Surfskate: ride the wave on dry land
The surfskate is the urban version of surfing: a board that lets you train movements, balance, and style even when you’re far from the ocean.
It’s like surfing a wave, but on asphalt.
Close your eyes and imagine the flow of the ocean under the wheels of your surfskate.
Every turn is a wave to ride, every pump a way to generate speed and rhythm.
It’s real training for surfers, but also a way to live the freedom of surfing every day, on dry land and far from the sea.
Perfect if you want to improve your surfing – or simply feel what it’s like to ride the wave in the city.
💡 Want to train with a handcrafted Italian board?
Discover the Balance Board Pro surfskates, handmade in Italy and tested by riders like Matilde Quattrini, Italian surfskate champion.
Table of contents
- You can train surf on land
- History of surfskate
- Surfskate in Italy: communities and schools
- FISR and the Italian Skateboard Commission
- Differences between surfskate and skateboard
- Benefits of surfskate for body and mind
- How to choose the right surfskate
- Trucks – the heart of the surfskate
- 📏 1. Choose board length based on height
- Choose trucks and wheelbase based on weight
- Wheelbase: the most important parameter for feeling
- Which Carver truck to choose: C7 or CX?
- Carver C7 vs Carver CX: key points
- 🛹 Carver C7 (original pivot truck)
- 🛹 Carver CX (modern truck)
- ✅ Why the C7 is better for light kids 👶
- How to choose the wheels
- Basic techniques to start surfskating
- Surfskate spots in Italy
- Accessories and equipment
- Conclusion – the future of surfskate
You can train surf on land
Surfskate and balance board prepare you for the waves with
specific exercises and functional movements.
Training on unstable surfaces builds the muscle memory of key actions like bottom turn and rail-to-rail, and develops stability, balance, and control even when you’re away from the water.
Image above: Mattia Bucci carving on a Balance Board Pro surfskate during a training session.
History of surfskate
In the 1960s, Californian surfers started modifying skateboards to recreate ocean sensations on land.
From those early handmade boards, the scene evolved into the truck revolution of the ’90s with pioneering brands like Carver.
Today, surfskate is a global movement where technology, community, and passion blend into a culture of balance and freedom.
Surfskate in Italy: communities and schools
Italy is living a real surfskate revolution.
In the last few years, the movement has grown fast thanks to schools, coaches, and communities that brought surf culture onto the streets from north to south.
From the coastline to the cities, more and more riders use surfskate as a technical training tool and as a daily lifestyle.
It’s no longer just a way to stay fit between one surf session and the next – it’s a full body language that connects surfers, skaters, and flow lovers.
Here are some of the crews and schools that are building the Italian scene with passion, skills, and a strong spirit of sharing:
- Surfskate Italy
- SurfWeek
- Wiji.Surf Milano
- Snowave / Surfskate Academy Milano
- Wave Skatepark – Palazzolo sull'Oglio
- Surfskate School Cesena
- Pakino Grandi – CONI coach
- Blackwave – Surf School Recco
- Scuola di Longboard – Surf School Andora (SV)
- SeaLover Surf School Ostia
- Surf In Town
- Ikemana ASD Puglia
- Surf Your City A.S.D. – Napoli
- Critical Slide Sardinia
- Surfskate Community Italia – Facebook Group
- Heavenboards Surfskate School – Liguria
- SurfSkate Roma Crew
- Flow Surfskate Academy – Firenze
- Coast 2 Coast Surfskate – Emilia Romagna
- Surftribe Skate & Surf Training – Torino
- Surfskate Bari Crew
- Surfskate Triveneto
FISR and the Italian Skateboard Commission
The Italian Skateboard Commission – FISR promotes courses, certifications, and programs that spread culture, safety, and rules in skate and surfskate.
Since 2010 it has been operating within the Federazione Italiana Sport Rotellistici (Italian Roller Sports Federation) with a “bottom-up” approach, involving skaters and associations.
It’s a key step to give sports recognition to those who live the board as a lifestyle.
More info: italianskateboarding.org
Differences between surfskate and skateboard
On a traditional skateboard, trucks are stiffer and designed for tricks and park riding; on a surfskate, the front truck has a wide range of motion that creates smooth turns and continuous lines, similar to surfing.
Your body movement replaces pushing with your foot: constant pumping, dynamic balance, and strong core engagement.
Decks are usually longer and wider, offering more comfort and a smoother ride for carving and cruising.
In short: Skateboard = street and tricks. Surfskate = flow and surf-feeling.
From a social point of view, skaters and surfskaters belong to two different worlds.
The skater is rooted in street culture: urban, rebellious, technical.
They move in crews, claim city spots, live a DIY mindset and a more competitive attitude.
Skateboarding is performance, conquering urban space, and pushing the limit.
The surfskater, instead, comes from the world of surf and natural movement.
They’re more focused on flow, wellbeing, and the quality of the gesture.
The community is inclusive, less hierarchical, and more connected to the outdoor lifestyle.
In short:
- Skater = street, tricks, adrenaline, crew.
