How to Select the Best Skateboard Stuff

When it comes to your skateboard you never want to skimp on materials such as wheels, bearings, trucks and safety equipment. Faulty equipment leads to serious problems--and injury. Unfortunately, the expense of skateboarding equipment doesn't always attest to the quality of the merchandise. If you do not approach shopping for your skateboarding stuff with a frugal eye, you may find that you paid more for a brand name instead of quality.

Things You'll Need

  • Skateboard deck
  • Grip tape
  • Skateboard trucks
  • Skateboard wheels
  • Skateboard bearings
  • Skateboard risers
  • Skateboard hardware
  • Skate shoes
  • Knee pads
  • Elbow pads
  • Clothing
  • Helmet
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Instructions

    • 1

      Determine the materials used in the skateboard deck--the part of the board you stand on. You want to make sure that the deck has high quality layers of hard wood--between seven and nine layers--that won't splinter and crack after days of vigorous use. Some solid types of wood are hard cherry wood and maple.

    • 2

      Measure the length and the width of the skateboard deck. Once you know the size of the deck you can purchase the right size of grip tape--grip tape is an adhesive paper with one rough side that sticks to your deck--and it allows you to grip the board with your shoes. Choose a thick grip tape with a tough grain.

    • 3

      Determine the size of trucks you would like--these are on the bottom of the board where the wheels attach. The common sizes for trucks are 4.75 inches or 5.5 inches. The wider the trucks are the more stable the board will be--but larger trucks are heavier and harder to move.

    • 4

      Purchase either four 55 millimeter wheels or 60 millimeter wheels. You will need the 60 millimeter wheels if you have a heavy body frame--over 200 pounds. Ensure the wheels are considered "hard" with a durometer rating above 90 before you purchase them, so that they can withstand strain from half pipes and cement.

    • 5

      Determine which kind of bearings would be best for you--ceramic or metal. Ceramic bearings can give you a burst of speed because they're lightweight, but several high impact tricks can cause them to break.

    • 6

      Purchase shoes with sturdy soles and plenty of grip on the bottom of those soles. You may be able to find some shoes specifically designed for skateboarding at your local skateboarding shop. Common features for skate shoes include air pockets in the heels (for comfort) and a thick rubber lining around the sole of the shoes to help grip to the skateboard.

    • 7

      Wear clothes that are thick but still give you the full range of motion. The thickness of the clothing will help protect you from scratches and scuffs when you fall. The clothing should also stick relatively close to your body so that you don't trip over it and it doesn't create too much of a drag effect--a drag effect is where the air catches on the loose parts of your clothing and slows you down.

    • 8

      Purchase elbow and knee pads to protect your joints while you skate. The pads should fit on your arms and legs snugly, but they should not limit your range of mobility.

    • 9

      Buy a thick skateboarding helmet. Unlike some of the helmets you see for bike riding, skateboarding helmets have a hard exterior shell that encompass the top and back of the head. Try the helmet on before you purchase it to test how it feels and determine if you can wear it comfortably.