We’re not too far from the end of winter but the weather is far from warm so you need to be prepared if you wanna take your skateboard outdoors. Jenkem spoke to Aaron Herrington, Brian Anderson, and Gosha Konyshev to get some ideas on how to brave the elements:
Layering is the most important. Start small and build up.
Aaron Herrington: As far as my tricks of the winter trade go, I always have long johns or thermals. Of course, gloves are a must. Not the typical cotton or wool gloves, but something a little more utilitarian. You can buy these black gloves at Home Depot for $4.99. They have a rubbery material on the palms and fingers, and they’re windproof so if you fall you don’t hurt your hands as badly in the cold.
My feet sweat a lot too, so when I skate in the winter I bring multiple pairs of socks. Mid-session I’ll change my socks and I’ll feel my feet instantly warm up. If I’m gonna go to a spot for the day I’ll bring two to three pairs of socks. When I get there I put on a clean pair of socks before I skate, just because any moisture from the last hour or two could affect how my feet feel.
Brian Anderson: I’m always an advocate of a zip hoodie. I lived in San Francisco for 12 years, and speaking of weather, around 4 pm that wind comes from Twin Peaks down into the Mission and you need that zip hoodie. I like flannels that have an insulated lining in the sleeves. That’s pretty important because if you wear a long sleeve and then a long sleeve flannel with lined sleeves, it’s less clammy. I’m a big fan of this layering too: zip hoodie and then a wool jacket. If it’s snowing, think about the Pacific Northwest, that’s why people wear wool. It’s forgiving in moisture.