First Skateboards for Each Category (2021)

A few years ago, I made a post for beginners looking to get a good first setup. The idea was to create a list of skateboards that would be easy to start with. The whole purpose was to make sure your first board is one that’s easy to ride. But is that the only thing beginners consider? I’ve had a few people message me, asking about beginner boards in different categories or shapes. Would a Dinghy make a good beginner board? No, but it’s better than a Penny Board or downhill slalom board. I realized that I should specify better. You can start with just about any board, if you’re willing to put in the time. But here are a few decent setups for each category with beginners in mind. It may help you figure out what to look for, or find your first board somewhere on this list.

Note: this article is very long. Only read the whole thing if you’re not sure of what you want to do. Otherwise, pick a section. It’ll help you get to know what makes a good deck in each category through the examples and features. If you’re unsure, they’re organized from easiest to start with to more difficult, and then some outliers.

Disclaimer

I want to get a few things out of the way. First of all, none of these are affiliate links. I’m not against them, I just don’t want anyone thinking I may favor one of these boards over another because I’m getting money for some links. So no affiliates, pick what’s right for you! My goal has always been to help people get into skating, not make money. At least as of this writing, any reviews from this site have been my own setups, purchased by me. The below setups all fall into one or more of these categories:

1. Longboards I’ve ridden, put together, tested, or reviewed
2. Longboards that are similar to ones I’ve ridden
3. Longboards from brands I trust because I’ve ridden their other boards
4. Longboards from brands I trust because members of the longboarding community recommend them
5. Specific longboards that are highly recommended by the people who ride them

I’ve marked boards with an ‘*‘ if I have not ridden anything from that brand and am solely going off its reputation. If I have no experience with a particular board, but I do with the brand, it’s marked with a ‘†‘.

Remember, these are just suggestions. They’re not the only setups you’ll find that suit your needs. But a few examples can help you figure out what is “good” for a particular discipline or just for your first setup. While a beginner is often more comfortable just buying a complete, I did want to kick things off with a quick discussion about some other components.

Trucks

For trucks, you should mostly aim to get something from a good brand. These are what will be turning your skateboard and keeping the wheels in place. They’re kind of important. Don’t look into expensive precision trucks just yet. Instead, set your sights on something around $50-$70 for a complete set (two trucks).

There are two main types of trucks. Reverse kingpin and traditional kingpin. Reverse kingpin turn in slower for the amount you lean. They’re better for stability at speed. Traditional kingpin are the trucks you likely know. They’re on street skateboards and media, with the axle being in front of the kingpin. These are great for short wheelbases and smaller skateboards, which don’t have the size and leverage to take advantage of a reverse kingpin truck’s geometry. They’re typically just referred to by their abbreviations, RKP and TKP.

Some decent RKP Truck Brands:

(In no particular order)

• Paris
• Bear (Gen 6 Grizzlies)
• Caliber
• Arsenal*
• Maybe: Bustin Boards† (I haven’t tested them, but Bustin is a reputable brand)

Decent TKP Brands:

• Independent
• Thunder
• Mini Logo*
• Tensor*
• Bennett-Vector
• Ace
• Paris
• Venture*
• Bear (Though bushings aren’t fully customizable)

These are just some examples. If you go through a website like Muirskate, Skate Warehouse, Daddie’s Boardshop, Sickboards, Stoked, or Tactics, that is, some well-established online shops, then you should find some decent trucks. Still, best to read up on the feel of each one, to make sure it’ll be the right choice.

If I were to pick decent all-arounders, I’d say Paris for RKP trucks, and Independent for TKP trucks. Go with Paris TKP trucks if you want to put large wheels on a smaller deck, as it’s a very tall truck made for cruisers. Though I don’t recommend this for beginners, as it makes pushing very difficult.

As for the width? You want the edges of your wheels to match up to the width of your board. Go too narrow and it’ll be wobbly. Go too wide and it’ll be harder to get the leverage to turn. You can use this guide to help you rail match, as we call it.

There will be many aspects you’ll have to learn about if you want to get serious. Rake, bushing durometer (and size), pivot shapes and pivot cups, materials, and more. For now, just focus on getting something that’ll last you and give you a good experience.

Wheels

For wheels, you’ll prefer a softer ride. These will absorb bumps better, helping you get up to speed. This will vary wildly based on your setup. In general, you’ll want something around 78A-80A hardness, 70mm for a double drop and 60-65mm for a cruiser. An offset core will absorb bumps a bit better, but it’s not a must-have.

The main thing you want to avoid is wheelbite, so, when in doubt, go a bit smaller. Better yet, have your local skate shop help you with this.

The Rest

You’ll also need bearings. For a new skater, I’ll recommend Zealous Steels. They’re inexpensive, high quality, and have built-in spacers, so you don’t have to worry about making sure you have spacers. You can also go with Bones Reds, but you’ll also have to make sure you buy spacers.

You’ll also need hardware to connect it to your board. For a drop-through, get panhead bolts. For top mount, if you want the screws to be flush on the deck, get flathead bolts. You’ll likely need then around 1 and 3/8ths of an inch, but this will vary depending on the deck, risers, wedges, and anything else you may install. Muirskate’s Beasto packages are fantastic all-in-one kits for hardware and risers, and I often use them on my setups.

Just Get a Complete?

