Can You Skateboard in the Rain? Electric Boards 2027

Can you skateboard in the rain? Physically yes, but I'd mostly say don't. On a plain skateboard, rain cuts grip and soaks the bearings, deck and trucks. On an electric board it also reaches the battery and electronics, so the answer depends on whether your board has an IP rating and what the maker says. For a rated board, light rain and splashes are the most any maker I read allows. Heavy rain, puddles and flooded streets are a no.

If you are asking can you skateboard in rain on a board with a motor, read the electric sections first. If you are on a regular board, the next section covers what water does to one.

I haven't ridden or tested any of these boards in the wet. This guide draws on maker statements and warranty pages, skateboard care guides and Wikipedia, and says where they disagree.

This page may contain affiliate links, which means ElectricMood can earn a commission if you buy through them. See the affiliate disclosure. If you ride in all weather, see my best electric skateboards roundup.

Can you skateboard in the rain on a regular board?#

Can you skateboard in the rain without a motor? Two skateboard care guides I read, Skateboarders HQ and Swagtron, both advise against it, and they agree on most of what water does:

Grip. Skateboarders HQ says hard skateboard wheels with a small contact patch slide on wet surfaces, especially in turns, and that its author's view is that wet riding is dangerous because you have little grip on the surface. It also says soft longboard wheels handle wet better than hard skateboard wheels.
Bearings. Both say water washes away or dissolves the lubricant, so bearings slow down and can rust from the inside. Cleaning and re-lubricating is the fix.
Deck. Skateboarders HQ says water can seep between the maple plies and weaken the glue, causing delamination, warping or loss of "pop". Swagtron says wood can soften and warp and may feel less responsive even after drying.
Trucks and bolts. Both say trucks cope with occasional wetting but rust with frequent exposure.
Grip tape. The guides disagree. Skateboarders HQ says worn grip tape gets slippery when wet, while Swagtron says grip tape stays grippy when wet but repeated soaking can weaken its adhesive. I'm showing both.

Swagtron's drying routine is to separate the deck from the trucks, remove the wheels, wipe everything down, dry and lubricate the bearings, and let the parts air dry. Skateboarders HQ adds that you should not heat a deck in an oven, because that can weaken the bond.

Can you skateboard in the rain on an electric board?#

Can you skateboard in the rain when the board has a motor and battery? Only to the limit the maker states. Levy's skateboard guide says most boards are water-resistant to a degree, not waterproof, and that no board should be treated as submersible. It names IP54 as handling splashes and light rain but not submersion, and says riding through puddles or rain risks both the board's life and your safety.

The Wikipedia article on electric skateboards adds one design point: hub motors sit inside the wheel and are described as more exposed to shocks and water, and direct-drive motors as more exposed to the elements. That is a general description, not a rating for any board.

What makers say about their own boards:

Source	What it says	Notes
Maxfind product pages	IPX5 on MAX2 PRO, MAX5S, FF PRO, FF AT and CYBER ULTRA	Its warranty page uses IP65 as a general statement and says internal components are not waterproof, so the pages differ
Maxfind guide	Avoid heavy rain. For sustained rain, flooded curb lanes or water deep enough to reach the underside, use another form of transport	IPX5 does not mean the whole board is waterproof or cover immersion
Meepo warranty page	Waterproof level IP56. Riding in rain is "pretty dangerous," especially accelerating, braking or turning. Internal accessories are not waterproof, and the battery label shows red if water enters	Water damage is listed under "not covered". Warranty is six months for boards
Levy	IP54 handles splashes and light rain	Names no models
Ride Review	Look for IPX6 or higher; sealed battery and electronics	Names the Boosted Stealth, Evolve Carbon GTR and Backfire G3 Plus without ratings
ONSRA	Says it rode its boards through puddles and wet roads, and that properly sealed boards withstand water well	Its own test, no ratings stated, no models named, not independently verified. It also says no electric skateboard is 100% waterproof

My reading: IPX5 or IP65 means the maker expects light rain and splashes, and every maker above still tells you to avoid heavy rain and standing water. Treat the rating as a floor for light rain, not permission to ride through a storm.

What the IP numbers mean for a skateboard#

The code comes from IEC 60529. The second digit is for water. Per the Wikipedia article on the IP Code:

Digit	Name	Test
4	Splashing	Water splashed from any direction, 10 minutes on an oscillating fixture or at least 5 minutes with a spray nozzle
5	Water jets	A 6.3 mm nozzle at 12.5 litres a minute, from 3 m, at least 3 minutes
6	Powerful water jets	A 12.5 mm nozzle at 100 litres a minute, from 3 m, at least 3 minutes
7	Immersion	Lowest point 1 m below the surface (manufacturers state the time)

Wikipedia also says the water scale is not cumulative above IPX6, so IPX7 doesn't imply IPX5 or IPX6, and that an "X" means no data was gathered for that digit. A rating is a lab result on a new, sealed product. A board on the road gets spray from below at speed. For more on this see my guide to riding an electric scooter in the rain, which goes into the same ratings in more depth.

