Skateboarding can be expensive, dangerous and so much fun.

Equipment is expensive. It’s more than wood and wheels. Certain wood is better than others. A skateboard requires good bearings, wheels, grip tape, hardware and trucks. This can easily add up to $130, more or less.

Some items are more expensive than others, but everything depends on which brand the buyer chooses. The top five skate companies include DGK, Plan B, DC Shoes and Girl.

“My favorite skateboard board company is DGK, it has been since I first started and (the board) has more tail than other boards” sophomore Adrian Hernandez said.

Skateboarding can be dangerous because  it’s hard to control the board. The more a skater practices, the more control they gain.

“Being on a skateboard can feel different; like one is flying or walking on the air,” Hernandez said.

There are different kinds of skateboards made of maple, bamboo or carbon fiber. A board can cost anywhere from $20 to $60. Wood is usually more expensive.

A good board can last about six months or more. But it depends on how a person treats the board.

“My favorite type of wood is bamboo because it’s stronger than maple wood,” sophomore Marcos A. Soto Garcia said.

The beauty about skateboarding is that anybody can skate, it just takes a lot of practice.

When skaters fall they forget the pain and keep trying. It can take days, months, and even years just to get that trick.

“When I first started it was very hard because I wasn’t used to it,” Hernandez said.

In school it’s all about working. For a skater after school it is all about freedom.

“When I’m outside of school, I skate around town and explore. It helps me clear my mind and it feels good being myself,” Hernandez said.