Protective Gear

This requirement has two parts: explain what each piece of gear does, and show how to wear it correctly. Bring your gear to the counselor meeting and demonstrate proper fitting for each piece.

Helmet

Purpose: Protects the skull and brain from direct impact. Head injuries are the most serious potential outcome of a skateboarding fall.

How to wear correctly:

• The helmet must sit level on your head — not tilted back exposing your forehead, and not pushed forward covering your eyes.
• Position it two finger-widths above your eyebrows.
• The side straps form a Y-shape that meets just below each ear.
• The chin strap is fastened and allows only two fingers to fit between strap and chin.
• The helmet should not wobble or shift when you shake your head. Adjust the fitting pads or dial system until secure.

What to look for: Look for helmets certified to CPSC (bicycling standard) or ASTM F1492 (skateboarding standard). Multi-impact certified skate helmets (like Triple Eight) handle repeated impacts better than single-impact bicycle helmets.

Knee Pads

Purpose: Protect the knee from direct impact and abrasion — crucial for falls on hard pavement or skating surfaces.

How to wear correctly:

• The hard cap must be centered directly over your kneecap.
• The straps should be snug — tight enough that the pad does not rotate when you bend your knee.
• The pad should not slide down your shin when you are in a skating stance.

Elbow Pads

Purpose: Protect the elbow joint and the bony point of the elbow (olecranon) from impact and road rash.

How to wear correctly:

• Center the cap over the point of the elbow.
• Secure both straps — the upper strap on the upper arm, the lower strap on the forearm.
• The pad should not shift when you bend your elbow.

Wrist Guards

Purpose: Prevent wrist fractures — the most common upper-body skateboarding injury. When you fall forward, the natural reflex is to catch yourself with outstretched hands. Wrist guards distribute the impact force across the forearm rather than concentrating it at the wrist joint.

How to wear correctly:

• The hard plastic splint should face the palm side of your hand.
• The guard extends from mid-palm to mid-forearm.
• All Velcro straps are fastened snugly — a loose wrist guard provides significantly less protection.
• Your fingers should have full range of motion while the guard is in place.

Official Resources