The Skatepark Etiquette Guide: 12 Essential Tips for a Smooth Skatepark Experience

Created by an award-winning skatepark designer, The Skatepark Etiquette Guide is an informational handbook for beginner skateboarders and the parents of beginner skateboarders, ready to embark on their first trip to the skatepark, but unclear about the typical etiquette that will ensure a safe and fun experience.

Skateparks are magical landscapes with limitless possibilities.

They are unique spaces where you can progress your skills, conquer your fears and most importantly, feel a sense of community and belonging.

To a beginner making their first trip to the skatepark though, the environment can feel chaotic and intimidating. And for more advanced riders, sharing space with someone who doesn't understand the unwritten rules of the skatepark can negatively impact safety and functionality.

That's the motivation behind The Skatepark Etiquette Guide.

Informed beginners create a more enjoyable experience for all.

While The Skatepark Etiquette Guide won't prevent 100% of conflicts and uncomfortable situations, it will give you the confidence and baseline understanding of skatepark mechanics to spend more time enjoying yourself and less time feeling unsure.

Skateparks are certainly chaotic, but there is an order and organization to the chaos. And in the heart of that chaos awaits a whole lot of fun!

Vince is a husband, father of two young boys and avid skateboarder of 25+ years. In his professional life, he is Co-Owner and Design Director at Spohn Ranch - the Los Angeles based skatepark design-build firm responsible for hundreds of critically-acclaimed municipal skateparks across the country. Over the course of three decades, Vince has ridden thousands of skateparks and personally designed hundreds of them. Countless hours spent analyzing skateboard flow patterns and riding concrete of all shapes and sizes has given Vince a uniquely intimate understanding of skatepark mechanics. That in-depth knowledge and a passion for educating youth skateboarders inspired The Skatepark Etiquette Guide.

Todd Bratrud is one of the skateboarding world's most prolific and iconic artists. His skateboarding roots in the small town of Crookston, Minnesota influenced a signature drawing style sought out by many of the industry's premiere brands including Nike, Thrasher Magazine and Birdhouse Skateboards. Vince and Todd first connected in 2011 when Vince's firm, Spohn Ranch, was hired to design a municipal skatepark in Grand Forks, North Dakota, where Todd was spearheading a grassroots advocacy and fundraising campaign. Their close collaboration that led to Grand Forks' renowned Rydell Skatepark and a shared reverence for skateboarding made Todd the perfect fit to illustrate The Skatepark Etiquette Guide.