Skateboards are the perfect gift idea for Christmas, Easter or birthday. To make sure your kid starts with a decent setup, here are a few basic tips on what parents should consider when buying a skateboard for their kids.
Skateboard as a gift for Christmas, Easter or birthday
You are a parent who wants to buy a skateboard for their child, but you are unsure about which one to get and what size is needed? We have a solution!
A skateboard is not just a wooden plank with two trucks and four wheels. The individual parts have to fit each other and yes – there are different sizes of skateboards available. To save you some nerves as well as to make sure the gift is well received, we’ve got you covered with our valuable tips.
The best & easiest solution – complete skateboards for kids in the skatedeluxe skate shop
Complete boards have the advantage that all parts fit together and you only have to choose the right size. At skatedeluxe, you will easily find the perfect kids’ skateboard. In addition, we are thrilled to offer you the following options:
- helpful tips during the selection
- high-quality goods & fast shipping
- up to 40% discount on selected complete skateboards
If you already know your way around, you can easily put together the matching skateboard yourself with the help of our configurator.
Giving skateboards as presents – these are the mistakes you should avoid!
This phenomenon is almost as old as skateboarding itself. Nevertheless, many parents who want to give their children a skateboard often make the same mistakes. The following tips will probably save you some trouble.
1. Avoid skateboards from the supermarket, sports store or toy store
It’s no news that supermarkets and sports stores that specialize in sports like running or soccer often also sell skateboards. For parents, the offers often seem tempting: “cheap, visually appealing to some degree, and you can pick it up comfortably while doing the rest of your Christmas shopping…”
This is when a skateboarder’s internal alarm starts ringing. Those skateboards are typically incredibly low-quality and stop working after the first few sessions. Since those boards are not designed and produced by skateboarders, they’re not usually fun to skate and the parts sometimes don’t even match.
Excursus: This is what happens to skateboards from the supermarket
I remember very well when I got my first skateboard from my parents many years ago. Unfortunately, it was exactly one of the previously described boards.
The initial problems started to occur immediately upon my first attempts on the board. The trucks hardly moved at all. Loosening the kingpin nut and changing the bushings – things that usually help with such issues – didn’t solve the problem at all.
The quality of the deck was equally dismal. The griptape started to come off after only a few days. In any case, the most crucial problem was this: When I started to learn my very first trick – the Ollie – the skateboard’s nose and tail directly started to chip away and as a conclusion, the deck broke behind the front truck, before I actually managed to do the trick. In short, it was not a fun experience. The wheels and bearings of that “toy” board were the only things that might have been useful for a beginner.
My Dad and I went back to the sports store to complain about the board and were dismissed with the following, remarkable words: “Those skateboards aren’t suitable for professional skateboarding or jumps”. Seriously, what are they even good for? Luckily, my father recognised after the incident that I needed a proper skateboard.
By the way, this problem wasn’t just in the late 90s and early 00s. Those boards are still being sold in many stores that don’t know the first thing about skateboarding.
You get what you pay for
Even though 40 EUR for a skateboard complete sounds really tempting, I have to discourage you from buying such a board. Your children won’t have much fun with those and will need a new one shortly after. Unfortunately, the old saying “you get what you pay for” definitely applies here.
It’s better to buy your kid’s first skateboard in a skate shop. There, you’ll find high-quality hardware from brands that know skateboarding and what’s important.
For about 100 EUR you can get very good complete skateboards from real skateboard brands. These are suitable for beginners, stand the test of time & wear and thus provide longer fun. As a skate shop, we prioritize the quality of our boards and therefore highly recommend each of our skatedeluxe complete boards. Of course, you can also count on one or the other to bargain with us! At skatedeluxe, you get many best-quality complete skateboards at the most reasonable price, with up to a 40% discount!
2. Don’t order the wrong size
Well, if you’ve made it to this point, you’ve made the right choice and plan on giving your child a proper skateboard. You won’t regret this!
Parents tend to buy the wrong skateboard sizes for their children because they often don’t know better or are simply overwhelmed by the vast selection. However, things aren’t too complicated for a simple first setup. In order to choose the right setup, there are two basic factors you should consider:
- What is my kid’s shoe size?
- How tall is my kid?
The taller the child and the bigger the shoe size, the wider the skateboard deck should be. Take a look at the chart to get an idea of which size they need. You’ll find an extended table with recommendations when you click of the headlines in the chart.
The width of a skateboard is always described in Inches [″]. One Inch equals 2,54 cm.
| Shoe size – deck width | Height – deck length |
|---|---|
| US 7 | EU 40: 7.875″ – 8.125″ | < 140 cm: 28″- 30.5″ |
| US 9 | EU 42.5: 8.00″- 8.375″ | 140 – 175 cm: 30.5″- 31.875″ |
| US 10 | EU 44: – 8.125″- 8.5″ | 175 – 190 cm: – 31.875″- 32.25″ |
| US 12 | EU 46: 8.375″ – 8.625″ | > 190 cm: > 32.5″ |
PS: In the skatedeluxe skate shop you can filter for different deck sizes.
Shop complete skateboards for kids
There are many skateboards designed for people with short legs and small feet, including kids at a young age. Here you can find a few product recommendations. The skatedeluxe skate shop offers a wide range of skateboards for kids, along with expert advice on selecting the right one.
3. Don’t forget the protective equipment
Experienced skaters rarely wear a helmet or protectors. However, the emphasis here is on “experienced”. Especially beginners who are not yet confident on the skateboard should definitely wear a helmet. Other protective equipment for the knees, elbows and wrists is also advisable.
Skate helmets for children
It makes perfect sense to wear a special helmet for skating! Skate helmets are shaped differently than bike helmets because you fall very differently in skateparks and on ramps than from e.g. a bike. In the skatedeluxe skate shop, you can expect a wide selection and a lot of tips to help you find the right helmet for your child.
To the skate helmets in the shop
Protectors & protective equipment for children
We recommend protectors for the wrist, elbow and knee to get back on the board quickly after a fall. Wearing protective clothing enhances safety and accelerates learning new tricks. At skatedeluxe, you can get skate protectors for hands, arms and legs in small sizes or especially for children.
To the skate protectors in the shop
It is particularly important that protective clothing and helmets fit well from the start – children should not “grow into it”. You will find corresponding information on size selection for all items in the shop. Our size charts provide a quick and easy way to find the right protectors for your child.
Do you have any questions or would you like help with your selection?
Has your child already taken a look at the skatedeluxe assortment and knows what they want but lack the experience to know if the individual parts fit each other? We’ve got a solution: the skatedeluxe Skateboard Configurator. Simply choose a deck and the configurator will display the appropriate hardgoods step-by-step until your personal setup is complete.
Nevertheless, if there you have further questions you might find some helpful information in our skatedeluxe Skateboard Wiki or by asking our gifted service team. No question shall be left unanswered!