Can you skateboard in the rain? A quick decision guide#

This table is my reading of what the makers say, not a standard:

Your board	Light drizzle	Steady rain	Heavy rain, puddles
Regular skateboard	Possible, but wear on the board and low grip	Avoid	No
Electric, no IP rating	No	No	No
IP54 or IPX4	Short ride, slow	Avoid	No
IPX5 or IP65	Fine if gentle	Short rides only	No
IPX6 or higher	Fine	Fine	Avoid

If your maker's warranty says water damage is not covered, as Meepo's does, you are riding in the rain at your own cost whatever the rating says.

How to ride an electric skateboard in the rain#

If you have to, Maxfind's guidance and the maker pages point to the same habits:

Avoid standing water. Puddle edges especially.
Avoid slick surfaces. Maxfind lists painted lane markings, metal covers, wet leaves and slick crosswalk sections.
Shorten the ride or stop when you can in a brief shower.
Go slower and brake earlier. Meepo calls rain dangerous for accelerating, braking and turning. Wikipedia says braking on these boards acts on the rear wheels only and stopping distance varies widely, so my own view is that you should leave much more room than in the dry.
Wear full protective gear. Falls on wet pavement are harder to control.

For how speed and braking interact, see how fast electric skateboards go.

After the ride: drying an electric skateboard#

Maxfind's post-ride routine:

Power the board off.
Wipe the deck, trucks, wheels and underside.
Dry the charging port and battery interface before charging or swapping batteries.
Air-dry in a ventilated place. Avoid high heat on the battery, charging port, seals or electronics.
Inspect seams and latches after road spray.
Store the board only once it is dry.

ONSRA adds that condensation or internal moisture can still cause damage even if no water gets in directly, and suggests opening the board after wet rides to dry and check it. I'd be careful with that: opening a board can break seals and affect the rating and the warranty. Check your manual first, and if you suspect water inside, contact the maker. Meepo's battery label turning red is one example of a maker's own water indicator. If your board does not have one, treat any odd behaviour after a wet ride as a reason to stop and not charge it. That is my opinion, not a maker statement.

What to look for if you ride in wet weather#

A stated rating of at least IPX5, confirmed in the manual and not only the product page, since Maxfind's own pages differ.
A sealed battery and electronics (Ride Review).
Soft, larger wheels. Skateboarders HQ says soft longboard wheels cope better with wet. All-terrain boards use larger wheels, which Maxfind recommends for faster riding.
A warranty you have read. Meepo's excludes water damage.

To compare models, see my best electric skateboards, best electric skateboards for commuting and college and best off-road electric skateboards. If you travel with your board, see can you bring a skateboard on a plane. The e-bike version of this question is in can you ride an electric bike in the rain, and the basics are in what is an e-board.

Frequently asked questions#

Can you skateboard in the rain without ruining the board?#

A regular board survives occasional wetting if you dry it, but Skateboarders HQ and Swagtron both warn about bearings, deck and bolts.

Can you skateboard in rain on an electric board with no IP rating?#

I wouldn't. Without a rating you have no maker statement that it can handle water.

Can you skateboard in the rain if the board is IPX5?#

In light rain, per the makers, with care. IPX5 covers water jets, not immersion, and heavy rain and puddles are still advised against.

Can you skateboard in the rain with wet grip tape?#

Sources disagree on how slippery it is, so don't rely on it. Wear shoes with good grip and slow down.

Can you skateboard in rain without damaging the bearings?#

Water removes the lubricant, so clean and re-lubricate after a wet ride.

Can you skateboard in the rain on a longboard?#

Skateboarders HQ says soft longboard wheels handle wet better than hard skateboard wheels, but the rest of the wet-weather risks still apply.

Is it dangerous to skateboard in the rain?#

Both skateboard guides and Meepo say yes, because of lost grip when accelerating, braking and turning.

Does rain void an electric skateboard warranty?#

It can. Meepo lists water damage as not covered, and ONSRA says water damage isn't covered. Check your warranty.

How long should an electric skateboard dry after rain?#

I haven't found a maker figure for skateboards. Maxfind says to air-dry in a ventilated place and store the board only once dry.

Can I charge my electric skateboard after riding in the rain?#

Dry the charging port and battery interface first, per Maxfind.

The bottom line#

So, can you skateboard in the rain? A plain board can but suffers for it. An electric board can only in light rain, and only if it has a real rating, an intact seal and a warranty you have read. Slower speeds, no puddles and a proper dry-down afterwards matter more than the IP number.

If you want a board you'll ride in all weather, start with my best electric skateboards guide.

Written by Paul Gendry. Last checked October 10, 2026. This is general information, not manufacturer advice. Ratings and warranties vary by board, so check your manual.

Paul Gendry

Author, ElectricMood

Paul Gendry is the pen name of the writer behind ElectricMood. He writes practical guides on electric bikes, electric scooters and electric skateboards, covering how fast they go, how they charge and what the rules say. He builds each guide from manuals, regulations and published research, and he says plainly when something is his own opinion.