- Surfskater = flow, balance, outdoor, surf lifestyle.
Two different identities, united by the same thing: the freedom to ride on a board.
Benefits of surfskate for body and mind
💪 Physical benefits
Surfskate improves balance, coordination, and functional strength.
Every turn activates core, legs, and arms, and also gives you a solid cardio workout.
🧘♂️ Mental benefits
It clears your head, reduces stress and anxiety, and sharpens focus.
🤙 Community and connection
It builds real connections and shared sessions: training together is a big part of the fun.
Surfskate is a way to feel good – inside and out. 🌊🛹
How to choose the right surfskate
Everything matters: deck length, trucks, and wheels.
Longer decks offer stability and a longboard-style feeling; shorter ones are more agile and reactive.
Trucks – the heart of the surfskate
- Carver → smooth and progressive, a pioneer of modern surfskate.
- YOW → deep and radical turn, ideal for aggressive maneuvers.
- SmoothStar → patented Thruster: very critical but fluid turns; slightly heavier for tricks or airs.
💡 Balance Board Pro handcrafted shapes
Handmade decks with optimized stance and controlled flex, tested by professional riders.
👉 See the collection
📏Choose board length based on height
Simple rule: the taller you are, the longer the deck should be, so you get stability and a correct stance.
Quick chart (height → surfskate length)
- < 155 cm → 27" – 29"
- 155–170 cm → 30" – 32"
- 170–180 cm → 32" – 34"
- 180–190 cm → 34" – 36"
-
190 cm → 36" – 38"
Why?
A deck that’s too short closes your stance and forces you to ride “compressed”; a deck that’s too long kills reactivity.
Choose trucks and wheelbase based on weight
Your weight affects how the trucks behave – not the deck itself.
Realistic guidelines:
< 60 kg
- Softer trucks (light spring or soft bushings)
- Short wheelbase → more pump and tighter turns
60–80 kg
- Standard setup
- Medium wheelbase → balance between turn and carve
> 80 kg
- Stiffer trucks (hard spring or hard bushings)
- Longer wheelbase → more stability
- Deck at least 33"–36"
Note: if you’re heavy and choose a truck that’s too soft, the board “dives” in the turn and loses drive.
Wheelbase: the most important parameter for feeling
Wheelbase is the distance between the inner wheels of the surfskate (so between truck mounting holes, not the tips of the deck).
That distance defines reactivity:
Short WB (15"–16") → super surf-style
- Tight turns
- Instant pump
- Ideal for lighter riders or shorter heights
Medium WB (16.5"–17.5") → perfect balance
- Surf + carving
- Ideal for 170–185 cm
Long WB (18"+) → stability and real surf stance
- Feeling similar to your stance on a surfboard
- Perfect for >180 cm and/or >80 kg
- Great for technique: bottom turn, roundhouse, top turn
If you’re tall → longer deck
If you’re heavy → stiffer trucks + longer wheelbase
If you want loose surf feeling → short wheelbase
If you want advanced surf maneuvers → medium–long wheelbase
Which Carver truck to choose: C7 or CX?
When you talk about Carver, you’re talking about history.
It’s the brand that brought surf to asphalt, and its trucks are still a reference if you’re chasing a true surf-feeling.
But between C7 and CX, which one should you choose?
Carver C7 – smooth, classic surf-style
The C7 is Carver’s original system, the one that feels closest to real surfing in the water.
It has a dual-axis structure with an adjustable spring that allows deep, progressive oscillation.
Every turn becomes smooth and natural, the pump is continuous and regular, and the board glides like a long clean wave.
It’s perfect if you come from surfing and want to train on land, working on balance, style, and muscle memory.
It needs a bit more maintenance and is slightly heavier, but it gives a unique flow.
Ideal on longer decks and for anyone who loves wide lines and clean carving.
Carver CX – light and reactive for urban riding
Image above: Balance Board Pro surfskate with the 2024 Carver CX trucks.
The CX is the modern, sportier version of Carver’s truck.
It’s a single-axis reverse kingpin, lighter, more direct, and stable at higher speeds.
It offers instant response, tighter turns, and a stronger pump, making it perfect for agile, dynamic, and versatile riding.
Great if you use your surfskate in the city, on pump tracks, or in bowls.
It needs little maintenance and works well on shorter decks or whenever you want a setup that feels easy, reactive, and always ready to change direction.
🔧 Comparison table: Carver C7 vs Carver CX
| Feature | Carver C7 | Carver CX |
|---|---|---|
| Truck type | Dual-axis with adjustable spring | Single-axis reverse kingpin |
| Riding feel | Smooth, progressive, pure surf-feeling | Reactive, fast, sporty |
| Turn radius | Wide and soft, ideal for long carving | Tight and aggressive, great for bowl/track |
| Maintenance | Higher (more moving parts) | Low (simple design) |
| Weight | Heavier and more planted | Lighter and more agile |
| Stability | Excellent in wide, controlled movements | Better in tight, fast transitions |
| Best for | Surfers, technical training, long waves | Urban riders, quick lines, daily cruising |
| Riding style | Big flow, soft, classic surf | Punchy, powerful, dynamic |
| Best surfaces | Smooth asphalt, wide paths, surf training | City streets, pump tracks, bowls |
| Experience level | Intermediate → advanced | Beginner → expert |
| Overall feeling | Glides like a wave 🌊 | Cuts sharp lines on asphalt 🛹 |
Carver C7 vs Carver CX: key points
🛹 Carver C7 (original pivot truck)
- Considered more agile and soft.