Do tucks, wheels, RKP/TKP, hardness, and rail matching just sound like too much? Well, that’s because it probably is. You can spend time doing all the research to make the perfect setup, or you can just buy a complete. Many of the decks I will suggest are from what I’ll call, “beginner-friendly” brands. They make complete versions that’ll come assembled so you can (after making sure all the nuts and bolts are tight) hit the road right away. Some completes are better than others, and you can almost always make your own setup that’ll be better than a complete, but they’re a great way to just get a board and get into the sport. Don’t be afraid to get a complete. In fact, if you buy your skateboard from a local shop, you can get a perfect complete tailored for exactly what you want to do on your new skateboard.

Seriously, I’m going to recommend going to a local shop often here.

Cruise and Commute

I sometimes get strange looks for riding skateboards. I am a woman in her (early, very early!) thirties, after all. Back when I had a commute, I rode them everywhere. Going to work? Skating. Grabbing some lunch? Skating. Heading to a friend’s place? You guessed it, I’m skating. I skate more than I walk. Whenever someone asks why, I tell them the same thing: skating’s the best way to get around a city.

Why? It’s almost as fast as a bike, but more compact. It’s great exercise if you want it to be, but at a leisurely pace, it’ll be like a nice walk, but faster. You can easily take a skateboard or longboard on a train or bus, or even in a car. Therefore, you can mix your transportation mediums. Maybe you skate to the train, take that for a few miles, and skate the last few miles yourself. Maybe you skate to the faster bus line a few blocks away. Maybe you just don’t feel like skating at the end of the day so you hop in the back of a Lyft with your deck. Skating is, by far, the most versatile way of getting around, and the best way to navigate a city. Hell, that’s why I have a Penny board! So when I want to travel somewhere for a day or two and only want to bring one bag, I still have a skateboard that I can throw in that one bag on a plane. However, I certainly don’t recommend a Penny board for novice skaters.

So, are you looking to make your commute better for the environment, better for your health, and just all-around more fun? Then these are a couple of options to get you started.

What You’re Looking For

Commuters like the ones I’ll list are the best setups for just getting around. You can easily carry these on a train, in a bus, in a car, or anywhere else. You can tuck them under your desk at work or under a table at a restaurant or bar.

When learning to skate, one of the biggest issues riders face is learning to push and stop. That’s why I made a very simple guide on it, despite the fact that I hate recording myself out skating (it’s the same reason I don’t take many selfies, I just don’t like seeming conceited). I intentionally did that video on one of my tallest setups, but that was to exaggerate the motions. What you want when you’re starting out is something very low. It should also have a wide enough platform, be long enough to not be overly nimble, and gives you a long standing platform. You want plenty of room so you can keep your weight low, don’t need to bend your knees a lot when pushing because you likely don’t have the muscles for balancing or standing on one leg for a while yet, and you’ll find it’s far more stable.

Pantheon Trip†/Ember/Pranayama†/Nexus†

I have to put these at the top of this list. Not only is the Pantheon Trip one of the best longboards you can buy, it’s also a good beginner commute or long distance skateboard. In fact, Jeff, the owner of Pantheon, has used a stock Pantheon Trip to win long distance races. Accessible and pro-rated!

The Pantheon Trip is a classic. I actually suggested the Pantheon Trip is the best option for beginners in 2019. It’s low, uses RKP trucks, and it’s just the right size for carrying with you everywhere. It, like the rest of Pantheon’s drop through setups, is designed for large 85mm wheels. Those large wheels will help you roll over anything. Bumps, cracks, or rocks can take down even experienced riders, but with 85mm wheels, they’d have to be some huge bumps.

As for the Pantheon Ember, it’s a lot like the Pantheon Trip. It was made to use TKP, that is traditional kingpin trucks (when the kingpin faces down and back, rather than forward). These are more nimble trucks that are, comparatively harder to learn on, but on this setup, you won’t have an issue. Because this is a longer wheelbase, that doesn’t make it hard to balance on. When I was trying to get an ex into longboarding, I suggested this. She had tried out a few of my setups, but found the Ember was far easier to ride than anything I owned at the time. When I broke my wrist and my doctor said “no skating,” I couldn’t give up commuting. I decided I wouldn’t be hopping up and down curbs or bombing hills, but could manage some light and safe commuting. So I got an Ember for myself. Not one fall. In the months I was healing up, I didn’t have a single fall thanks to just how stable this platform really is. I love this Ember, it helped me keep skating while I was injured and it’s a joy for smooth and easy commuting.

Note: listen to your doctor, I’m an overly obsessed idiot who thought going without skating for two and a half months sounded like a death sentence. I’m an idiot. Don’t do that.

The Ember also has a little extra kick, just behind the rear truck. This is perfect for rolling your foot over to kick it up when you’re at a stoplight or just reaching your destination. It’s a little addition that makes the Ember a fantastic city cruiser.

If you want to go with something even lower, but a little stiffer, you can check out the Pranayama. The Pranayama is an extremely low setup, made for TKP trucks. It’s like a cross between the Trip and the Ember. No kick platform, just an incredibly low deck with enough clearance for 85mm wheels. The Pranayama also has a plus size edition, for riders over 220 lbs.

The Pantheon Nexus is newer than the Ember or Trip. It’s set up for some light freeriding and to be a long distance pusher. This is low to the ground, has a longer platform than the Ember or the Trip, and is designed for stable RKP trucks. It’s a fantastic pusher. If you’re very tall (I’m 5’10”, so let’s say you’re over 6′), or you just want to maximize the width and length of your setup for stability, the Nexus will be better for you.

Landyachtz Drop Cat 33 and Drop Cat 38†

The Landyachtz Drop Cat 33 is an interesting board. It features an incredible amount of rocker, adding 7º to your trucks at the mounting points. It’s a drop-trough deck as well. The shape makes it as low as a double drop, and incredibly nimble thanks to adding that 7º to your trucks. It’s one of my favorite setups due to its surprising versatility. It’s great both as a commuter and as a freeride deck, even if it’s not the best at either. It’s such a fun shape that I had difficulty deciding if I wanted to go with a wide 180mm, 57º setup or a 165mm, 50º setup, so I bought a second deck so I could do both.

