How to Choose the Best Longboard for You
This guide will help you find the right longboard for exactly your or your kid’s needs by explaining some of the most important elements of longboards.
You are also welcome to contact us, if you are in doubt about which longboard you should buy.
What type of longboard should you choose?
Longboards are most often designed with a long deck size and are constructed of materials such as maple, bamboo and at times reinforced with fibreglass. Longboards tend to give you a soft riding experience and are created with the purpose of riding and not for tricks.
Generally, there are 6 types of longboards. They differentiate from each other by the design of the deck, which also determines the various riding styles. We therefore illustrate and explain the main differences for you in this guide.
Carving / Cruiser
Carving and cruiser boards share many similarities and are known for their surf-like feeling. Carving boards are designed for sloped streets and long deep turns, but are as well as cruiser boards, optimal for cruising around town and having fun. These longboards are often reinforced with a layer of fibreglass included in the construction, which offers a great durability and a surf-like feeling flex. We recommend cruiser and carving boards for beginners or recreational longboarding.
Downhill / Freeride
Downhill longboards are designed as the name implies for riding downhill at a high speed, whereas the similar Freeride longboards are created for slides on flats. The construction of downhill longboards is often stiff, which gives maximum stability at high speed. Another characteristic of these boards, are that they are designed with cut-outs, reducing the danger of wheel bites (when a wheel touches the deck in turns). Many new downhill boards are designed with “wings” included in the board's rear end, meaning that the edges are bend downwards, making it easier to push the board and initiate slides.
When riding downhill longboarding, it is of great importance to wear protection. See our selection of equipment for longboarding here.
Freestyle
Freestyle longboards are for you who wishes to challenge yourself with tricks and slides, as well as for you who enjoys riding on even surfaces. These boards often comes with a softer flex and are optimal for tricks when cruising through the city.
Dancer
These longboards are designed with a long deck design and often with top mount trucks, which makes them optimal for dancing maneuvers on the board.
The boards are often made with an extra long deck design, which also makes them suitable for riding on even surfaces and for long trips. Besides that, dancer longboards offer you an excellent training for your balance.
See our selection of longboards here.
Longboard Trucks
Longboard trucks are placed reverse compared the placement of standard skateboard trucks. Besides that, trucks for downhill longboarding are designed a bit wider and lower, compared to the other longboard riding styles.
Longboard trucks can generally be mounted in two different ways.
Top Mount
Top mounts are the most traditional type of mounting, where the trucks are secured to the bottom of the deck. This type of mounting of trucks is normally seen on both cruiser, carving and dancer boards.
Drop-through Mount
Drop-through mounts gives you a smaller distance between the board and the ground, resulting in more stability. This type of mounting is especially useful for downhill riding and long slides. As seen on the picture, the truck is mounted on top of the board.
See our selection of longboard trucks here.
Longboard wheels
Longboard wheels are larger than traditional skateboard wheels, which results in faster and smoother rides. Besides that, longboard wheels offers a great absorption of vibrations. Smaller longboard wheels are more agile, whereas larger wheels are designed for higher speed and allows you to run over small stones.
Another factor to consider concerning wheels, is the hardness vs. softness of the wheels. Softer wheels give you a better grip and absorption, whereas harder wheels are great for high speed and slides. The wheels' hardness are measure in a durometer range between 70A-100A.
See our selection of longboard wheels here.