What Skateboard Should I Get? A Guide For Beginners
What was your first skateboard?
How did it feel skating with that first skateboard?
If you were a beginner, I bet the experience of your first skateboard wasn’t as great as you expected.
The biggest mistake most beginners make when getting their first board is buying ignorantly. Failure to choose the right skateboard inevitably leads to a lousy experience skating. If you’re wondering, ‘what skateboard should I get to avoid a lousy skating experience?’, let’s get into it.
7 Things To Consider Before Deciding “What Skateboard Should I Get?”
Getting a skateboard may seem confusing because there are several factors to consider, like the size of the deck, your height and weight, and your shoe size. In this section, I’ll explain how each element affects your choice.
01. Age
Depending on age, people have varying characteristics such as shoe size, height, and weight. All these affect the choice of skateboard that they can use. There are also safety considerations for young kids.
If you want your kids to start skating early, I suggest a micro-board and a lot of safety precautions. Kids aged between 9 and 12 are playful and active physically. A mid-sized board, 7.5 – 8.0 inches, suits their body sizes while appeasing their curious nature.
Pre-teens and teens want to feel excited when they skate, so they will try some tricks that require regular boards to perform. Besides that, most teens are as big as adults.
Depending on age, you may wonder, ‘what size of skateboard should I get for my kid?’ This chart will help you decide.
| Age | Deck Width | Deck length |
|---|---|---|
| 5 years or younger | 6.5 – 7.0 inches | 28—29 inches |
| 6 to 8 years | 7.0 – 7.5 inches | 29—31 inches |
| 9 to 12 years | 7.5 – 8 inches | 31—32 inches |
| 13 years or older | 8 inches and above | 32+ inches |
02. Body height and Weight
If you’re wondering, ‘what skateboard size should I get?’, body height is an important factor to consider. Generally, the taller you are, the wider the board I would recommend for you.
It is important to select a skateboard that suits your height because even a fraction of an inch in width can make a huge difference when skating. Below is a chart of heights and their appropriate deck widths.
| Height | Board size |
|---|---|
| 5ft 6in and higher | 8.00 – 8.50 inches |
| 4ft 6in – 5ft 6in | 7.75 – 8.00 inches |
| 4ft 6in or lower | 7.00 – 7.75 inches |
Weight is a big consideration when choosing a skateboard because of how it affects momentum. More weight is good because it generates higher speed when riding downhill, but it can also lead to worse injuries when you fall.
Here’s a chart of recommended board sizes according to weight.
| Weight | Board size |
|---|---|
| Under 45 pounds | 6.5 – 7.0 inches |
| 46 – 59 pounds | 7.0 – 7.5 inches |
| 60 – 99 pounds | 7.5 – 8.0 inches |
| 100 – 150 pounds | 8.0 – 8.5 inches |
| Over 150 pounds | 8.5 – 10.5 inches |
03. Deck Width
The deck is the biggest part of a skateboard. It is the part of the board you stand on when you ride, so it makes sense to consider it first. Hence, if you’re wondering, what size skateboard deck should I get? you’re on the right track.
An extra wide deck will cause problems when performing elaborate skating maneuvers. Meanwhile, you’ll struggle with balance if the deck is too narrow. Deck width ranges between 6.5 and 10.5 inches. Mini-size decks have widths between 6.5 and 7.5 inches and are used by young riders.
Since deck width plays a crucial role in maneuverability, below is a list of deck widths and their ideal applications;
| Size | User |
|---|---|
| 6.50” to 7.50″ | Mini-size decks are great for youth riders. |
| 7.50″ to 8.00″ | Medium-size decks are used by teenage or adult skaters in urban environments to perform elaborate tricks. |
| 8.00″ to 8.50″ | Ideal for various skating styles, on the ground, aerially, or in transition. |
| 8.50″ and above | These wide decks are great for vert skateboarding, performing flat-ground tricks, or skating bowls. |
04. Deck length
Skateboard length depends on your riding style, discipline, and what you fancy. Boards that are less than 33 inches are considered shortboards. I recommend a shortboard if you love performing tricks and cruising in town. Boards of 28-30 inches are also great for young kids.
