Skateboards For Beginners – Our Recommendations

In principle, skateboards are fundamentally the same in structure. Depending on the area of application, there are differences in the shape and nature of the individual components of skateboards. The skateboard deck is particularly important here. Basically you can divide skateboards into “classic” skateboards, cruisers & longboards.

Popsicle Decks

The Popsicle Shape is the most widely used form of skateboard decks for street and park areas. “Popsicle” means that the nose and tail are shaped almost the same, so that you can simply drive “switch”.

Shaped Decks

Unlike popsicle decks, shaped decks do not have a uniform shape. They are often characterized by special shapes of the nose or tail, which are angular, pointed or otherwise “shaped”. You can also do and learn many tricks with shaped decks. However, we recommend a popsicle shape at the beginning.

Cruiser

Cruiser skateboards differ from normal skateboards in length, width and shape. What makes them special are the soft wheels and the relaxed cruising experience. They are perfect for getting from A to B in the city. Cruisers are usually completely assembled and “Ready To Skate”. If a longboard is too big for you or isn’t suitable for style reasons, then a cruiser is the right thing for you.

Longboards

Longboards have particularly long and differently shaped decks with mostly larger wheels and other trucks. Longboards are unsuitable for tricks like ollies & kickflips. Instead, they are perfect for longer distances. For example, riding around a lake or downhill down the mountain.

When talking about the size of a skateboard deck or a skateboard, it’s usually the width that’s being referred to. The length can also play a role, but the deck width is more important at the beginning. Over time you’ll find out which width suits you best. Of course, your personal preference also determines how wide or narrow or short or long your board should be. In addition, trends in skateboarding mean that certain sizes or shapes are preferred.

For starters, your height and shoe size are good guidelines to find the right deck for you. Take a look at the table and find the right width and length. Skateboard dimensions are always given in inches [″]. One inch corresponds to 2.54 cm.

If you want to skate in skate parks or leave all your options open, we recommend an all-round skateboard setup. Different deck widths naturally have different attributes.

While narrow decks are manoeuvrable and easy to flip, wide skateboards have the advantage of offering more space to stand and land. The best thing to do is to check our overview and think about what’s important to you.

Mid or standard trucks are best suited for your all-round setup. You’ll want to choose slightly softer, medium-sized wheels between 52 and 56 mm for this setup; this increases the grip on what are usually very smooth surfaces in skateparks.

Depending on your preference, you can also install shock or riser pads to increase smoothness. When you start practising on ramps, you should definitely wear protective gear.

You and your board belong on the street? Then it’s best to go with a skateboard from this category. As its name suggests, street skating obstacles are found on the street or in public, e.g. benches, stairs, railings, etc. Many street skaters tend to have narrower decks because they are easier to flip than wide boards and are generally very agile.

Low and mid trucks are best suited for this style. These are also available in light versions with a hollowed-out kingpin or axle pin and are screwed to your deck using a short assembly set (7/8 ″ – 1 ″). What you save in weight, you theoretically gain in height on ollies and flips.

For grinds and slides, it’s best to choose hard wheels starting from 100A; small wheels are normally used for street skating since they accelerate faster and are more manoeuvrable. However, if you’ll be skating rough spots with rugged surfaces, your wheels shouldn’t be too small because the smallest stone can bring your wheels to a sudden stop, causing you to kiss the concrete.

When selecting your bearings, stick to models that are durable and resilient to the dirt on the streets. Tip: you should always have some skate wax around for curbs and rails.

We recommend wider skateboards for skating in ramps and bowls. Wide decks give you more space to stand, which will pay off at high speeds and airs. In addition, wheels with a larger diameter are used in transition skating because they maintain high speeds for longer.

For a bit more grip, softer wheels are recommended for a transition setup. When using big wheels, you should stick with mid or high trucks in order to prevent wheelbites. Riser pads and rails (plastic rails attached to the deck for increased stability during board and lip slides) are often used for this style of skating. Anyone who skates ramps should never skimp on protective gear.

Stylish helmets for skating

Especially as a beginner, you should definitely wear a helmet. It protects you in case of serious falls. It’s crucial to wear a helmet, especially during your first visits to the skate park or when attempting a drop-in. In the skatedeluxe skate shop, you can expect a large selection and a lot of tips to help you find your skate helmet.

Protectors & protective equipment for skating

If you want to get back on the board quickly after a fall, we recommend wrist, elbow and knee protectors. Wearing protective clothing gives you safety during your first tricks and you will learn quickly. At skatedeluxe, you get individual skate protectors for hand, arm and leg or a complete set for all-around protection.