I'm sure if you ride bmx this place is great for you since the ramps are sick and abundant. This review isn't for y'all.
However, since I ride a skateboard, I'm going to give my perspective on ramp riders: it sucks.
- Ramp Quality: the quality of the ramp construction for skateboard riding is sketchy at best and recklessly dangerous at its worst. Most of the surfaces in the parks are not smooth and are built with treated plywood. However, the surfaces that are smooth are riddled with holes and are cracking at the seems. Signing a waiver, means that private skate parks aren't legally responsible for you slamming from a hole in the ramp, but they are actually responsible. I've had my share of slams on quality ramps where I knew I in control of the risk of slamming by choosing how much I wanted to push my limits of skill. You don't have that level of control at Ramp Riders.
- Maintenance: I skated ramp riders a few times in 2018 and the state of its ramps were the same as when I recently skated it in 2022. It looks like they have patched some holes though by cutting out the holes and patching them. There is an abundance of dust and lack of markings for where there are holes/cracks in the ramps. It looks like they have been redoing a single mini ramp, though.
- The Vibe: The vibe in the skate park is absent, since the quality of person it attracts are twofold. Those unaware of its poor quality and those desperate enough to skate it due to its monopoly on indoor skate parks in St Louis. This manifests as parents bringing their swarm of small children to run around playing tag here instead of at the Magic House or City Museum.
- Helmets: This place requires a helmet. I think helmets are great for protecting yourself, and I will wear a helmet when I know I need one. That being said, I would like to exercise that discretion wherever I go. I feel safer wearing one here, that being said
- Staff: The staff were cool with other customers and helpful with questions I had. They seemed to even help with beginners trying to learn to skate.
Despite all my negative criticisms of this place, I think it has the potential to be a rad place to skate, and I want it to be! Here are some things to change
- Sweep and mop the ramps
- Use these screws so that bodies don't get cut up https://www.amazon.com/Rock-Bugle-Laminating-Drywall-Screws/dp/B096SZB2BS
- constantly get feedback from skaters (ask them how their sesh was for example)
- let local rippers y'all trust in (for free) to skate for y'all and post them up on Instagram
- If y'all resurface the ramps, make sure y'all know that you're doing it the right way. Not sure if y'all got two plies of surfacing material, but that's my recommendation to prevent holes. Birchwood is also a great surfacing material for indoor parks. read more