The Element Flat Bar Skateboard Rail
The Element Flat Bar got me back into skateboarding and the catalyst that kicked off this entire website that you are reading right now. I originally bought this rail as a snowboard jib rail. However, I purchased it way too late in the season to actually use it on snow. I had the itch to skate it, which turned into taking it out to skate every day after work for months. I live in an area where there is no skatepark, and I live on a hill, so there is not much skating I can do here at my house. So instead, I load this into the back seat of my Hyundai Elantra and take it to a nearby school parking lot. The Element Flat Bar is only six feet long, so it perfectly fits in the trunk of my car with the back seat down. When I first got the package from Amazon, it was lighter than I thought it would be. The whole rail is under 30 pounds and is more portable than I thought it would be. I opened the box and saw there isn’t much assembly required. You have the rail itself, its supporting feet, and the adjustable steel pegs that allow you to raise the rail. You can be ready to skate this thing in 3 minutes. The longest part about the setup is trying to figure out where to put the cardboard and plastic wrap. By owning the Element Flat Bar, I can now skate something fun whenever I want to. This rail is perfect for me because there is no skatepark anywhere near me. The closest one is about an hour away, and it is a prefabricated park where I would have just skated a box or rail anyway. The Element rail has helped me progress tremendously at slide tricks. There is something about owning a skate obstacle that allows you to master it in a manner you wouldn’t be able to do at a skate park. Maybe its because you have more time with it, and “practice makes perfect.” Or maybe its because you try tricks you wouldn’t ordinarily try while there is a crowd of people watching you. Either way, the Element Flat Bar dramatically improved my skateboarding, which improved my park snowboarding because my balance was improving over the summer. I love that it is portable and still long enough to feel like you actually did the trick. You can take this rail out, have fun with it for hours, and feel like you went to a skate spot. I liked that it is relatively inexpensive when compared to other skate obstacles. I’ve seen this rail sell for anywhere from the $140-$220 range. I like that the rail is adjustable, so if you’re new to skating rails, you can leave it at its lowest setting, and as you progress, you can gradually take it up to the next notch. There are three settings. Those allow you to get the rail to between ten to thirteen inches high. I like that it isn’t as heavy as a grind bench or skate box while still allowing me to learn similar tricks. Since it is a rectangular flat rail, I can grind and tailslide, similar to how I would lock into a ledge. As for what I dislike, when you first get this, you might be inclined to leave it on its lowest setting without the steel pegs in. That’s fine. However, don’t skate it like that for months on end. What I didn’t know is that the support feet of the rail are sharp enough to cut into the base of the flat bar itself. It happened to me on the first turquoise version I bought. When the rail broke, it began to tilt to the side. Eventually its legs would have broken off all together. Fortunately, Element has phenomenal customer service, and they warrantied the rail no questions asked. I just simply sent the pictures shared above, and they sent me a new rail. The pro tip here is that you should leave the rail on its first pegged setting rather than using no peg and leaving it on the lowest setting. Using the first pegged setting allows the feet to remain above the flat bar. This will make the rail sturdier, quieter, and last longer. Additionally, it forces you to get better. It is the difference of only ollieing two inches higher. This image represents what I just wrote. I basically mean, “learn to skate this at least while leaving some distance between the bar and support feet.” After that, there is not much here to dislike. It bounces around if you land on the very end of it. However, it does not slide around. It is on the safe, sturdy side of the portable skate rail category. I think the Element Flat Bar is perfect for any skateboarder who wants something to skate at home or take with them to skate spots and session it with friends. If you’re looking for a gift under $200 for a skateboarder or snowboarder, this would be perfect. The trick I put the most time into has been bluntslides, so the rail has given me the confidence to make that my go-to trick for hitting street spots.Pros
Cons
Initial Opinion of the Element Flat Bar
What the Element Rail Helped Me With
Likes / Dislikes About This Skate Rail
Who Would the Element Rail Be Good For?
Tricks This Rail Helped Me Learn
Can you smith or feeble grind on the Element Flat Bar?
Yes, I’ve seen my friends do it. I haven’t quite learned them yet. I skate 5inch trucks, and the rail itself is 3inches, so the Element Round Rail might be slightly easier to learn them on.
Rating of the Element Flat Bar
| Considerations | Rating Out 5 |
|---|---|
| Fun Factor | 5 |
| Sturdiness / Durability | 4.6 |
| Slide and grind well? | 5 |
| Warranty | 5 |
| Overall Quality | 4.8 |
Editor’s Rating: 
Would I Recommend The Element Flat Bar?
Absolutely. I included this in my best gift for skateboarders guide, and I stand by that. This really would be an incredible gift for a skateboarder or for yourself.
If you want to get better at skateboarding, buy this rail here.
If you want a rail that converts into a round rail, flat bar, or grind bench, also check out our review of the Transformer Rail.
Looking for more skateboard reviews? Check out the other reviews I’ve written
- Transformer Skate Rail Review
- Curb Cover Review
- Comparing the Strongest Skateboard Decks
- Element Complete Skateboard Review
- Best Skateboard Ramps for Home
- Powell Peralta Flight Deck Review
- Girl Pop Secret Deck Review
- Santa Cruz VX Skate Deck Review
- Cariuma Skate Shoes Review
- Comparing the Best Skateboard Shoes
- The Best Skateboard Ramps for Home
Steve Weber is an avid snowboarder and skateboarder. He has been snowboarding for 26 years, skateboarding for 20, and is always looking for a new board sport to try out. When he is not riding or skating, he runs a marketing agency. Board of the World is Steve’s blog for skateboard and snowboard gear reviews. The blog’s goal is to help people find the right board for them and encourage people to have fun outside.