Two men travelling across Canada on longboards to raise awareness about helmet use have hit a bump in the road, after their equipment and belongings were stolen in Manitoba this week.

Jeff Abbott and Mike Harris are riding from Vancouver to St. John's as part of the Shred 4 A Cause tour, which also aims to raise $100,000 for the Brain Injury Association of Canada.

The duo left Vancouver on May 1 on their eastward journey, clocking eight to 10 hours a day longboarding on the highways.

But not long after they arrived on Manitoba, one of their boards was taken from their support van in Portage la Prairie.

Then on Monday night, the back window of the van was smashed while it was parked on a lot in downtown Winnipeg.

About $10,000 worth of boards, leather suits, gasoline and food vouchers were stolen. Even a pair of shoes and a first aid kit are gone.

"You don't know what to take from it. It's like, why?" Harris, 27, told CBC News on Tuesday.

Both Harris and Abbott said they are trying not to let the thefts leave a bad impression of Manitoba.

"It's disappointing when you're doing something good and you just get that bad karma," said Abbott, 23.

Despite the setbacks, Abbott said he and Harris still plan to arrive in St. John's within the next couple of months. For now, they are contacting their sponsors and trying to get back on the road.

Harris and Abbott said anyone who wants to help them out can do so by making a donation to the Brain Injury Association of Canada.

"The hardest part of this trip for us has been the Rockies," Abbott said.

"You know what? If we've made it through the Rockies, we can pretty much handle anything."