A Beginner’s Guide to Choosing the Right Skateboard

If you’re new to skateboarding and want to buy a skateboard for yourself or your kids, the options can be bewildering. With so many brands, sizes, colours, wheel options, and wood combinations to pick from, it’s hard to know where to begin. However, with a few tips and hints, you can easily choose the best skateboard for your needs and start enjoying this fascinating activity.

Places to Shop

First things first, shop for your first skateboard from a reliable skateboard shop that offers the best deals and latest merges. A good skate shop should be a welcoming and encouraging place for skaters of all abilities and backgrounds. The staff should be skateboarding-experienced and informed, with the ability to offer expert advice on gear and local skate places.

The skate store should have a diverse selection of high-quality skateboards, trucks, wheels, bearings, and other skateboarding gear. They should provide a choice of brands and designs to accommodate varied tastes and budgets.

Skateboard decks come in many different shapes, sizes, and styles. A decent skate shop should have a varied assortment of decks to suit various riding styles and personal preferences.

They should also provide a wide selection of safety equipment, such as helmets, padding, and gloves. Promoting safety is critical, particularly for younger or inexperienced skaters. Good skate shops frequently sell skate-specific apparel, footwear, and accessories to nail the skate style. This includes skate shoes, t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and backpacks with skate company logos.

Some businesses offer services such as deck gripping, wheel replacement, and bearing repair. This can be useful for skaters who require quick repairs or customisations.

The shop should serve as a hub for local skate culture, providing information about area skate parks, events, and skateboarding communities.

Pricing should be competitive and reasonable. A good store should provide value for money and avoid overcharging for things. A modern skateboard shop should have an online presence, such as a website and social media accounts. This makes it easy for shoppers to browse products, look for new arrivals, and contact the shop.

Last but not least, excellent customer service, such as helpful and courteous staff, simple return procedures, and aid with product selection, can make a significant impact on your shopping experience.

Deck and Wheel Size

It may take some time to find the appropriate deck size for you. Although there is no absolute right or wrong answer, your preferences, type of skating, shoe size, and height and weight will all influence your decision. When purchasing a skateboard, deck width is an important factor to consider. 

The dimensions of a microboard can vary from 6.5 to 6.75 inches, while anything wider than 8.5 inches is considered a full-size model. If you choose a deck that is too broad for you, you will most likely have to use more energy to manage your board, making trick execution – and skating in general – more difficult.

Most street skateboards have a deck length of around 28 to 33 inches. The somewhat shorter ones are best for younger skaters, but overall, the length of your skateboard will have little impact on your skating – unlike the width – unless you decide to go for a longboard.

Those who love street skating normally choose a deck with a smaller width – between 7. 75 and 8.5 inches, depending on shoe size – since it is nimbler and easier to control the board when performing flip tricks. Wider decks – 8.25 inches and up – are ideal for pool, ramp, and transition skating because they provide more stability when your speed increases.

Simply put, skateboard wheels are the part of your skateboard that allows you to move and influences how quickly you can travel. Skateboard wheels are typically made of polyurethane and come in a variety of sizes, colours, and durability levels to fit your skateboarding style and preferences.

Skateboard wheels are measured using both diameter and durometer. Diameter is the size of the wheel, and durometer is its hardness. Both characteristics are determined by personal preference and the activities you intend to pursue on your skateboard. 

Custom construction allows you to choose the greatest wheels to complement your deck, trucks, and hardware. Skateboard wheel diameter is measured in millimetres (mm); most wheels range from 50-75 mm, and the lower the number, the smaller the wheel.

Trucks

The axles that secure your wheels to the board are known as “trucks.” Some vehicles have additional characteristics that increase their cost. You will have to pay more for features such as reduced weight and a longer lifespan.

When picking the appropriate size truck for your deck, you want it to be roughly the same width as your deck. The most typical street board trucks are 139 millimetres wide. Tighten the kingpin bolt on the trucks for flip stunts, then loosen it for carving. Your life depends on your trucks, so stick with reputable brands.