbow Pads
• Complete Skateboard
• Baseball Cap with Favorite Company
• Beanies with Favorite Company
• Knee Pads
• Magazine Subscription
• Helmet

If you know what kind of skateboard your skater wants, buying him or her a new skateboard is probably the best gift you can give. Before you go out and buy a skateboard, though, you need to know what you are buying. You can get the information you need just by asking. Their friends can probably tell you what they like if it isn’t obvious by the clothes they already wear or posters hanging in their room. You need to know what brand they want. Even though their isn’t a lot of physical difference from one skateboard company to another, it makes a world of difference to the person that will be skating on it. The size of the skateboard is another thing you will need to know. There are different widths of skateboards. Wider boards are typically for skating ramps and narrower boards are for doing street skating and tricks on the ground. Again, the best thing to do is ask. Get some general information and you can apply it to whatever choice you make.

Another good choice that any skater will appreciate is skateboarding shoes. They can wear them every day even when they are not skating. The one bit of advice I have here is to make sure you know exactly what they want or need. You may want to cut out a picture of a skateboard shoe and put it in a box with a note saying you will go out with them and pay for the pair of shoes they pick out. You can put a limit on the price if you need, but for the most part, skateboard shoes are pretty reasonable compared to many other specialty sport shoes.

Skate clothing is probably the most popular gift. It is easier to buy and you can get lots of different things for under $30 which you can’t really do with a skateboard or shoes. All you need to know is what brands the person likes and what size to get. In both cases, even if you don’t know the exact size or favorite brand the item can still be worn.

Any responsible person should help protect an aspiring athlete and you can help to protect the skateboarder you are buying for by getting them some safety gear. I know it might not be cool, but buying a helmet, elbow pads, or knee pads will be appreciated every time they wreck. If they are skateboarding and doing tricks, it will happen. Now the only trick is to get them to wear it.

A skateboarding magazine is another good choice. As I have said a couple times, ask what they have or want. You want to make sure they don’t already have a subscription to the magazine you want to get them. This is another gift in that under $30 category.

I am going to close with one more idea that is sure to give them what they actually want. I am talking about a gift card. You can get one for a shoe store so they can pick out shoes, a sporting goods store where they can get clothing or skateboarding equipment, or you can even get them for skateboard shops. Many people don’t think this is very personal, but if you really don’t know what they want or like, a gift card lets them pick out the skateboard equipment that they really need or want. I know I never worried about a gift card being too impersonal.

Filed under: Recreation and Sports on December 20th, 2008