The Drop Cat comes in two sizes, a 33-inch length and a 38-inch length. Get the 38-inch length if you’re also thinking of using it for freeriding and you’re a beginner with slides. The longer length will help you de-weight the back, keeping your weight away from those back wheels so they can slide. You may also prefer the 38 if you’re tall. I found the Drop Cat 33 actually has a narrower standing area than the Landyahctz Dinghy, a small mini cruiser, so definitely consider the Drop Cat 38 if you’ve got a wide stance. Usually taller people (over 5’7″) may have a deeper, wider stance thanks to those long legs. Well, unless you have short legs and an extremely long torso, I guess. Like a human corgi or something.

Zenit AB Maze†

I don’t own a Zenit AB Maze (2.0 or 3.0), but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention it. I do own another Zenit deck, and really appreciate their lightweight yet stiff construction. The AB Maze 3.0 and AB 2.0 are Zenit’s answers to Pantheon’s Pranayama, Ember, and Trip, but with their own unique design and construction. It features a mellow rocker and concave, with sharp edges to round off the shape. The AB Maze 2.0 is a little more narrow, at 8.75 inches wide and 33 inches long than the AB 3.0, which is 9.5 inches wide and 34 inches long. Go with the smaller deck if you want something more portable, or don’t need the extra standing space. The decks are flexible and comfortable for riding long distance, both feature 1-inch drops, and they work with both RKP and TKP trucks, for versatility.

Arbor* Dropcruiser or Flagship

Arbor isn’t a brand I have much experience with. They use excellent Paris trucks on their completes, and their completes aren’t very expensive, but I haven’t tried them out. Still, many beginners gravitate towards the Arbor Dropcruiser or Arbor Flagship. The Dropcruiser is stiff, and would be better positioned for faster riding, maybe even some freeriding at one point. The Flagship has cutouts along the sides and features a 7ply construction that makes it flexible. It’s good for cruising around, and is a mild, soft ride.

Dance

A dance setup is a fantastic beginner setup. Because it’s so large, you can quickly learn how to balance on it. Pushing will be more difficult, as you’re higher above the asphalt on the reverse kingpin trucks and topmount geometry that dancer decks use, but you’ll have a long wheelbase and a wide platform, giving you plenty of room for inevitable mistakes.

I have a dancer, a Landyachtz Stratus Hollowtech. I’ve been holding back on reviewing it until I spend more time dancing. The truth is, I like to be at least somewhat good at something before I review it, and I am definitely not there with dancing yet. Let me tell you though, dancing and freestyle can be as rewarding as nailing the perfect pendy slide.

What are you looking for in a dance setup? Well, if you’re doing strictly dance, a large platform. The more space you have, the easier you’ll find it. If you’re shorter, though, you may have a smaller stance and not want to have to move around as much. Dancing deck size will be one part your height, and another part having a large enough platform to play with.

If you’re considering freestyle, that is, flipping your longboard up, around, over, etc, then you’re going to want something lighter and more narrow. Take a point from street skaters, narrow decks rotate more easily for tricks like kickflips. You’ll also want to make sure it has ample kicks to ensure you have enough leverage to get the board off the ground.

Here are a few setups that’ll work for both categories later on, yet still serve you as you’re getting started.

Moonshine* Hoedown/Infuser/Eclipse/Elixir

Moonshine fans can’t stop talking about these boards. They seem to have good reason. These decks are sealed along the edges with urethane to create a waterproof deck that’ll survive harsh bumps. If you get into freestyle, especially, you’ll appreciate your deck surviving a hard fall onto an edge. The decks supposedly don’t warp over time. The lone drawback is the price. The decks alone start at $200, and a complete can run you over $300. Still, you can’t put a price on quality.

Well, you can. And Moonshine did.

Loaded Bhangra†

The Bhangra is legendary in the dance community. The deck is 48.5 inches long, making it one of the longest. This accounts for its large kick tails, perfect for freestyle tricks. The deck features a center without grip, but grip along the rails, nose, and tail, so your feet can figure out exactly where they belong. They’re hard to come by, but when you can get them, expect to pay a premium price. Completes can run up to $400, and a deck by itself will set you back $268.

Zenit† Judo, Dino, Tero, Joe, Jig

I don’t have a Zenit dancer. It was near the top of my list when I was considering one though. This is because I really like the strong and lightweight construction of their Morning Wood V2. These decks start at $197, so they’re a bit lighter on your wallet. But you still get multiple sizes and designs to choose from, with kick tails of different shapes and sizes. These lightweight boards combine fiberglass and wood for lightweight strength with lots of pop.

Landyachtz Stratus and Tony Danza†

I actually got a Landyachtz Stratus. The Stratus 46 Hollowtech, to be exact. This isn’t an inexpensive deck, coming in at $250, but it’s clever. It uses a grid of hollow spaces cut into wood, sandwiched between fiberglass. This gives it flex, pop, and keeps it light. Plus? It looks cool. For a dancing deck, looking cool is actually important. I like mine, but I’ll admit, I haven’t spent enough time to give good advice. It’s nice to have if you want a large, ungripped area in the center, even with ungripped rails, kick tails with grip, and a lightweight construction.

