Different Types of Skateboards

Whether you are new to skateboarding or thinking about replacing your old, worn-out skateboard with the latest one, whenever you go out in the market, you’ll encounter plenty of skateboard options to choose from. Generally, a person who is not too much into this sensational sport might think there would be hardly two to three types of skateboards but that’s wrong! Based on the design of the deck, types of wheels and trucks, and power modes, there are twenty to thirty different types of skateboards.

If you want to get the one which would meet your skating style and requirements perfectly, it’s important to learn about as many skateboard types as possible so the selection process won’t be that intimidating. Thus, to help you out, we are going to discuss some of the most common and popular types of skateboards in this article. So, let’s dive in!

Types

1. Longboard Skateboards

As the name implies, this type of skateboard features long decks and that’s why they suit adult skaters well. Beneath these wide and long decks, small soft wheels are mounted which ensures the smoothest cruise over bumpy terrain. If you don’t know then the big-sized wheels impart high-speed cruising whereas the small-sized wheels impart smooth rides and more stability.

Thus, whether you want to get a skateboard for regular transportation or to learn more about balancing the board on wider road edges, this type of skateboard is your go-to option. Longboards are also called classic skateboards because they are the oldest known form of skateboard; the one that was developed to surf over land.

For the very same reason, the trucks of these longboards are kept short, to keep the deck close to the land so the rider could get a close-to-surfing experience. One thing that’s worth mentioning here is that the classic longboards, due to their big size and relatively heavier build, are not preferred for performing tricks.

2. Mini Skateboards

Mini skateboards or also known as mini cruiser skateboards are much smaller in size than longboards. However, the deck of these boards are relatively wider, having large and soft wheels beneath which facilities cruise onto streets and city roads with speed. Such mini-boards are best if you are looking for easy transportation means that are both lightweight, efficient, and portable.

Due to having such a small size and lightweight design, you can carry them easily, when not in use. However, you won’t get the stability of longboards with these mini-boards but if you are experienced enough to cruise with style and want to perform advanced skateboarding tricks, you should definitely give it a shot.

Also, mini-cruise boards are a good option for kids who are new to skateboarding. And that’s another reason why mini cruisers are available at a much more affordable price and in a wide range of styles and colours.

3. Street Skateboards

Street skateboards come with the standard size and design – the boards that pop up in mind whenever the word skateboard is spoken. They have flat and mid-sized decks and soft, small wheels. The edges of these skateboards are sometimes built in a single kick style or a double-kick style. In a single kick skateboard, either the tail or nose of the board is made a bit higher. Whereas in double kick-styled boards, both the tail and nose are made a little elevated and edgy.

These street skateboards are great if you are up to learning the basics of skating. Since they are highly versatile, you can use them to ride over streets and skateparks. Speaking of deck width then some are made a bit concave from the middle and a bit narrower from the edges whereas some others are made completely symmetrical, from end to end.

Symmetrical or popsicle skateboards are good to learn newer skating tricks whereas the concave skateboards are better to improve your overall performance as the concave deck imparts more stability and traction which in turn boosts your confidence. All in all, the street skateboards give you the utmost freedom and flexibility when it comes to usage, customization, and performance.

4. Cruiser Skateboards

Cruiser skateboards are a bigger version of mini cruisers and resemble them a lot in almost every aspect, except for the size. Also, cruiser boards share a resemblance with the longboards due to having similar width, same-sized wheels and trucks, and almost the same build. Speaking of the exact size of these cruiser boards, they are somewhere 32-42 inches long – larger than mini cruisers and smaller than longboards.

Due to having small size and lighter weight, they are undoubtedly more portable than longboards but also offer less stability and are hard to control sometimes. These cruiser boards are ideal for all those skaters who have passed the beginner level and now want to upgrade to a board to learn advanced tricks.

Although the optimal wheel size of these boards ensures a smooth ride, still, they are a little more difficult to ride than longboards which means that not any naive person should purchase them. Speaking of its usage, if you have learnt the proper method of riding over it, you can cruise over it everywhere, on streets, roads, and skating parks. In fact, the name cruiser board is given to them due to its brilliant cruising performance and ability to make narrower, sharp turns.

5. Electric skateboard

Electric skateboards, as the name implies, run on battery power, instead of muscle power. To ride these boards, all you need to do is to maintain a stance and press the power button. To control the navigation and other smart features including speed and riding modes, a remote is given. The batteries provided with most of the electric skateboards are rechargeable and swappable.

However, purchasing an electric skateboard requires you to put much thought into it. You have to look for the speed, performance, power, torque, size, durability, weight limit, battery life and recharge time to be sure about the purchase.

Also, safety gear becomes much more important to wear with e-boards, especially if you are going to ride these boards for the first time. If you want a means of transportation to visit a nearby place, like school, college, park, or office, you can consider buying it.