A skate magazine, or skateboard magazine, is a magazine dedicated to

skateboarding Skateboarding is an extreme sport, action sport originating in the United States that involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard, as well as a recreational activity, an art form, an entertainment industry Profession, job, and a ...

History

The first mention of skateboarding in a magazine was in 1963 when the publisher of the “Surf Guide Magazine,” Larry Stevenson, published the first advertisement for skateboards in his magazine. The first skateboarding magazine “

The Quarterly Skateboarder ''Skateboarder'' was primarily a digital skateboarding publication that produces a limited run of hard copy versions that are sold in skateboard shops. The publication was the United States (US)' first skateboarding magazine and, as of August ...

” was published in 1964.

Skateboarder Magazine ''Skateboarder'' was primarily a digital skateboarding publication that produces a limited run of hard copy versions that are sold in skateboard shops. The publication was the United States (US)' first skateboarding magazine and, as of August ...

launched in 1975. In 1981,

Thrasher Magazine ''Thrasher'' is a skateboarding magazine founded in January 1981 by Eric Swenson and Fausto Vitello. The publication consists primarily of skateboard- and music-related articles, photography, interviews and skatepark reviews. The magazine also ...

was founded.

Slap magazine ''Slap Magazine'' was an American skate magazine created by Kevin Thatcher and Fausto one late night when they sparked an idea to create their own competition. At the time they ran Thrasher Skateboard Mag. The next day they put Lance Dawes in cha ...

existed as a monthly print magazine from 1992 through 2008.

Concrete Wave Magazine ''Concrete Wave Magazine'' is a Canada, Canadian publication which was founded in 2002 by Michael Brooke. It was a continuation of Brooke's involvement with skateboard publishing. In 1999, Brooke had also his book ''The Concrete Wave (the history ...

was founded in 2002. In 2019,

Transworld Skateboarding ''Transworld Skateboarding'' (''TWS'') was an Skate magazine, international magazine on skateboarding that was based in Carlsbad, California, United States. The publication also ran an accompanying website and video production company. In Februar ...

announced they were discontinuing their print magazine, continuing only as an online platform.

Covers

In skateboarding, getting one's picture on the cover of a skate magazine is often a mark of success and pride.

Advertising

Skateboard magazines sell advertising space to skate companies to advertise their goods. Before the internet, skate mags were one of the primary ways to learn about new skaters.

Online magazines

Since the advent of the internet, many skate magazines shifted their focus online. In 2011, Ian Michna and Forrest Edwards founded

Jenkem Magazine ''Jenkem'' is an online skateboarding and culture magazine founded in 2011 and operated from Brooklyn, New York. The website features interviews with professional skateboarders, industry professionals, graphic artists, and musicians, as well as v ...

as an online skate magazine platform. 06 15 2019 Look Back Library exhibit NJ Skate Shop New Brunswick NJ

Skate magazine archives

In an effort to preserve skate magazines, the ''

Look Back Library Look Back Library (LBL) is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the history of skateboard magazines, and other printed skateboard materials, through traveling exhibits and the building of publicly accessible skateboard magazine libr ...

'' was founded in 2015. The

is a project promoting skate magazine history, literacy, and the appreciation of printed skateboard materials, particularly magazines, through community outreach such as exhibits and by installing skate magazine libraries at local Skate shops and other venues.

References