Skatepark terms explained

Skateparks can be packed with features

Skateparks are purpose-built recreational spaces that help revitalise parks and urban areas. They provide an attractive open-air sport for young and old.

Skateparks can vary in size and structure. Some are constructed cheaply from prefabricated plywood, while skilled skateboarders prefer concrete plazas built to last.

Innovative ideas in skatepark design and construction continue to evolve, shaped by shifting trends, novel construction methods and materials, and environmental constraints.

Skateboarding requires physical fitness, agility, balance, and self-confidence. As its popularity spreads, the sport has spawned dedicated clubs, websites, magazines, and fashion trends.

Performing skateboard tricks requires balance, skill, and innovative thinking. Helmets and pads help offset potential injury, but thrills and spills are at the heart of the sport.

In skatepark design, jumps and berms are arranged in various configurations to reflect the sport's 'street' origins. Modern skatepark layouts incorporate more 'transitional' free-flowing curves and bowls to expand the more traditional box-shaped street forms.

Many prefabricated wood-and-plastic layouts proved unpopular with skateboarders. Although inexpensive to install, they soon sustained damage, leading to high maintenance costs and safety concerns.

Most skateboarders favour custom-built concrete surfaces that offer design flexibility and low maintenance. They demand specialist construction skills such as those provided by Clark & Kent Contractors, which may be more expensive initially but save money in the long term.

Skateparks have their own terminology, and newcomers can find the terms confusing and even incomprehensible. Standard features have developed their lexicon.

While terms like half-pipe may be easy to understand, others like 'hubba', 'vert', and 'pole-jam' may need a little explanation. Here, we cover the terms you are most likely to come across.

Skatepark ramp basics

Skate parks feature ramps of various types, shapes, sizes, and layouts. Regardless of the ramp type, it has four essential parts. These are:

 Deck: The flat surface at the top of a ramp or bowl, where skaters stand while waiting their turn or 'dropping in.'

 Transition: A transition is the curved surface of a skateboard ramp or bowl where the skater moves from flat to vertical or vice versa. Skaters sometimes refer to 'transition skating' on curved surfaces, such as pipes and bowls, in contrast to 'street skating' on flat features, such as steps, ledges, and rails.

 Coping: The coping is the top of the ramp where the transition meets the deck. It can be a rail, a bar, or an angled metal strip. The coping lets the skateboard 'hang up' so the skater can perform grinds, stalls and other tricks.

 Vert: When the ramp curves enough to be perpendicular to the ground, it's called a 'vert'. Verts let riders throw themselves up and round to transition back to the flat. 'Vert' skateboarding has become very popular with experienced skateboarders.

Those are the main parts of most ramps, but many different kinds can be found in a skateboard park. Here are some you are most likely to encounter.

 Bank: A bank is a simple inclined slope and a common feature of skateparks. Skaters use the flat slope to build speed and the platforms for various tricks. Banks are often paired with other features to form more challenging shapes, such as pyramids. They usually have ledges and curbs at the top or hips when connected. Banks can combine to create more complex shapes, such as a 'bump,' a cone with a flat top, or a 'pyramid,' again with a flattened top.

 Bowl: A bowl is a feature of more advanced skateparks. It often resembles an empty oval or a swimming pool. Depths can vary, but most will have a coping around the edge to allow skaters to drop in and carve like surfing a wave. Bowls can be open or enclosed and come in many shapes, such as egg, kidney, or peanut. Cut a sphere in half, turn it on its side, and get a cradle. Cradles are often part of a bowl structure and allow skaters to 'over vert'.

 Pipe Pipe shapes are self-explanatory but come in various flavours.

Quarter-pipe: The quarter-pipe is arguably the most important single feature in any skatepark. It is a convex curved ramp with coping and a deck at the top, and it plays a central role in the park's overall flow. Quarter pipes are where most riders learn and develop their transition skills. They range from small, gentle mini-ramps to steep vert ramps, and in custom-built concrete skateparks, they often run the full length of the perimeter.

Half-Pipe: A half-pipe is formed when two quarter-pipes face each other, usually with a flat section between them. It is the ideal environment for quarter-pipe and half-pipe skateboarding, giving riders room to build speed and practice tricks from both directions. Half-pipes tall enough to go vertical (typically six to twelve feet) are known as vert ramps. Smaller versions between four and six feet are called mini-ramps.

Full-Pipe: A complete 360-degree tube with open ends. The ultimate full-pipe challenge is an unbroken loop, achieved by only the most committed and experienced riders. Full pipes are rare due to the significant skill required and the safety considerations involved. They are typically found only at major national or international-standard facilities.

 Spine: When two quarter-pipes or half-pipes are placed back to back, they create a spine. There is no deck, and both sides feature concave curves. Riders can transition from one side to the other in the air, reaching high speeds and performing some of the most demanding tricks in the sport. Spines are a staple of more ambitious concrete skatepark design and construction.

 Hip: Two quarter-pipes positioned at an angle to each other form a hip. The transitions curve away from one another with a raised central ridge that riders can air or grind over. Hips add variety to a park's layout and encourage creative riding lines.

 Stair: Stairs are what they sound like. Skaters 'ollie' the steps or ride the handrails or the 'hubbas', which are the raised box-shaped ledges that run down the side of the steps. Stairs sometimes have a handrail alongside the steps, and there is often a flat ramp nearby, so skaters have an alternative route.

 Rails: The stair handrail is not the only rail found on a skatepark. Rails can be found in many places and come in several types. Flat rails are horizontal metal bars raised off the ground and may be round or square. Rail skaters use them for grinds and slides. A 'rainbow rail' is curved to the shape of a rainbow, while a 'pole jam' is a short pole buried at an angle for skaters to grind it and jump off.

 Jump box: The jump box is a raised platform with a curved ramp on each side. Riders pump up one face, cross the flat top, and land on the other side. It is a brilliant training feature for skatepark ramps, helping beginners work on their transition technique. The fun box is a more elaborate version, incorporating a flat tabletop alongside rails, hubbas, ledges, banks, and coping, making it one of the most versatile and popular obstacles in any park.

Choosing the right skatepark features

Skatepark layouts can be complex, and the right combination of features depends on the riders who will use the space, the available budget, and the site's physical constraints. A park designed primarily for beginners will look very different from one intended for experienced riders pushing the limits of vert and transition skating.

Communities considering a new build should seek guidance from specialist skatepark construction firms with a proven track record. Clark & Kent brings together design expertise, concrete construction skills, and genuine engagement with local skateboarders to deliver parks that communities are proud of. From the initial brief through to the finished surface, every project benefits from professional advice, careful planning, and a commitment to quality that prefabricated installations simply cannot match.

Understanding the terminology is the first step. Building a skatepark that truly works for your community is the next one. Clark & Kent excels at engaging with local residents to ensure the skateboarding park is right for them. An experienced, professional designer will be comfortable discussing skatepark size, position and facilities to get the best designs within the available budget.

More on skateparks

 Skatepark benefits
 Skatepark building
 Skatepark design