For those looking for a less complicated and expensive model, Landyachtz also sells The Stratus Watercolor 46 and Stratus 46 Spectrum. For just the deck, these are $129, some of the most affordable listed here. You can grab a complete from Landyachtz for $229.99. And, for those looking for a smaller dancer, either because you want to do more freestyle tricks or because you’re shorter and you just want a smaller setup, there’s the Tony Danza Watercolor and Spectrum for the same price as the larger models. You’ll find these are easier to get off the ground and rotate, for flip tricks.

Mini Cruiser

Mini cruisers aren’t the easiest decks to learn on. I don’t really recommend them for beginners because they’re not as easy to learn on as a double drop. You might have noticed something by now: all my suggestions have been longboards. That’s because long wheelbases and wide platforms are easier to learn on. They’re less “twitchy,” more “flowy,” which is far more forgiving.

All that said, I got started on a mini cruiser. Even started learning sliding on a mini cruiser. But I’m an idiot and, apparently, a glutton for abuse. In those early days, I had more band-aids than accessories. I got injured a lot. I still have scars from those days! You can certainly get started on a mini cruiser, but I don’t recommend it. You’ll have to really commit yourself to riding if you want to do that. Still, I remember the first time I rode my skateboard home from work. I had a sun setting, smooth road, and a slightly downhill block of road. I just cruised. It was wonderful. All the work learning to push, getting knocked down from cracks in the sidewalk, it was all worth it for that moment of bliss.

So, while I still absolutely do not recommend something as unforgiving as a mini cruiser to start with, plenty of people have. With perseverance, it can be a lot of fun. Plus, if all you ever want is a small, portable board with a kick tail, this will keep you from needing multiple boards.

With mini cruisers, you’re looking for something that still has a skateboard-like wheelbase, that is, around 14 to perhaps 18 inches. You want some concave, but not an aggressive concave. Something to help you find your foot position, but still feel comfortable cruising. You’ll want big thick wheels, preferably offset, to reduce bumps. And you’ll want traditional kingpin trucks. These are lower to the ground. If you’re going small, you might as well make pushing a little easier.

Here are a few fun mini cruisers to get started on.

Landyachtz: Dugout, Tugboat†, Dinghy, Ditch Life†

Don’t tell the Dinghy, but the Dugout (above) is my favorite of the bunch. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a close race, but I like the wider stance I can take on the Dugout. The Dugout is a longer mini cruiser with a 17.25″ wheelbase. Basically, it’s like a stretched out Dinghy. It tapers slightly by the tail. I love it for slides, for commutes, for slashing down hills. It’s a fun cruiser. I think it might be the best mini cruiser to get your start on from Landyachtz, but it’s not the only option.

The Tugboat, for years, was the setup more experienced riders pointed to when making suggestions for beginners. It’s wider than the Dinghy it’s based on. With big 155mm trucks coming as a complete, it turns more slowly. That wide platform is forgiving, so new users can find their sea legs quickly.

The king of the cruisers, the most sought-after mini cruiser, is likely the Dinghy. It’s not the best mini cruiser to get your start on, but it’s a damn fine cruiser. With a flat tail, mellow concave, and slightly upturned nose, you can find a decent place for your feet on this tiny platform. Still, it’s narrow, short, and rides high. It would be easier to learn to skate on a standard skateboard. Landyachtz has released a few other versions, including the Blunt and Coffin shapes, which will be better for beginners as they’re longer and wider.

Alternatively, you could go for one of Landyachtz’ less popular cruisers, the Schooner. The Schooner is a Dinghy that has been sized up in every direction. If the Tugboat is wider, the Dugout is longer, then the Schooner is just wider and longer. That’s it. If you really love the shape of the Dinghy, but want it in a larger size, that’s the way to go.

Then there’s the Ditch Life. This is an even wider Tugboat, with a deeper concave. It’ll be great for anyone hoping to slash bowls or, well, ditches. It’s a cruiser that helps lock you on the deck for deep, banking turns.

Loaded Coyote†

If you want to load up a deck with larger wheels, you can look at Loaded’s Coyote. The Coyote is Loaded’s take on a popular version of their Kanthaka, the Kut-thak. It features a mild tail and small nose, but wheel wells allow for larger wheels, and a subtle amount of rocker helps keep you locked in. It’s $199 for a complete with 129mm Paris street trucks, 7º wedges for a great carving feel, and 65mm Orangatang Fat Free wheels. These are great wheels with a slightly offset core for a comfortable ride. The Coyote will be slightly larger than something like the Landyachtz Dinghy, but still retain a street-like size. The longer 17.5″ wheelbase means you can comfortably use either TKP or RKP trucks.

Zenit Vapor†/Wave†

The Zenit Vapor and Wave are based on the mold for the Morning Wood, with a smaller, lighter design. Perfect for a mini cruiser. Both decks are 9 inches wide, with the Wave featuring a more compact design, sacrificing a bit from its kicktail and nose. Both decks feature two layers of triaxial fiberglass for stiffness and lightness. Speaking from the Morning Wood, the larger design featuring this pressing, it’s got a lot of pop. These also feature adjustable wheelbases, so you can find your perfect size. Heavier riders can also add a ply of wood, for added stiffness. This is a more technical construction, but that comes at a cost. For the deck alone, expect to pay $132. Still, if you want a light and stiff deck with a lot of pop, it might be worth the upsell.

Santa Cruz* “Cruzers”

I actually saw a kid getting one of these built at a skate shop. Kid was so excited. It’s a classic for a reason. The wide cruiser shape gives you a lot of room for your feet and allows you to use wider trucks. These are less nimble, and will translate less of your shakiness into movement. You can find a variety of styles on Santa Cruz’s website, or just check out a local skate shop. It’s one of the most popular brands for the classic cruiser shape.

