Skateboards for beginners

Choosing your first skateboard is often difficult, especially for beginners. To make things easier for you as a beginner, here are some useful tips on what to look for when buying your first skateboard and how to find the right setup. Because one thing’s for sure: if you start with the right setup, you’ll have more fun practicing.

Skateboards for beginners | Recommendations

Table of Contents

Things to keep in mind

1. Skateboards for beginners – things to keep in mind

Although the individual parts of a skateboard hardly differ at first glance, there are a few things to consider so you can find the right complete skateboard that is tailored to your needs. There are different types of skateboards that are designed for different terrains. Which skateboard is right for you depends on where and how you want to skate.

1.1 What types of skateboards are there?

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.

Skateboards

“Classic” skateboards are made for tricks in the skate park, in a half pipe, in a bowl or on obstacles on the street. While the most common form of skateboard decks is the popsicle shape, there are other variants.

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”.


Check popsicle decks in the shop
Shaped Decks
shaped skateboard deck

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.

Check shaped decks in the shop

For children & petite people there are skateboards that are a bit smaller or shorter than conventional skateboards. In terms of quality, skateboards for children are manufactured according to the same standards as normal skateboards & are ideal for young, budding skaters.

Cruiser

Skateboard 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.


Shop Cruiser boards

Longboards

Longboard

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.




Shop Longboards

1.2 Size recommendations – skateboard decks

Size recommendations – skateboard decks

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.



Skateboard size recommendations
shoe size – deck width body size – deck length
US 1 | EU 31.5:
< 7″ - 7.25″
< 100 cm:
< 28″
US 5 | EU 36.5:
7.625″ – 8″
100-125 cm:
28″ – 30.5″
US 7 | EU 40:
7.875″ – 8.125″
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″

Of course, these and the following guidelines are only recommendations. Setups other than those suggested by us can of course work the same way and be just as fun. It also always depends on what you do with your board, as well as how and where you want to ride.

The skatedeluxe skateboard configurator also offers help in finding the right skateboard size for you. There you’ll find help choosing the right board size for you based on your height and shoe size.

P.S.: When trying to find skateboard decks in your size in the skatedeluxe skate shop, you can easily filter out the sizes that suit you with our article filters.


Complete skateboard or custom skateboard?

2. Complete skateboard or custom skateboard?

The components of your skateboard have to fit together. For example, not all skateboard trucks fit on every deck. If you don’t want to put together your own skateboard setup, but want to get skating right away, we recommend that you buy a complete skateboard.

The complete boards in the skatedeluxe skate shop are high quality, already pre-assembled and therefore ready for skating. Since they’re beginner models, these skateboards make sense because they’re a little cheaper. Best you start with a skatedeluxe complete sk8boards – here both quality and price are right!

Your first skateboard at the best price

Your first skateboard at the best price

We offer one of the largest selections of complete skateboards in Europe. Of course, you can also find one or the other bargain here! Discover the best deals on complete skateboards in the shop now and get your skateboard with up to 40% discount.

Shop discounted complete skateboards

skateboard configurator

2.1 Your individual skateboard with the skateboard configurator

With the help of the skatedeluxe skateboard configurator, you can put together your own skateboard in just a few steps. This makes sure that parts such as the deck, trucks, wheels, etc. definitely fit together and at the same time, you’ll get useful tips while creating your own skateboard setup. Simply select the components, check recommendations and information and order your individual skateboard.


Skateboards by terrain

3. Skateboards by terrain

When choosing your setup, you should consider what style of skating you’ll ultimately want to focus on. If you already know where your preferences lie or if you’re simply looking for an all-round setup, you can consider the following recommendations. As mentioned before, these are just recommendations – not requirements.


Skatepark | Allround

3.1 Park-Skating | Allround

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.

Skateboards for beginners | Skatepark & Allround

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.

Checklist – Skateboard Setup Skate Park | Allround – For Beginners

Deck: From wide to narrow, anything is possible here
Trucks: Mid
Wheels: 52 mm – 56 mm, ≥ 98A
Bearing: SK8DLX Blacks, Bones Reds
Shock Pads: optional
Nuts & Bolts: short (7/8″ – 1″ | longer accordingly, if you use shock pads)
Protective Gear: suggested

To get started, we also have some great complete boards that you can order, already assembled and ready to skate!


 

Street skating

3.2 Street skating

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.

Skateboards for beginners | Street

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.

Checklist – Skateboard Setup Street – For Beginners

Deck: rather narrow decks that are agile and flip easily
Trucks: Low or Mid
Wheels: 50 mm – 53 mm, ≥ 100A
Bearings: SK8DLX Blacks, Bones Reds
Shock Pads: optional
Nuts and Bolts: short (7/8″ – 1″)

Don’t want to deal with the all the different individual components of your skateboard? Don’t sweat it! We also offer a selection of complete skateboards that’ll be shipped to you ready to skate!


 

Transition

3.3 Halfpipe | Bowl | Ramp (Transition)

Skateboards für Anfänger | Transition

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.

Checklist – Skateboard Setup Mini-Ramp, Bowl and Vert – For Beginners

Deck: wider decks for more space to land on
Trucks: Mid or High
Wheels: 53 mm – 56 mm, ≥ 98A
Bearings: SK8DLX Blacks, Bones Reds
Shock Pads: suggested
Bolt Pack: longer (1″ – 1 1/4″ depending on the size of your pads)
Protective Gear: suggested
Additional Equipment: Rails (optional)

Do you just want to keep it simple? We have a great selection of complete skateboards that can be delivered to your doorstep, ready to skate.



Protective gear

4. Protective gear in skateboarding? Definitely not uncool!

If you start skating, you won’t be able to avoid falling – unfortunately this is part of skateboarding. While experienced skaters know how to properly break a fall, helmets & protective gear protect you from injuries and help you get back on the board faster. Protective equipment is by no means uncool – professional skaters like Mark Gonzales or Lizzie Armanto prove just the opposite.

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.


To the skate helmets in the shop

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.


To the skate protectors in the shop

It is essential to ensure the protective clothing and helmets fit properly for maximum effectiveness. If they’re too tight, you won’t be able to move properly; if they’re too loose, they won’t help you in an emergency. You will find corresponding information on size selection on all product detail pages. Our size charts also give you an overview so that you can quickly find the right protectors for you.


More information about skateboards

5. More information about skateboards

If you want to learn more about skateboarding and the individual components such as decks, trucks and wheels, have a look at the skatedeluxe skateboard Wiki or watch the skatedeluxe Buyers Guide videos. As a beginner, you’ll get a load of skateboard knowledge and learn everything there is to know about the different parts of a skateboard.

Our customer service team is also available to you anytime if you want help selecting your first skateboard!

Skateboards for schools and workshops

Do you want to offer a skateboarding course or workshop and urgently need equipment? At skatedeluxe, you get the right offer for high-quality skateboards and everything you need for your course.