Traveling with a skateboard is of course FUN, but also challenging. Especially when you are in to travelling. To ensure a smooth journey, packing light is the way to go - simply carry everything with you. Make sure your skateboard bag fits into the overhead bin so you’ll lose nothing. If you're traveling with a skateboard, it's highly recommended to bring a skateboard bag to protect your board, remove the trucks and put it inside your carry-on luggage/bag. Disassembling your board can provide more room of course, but it can be a little bit of an inconvenience when putting your board back together. The best thing is to keep everything in one place and pack smart.
If you have a lot of stuff to bring and really in need to check in your bag. To avoid losing or damaging it, be at the airport two to three hours before your flight leaves. Once you check in your bag, it will likely navigate through chutes and conveyor belts. Hoping the guys handling your bag are gentle when loading it is slim.
Here are some tips for traveling with a skateboard
Plan ahead
Research local skate spots and skateparks, best/cheapest transportation options, as well as any rules or regulations regarding skating in the area. Be sure to check for dining options and have FUN too! Try to get around the city and visit tourist spots too!
Pack Right
To save you all the time and hassles, it’s best that you pack your stuff right whether you’re just going to have 1 carry-on bag, or with a check-in baggage.
First thing you got to do, is check the airline policies before booking your ticket to know if you can bring your skateboard as a carry-on item or if it needs to be checked as baggage. Each airline has its own rules and restrictions.
I highly suggest to disassemble your board, remove the trucks. And wheels, and pack them separately to protect them from damage, whether you plan to check it in as baggage or have it as a carry-on. It’s essential too, that you bring a skateboard tool for any adjustments or repairs on the go. If you can squeeze in some protective gear the better and some first aid kit. You can always buy spare parts from a skate shop so no need to bring extra deck, wheels or trucks. And last but not the least, wear your favorite, skate shoes!
Get a Travel Insurance
There’s really nothing better than traveling whilst taking an adventure with your skateboard! Seeing a beautiful country and getting that adrenaline rush while cruising on your skateboard at the same time is just the best!
But with activities such as skateboarding, there come risks. Which means this type of adventure is one you need to be prepared for. So, a reliable and international travel insurance that covers adventure is a must!
FYI, getting a travel insurance is important for normal trips as well. Meaning, it’s obligatory on a trip where you’ll do adventurous stuff since they only make it riskier. So, getting travel insurance is really important.
If you are just looking for an international travel insurance that covers sports or activities, as long as it’s not organized sports activities or professional sports, I recommend, Safety Wing’s Nomad Insurance.
What is SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance
SafetyWing is an upstart international travel insurance company that focuses on covering digital nomads and travelers who practice different kinds of sports, including skateboarding.
It is a trustworthy company and their insurance offering covers people from all over the world!
They have a huge list of all the sports and extreme activities they cover on their website, but will list some of them here in this post along with the sport activities that they DON’T cover. Please bear in mind that these sports activities are only covered if they are practiced recreationally, again: it’s not organized athletics or professional sports.