Arbor* Oso/Pilsner/Sizzler

Much like Landyachtz, Arbor’s most popular cruiser may not be the best for beginners. The small and nimble Pilsner cruiser looks a lot like a Landyachtz Dinghy too. However, it comes with excellent 129mm Paris trucks, for a little more stability and a surfy feel. However, the wheels are smaller than the Dinghy’s, which means you’ll feel those bumps.

The other option may be easier for beginners. The Oso has massive 169mm Paris street trucks. These wide and tall trucks were made for cruisers, and will give skaters a wide platform, easier to learn to balance on. The 10″ wide deck and slightly longer wheelbase will further make the deck easier to stand on for someone who hasn’t quite built up their balance yet.

Somewhere between the two is the Sizzler. This deck is narrower than the Oso, but features a longer wheelbase, for a bit more stability. It still features relatively wide (for a cruiser) 149mm Paris trucks.

Build a Cruiser

Cruisers aren’t all that complex. A deck, some taller trucks, risers and hardware, fat wheels, and some bearings. It’s a simple formula. Taller trucks like the Paris trucks may not even need a riser for 63mm wheels, but you’ll be glad to have it. Make sure your hardware is at least 1 1/8 inches long. If you want a larger riser, go for longer bolts. The only thing I’ll say here is make sure you rail match, at least close to the width of your board, perhaps only going slightly over (but not under, for a beginner). A lot of street trucks are measured in inches of the axle because typical skate wheels aren’t wider than the axle. Cruiser wheels are. So use my guide on rail matching to make sure you’re not going too far past the edge of your deck. There’s some basic math involved, but I did it with “new math” to make it a bit easier, breaking down the problem into an easier one and then putting it all together.

Street Setup

I almost forgot to include this because, frankly, I typically just write about longboarding. But often there’s crossover between the two. After all, when I ride a longboard, it’s helpful to be able to do a boneless, and going up and down sidewalk curbs is half of the fun of riding a mini cruiser.

Street setups don’t need much introduction though. There are so many brands, many of them using the exact same boards as each other, made in the same factories. Many new riders start off just buying a cheap blank deck and throwing some decent trucks, wheels, and bearings on it. I’ve gone to Skate Warehouse more than a few times for parts, and noticed they also have blank decks. They also have enough brands to make your head spin.

Here’s what I’ll say: don’t buy a blank. Find a deck with a design you really like. Not only does it help support brands who service the skate industry and community in other ways, it also supports the artists who create deck art. Plus, it’ll give you something to become really attached to. Learning to skate isn’t easy, and sometimes you’re going to have to motivate yourself pretty hard to get back on the deck. Get one you’ll love and you’ll feel just a little twinge of guilt when you think about quitting.

Width of a deck matters. A narrower deck will rotate faster, a wider deck will provide a more comfortable platform for your feet. If you want to make rotation easier for your kickflips, go narrow. Most people start off with an 8.25-8.5″ wide deck though. I think that’s a good middle ground for finding your balance on a board, learning to pop, and getting started with flip tricks.

From there, grab some wheels. I like soft skate wheels, like Ricta Clouds. They lose less speed, they’re quieter, and they won’t toss you from the tiniest rocks like hard skate wheels will. However, they’re often slightly heavier, so keep that in mind when trying to learn to get off the ground. Get something around 52mm, to avoid wheel bite, 54mm if you want something that will roll a bit easier, but could bite with loose trucks. This is incredibly small for a longboard or cruiser. If you’d like a “best of both worlds” setup, see the “build your own cruiser” section above.

For trucks, there’s a lot to say. Each truck adds a different feel. You can’t go wrong with Independents. They’re a solid favorite for decades. But they’re not the only brand around. Ace makes good trucks, as does Mini Logo, Tensor, Thunder, Venture, and others. Don’t be afraid to shop around a bit on a reputable brand’s store page. I like to recommend lightweight trucks, as you may find it is easier to get some pop when you can kick it off the ground easier. Plus, that reduced weight will help when you have to carry your board around.

Freeride

The setups for freeride may actually be easier than those for mini cruisers. But I put it a bit lower on the list because freeride itself is difficult, even if the setups you’ll use to get into it aren’t too difficult.

For beginner freeride, you want something that would also be good for pushing around town. Low, long, and wide. However, for freeriding we add another requirement: stiff. A deck that flexes as you ride it isn’t one that will be very predictable while turning and sliding. This is because flexible decks take on rocker as you turn hard, increasing the effective angle of the trucks. Furthermore, a flexible deck can sort of “bounce” you off of it, deweighting you as soon as you want to put your weight back on the board.

Now, there are top mount decks for free ride. I actually prefer them for their fast response due to leverage on top of the truck as opposed to underneath it. You can go ahead and use those, especially anything with drops to lower your center of gravity. But for learning slides, a low center of gravity will help you hold out your slides longer and recover quicker. It’ll also help you as you’re just learning to push. I love top mount freeride, in fact, my favorite freeride deck in my collection is my Pantheon Gaia, a top mount with microdrops and deep concave. However, they’re slightly less beginner friendly. You can get started with them, they just won’t be as easy to start. That’s why I’m mostly suggesting drop through setups here. This is a list for beginners, experienced riders. I cut my teeth in freeride with a top mount, but I had been skating for quite some time before I got there. If you’re getting started on a board, and want to use that same board for freeride some day, these are some good options for you.

