There are a ton of longboard accessories out there, but I’ve only found a few useful.
Here’s a list of the ones I always carry.
1. Skate Tool
Included as the first thing on this list because if any of your hardware loosens, you’ll want a skate tool handy. Sure, you could carry a few wrenches and a screwdriver, but why not have everything in one?
I’ve tested a lot of skate tools; below is my favorite. The reason is that it’s compact and all metal. The biggest issue I had with others was it was too bulky and hard to get the baseplate nuts. This one is slim enough to get most baseplates without rubbing against your truck hangar.
2. Grip Tape Cleaner
You’ll inevitably get dirt on your grip tape. You can use this sanding belt cleaner from Amazon or your local hardware store. There are also skate companies that sell them, but they’ll be a little more expensive.
Below is the exact one I use.
3. Bushings
Carrying some extra bushings in different durometers is always a good idea. You can swap them out if you want to tweak your riding experience. Not a necessity, but I always like to carry them with me.
I buy my bushings from either Orangatang or RipTide.
4. Angled Risers
I will keep preaching about how great angled risers are; I don’t care how annoying it gets. I feel like I meet someone every week that finds out about them and has their mind blown. Like bushings, they’re great to have with you if you want to tweak your setup’s riding feel.
You can wedge or dewedge your setup, depending on if you want to add turn/lean. If you’re unsure what that even means, check out this article where I share my experience with angled riser pads.
You can make your own angled risers or buy them. Below are the ones I use from Paris.
5. Extra Hardware
If I lose a nut or something breaks, I always have extra hardware with me. You can get skate hardware anywhere, but I usually get mine from Bolt Depot. Below are links to the standardized hardware sizes. Learn more about skate hardware here if you want to dig deeper.
