Longboards have gained significant popularity on social media recently, prompting many to want to try the skating style. You’ll need to get a longboard of your own before you can practice, but if you’re here, then that proved to be more challenging than you initially estimated.As many longboard variations as there are, choosing the right one is actually pretty easy once you know what to look for, and that is what we will learn in today’s guide.
Making the Tough Decisions While Withdrawn
A lot of important questions will arise on your quest to find the best longboard skate. But it’s essential to take a step back and consider what style of longboarding you’d like to try first. Each style has a corresponding board, and determining this will save you a significant amount of time. In this section, we will cover the common types of boards and their corresponding styles to assist with your search. Here’s what you need to know.
Cruiser/Carving Boards for Leisure Rides
A cruiser or carving board is the first type you should consider, as riding them usually involves simple movement. With a cruiser board, you are getting from A to B and rarely doing tricks. As such, they are often designed for easy riding and speed with pintail shapes. Carving and cruising go hand in hand, as the former is often used as a means of speed control. You shift your weight from side to side when carving, and a carving board might have an inwardly curved edge to support this.
Downhill/Freeride Longboards for Going Fast Safely
Downhill riding is self-explanatory. If you’ve seen a video of longboarders going extremely fast, then chances are, they are doing it on a hill. Moving at such high speeds requires a great deal of stability, and downhill longboards are specifically designed to handle that.They have stiff decks and wide trucks, providing stability and preventing wobbling. Downhill boards often resemble larger skateboards with a pointed front side.
If you want to take things up a notch while going downhill, then it’s safe to opt for a freeride board. They are also designed for downhill riding, but offer better maneuverability for technically advanced riders who want to carve and slide. The front and back ends of freeride boards curve inward, providing the wheels with space for turns and carving.
Freestyle Longboards for Impressive Tricks
Want to attempt some of the fancy tricks you’ve been seeing on TikTok? Then a freestyle board is the choice for you. They allow for technical maneuvers and trick lines in either direction. Most freestyle longboards are designed symmetrically, so you can safely move in either direction. However, they sacrifice flexibility for speed.
Dancer Longboards for Graceful Motion
If you’re captivated by longboard dancing and the graceful movement dancers can create, then you need the right board for this. Dancer longboards are slightly thinner across than their counterparts, featuring medium flex and responsive trucks for optimal performance.
Conclusion
Choosing the right board is only the beginning of your journey. There is so much you can learn about longboarding, and the more committed you are to learning, the more comfortable you are carving, riding, and tricking to your heart’s content. Investing the time to choose wisely now will ultimately pay off in the long run.
