Welcome to our guide to help you choose your first longboard.
Find here a summary of all the advice we give to our customers in store.
If there are many disciplines in longskate (Dancing, Carving, Pumping, Downhill, Freestyle...) the boards for beginners can take different forms.
Generally, to help our customers choose their first longboard, we start by avoiding the "extremes" that is to say boards that are exclusively dedicated to one discipline.
To do this, let's start by determining the different disciplines and the specifics of the corresponding boards.
Longboard: The different disciplines
- Downhill: since this is the most common image of a longboarder, let's start with Downhill, or Race, or Downhill (or "DH" or simply "Speed"). It is obviously the most radical practice which consists in taking steep roads to go as fast as possible. Mandatory prerequisite: to know how to control your speed and to know how to powerslide to brake.
- Type of board: you can approach the descent with several types of boards but if we had to summarize, we could say that you need a stable board and thus a rather rigid trucks, a well tended concave plate (not flex at all!) and wide and soft wheels.
- Carving: it is the practice which consists, as in snowboard or in surf, to take sensations in the fact of linking the turns in a fluid way. Carving is quite accessible and can be practiced on light slopes or even on the flat.
- Type of board: there is no real ideal type. On the other hand, it is better to avoid downhill longboards. Indeed, if the board is totally steep, and that the trucks do not turn well, it will be much less fun!
- Dancing / Freestyle: even if they are two different disciplines, Dancing and Freestyle are often associated. Dancing is the practice which consists in "dancing" on its board, i.e. to stroll on the plate while rolling, by changing feet, the whole while preserving a movement of back and forth close to the slalom. Freestyle longboarding is mostly about flat tricks, like old-school skate tricks, based on varials and finger flips.
- Type of board: Dancing and Freestyle boards are long, slightly or slightly flexy, and they have two kicktails. They are extremely recognizable, especially in terms of their size. Freestyle boards are also often equipped with Noseguards to protect the deck.
- Pumping: Pumping in longboard consists in carver by pumping, i.e. by accentuating the movement of each turn by "jumping" on its board to relaunch it.
- Type of board: pumping boards are equipped with trucks, they are high in relation to the ground and the deck is flexed and cambered, i.e. it is bulging upwards.
- Freeride: or more simply, the high speed ride. Often equated with Downhill or riding, Freeride is nevertheless a discipline in its own right which consists of going downhill, but without seeking maximum speed, in particular with the aim of sending big slides.
- Type of board: freeride longboards are a bit similar to DH boards, except that we prefer slide wheels most of the time.
Longboard: Shapes and assemblies
As if it wasn't complicated enough, there are different shapes and setups that you need to know to make your choice with all the information in hand. Depending on the mounting you choose, the deck of your longboard will be higher or lower than the ground.
The higher your deck will be, with a Top Mount for example, the better your grip will be, especially in high speed curves.
Conversely, the lower your board is, with a pendulum longboard for example, the easier it will be for you to unhook your board to make slides and have a good stability.
- Top Mount the truck is fixed under the board as on a classic skateboard. Very good grip and reactivity but risk of instability at high speed. It is however the most popular shape for Race and Downhill.
- Drop Through: the truck passes through the chainring and is fixed on the top of the chainring. This setup lowers your center of gravity for maximum stability and excellent glide. The drop through is an interesting and safe shape for people who want to start Downhill.
- Pendular Shape (or Drop Platform): This shape allows you to have a stable longboard because it is close to the ground. A light drop (Micro drop ) will be adapted to the descent and will allow a very good wedging of the feet. On the contrary, a very pronounced drop (ex: 4/5 cm lowered deck) will be more suitable for riding and carving. In this case, the push is largely facilitated by the lowered plate.
- Shape camber (cambered) : this is the case where the board is arched towards the sky. Boards with camber are often soft/flex to allow a big boost after each curve. They are therefore very adapted to carving because they allow to pump while being very effective in each curve and thus to take speed quickly on the flat or the weak slopes.
- Banana shape (cambered towards the ground) or Rocker : This type of shape is rarer and allows to gain in stability.
Longboard what type of board to start with?
