Top 10 Skateboarder Gifts Ideas

The perfect gift for any skater - A Professional Grade skateboard can run up to $120 or more for a complete skateboard, but you can find cheaper ones out there. But, be careful - if you go TOO cheap, then there's a great chance that you're buying a poor quality skateboard. And with skateboards, poor quality can mean injuries, if not just less fun! Check out the Skateboard Buying Guide for some help in picking out the right skateboard!

Skateboarding Explained is a walkthrough DVD for beginner or intermediate skateboarders to learn the basics of skating, and all the tricks you need to know to be a truly intermediate, competant skater. There are several how-to-skateboard DVDs out there, but Skateboarding Explained is honestly the best one I've seen. This video takes the time to really teach the basics of skating (basics that anyone of any level could really use), and the style is such that any skater of any age (even adults!) should feel comfortable with it.

This year there are TWO great skateboarding video games to choose from for the Xbox 360 or Playstation 3. Tony Hawk's Proving Ground features tried-and-true controls, the top names in the skateboarding business, and an army of loyal fans. Get Tony Hawk's Proving Ground if you have no complaints about the last few Tony Hawk games. If you've liked the controls, and just want a little more, then you will be very happy with the additions to Proving Ground. If the idea of pressing a button to ollie, or pressing a button to grind (instead of trying to master subtle controls) sounds good, then Tony Hawk is a good idea. And finally, if you want to set up your own skate park, then Tony Hawk is perfect. It also has versions for the Wii and DS.

EA Skate is a new skateboarding video game for Xbox 360 or Playstation 3. EA Skate features a new style of controls that brings you closer to the feel of skateboarding, a pile of famous skaters with lots of character, and EA's reputation with making great sports games. If you are looking for a fresh, new and different skateboarding game experience, then I would suggest EA Skate. If pressing a single button to do something sounds lame to you, then EA Skate is your game. If you want to play with friends in your home, all on one TV, then EA Skate is the right game to pick. If you want the closest feeling to actually simulated skateboarding in a video game, EA Skate is it.

Skaters have their own style, and most skaters would love to get a new shirt, hoodie, jeans or wristbands. The trick is making sure you buy the right skateboarding clothes, especially if the skater you are shopping for is a teenager! Take a look at the brands they like wearing, or just ask what brands are cool right now. If you want to surprise them, take a look at some of our reviews of skate clothing to get some good ideas. Also, see this list of skateboarding brands for more ideas.

For most skaters, skate videos are always a great idea. Check out this list of the top 10 skate videos available for some ideas or browse the Pricegrabber list for some great deals on skate videos. Another approach would be to talk to the person you are buying the video for and find out who their favorite skaters are, and go for videos featuring them! Not sure what teams they ride for? Send me an e-mail and ask, and I'm sure I can help!

A serious skateboarder needs serious skate shoes! Take a look at the top 10 skateboarding shoes on the market, and get some ideas. Or, ask the skater you are shopping for what brands they like, and go from there! Skate shoes can end up costing quite a bit, but they are worth it. Skateboarding in inappropriate shoes will not only lower your ability, sometimes it can be flat out dangerous. So if you know a skater who's using tennis shoes, skate shoes could be a perfect gift!

Skateboarding camps are a great way to learn new skills, make friends, and to be exposed to a larger skateboarding world. For a gift, giving your skater a stay at a skateboarding camp would be incredible, and they're all over the place! Take a look at this list of skateboarding camps, and find one near you. This list is by no means exhaustive - ask at your local skateboarding shop to see if there are any other camps or clinics near you.

Everyone learns skateboarding at their own pace, and there are several cool products out there to help skaters learn the skills of skating. Here are a couple of great ideas:

• Indo Boards - The original Indo Board is the perfect all around balance trainer for any sport where balance would be key. The Indoboard can be used by beginners to pros - there's always room to improve. I can't really recommend the Indo Board enough.
• Practice Trucks - These are a great way to learn technical tricks like the Ollie or Kickflip without having to worry about rolling, and also great for experienced skaters to get year-round practice and build muscle memory. There are two main brands of these, Softrucks and Ollieblocks (Compare the Two)

Gift Certificates are a great idea for the picky skateboarder, or if you want to make sure you don't buy the wrong thing. The best place to get a gift certificate is at your local skateboarding shop. Or, if the gift certificate is for someone far away, many online skateboarding stores offer gift certificates - try CCS, or Skateboard.com.