Depending on the type of skating you participate in, you may use boards longer than 33 inches. These boards are called longboards. They measure between 33 and 42 inches. Disciplines that use longboards are commuting, downhill skating, and surfing concrete.
Although longboards are bulky, I recommend them to beginners because they are easier to ride than other boards. However, in my experience, their bulkiness is disadvantageous during long commutes.
05. Wheelbase
The wheelbase of a skateboard is the length between the front and back wheels. Most boards have wheelbases of between 13 and 15 inches.
The average skater does not need to worry about the base length. However, if you want to increase peak performance and speed, you can tweak the wheelbase. Most boards come with several mounting holes, so varying the base length is simple.
06. Riding style
Skateboarding has many different disciplines which require different riding styles.
- Transition skating
In this form of skating, the rider mostly skates in parks, pools, and verts. To skate these areas successfully, your feet need more area to stand on to increase stability. Hence, I would recommend using a board with a wide deck.
- Street skating
This form of skateboarding focuses on aerial and ground-based tricks and freestyling in urban public spaces. Performing tricks requires lighter boards that can flip easily.
Narrow deck boards are better when performing tricks, so they’re preferred for street skating. However, the deck width shouldn’t be too narrow because that would mess up the skater’s balance.
07. Shoe Size (US men’s and women’s)
In my experience, shoe size is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a skateboard. If your shoes protrude too much on the sides of the deck, they may touch the ground while cornering, causing issues. On the other hand, if the board is too big, you will not be able to corner it.
Performing skills and stunts require a perfect foot-to-board fit. Hence, selecting a board that matches your shoe size will ensure safety and maneuverability. It will also allow you to perform advanced tricks.
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FAQs Regarding Skateboard Size
If you are concerned about the age of your kid, this is where you find your answers.
Q. What size skateboard for a 4-year-old?
Answer: A 4-year-old may be too young to skate, but an ideal board would be a micro-board of about 6.5 – 7.0 inches. Make sure to take all the safety precautions to avoid injuring the child.
Q. What size skateboard for a 5-year-old?
Answer: A 5-year-old is small and hence needs a tiny board. A micro-board of between 6.5 – 7.0 inches is perfect.
Q. What size skateboard for a 6-year-old?
Answer: The appropriate size of skateboard for a 6-year-old is a mini-size. The small size allows the child to balance easily.
Q. What size skateboard for a 7-year-old?
Answer: A 7-year-old is not big enough to ride a mid-size board so the mini-size is ideal. The 7 – 7.5 inch board allows better balance, allowing the kid to learn how to control a skateboard and make corners.
Q. What size skateboard for an 8-year-old?
Answer: If you want to get your 8-year-old a skateboard, I recommend the 7 – 7.5 inch board. The narrow width fits well with the shoe size of an average 8-year-old, enabling better cornering.
Q. What size skateboard for a 9-year-old?
Answer: A typical 9-year-old kid who wants to skate needs a good board. The 7.5 – 8.0 inch (mid-size) board is ideal because it can support their weight and handle their height.
Q. What size skateboard for a 10-year-old?
Answer: The best board for a 10-year-old is a mid-sized one. The foot-to-board ratio is perfect, allowing the kid to have an easy time skating.
Q. What size skateboard for an 11-year-old?
Answer: A mid-size skateboard is an ideal board for an 11-year-old. The wide deck is well-suited to handle the kid’s rapid growth while allowing them to experiment with technical tricks.
Q. What size skateboard for a 13-year-old?
Answer: Thirteen-year-olds are adventurous and love doing stunts. Hence, a regular-sized board of about 8 inches in width and 32 inches long is ideal. The 8-inch board is narrow and so provides the excellent maneuverability required for tricks.
Conclusion
Skateboards aren’t a size fits, so each skater needs to find a board that suits them. Riding style, deck size, shoe size, body height, and weight are some factors that determine what board a rider uses.
It can be tiresome to consider all the factors that affect skateboard choice. Fortunately, there are size charts to help choose the right board. Hence, the question, ‘what size skateboard should I get?’ should not be hard to answer, even for a beginner.
