Q. Dear Gear Guy. I love skateboarding but every winter it’s snowy and cold and icy where I live so skating outdoors isn’t an option. How do I make sure that I don’t lose all my skillz?
—Frozen Freddy, Madison, Wis.
A. Not to worry; there are some things you can still do to keep your skating skills up. First off, if there’s an indoor skatepark where you live, go! If you have a garage, get your mom or dad to pull the cars out and set up a mini-skatepark inside. You can also always practice your ollies, kickflips and such in your living room, even on the carpet. Balance boards, like the Goof Board ($139; http://www.goofboard.com) help simulate boardsports and are a fun way to improve your balance. Finally, if Old Man Winter gives you snow, go snowboarding! Don’t have a snowboard or mountains? Get an old skateboard deck (minus the trucks and wheels) and just slide around.