Double Drop, W-Concave, Stiff, Symmetrical, the Landyachtz Switchblade

If you were making a list of perfect qualities for a beginner freeride deck, you’d be forgiven for just listing the features of the Landyachtz Switchblade. Actually, because I’ve suggested it before and am adding it to this list, I finally decided to pick one up (review coming later!). Now, the W-concave can be polarizing. Some people love it for toeslides and locking your foot in for heelslides. However, some hate it for pushing a deck around, as it creates a ridge in the middle of the board. A W-concave, especially one that’s on a symmetrical deck like the Switchblade, does make pushing around more difficult. Non-symmetrical decks will often only put the ‘W’ in the rear for this reason. It’s more of a balancing act. If you’re looking for something that’s more for pushing around, you may not want to go with a deck with a W-concave like this one. However, if you care more about sliding than pushing around, it’s fantastic for freeride.

Get it in the 40 inch size if you have a wide stance or want to keep as much weight off the back wheels for sliding. Go for the 38 inch size for a shorter stance or for more nimble riding.

Rayne’s* Demonseed

Don’t like the way the W-concave sounds? It’s true, it’s not a great feature for skating around, and it’ll make learning to push more difficult for beginners. Even though it’ll be great for freeride one day, if you want to get up to speed (heh) pushing quickly, then something that doesn’t have the ridge in the middle of the deck would be better for you. For that, a great alternative—and a more beginner-friendly board—is the Demonseed.

The Rayne Demonseed features tub concave. This is when a deck has a relatively flat bottom, but deep concave up to the rails. It helps to lock your feet in place at the ends, rather than with a ridge for your foot’s arch and toes on a toe slide. It provides more comfort and stability while pushing, but you’ll still have grip for learning slides. The Demonseed is also a double drop, featuring a drop through mounting position for trucks along with a 0.75″ drop. It also features rocker, which is balanced out by the drops to add 0º to the angle of your trucks. Meanwhile, you get to take advantage of the rocker, which helps line your deck up to your feet and a nice wide stance. Rocker and a tub concave keep your feet locked in while sliding, but remains great for pushing around. I love a W-concave, but have opted for boards that didn’t have it specifically because I intended to push them around. There’s no “right” answer here, it’s all about what you want to feel under your feet.

The Demonseed comes in three sizes, 36, 39, and 42. They even have a beginner-friendly guide for figuring out which size is best for people unfamiliar with their stance.

“To measure your stance:”

1. “Place your feet shoulder distance apart on the floor and measure from the outside of one foot to the outside of the other foot.”
2. “Standing Platform for the Demonseed 36 is 22.5”, Demonseed 39 is 25.5 and Demonseed 42 has a 28.8” standing platform.”

– via Rayne

They also have a good rule of thumb:

“If you plan to use the Demonseed for slides and freeriding then add 3-5” to the width of your stance measurement and pick a Demonseed that will contain this larger ‘power stance.'”

This is because a wider standing platform lets you put your weight towards the front trucks. This makes it easier to toss out the back in a slide, as you have less weight on the rear wheels. Always stand as close to those front trucks as you can on a downhill or freeride setup.

DB Longboards* Paradigm

The Paradigm has a subtle drop and drop through mounting. It features a stiffer 8-ply construction and a W-concave combined with tub concave. This means it has steep rails and a W, which should give you plenty of grip for slides. It’s a board that, as a complete, is better for cruising than freeriding due to the sharp lipped and smooth wheels it comes with. That’s why, if you like the sound of this deck, you should get it as a deck, then add something like Paris 180mm, 50º trucks, Zealous steel bearings, Powell Peralta 69mm Snakes, and a Muirskate Beasto 1 3/8″ mounting kit to put it all together.

In fact, that goes for just about all of these freeride decks. Snakes, Paris, Zealous, and shock pads with your mounting nuts and bolts.

Pantheon† Nexus

The Pantheon Nexus was a what if project from Pantheon. What if you wanted to freeride to the bottom of a hill, and then push back up it? From that, a low double drop platform based off the concave of the excellent Pantheon Gaia was born. The Pantheon Nexus is basically a double drop Gaia with the stiffness of a Pantheon CHiller. The wheelbase is longer, so you’ll lose some of the nimble nature you get from a Gaia, but if you’re new to longboarding, that can be a good thing. It features Pantheon’s crescent drop shape for greater strength on the drops, 8 plies of maple and 2 plies of triaxial fiberglass for extreme stiffness. This is a freeride board that’s made to push, and it’s good for commuting, distance skating, and downhill freeriding.

Tech Slide

Tech sliding is all about deweighting as much as you can off a board to do some really crazy slides. It takes skill, a surprising amount of upper body strength, and a lot of practice. I almost didn’t include this because beginners shouldn’t be trying tech sliding. However, the setups for tech sliding aren’t so complex that they’d be difficult to learn on. In fact, they can be as easy if not easier than learning to ride a standard street deck or cruiser. So I decided to include them because they’re not difficult to learn on, even if your end goal is a difficult discipline.

For a techslide setup, you’ll want at least one kick—usually two—to enable blunt slides, a wide deck for wide trucks, and, optimally, plenty of space for slightly taller wheels than a street deck, so cutouts or wheel arches. Most of these setups will look a lot like a street deck converted into a cruiser with risers and softer wheels, but you can also use reverse kingpin trucks. The key is using smaller, centerset wheels with good sliding urethane on a wide setup. The only real goal here is to create the ultimate sliding machine.

Zenit Morning Wood (Review of the V2, V3 currently out)

I grabbed this last year for a few reasons. First, was to step up my game and get into tech sliding. A few adjustments could be made there, like more grippy grip tape, but, generally speaking, it’s great for that. It’s directional, but not functionally, that is, there isn’t additional rocker or custom mounting angles, you can ride this either way. That’s important in tech sliding, because you often find yourself 180º around from how you started.

