Skating is an exciting and thrilling sport. However, the ride from being an amateur to a professional requires you to have the perfect skating board, apart from mastery over the tricks and flips of skating. Buying a skateboard can be a tough call, considering the variety of options available in the market. There are a number of things that you need to consider while picking a skateboard for yourself. Right from the skateboard deck to its wheels and trunk, everything needs to be in sync, to let you have a good experience. In the following lines, we have provided some tips on buying a skateboard, just for you.
How To Choose A Skateboard
Skateboard Deck
The deck qualifies as one of the most important choices while choosing a skateboard. It is your deck that would determine how well you can ride your skateboard. The material of the skateboard, along with its length, width, nose, tail and overall shape, comprises of an important consideration.
Material: While wood serves as the best material in terms of performance, plastic decks are good from the durability point of view. Skateboard decks made of aluminum and fiber glass are also popular.
Length: The length of the skateboard depends on the height of the user. Short riders should opt for shorter skateboards, for better control. The usual length for a skateboard is less than 33 inches. However, if you are planning to use it for cruising, get one that is 35 inches long.
Width: The most appropriate width of a skateboard deck is between 7.5 and 8.25 inches. Wider decks prove to be beneficial, as they provide better stability, balance and control for transition skating. In case you are looking for better maneuverability, go for skateboard less than 8 inches wide.
Shape: As for the shape of the skateboard, get one that is concave-shaped, with raised nose, tail, and sides. This would help you perform finely, when it comes to skating tricks.
Skateboard Wheels
There are different types of wheels available for a skateboard. While choosing one, keep the two most important factors - size and hardness - in mind. Mostly, the wheels are of one durometer, but you can also go for dual durometer. For an amateur, wheels less than 60mm in size are the best bet. However, if you are a professional and ready to take on the rough terrains, go for wheels in size 87A and 95A.
Skateboard Trucks
The truck of a skateboard helps you turn, while making sure that the wheels hold onto the deck. The most appropriate size of the skateboard truck would be between 4.75 and 5.5 inches. Wider truck would enable you to have a stable ride, but would be quite heavy, as compared to the narrow ones.