At Discount Ramps, we believe ramps should be as fun as they are functional, which is why we’re delighted to offer skateboard ramps in a variety of shapes, styles and sizes. Not sure what type of ramp will suit you best? Need a little help discerning the differences between two or three types of ramps? Not to worry! Take a quick look at the following list of common skateboard ramps, their purpose and what makes them unique:
Launch Ramps (kickers)
Designed to give you a little bit of air outside of a generic inclined plane, launch ramps are perhaps the most basic types of skateboard ramps out there. Called “kickers,” because they usually have a gradual slope to them, these ramps allow you to get enough lift for moderate flip tricks. These ramps are also great for gap setups, allowing you to trick between two kickers over a gap.
Box jumps
Box jumps encompass a kicker on two opposite sides, with a flat plane or surface in the middle that connects them. Many flatland skaters prefer box jumps to other types of ramps because they allow for an easy transition between flip tricks and manuals on the same ramp, giving you the ability to chain together different trick combos in your run.
Wave ramps
Wave ramps are aptly named because of their constant rising and falling shape. The peaks and valleys of a wave ramp help a skater to control their speed while chaining together tricks and can also be used to combo tricks that require rotations more easily.
Quarter pipes
Quarter pipes are essentially curved ramps that represent 1/4 of a circle, allowing a skater to ride into them and grab some air when they’re launched upwards at the peak. Quarter pipes can create a controlled area for grabbing some air (see vert ramps) or can present a nice ramp for a transition grind making this the perfect ramp for quick grabs and other air tricks that require concentration and control, as well as quick grinds in the middle of a run.
Spines
Spines are designed as two quarter pipes placed back to back. The slopes on both sides of a spine allows a skater to transition from one side to the other in midair or mid-trick without losing momentum, which is crucial in the middle of a run or when mastering a quick grab.
Half pipes
What do you get when you put two quarter pipes together? A half pipe! Half pipes present a controlled area where a skater is constantly moving back and forth between the two quarter pipes, allowing them to build up speed, catch some air and pull tricks each time they fly up a side of the ramp.
Vert ramps
Vert ramps look similar to quarter pipes, but they have an extra addition built into the top of them that extends vertically. This extra strip of ramp ensures that a skater doesn’t cross over the threshold of the ramp so they can land safely on the original angle that they launched from.
Bowls
Shaped in the same way that they’re named, bowls generally look like in-ground swimming pools. Skaters drop into bowls to quickly build up speed and catch air, without having to worry about coming down on flat ground or in an area without a quarter pipe.
Pyramids
Pyramid ramps essentially look like traditional pyramids with the tops chopped off. Sometimes called double box jumps, pyramids allow a skater to approach from any side and effectively land on any other, making it a great ramp for both flatland and flip tricks or a combination of the two.
Rails
Technically not a ramp, but essential for any skater nonetheless! Rails can be positioned to connect all types of ramps so that grinds can be achieved between flatland tricks and ramps. A common example of a basic rail setup would be a flat rail that connects two kickers.
Note: Kingmin (www.kingmin.com.cn) is the supplier and solution provider for Sports & Fitness products including team sports, golf, leisure sports, Skateboards & Scooters