It’s a great all-around board. The deck is lightweight and stiff, with lots of pop, so you can set it up as a cruiser or toss on some small lightweight street wheels.

Powell Peralta Flight Deck†

The Powell Perlata Flight Deck is named because its lightweight, springy construction gives it a lot of pop. It’s great for street tricks. But it’s also tough, incredibly tough. You can get it in sizes up to 9.7 inches wide. A wide setup lets you spread your weight over the wheels in a wider, less grippy area. That makes sliding easier. It’ll also give your feet more space to grip. Still, the decks aren’t made for larger wheels, so you’ll need risers for anything much larger than a standard ~54mm street wheel.

Speaking of wheels, Powell Peralta has some of the best wheels for sliding. I love the Snakes. They slide like a dream. It’s Powell Peralta’s “Soft Slide” formula. While the Snakes are great for freeride, and give you enough urethane to get up to speed, put out some long slides, and keep grip when you need it, smaller sizes are great for breaking traction quickly. Powell Peralta’s 59mm G-Slide wheels are perfect for these street-like tech slide setups. Even if you go with another brand for the deck, you may want to check out G-Slides.

Loaded Coyote†, Omakase†, and Cantellated Tesseract†

They Coyote is more of a larger cruiser, but it could work for some techsliding. The better options would be the Omakase, for its larger size, and the Cantellated Tesseract. The latter is more of a freeride board, but I included it because it still has a kick for blunt slides. Still, I think a double kick board will be better suited for tech sliding.

Bustin YoFace†

The Bustin YoFace is a staple of Bustin Boards’ lineup. It’s an oversized street deck with plenty of room for large wheels, your choice of trucks, and room for your feet. These decks are lightweight yet stiff, and have good pop due to that rigidity. They feature 3D wheel wells, which can be polarizing. Some people love them for a bit more control and finding your foot placement, others find them obtrusive. You can use them for turning leverage though, and they can make it easy to find your foot placement when your deck (or you) are sliding and spinning around.

Surf Skate

It’s not easy to start skating with a surf skate. But what if you really, really, really want to? What if you only want something to help you train during the off season? Maybe you just want to keep your legs strong so when it’s time to get back in the water, you’ll be ready to go. Maybe surf skating is just the only form of skating you want to get into? Well, none of these are beginner’s setups, but, if you must, here are some examples. I only have experience on the Waterborne and Landyachtz surf skates, but there are many others:

• Waterborne adapter, for turning any skateboard into a surf skate
• Yow*
• Smoothstar*
• Carver*
• Landyachtz (kind of)
• Hamboard*

The Waterborne, Yow, Smoothstar, and specifically the C7 Carver trucks will give you the most “surf-like” experience. I especially liked how the Waterborne also had a height-matching rail adapter for the rear truck, which allows you to lean your rear truck without turning it as much. It’s like massively dewedging your rear truck to push off a platform that doesn’t turn much as you lean. Carver also makes a front truck that is more like a RKP truck with a high angle and a lot of negative rake, along with a nearly vertical kingpin for quick turns. It’s a better starter surf skate, if you’re worried about balancing on a board. The Landyachtz is a lot like this as well, but the truck doesn’t turn as much or as quickly, and is closer to a cruiser.

The Hamboard takes the idea of a surf skate very seriously. The boards are designed to be around the same size and shape of surfboards. Even the “shortboards” are long for skating longboards. The trucks turn easily, and both are at a high angle, using springs instead of bushings to re-center. It’s a unique setup, and it might not be for everyone, but they’re made with surfing in mind. As someone living in a dense city, I haven’t tried these, but if you’ve got room, you might like it.

Downhill

A good downhill deck is stiff, narrow and short, and has combinations of elements like W-Concave, rocker, flush mounting, gas pedals, and more.

I’m not here to recommend those to beginners. In fact, I’m more here to tell you not to try starting with a downhill deck. Instead, grab a decent double drop freeride setup and learn to slide on that. Get good at using a slide just to cut speed a little, even on a straight and narrow road, learn to slide through turns, and learn to slide into fakie and continue skating. A decent freeride setup is good for non-professional downhill anyway. Unless you’re racing, pushing speeds well past 30 or 40 mph, you don’t need a dedicated downhill setup. They’re also expensive, and you don’t want to drop $800 on some precision trucks, carbon fiber deck, mounting, foot stops, and more as a beginner. If I were to build a dream downhill setup right now, it would cost nearly $2,000 (those new Rojas trucks are expensive). Get into skating, get good at the basics, then give downhill a try, if you’re interested. You may find that you like the fun of just sliding around more than trying to go as fast as possible.

For Kids!

For teenagers and older, most of these skateboard rules still apply. But what about younger kids? You can get a kid started on a skateboard around the same time that you get them started on a bike. Kids learn quickly. First, listen to what they want. If they want a street skate setup, don’t get them a longboard because it’ll be easier to ride. Get them the street skate setup. You may have to invest more time in helping them learn, but it’ll be worth it to get your kid the perfect gift. But here are some tips for if you’re buying for a younger child, or someone who doesn’t know exactly what they want yet.

1. Go small. Your kid will have to carry and control this board. Small feet mean smaller areas to turn a board. Turning a skateboard is all about leverage, and they’ll have less leverage and weight. Kids will therefore need something narrow.
2. Design matters. Make sure your kid is in on picking the design. They’re going to want something that looks cool. Everyone does, but it’s more important to kids.
3. Consider getting softer bushings that match their weight. Riptide makes my favorite bushings, and you can shop by truck, even buy them in bulk, so as they grow they’ll be able to swap them out.
4. Protection. Kids especially will need knee and wrist protection, possibly elbow pads as well. Everyone needs a helmet.

