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Bamboo Skateboard: 5 Things You Need To Know

Skateboarding remains to be the sixth most popular sport in the world. Its popularity never wavered, even if playing it comes with considerable risk. The sport’s risk is one reason many are attracted to it—the exhilarating excitement and the adrenaline rush that comes with the territory ups the ante of the sport. 

In 2020, the number of active participants in skateboarding increased by two million and reached 8.87 million in the United States. Thus, it has been reported that maple tree deforestation is happening in the United States because of the rising demand for maple wood for boards.

This is the reason why bamboo skateboards became hugely popular in 2012. The makers of boards turned to an eco-friendlier solution to help with the rapid deforestation of maple trees. Many fans of the sport tried this better alternative and have come to embrace bamboo skateboards.

A bamboo skateboard has many advantages; foremost is its positive environmental impact. But aside from that, here are some things you need to know more about bamboo skateboards:

  • It Is Lighter And Stronger

Compared to maple, which is heavier in weight, bamboo is lighter but more durable and harder to break. An average skateboard with all the components attached weighs about 4.55 to 7.55 pounds, whereas a bamboo skateboard only weighs three pounds. The lighter weight makes it easier to ride and surprisingly sturdier. Bamboo skateboards last months longer than maple boards, even with the same frequency of use. This makes it an ideal material for rigorous training and practice.

  • Bamboo Skateboards Are The Strongest In The Market

Bamboo has a longer and stronger fiber, making for a very sturdy material for skateboards. It also has a higher flexural and impact strength than other wood materials. Flexural strength is the ability of the material to resist bending forces when applied to its structure, and impact strength is the threshold of energy a material can endure before it gets fractured. 

The flexural and impact strength of bamboo is 16 and 35%, respectively, compared to other wood materials like birch, maple, and yellow birch. This substantial mechanical property of bamboo gives it a higher fracture property and gives its inner structure the ability to resist cracking even under tremendous pressure. The strength test showed it didn’t break after being rolled over by a car!

  •  Bamboo Is Shock Absorbent

Because of its fibrous quality, bamboo is very shock absorbent. Its durability surpasses that of metal, and its tensile strength is higher than steel. No wonder sustainable bicycles are now being made with bamboo frames. In skateboarding, it can carry the weight of anyone participating in the sport, and you can be confident that it will not break while riding it. This also makes the bamboo last longer than other skateboard materials.

  • It Produces More Pop

You may have heard of the word ‘pop’ when skateboarding enthusiasts talk to each other. Pop can be the feeling of using a new snappy skateboard or the movement of striking the tail of the board down the ground to propel it upwards. A bamboo skateboard can make more pop before it finally gives in from wear and tear, which is longer than other skateboard materials.

  • It Is Highly Sustainable

The article already mentioned the deforestation of maple trees in North America due to the production of maple boards. Thus, bamboo replacing maple will allow the latter tree variety to grow again. Soon, the world may see an abundance of maple trees.

A maple tree takes 60 years to mature, while bamboo grows at two feet a day. As such, bamboo can fully grow in just three to four months! Today, even the construction industry sees bamboo as a viable material to substitute other types of building materials. 

Conclusion

Participating in a sport is a beautiful way to spend time. But today, every action people take is consciously measured if it’s making less or more carbon footprint that harms the environment. People are becoming more aware of their contribution to the planet’s harm, and sustainable efforts are favored over conventional means of doing things.

Every participation in any endeavor is cross-referenced to its sustainable capabilities. It’s not just enough that you’re enjoying doing something. The question is, are you aware of its impact on the planet while you’re doing it? Hence, skateboarding using sustainable materials like bamboo can help you enjoy the sport while also helping the environment.

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