The Series ‘What board to choose?’ is meant for all the people out there who struggle to determine what board will best fit their needs.
In this first blog of the series, we focus on skateboard decks, more specifically, their width. Since most brands are from the US, the width is measured in inches!
Choosing the right size skateboard can be a difficult thing to do for a new rider. With sizes jumping up just a fraction of an inch (8” – 8.06” – 8.1” – 8.12” – 8.125”), it can be hard to decide exactly what you want to ride. Personal preference plays a huge roll. Lately people have been moving to larger boards as ‘transition’ or bowl skating has become extremely popular again. 8” to 8.5” boards have become the most common size range, where in previous years, when street skating was more popular, skaters would go for 7.5”-7.75”.
So what size is right for you or the grommet?
Firstly, a young grommet should not be riding a full sized 8” deck an adult would normally ride. Young grommets in the 3-5 year old age group, should always start on a mini (7″ to 7.3″). A mini is not only narrower than most decks, it is also a lot shorter. Having a shorter board for a smaller rider, allows them to control the board a lot easier and enables them to gain the basic skills faster. A full-size board is more stable when dropping into ramps, but they will sacrifice the ability to learn kick turns and ollies which are the basic skills needed to then build more complex tricks and skills later.
For the 6-11 year old age group, the deck choice will depend on multiple factors, i.e. height, size of feet and style of skating. You will normally start with a 7.5″ and move up to a 7.875″ as they grow. Try not to jump from a small size to a much bigger size at once and aim at gradually increasing the width over the years.
These days most kids over the age of 12 are moving to decks that are 8” to 8.5” wide. A wider board is more stable and can give you more confidence when doing more advanced tricks on bigger ramps. If you mainly skate street or flat ground, you’ll want to stick to the narrower boards because they’re easier to flip/control and are a touch lighter. Street skating is a lot more technical and speed is not always needed as much as transition/bowl skating.
In the end, if you or your kid have just started to skate and you just don’t know what width you should go for, best to come visit us at the shop! Concrete Lines – Shop 5a, The Strand in Coolangatta. We’ll get you (or your kid!) to stand on a few decks and help you figure out what works best for you! If you live too far away, give us a call (07 5536 2677) and we’ll sort it out over the phone.
