Waterborne Skateboards Surf Adapters 101 – Start Surf Skating Easily & Affordably

Waterborne Skateboards surf adapters make starting your surf skating journey super and extremely affordable.

Waterborne Skateboards Surf Skate Adapters – Affordable & Easy

If you’ve ever wanted to bring the feeling of surfing to the streets, surf skating is the perfect way to do it. And thanks to Waterborne Skateboards, it’s now easier and more affordable than ever to start your surf skate journey — no need to buy a whole new setup or spend a fortune. With their clever range of surf skate adapters and trucks, you can transform almost any skateboard into a responsive, surf-inspired carving machine in just minutes.

Waterborne surf skate adapters explainer vid

At NCW (North Coast Wetsuits), we’re proud to stock Waterborne Skateboards components and upgrades — helping riders of all skill levels fine-tune their boards for that perfect, fluid ride. Whether you’re a surfer looking to cross-train on land, or simply want to add more flow to your skate sessions, here’s everything you need to know to get started.


1. The Waterborne Skateboards Front Surf Adapter – The Heart of the System

The Waterborne Skateboards Front Surf Adapter is where it all begins. This simple yet brilliantly engineered piece of hardware retrofits directly onto your existing skateboard or longboard setup, fitting neatly between your deck and front truck. Once installed, it gives your front truck a unique pivoting motion, allowing the board to turn and carve much like a surfboard does on the water.

Get started with Waterborne

The design adds dynamic lean and fluid turning, letting you pump, carve, and flow down the pavement with a genuine surf-like feel. Riders instantly notice how much tighter their turns become, how easily they can generate speed without pushing, and how naturally the board transitions from rail to rail.

Best of all, this upgrade is incredibly affordable. You don’t need to invest in a new complete surf skate or expensive speciality trucks — the front adapter fits almost any deck and truck combination. It’s an ideal entry point for those who want to experience surf skating without breaking the bank. In fact, it’s one of the most cost-effective ways to unlock a new dimension of fun in your riding.

Surf skate Waterborne pump track surf skating with NCW #1
Our waterborne-enabled monster truck setup

2. The Rear Surf Rail – Add More Flow and Stability

Once you’ve mastered your front adapter and you’re craving even more flow, Waterborne’s Rear Surf Rail is the perfect next step. Like the front adapter, the rear surf rail also retrofits to any setup. It sits beneath your rear truck and enhances the lean and rail-to-rail feel across the entire board.

Waterborne surf skate adapters retrofitted to a Braw Skateboards deck – check the vid

The combination of front and rear adapters transforms your setup into a full surf skate system, giving you that smooth, connected carving feel from nose to tail. The rear rail complements the front adapter beautifully — it helps balance out the dynamics, increases your turning radius control, and makes transitions feel buttery smooth.

Many riders start with just the front surf adapter and then upgrade later by adding the rear surf rail, but you can also purchase both as a complete set from the start for the ultimate surf skate experience right out of the box.

Waterborne Skateboards 62mm Living Water Surf Skateboard Wheels 80a #1
Ready to roll – straight out the box

Whether you’re carving hills, cruising to the beach, or practising surf manoeuvres on flat land, this combination delivers a truly authentic, surfy ride.


3. The Waterborne Dream – The Ultimate Surf Skate System

For those who want the very best that Waterborne has to offer, the Waterborne Dream setup takes surf skating to a new level. The Dream isn’t just an adapter — it features a fully integrated front surf skate truck, designed specifically to enhance carving performance and replicate the feeling of surfing even more closely.

Surf skating with the Waterborne Skateboards Dream enabled longbiard surf skate.
Waterborne Skateboards Dream enabled longboard surf skate

Unlike the standard adapter, the Dream’s integrated design brings the pivot point further back, allowing for cleaner turns, smoother transitions, and greater leverage. The result is an incredibly fluid, efficient motion that makes every carve feel natural and controlled.

It’s especially well-suited for:

  • Flatland surf skating, where you’re pumping and carving on smooth ground.
  • Setups with longer wheelbases, which benefit from the Dream’s extra leverage and turning efficiency.
  • Longboard surf skating, where stability meets fluid carving.

The Dream also includes the rear surf rail adapter, so you’re getting a complete, high-performance surf skate system in one package.

D Street Wilderness surf skate mod 2
Customise and mod however you feel

4. Customising Your Ride – Endless Options

Once you’ve got your surf skate setup dialled in, the fun really begins. Waterborne’s system is modular and fully compatible with most decks, wheels, and trucks, meaning you can experiment endlessly.

See a fully customised Waterborne surf skate in this vid

Riders often try different deck shapes and sizes to match their style — from cruiser decks to longboards and even old-school pool shapes. Wheel choices also affect the ride; softer wheels give smoother carves, while harder wheels are more responsive and snappy.

For those looking to take their setup even further, Waterborne’s RKP (Reverse Kingpin) and SKP (Standard Kingpin) trucks are excellent upgrades. They perform brilliantly not only on surf skate builds but also on normal, non-surf skate setups, offering precision and stability across all riding styles.


5. Why Buy from NCW

At North Coast Wetsuits, we don’t just sell wetsuits — we live and breathe board sports, from surf to skate and everything in between. We stock the Waterborne Skateboards gear, including front surf adapters, rear surf rails, Dream trucks, and compatible hardware and know teh system inside and out.

North Coast Wetsuits the Rubber Shack surf shop, St Endellion North Cornwall
NCW is a proper surf and skate shop based in Cornwall

Our team can help you choose the right setup, guide you through the installation process, and even recommend board and wheel pairings to suit your riding style. Whether you’re a total beginner or a seasoned skater looking to fine-tune your surf skate, we’re here to help.


6. Get Started Today

There’s never been an easier or more affordable way to bring the surf to the streets. The Waterborne Surf Adapter turns any skateboard into a wave machine, and with the option to upgrade to the Rear Surf Rail or go all-in with the Dream system, there’s a setup for every rider and every budget.

Another example of a Waterborne Skateboards surf skate in action

At NCW, we’ve got everything you need to start your surf skate journey — from parts and accessories to advice and support.

Ready to feel the flow?

Check out our full range of Waterborne Skateboards components online or in-store, or call us today to chat about the perfect setup for your surf skate adventure.