Skateboarding and surfing can both be fun and exciting things to do. The tools boards for the two sports are very similar. But that's where the similarities between skateboarding and surfing end. The two sports are very different from each other. If you're still not sure, you should definitely keep reading.
Skateboarding and Surfing Defined
Skateboarding is basically just moving around on a skateboard and rolling. Surfing, on the other hand, involves moving on a board, but the movement is caused by a wave breaking. So, just looking at the definitions of the two hobbies shows that they are very different from each other. The first difference is that one is done on land and the other is done on the surface of a body of water. Next, the two are very different in how they move. One uses wheels, while the other uses waves.
Skateboarding is not only a sport or a hobby, but it can also be used as a way to get around. People of all ages, especially kids, can get around on skateboards, especially for short distances. Surfing, on the other hand, is usually only thought of as a hobby or sport, not as a way to get around. Even people who live near the beach can't travel long distances on a surfboard.
Surfing and skateboarding have a long history.
Even though no one is sure where surfing came from, Captain Cook saw people in Hawaii riding boards on the waves in the 1770s, which is the earliest record of surfing. Skateboarding, on the other hand, is a sport that has only been around for a few decades, so people still remember where it came from. Around the 1950s, when surfing was becoming popular in the western world, skateboarding was created. Some people say that skateboarding came from surfing, which is probably why it was first called "sidewalk surfing"
Surfing and skateboarding as we know them today became popular at the same time. So, you can think of their growth as happening at the same time. Surfing, on the other hand, has been around for hundreds of years, so it has a much stronger history. Still, both sports will keep getting bigger in the coming years.
Gear for skateboarding and surfing
As was already said, the boards that are used for skateboarding and surfing are very different. Surfers use surfboards, kneeboards, body boards, wave skis, and surf mats. The first boards used for surfing were made of wood, so they were very heavy. In the end, surfers looked for materials that were light so that they could carry their boards more easily, which is hard to do since they don't have wheels. Most surfboards today are made of polyurethane foam, which is strong but very light.
In skateboarding, skateboards are obviously used. The first skateboards were like surfboards in that they didn't have a concave shape, but they did have wheels. Like surfboards, old skateboards were first made of wood and then plastic, just like surfboards. Most skateboards made today are made of composite fibre, and their wheels are made of clay composite or polyurethane.
Skateboarding and surfing are clearly two different sports. But besides their histories, the most important thing they have in common is that they can both be fun and exciting, and it's likely that both will remain popular in the years to come.