If you're looking to get into a particular discipline, go for a board dedicated to that discipline right away.
If you want to start and try different styles, it's always better to stay versatile to give yourself the choice to discover several aspects of the sport, but there is a category suitable for all beginners that we haven't talked about yet: Cruising!
Cruising is the fact to move, to walk, to ride! You just need to have 4 wheels to do it! As a result, a large majority of longboards fall into the Cruising category.
For a first longboard, nothing prevents you from opting for a carving board. First of all because it is quite accessible, even for beginners. Then because the Carving boards are versatile enough to try various practices.
Tip: To have a versatile board, it is better to avoid "real" boards for Downhill (and Freeride) and Dancing (and Freestyle). Why not? Because starting with a super stiff board, that doesn't turn and slides like a soap bar, or a super long and heavy board, is not good!
Cruising : A Pintail for the ride
If all boards can be used for cruiser, there is a type of board which is especially dedicated to the ride: the Pintail, these famous boards in the shape of surfboards (or inverted water drop), represent the quintessence of the longboard such as one saw it already in the commercials of the 80s with young women in bikini who carved on Venice Beach!
Suitable for Carving, Pumping, Dancing (with a long and wide deck), the Pintail is one of the basic longboards to start moving.
Choose the size of my longboard
One of the most important aspects to consider when choosing a longboard for beginners is of course the size of the board. While there is no one size that fits your style and size, you should keep the following points in mind:
The longer your board is, the more stable it will be. The longer your board is, the more stable it will be. This is very useful if you want to have a lot of comfort and space, for example for boardwalking on dancing. In general, long boards have a long wheelbase ( trucks). To help you choose, we indicate the Wheelbase (WB) of each board on the product sheet.
Conversely, the shorter your board, the more responsive and playful it will be. For smaller riders, it's very helpful to keep the maneuverability by choosing a board that is short enough. Same thing if you're looking for a board to move around town, where you'll need to avoid passersby, and turn at right angles.
Some examples:
- You're looking for a standard longboard, for a 5'10" adult who wants to go for a ride. Go for a size 37" to 40".
- You are looking for a small board for a 5'10" teenager who will use it in town. Go for a size between 32" and 36". You can also look at Cruisers.
- If you are looking for rider with speed and power slides, we recommend a board between 35" and 40".
- If you are looking for a versatile board to start with, but want to learn how to dance later on. Opt for sizes between 39" and 48".
Tip: The choice of size is subjective. It is very much related to your program and your level. There is nothing to stop a 6'1" adult from using a 36" longboard, as long as he/she is doing it for the right reasons. When in doubt, contact us for personalized advice.
Longboard: construction of the set
By browsing the site, you will see that there are different construction materials that can be used to design a longskate board. Here is a small overview of the materials you will most often encounter.
- Maple: In skateboard or longboard, it is the king wood! Maple is found everywhere and often bamboo boards have some maple ply. It is the cheapest material to make a board. Maple allows you to make solid and rigid decks of 7 to 9 plies in general.
- Bamboo: We find more and more bamboo in longskate boards. Above all for the marketing aspect because bamboo grows back very quickly. Nevertheless, it presents interesting characteristics to make flexible boards.
- Cork: Often present on the boards, cork is only used on the last layer to improve the comfort against vibrations. It is also a great material to give an incredible look to a longboard or to create a deck dedicated to Barefoot riding.
- Fiberglass: used as the last layer of composite boards, it often comes to coat a maple board to reinforce it even when the latter is flexed. The ideal material to keep a fairly light board, well flexed but as solid as 100% wood.
- Carbon fiber: The top of the line in the board world in general. Carbon is used as a reinforcing fiber on some decks, in the most exposed places. This makes the board stiffer in places and much stronger in the weaker parts.
How to choose my longboard : to conclude
This is a lot of information, and it is normal that it is not clear at first.
It is important to understand that you can choose different boards and still have fun with different styles. You also have to realize that you have to start somewhere.
As a last resort, you have to decide without knowing the absolute truth. The best way to understand everything is to try several things to make an idea by yourself.
So as we say: Go Longboarding!