Ever since the boards have hit the pavement, skateboard magazines have provided an indispensable resource to the aspiring skate, particularly those isolated in small towns away from the bustling Coasts. Complete with photos, articles, and of course catalogs of decks, accessories, and clothing, it is a rare skater who doesn’t spare a ride down the sidewalk to pick up the latest edition.

There are many magazines which feature pictures and articles pertaining to this photogenic sport, but here are five which have chronicled the rising popularity of skateboarding and brought both amateur and pros into the public eye.

Skateboarder Magazine was first published in 1964 by Surfer Publications from Dana Point, California. Though Skateboarder Magazine suspended publication for a few years in the late sixties due to a lack of subscribers and loss of advertiser interest, Skateboarder Magazine reemerged with a boom in the early-seventies and has remained strong ever since. Due to its stunning photos and insightful articles, the magazine has become known as the skateboarder’s bible.

TransWorld SKATEboarding Magazine appeals to a street skating crowd and is a favorite among straight-edgers. The magazine was born response to what the editors felt was an undignified depiction of the sport. In an attempt to clean up skateboarder’s bad-boy image and reputation, specifically in response to Thrasher Magazine’s “Skate and Destroy” article in the December 1982 edition. The issue offended many, especially as it was printed running an ad for Independent Trucks, which was little more than a topless model with Independent’s logo tattooed across her breasts.

Thrasher Skateboard Magazine maintains a hard-core independent, Do-It-Yourself feel, frequently featuring articles on how to build your own ramps and decks and encouraging user-generated content, displaying photos of local skateboard-related graffiti and pictures of amateurs trying their hand at complicated tricks within the bowls and ramps of local skate parks.

Industria / Skateboard Business International is a European skateboard magazine presented by Action Sports Media. Industria is a must-read for skate shop proprietors and those in the business, providing exclusive coverage of industry news and equipment manufacturing issues. Indistria is read more by shop owners and product manufacturers than individual skaters.

SLAP Magazine- (acronym for Skateboarding, Life, Art, Progression)
Maintaining both a shop and a star-studded pro team and amateur bull-pen, SLAP Magazine devotes its glossy pages to the up-and-coming skaters offering trick tips and featuring never-seen-before shots of unknown skaters taken by readers and staff. They are a frequent sight at local skate parks and events, where the next rider with the nerve to tackle that trick might wind up on SLAP’s pages. SLAP has also become a force among graffiti and street artists, including sections of eye-opening spray-paint wonders in every issue.

No matter which of these magazines you grab, one thing will be sure-for in-depth coverage of the latest trends and tricks, notification of upcoming events, coverage of the pros, and reviews of products, no skating fanatic can afford to be without a wide selection of skateboard magazines.