How to Choose a Longboard Type

Choosing the longboard type that is right for you can be difficult, particularly when low quality equipment is routinely marketed to beginners. Price is your guide to quality; well-made longboards cost a minimum of $130 (as of September 2011). If you are going to be doing a variety of different riding including slalom, downhill and simple transportation, a mid-length board between 39 inches and 50 inches long is the most versatile type.

Instructions

    • 1

      Choose a longboard that is 39 inches to 50.3 inches in length for transportation purposes. Make sure the board is flexible so you will have a comfortable ride. Check to see if the trucks (hold on the wheels) are set loosely for narrow turns.

    • 2

      Choose a longboard that is 24.6 inches to 34.7 inches long for slalom riding and a 38-inch to 43-inch board for downhill riding. Higher quality boards are made out of carbon fiber. Make sure the trucks are attached to the very ends of the board.

    • 3

      Choose a longboard with the right type of wheels for your riding. Wheels vary in size and durometer (hardness). The wheels range in size from 58 millimeters to 90 millimeters with the smaller wheels being able to accelerate faster but not reach as high a speed as the larger wheels. The wheels range in durometer with softer wheels yielding a smoother ride on rough terrain and harder wheels sliding easier.

    • 4

      Avoid choosing a board based on its shape. The shape is primarily aesthetic.The length of the board and the type and placement of the wheels should be your deciding factors rather than shape.

    • 5

      Choose a hybrid board if you want to do different types of riding. Hybrids are modeled for superior control and/or turning over the traditional longboard. The tradeoff is that hybrids are often slower or more difficult to navigate on flat surfaces than the traditional longboard.