Beginner Skateboard – What You Need To Look For

So you are looking to buy a beginner skateboard, buy don’t quite know where to start? Here is a quick history lesson on skateboards and some easy buying tips to get your first board.

It was said that skateboarding was created by bored surfers looking for ways to “surf” on land. The boards back then were very rudimentary and almost comical compared to the innovative boards on the market today. Back then skateboarding was seen as a trend or hobby, at best.

Today, skateboarding culture has truly exploded since almost dying out back in the early 1960s. Now skateboarding can be found everywhere you look; on the big screen, on your X box and in your backyard. Many cities today have their own skate parks and skateboarding has become so big, that it has become a competitive sport and is a main event in the massively popular X games.

With the increasing popularity of skateboarding, thousands of eager skaters are jumping into the sport every year. Well, there is no time like the present! If you are looking to buy beginner skateboards, here is a quick guide to help educate you about the basic components of the skateboard.

Each skateboarder wants to have their own unique board that expresses their personality. However, every skateboard is built using a deck, wheels and trucks. The deck is what you stand on and use to manuever the board around. In the past most decks were made of wood, but today composite skateboards are becoming more popular. A longer, thinner deck is good for cruising the streets, while a shorter and wider deck is perfect for doing tricks. In general the widths of most decks can be between 7-10 inches.

Each skateboard also will have two trucks which hold the wheels onto the deck. In general the trucks are made out of metal and a high quality skateboard will seal the trucks to the deck with rubber, not plastic.

Finally we have the wheels. Depending on what kind of skating you will be doing, street, vert, trick; you will need the appropriate wheels. The wheels come in different sizes graded in mm, with a 52mm wheel being smaller than a 6omm wheel. Also the durometer is graded on the hardness or softness of the wheel. So a 75A graded wheel will be much softer than a 85A wheel.

Skateboarding is an amazing sport that is fun for all ages and it doesn’t matter what race or gender you are, the skateboarding community is filled with some incredible and friendly people. So be sure to use the tips above when picking out your beginners skateboard, then get out there and you will be grinding in no time. You will be glad you did!

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