Landyachtz actually has a section for kids, with cruisers that are smaller than their other cruisers, as well as some of their other boards. As for age? I’m not sure when kids are allowed to start skating. At least after they start walking, right? Can you have them skip walking and go straight to skating?

Paddle Board

I had been joking to my mom that she could pick up longboarding if and when she ever retires. At first, it was just a joke, but then i realized there are some low impact workouts you can get on a longboard and have an leisurely outdoor experience. Paddle boarding. So let’s say you don’t have the balance or coordination to learn to push. Maybe your knees just can’t take it. Maybe you just want a way to get an upper body workout while you skate. Or maybe you just want to go find a park and hit a nice paved trail for a few hours on a sunny spring day. The answer for you may be a paddle board.

Paddle Board Deck

The best setups for these would be something like the commuter boards I described above. Specifically, the Pantheon Quest, with its longer wheelbase, would feel nice. However, I’ll also add another category that will work well here: pintails. A pintail longboard retains a classic shape, gives you flexibility, and, often, a wide standing space. I think the Landyachtz Bamboo Pinner or similar pintail would be fantastic for this. Because you don’t have to worry about pushing, the increased distance from the ground won’t bother you. You could also go for something huge, like a Hamboard. In fact, Hamboard even sells their own all in one land paddle kits, though they’re sold out as of this writing.

Really, you could use any board for a paddle setup. Still, if you’re looking for the best options, go for large decks with reverse kingpin trucks and large wheels. 70mm or higher will do you well.

Paddle Board… Paddle

What about the paddle? The cheapest option would be to go to a sporting goods store and find a hockey stick. Buy some rubber endcaps for both sides, screw or glue them in place, and go skating. It won’t give you the best cushioning or grip on the road, but it’s cheap and it’ll help you get started if you’re not sure.

If you’re looking to make a larger investment, you can buy a dedicated paddle. Kahuna Creations* makes adjustable paddles that appear to be easy to use. If you want to spend a bit more and get something that will be even easier to push, consider a Braap Stick*. These have a spring at the base that will allow you to push with less effort.

I haven’t tested either of these. I still like pushing with my own legs. But if mobility is a problem for you, or if you just want to get more of an upper body workout while pushing, a paddle might be the right accessory for your longboard.

Don’t Buy Cheap

Consider your new longboard an investment. Longboards take time, and it would be better to build it by buying quality parts over time so you won’t have to waste it on junk you’ll just replace. Buying parts that will last will save you money, and things like large, soft wheels, good bearings, solid, well-made trucks, and a reliable deck will make learning easier.

Safety Gear!

Get. Safety. Gear.

You should at the very least get a helmet. You’re new, you’ll likely fall backwards once or twice. You may run into things like curbs, people, cars, or find yourself tumbling. Your head is your most important and vulnerable asset. Longboards can get up to speeds that street skateboards just can’t. You likely have an idea of skaters not wearing helmets. This is based on street skateboards that rarely go much faster than a person can walk or perhaps jog. On a longboard, you can easily get up to sprinting, cycling, or even vehicular speed. You may find yourself breaking speed limits sometimes. Just wear a helmet.

You may also want knee pads and wrist guards, even elbow pads if you think you could fall backwards. At least one wrist guard on your “front” hand, if you’re worried about how they limit your wrist and hand mobility. I’ve been skating for years. When I know I’m going to be doing downhill, fast freeriding, or trying new slides with my techslide setup, I put on knee pads. Why? I fall. I’ve messed up my knee before and had to stop skating for a few days. That’s no fun. When you fall, you’re always falling from the same height, but you could end up sliding on the ground. It’s nicer to do this on kneepads and slide pucks than your skin. I’ve done both, and, after thorough testing, I can definitely say falling and sliding with pads on is better than doing it without.

Furthermore, they just keep you out longer. Unless you skate with a first aid kit, a serious scrape could send you packing to go clean and dress your wounds. Wear some pads, there’s no shame in it, not in this sport.

Also, it’s not crazy to skate with a first aid kit. I’ve definitely kept some hand sanitizer, paper towels, and a few band-aids in my bag when I plan on skating for a while. That little kit has helped me stop bleeding and keep skating more than once.

Just Go For It

If you find a setup that’s similar to one of these from a reputable brand, chances are, it’ll be good for what you’re looking for. The truth is, there are so many choices on the market that are really good. Another thing I highly recommend, especially if this is your first board: shop local. Fire up your search engine of choice and try to see if there are any skate shops in your area selling longboards. You know what you want, or, at least you have a general picture in your mind. Even if it’s just, “I want to longboard.” Cool! That’s something an experienced skater could help you with at a skate shop. Many shops just want to help you get into the sport, they’re not going to judge you for being a noob.

Stand on a board and get a feel for the wheelbase, the standing platform, width and concave. Ask the person at the shop if it would be a good board for getting into whatever discipline you’re looking into. They may have other suggestions available that will work better for you. With your first board, you may not know what you’re looking for well enough to place an order online, so definitely consider checking them out in person first. Plus, you help keep a small business afloat!

Whatever you’re picking up, whatever you’re trying out, just go for it. Head down to your local shop or order online if you can’t do that. Grab something, set aside some time on a weekend or after work to try it out, and then push yourself to ride it every day. Just go out skating. Every day. Soon you’ll find it’s second nature and you’ll wonder how you ever got by without it. Seriously, I feel like I’ve lost a part of me when I can’t skate somewhere.

Maybe I’ll see you out there!