Choose the Correct Type of Skateboard

There are many different types of skateboarding. If you have gone to the skatepark, you will probably see a lot of street boards for skateboard tricks. If you are cycling or walking down a park and see someone cruising along the road, they are probably using a cruiserboard or a longboard. The anatomy of a skateboard is pretty much the same, only the specification is different. In order to choose the correct board, you must know what type of deck to buy. 

Understanding Skateboard Decks

A deck without question is the most important part of a skateboard. It pretty much holds everything together including you weight. When choosing your board, the first thing we look for is the length of the board. The chart below is a generic guideline for choosing the correct deck length. For street boards we usually look at the width as the length and shape is pretty much the same.

 Length of Deck Type of Board Recommended Height for Beginners 
22" - 24" Cruiserboard 120 - 155cm
25" - 29" Cruiserboard 156 - 175cm
30" - 34" Cruiserboard 176 - 182cm
>35" Cruiserboard >183cm
33" - 34" Longboard 130 - 155cm
35" - 38" Longboard 156cm - 175cm
>39" Longboard >176cm

 Width of Deck Type of Board Recommended Height for Beginners
~6.5" - 6.75" Street 120 - 140cm
~7" Street 141 - 150cm
~7.3" Street 151 - 178cm
>7.5" Street >179cm

 

You must be wondering why are the boards shaped differently. The chart below shows the most common shaped boards in the market.

Shape of Board Purpose
Freeriding: For those skating downhill that includes drifting, hand slides and aggressive maneuvers. The twin tip allows user to steer the board without the wheels touching the board.    
Cruising: For those who go from point A to B. A cruising deck usually is round and symmetrical. It also has a head and a tail. This allow different foot positions for better comfort while riding. 
Carving: They are narrower than boards for cruising. For those who require maximum maneuverability. They are wired to stop at high speed by performing a sharp directional change. The shape of the board allows the board to flex deeply without wheels touching the board.  
Freestyle: For those who wants to carve and do aggressive moves in tight street corners and cruise at the same time. 
Street/Stunt: Symmetrical all over. Standard board shape for those who do jumps and tricks. Most common in the skate parks and ramps.

 

When you shop for boards, not all are flat and there are reasons why. Now lets look at the different Deck Concave.

 Concave Purpose
Meant for those who want to do board walk or dance. 
Usually for those who like more bounce on the deck. The positive camber acts like a suspension.

For those who prefers the board to hold its original state. A negative camber has little or no flex at all 

 

Now lets look at deck mount

 Deck Mounts Purpose
Drop Through Mount: A hole cut out of the deck for the base plate of the truck to go through it. This design keeps users lower to the ground for more stability, easier pushing, and easier sliding. Usually comes with boards with twin tip to prevent wheel bite.
Top Mount: The most common mount. It gives the user more height off the ground for better turns and movements even at high speed.

 

Material of the Deck

Maple

Most common. Usually comes with 7 - 9 ply. The lesser the plys the lighter the deck. The more plys, the more durable. Maple is the most common material because it is the most rigid compared to the rest.

Bamboo

Bamboo is naturally a strong and flexible material. To "loosen" the rigidity of a deck, bamboo plys are added into a Maple board to add more flex into the board. Usually the first or the last ply of the deck.

Fiberglass

Fiberglass is common added into bamboo or maple decks to decrease weight, increase stability and reduce flex.Fiberglass is hard so it keeps the deck in its original state even at high pressure.

Skateboard Wheels

Big vs Small

Big wheels are for cruising. It rolls over uneven terrain better and it is a lot faster. Small wheels keeps users lower to the ground for better stability and control.

Hard vs Soft

Hard wheels are a lot more durable and gives better lift for jumps. It is also good for longer slides as the grip is significantly reduce when the wheels are hard. Soft wheels gives better traction and a more comfortable ride.

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