- Highly recommended for training light kids (used as a prep tool for surfing).
- Requires less strength and power to perform basic surf maneuvers.
🛹 Carver CX (modern truck)
- A more stable and highly appreciated truck.
- Ideal for cruiser use (seafront rides, city cruising) or for a more modern surf style (tricks, aerial rotations).
- Lets you push harder on the board.
✅ Why the C7 is better for light kids 👶
The C7 is more sensitive and softer, so a child under 30 kg can activate it without effort.
It offers smooth turns, more control, and instant pump compared to stiffer trucks.
For light riders, it’s simply more natural, safer, and more fun.
How to choose the wheels
Bigger wheels (70 mm) roll better over rough surfaces; smaller ones (65 mm) are more reactive.
For bowls and ramps, wheels with a diameter between 60 and 65 mm are recommended, as they give more control and maneuverability.
Image above: Balance Board Pro surfskate in a bowl with rider Daniele Tassoni.
Durometer:
- 78A–82A = grip and comfort for carving.
- 84A+ = more speed and controlled slides.
For a balanced surf feeling, choose 70 mm / 78A.
You’ll find ready-to-ride setups on Balance Board Pro.
Basic techniques to start surfskating
Stance – feet over the trucks, soft knees, eyes looking ahead.
Pumping – alternate pressure between heels and toes, moving your body in a smooth, continuous rhythm.
Carving – wide turns guided by weight transfer and hip rotation.
Image above: Mattia Bucci carving on a Balance Board Pro surfskate between surf sessions.
With time, you improve speed, lines, and control: everything becomes more stylish and precise.
Mattia shows it on the harbour pier, riding barefoot and tracing clean, harmonic lines on his surfskate.
Every session is real training and, at the same time, pure freedom – even far from the water or when the sea is completely flat.
Surfskate spots in Italy
Milan and surroundings
- Ghisi Skatepark – Rho
- Wakeparadise Milano – Idroscalo
- PinBowl Indoor Skatepark
- Indoor skatepark in Pero
- Lambrate Skatepark
Rome and Lazio coast
🏄♂️ “Wood Wave” installations in Italy
Tortuga Wood Wave – Capalbio (GR)
Wooden wave: base track + 20 m PRO track.
→ Tortuga Surf School
Wood Wave Pescara – Pescara (AB)
Surfskate center, one of the first wooden waves dedicated to surfskate in Italy.
→ Surfcorner.it
WOZ Woodwave Trevignano – Trevignano Romano (RM)
12 m × 8 m wooden wave with a central vert up to 2 m, overlooking Lake Bracciano.
→ Scuola Kitesurf Roma
EurPark Surf Skate Area – Rome (Eur)
18 × 8 m wooden wave, indoor/outdoor area dedicated to surfskate.
→ EurPark
Onda di Legno Roma Nord (SurfSkate Cortina) – North Rome
Structure entirely dedicated to surfskate with a permanent wood wave.
→ Link via Facebook
Accessories and equipment
Helmet and pads
Helmet → sickboards.nl – helmet section
The helmet is the accessory that really makes a difference in every session.
It protects your head, increases confidence in your movements, and lets you push your flow without overthinking falls.
→ Check out the full selection of skateboard and surfskate helmets on Kahuna Shop
Knee and elbow pads → 187 Killer Pads Pack
→ Full selection of skateboard knee pads on Kahuna Shop
💡 Safety first
A good helmet and proper pads let you focus on the flow, not on the falls.
Shoes
Flat sole and solid grip (Vans, Etnies, etc.) for stability and control.
Maintenance
Keep your bearings clean, adjust your trucks, and experiment with different bushings.
💡 Dialed setup, real performance
Deck, wheels, protections: everything starts with the right base.
👉 Discover Balance Board Pro surfskates
Conclusion – the future of surfskate
The future of surfskate looks bright.
Cities are equipping themselves with new spots and artificial waves; trucks and decks keep evolving, making everything more realistic and accessible.
It’s not just training, it’s a lifestyle.
It trains body and mind, frees your flow, and keeps you connected to the ocean even when the sea is flat – it’s a functional way to train your surf when the waves aren’t there.
The community keeps growing, events are multiplying, and riders’ creativity continues to push the limits.
💡 Balance Board Pro handcrafted surfskates
Handmade in Italy, chosen by pro riders and coaches like Matilde Quattrini, Italian surfskate champion.
👉 Explore the full collection
Whether you’re drawing your first lines or you’re already an experienced rider, there’s always a new line waiting for you.
The future is already here — and it’s made of waves on asphalt. 🌊🛹