Sports that are not covered by SafetyWing travel insurance
- All-Terrain Vehicles
- Base Jumping
- Cave Diving
- Ice Hockey
- Motorized Dirt Bikes
- Parasailing
- Rugby
- Snowboarding off piste (outside prepared and marked in-bound territories)and/or against or against the advice of the local ski school or local authoritative body
- Spelunking
- American Football
- Big Game Hunting
- Football (Soccer)
- Kite-Surfing
- Mountaineering at elevations of 4,500 meters or higher
- Powerlifting (lifting at max weight with the intention of attending a competition)
- Running with the Bulls
- Sky Surfing
- Sub Aqua Pursuits involving underwater breathing apparatus (unless accompanied by a certified instructor at depths less than 10m, or PADI/NAUI certified)
- Aussie Rules Football
- Bobsleigh
- Heli-gliding
- Martial Arts
- Outdoor Endurance Events
- Quad Biking
- Skiing off piste (outside prepared and marked in-bound territories) and/or against or against the advice of the local ski school or local authoritative body
- Snowmobile (moto de neve)
- Tractors
- Aviation (except when traveling solely as a passenger in a commercial aircraft)
- Boxing
- Hot Air Ballooning as a Pilot
- Luge
- Parachuting
- Racing by any Animal, Motorized Vehicle, or BMX, and Speed Trials and Speedway
- Skeleton
- Soccer (Football)
- Whitewater Rafting
List of Included sports covered by SafetyWing Nomad Insurance
- Angling
- Baseball
- Bushwalking up to 4,500 meters
- Capoeira dancing
- Cycling under 4,500 meters
- Elephant riding / trekking
- Flying as a passenger
- Hiking up to 4,500 meters
- Ice skating (indoor or outdoor)
- Kayaking
- Mountain biking up to 4,500 meters
- Paintballing
- Rollerblading
- Sailing
- Sea canoeing
- Sleigh rides
- Snowboarding (only covered for recreational snowboarding skiing. No cover provided while skiing away from prepared and marked in-bound territories (off piste) and/or against the advice of the local ski school or local authoritative body)
- Stilt walking
- Ten pin bowling
- Ultimate frisbee
- Wakeskating
- Walking
- Windsurfing
- Archery
- Biking – includes touring and organised tours
- Camel riding / trekking
- Canyoning
- Deep sea fishing
- Fell running / walking (kind of trail running)
- Glacier walking up to 4,500 meters
- Horse riding
- Ice climbing up to 4,500 meters
- Land surfing (kind of skating with a long skate)
- Netball
- Rambling (kind of a light hiking)
- Roller skating
- Sand Boarding
- Sea kayaking
- Sledding
- Speed boating
- Surfing except as excluded below
- Tennis
- Trekking up to 4,500 meters
- Wakeboarding
- Weightlifting, cardio and classes at the gym (note that training for or attending a powerlifting competition is excluded.)
- Volleyball
- Badminton
- Bowling
- Camping under 4,500 meters
- Clay pigeon shooting
- Dirt boarding
- Fencing
- Golf
- Hot air ballooning as a passenger
- Jet boating
- Moped biking except as excluded below
- Orienteering
- Rap jumping
- Rowing / sculling
- Sand Skiing
- Skateboarding
- Snorkelling except as excluded below
- Squash
- Swimming
- Trail bike riding
- Tubing
- Water skiing
- Yachting (coastal waters only)
- Zip line
- Ballooning
- Bungee jumping
- Canoeing
- Cricket
- Dog sledding (not racing or competing)
- Fishing
- Gymnastics (only as exercise or for fun; not competitive or organized)
- Hunting (excluding big game)
- Jet skiing
- Motor biking except as excluded below
- Outdoor endurance except as excluded below
- Rifle range shooting
- Safari tours
- Scuba diving (sub Aqua Pursuits involving underwater breathing apparatus) as long as you are PADI/NAUI certified, or if you are not certified you are covered for up to 10 meters when accompanied by a certified instructor.
- Skiing (only covered for recreational skiing. No cover provided while skiing away from prepared and marked in-bound territories (off piste) and/or against the advice of the local ski school or local authoritative body)
- Snow rafting
- Stand up paddle surfing
- Table tennis
- Tubing on snow
- Via ferrata up to 4,500 meters
- Yoga (in class or alone)
- Yachting (outside coastal waters)
- Zorbing
How Much Does Nomad Insurance Cost?
For a member aged 10-39 years, it costs around $45 for any coverage period up to 4 weeks. Premiums increase with age. To compute for your specific needs using our price calculator.
Where Can I Go With Nomad Insurance?
You can go anywhere in the world outside of your home country, with the exception of any country or area that is sanctioned. SafetyWing complies with US, UK, EU and UN sanctions.
Who Can Buy Nomad Insurance?
- Most people, from around the globe, can buy this insurance. The exceptions are:
- If you're born less than 14 days ago.
- Age is 70 or older.
- If your home country is sanctioned (North Korea, Syria, Cuba and Iran).
- If you, as an individual, are sanctioned under any of the sanctioned regimes.
Are you ready to plan your next skateboarding x traveling adventure?
Try to avoid the stress by ensuring you're secured whereve you go — travel with Nomad Insurance is a must.
I know it's mandatory and easy to forget, but with trusworthy companies like SafetyWing that are subscription based, you won't even have to think about it.
For just $40 / 4 weeks, you can travel around the world, without worrying about things that could go wrong.
You'll know that you're covered, even if my flight gets delayed or my baggage gets lost