How to choose a skateboard?
Choosing the right skateboard is essential to help you progress. Starting with a board that doesn't suit you can make the experience much harder. So it's important to choose the right skateboard for you.
Here are some explanations to help you make your choice.
1. The composition of a skateboard
It is interesting to know the composition of a skateboard. This will allow you to know which component to change in case of wear, breakage or simply to adapt your equipment to your practice.
The board
There are boards of different sizes and shapes/shapes. Your choice will vary according to your riding style (street, park, bowl, ride).
The grip
The grip allows you to have a good grip on your skateboard. It is glued to the top of the board and can be changed whenever you want.
The trucks
They are the link between your board and your wheels. You should choose a size that matches the width of your board. We prefer taller trucks for more power in the pops and shorter ones for a better stability.
The wheels
Here again, your riding style will determine the choice of your wheels. The size and the hardness of the rubber will have to be taken into consideration.
The bearings
The bearings make it easier to rotate the wheels of your skateboard.
The ABEC of the bearings (which generally varies from 1 to 5) will allow you to determine which ones suit you best according to your level and your practice.
The screws
The hardware, which mainly consists of screws and nuts, is used to connect your trucks to your board.
These are materials specifically designed to fit the holes in the board as well as the trucks.
2. Your style
In order to choose the right board, you must first determine what you want to do with it. Each configuration will have a specific use.
multipurpose/beginner
To begin with, we advise you to opt for a complete setup, so that you have a board capable of making you progress and making you discover all the playing fields.
street
The street is yours! But it's better to have quality equipment to face it! In order to gain in manoeuvrability and agility, most street riders prefer to turn to narrower boards. They also make it much easier to perform flips. On the other hand, a wider board will give you more stability.
bowl/pool/ramp
In order to master this terrain, you will need a well adapted and robust setup. You will choose a wider board that will give you the stability you need to fly, reposition and bomb!
3. Setup Complete or to be assembled?
It is mainly your level of experience that will determine which solution to choose.
Clearly, when you're just starting out, we recommend that you look for a complete package. The components are of standard quality but they will be more than enough to help you progress and discover skateboarding as a whole. These boards are ready to ride as soon as you receive them and are more affordable.
Then, after a few rides, you will already discover what your preferences are. By talking to other riders and asking around, you will be able to determine what improvements to make to your skateboard. But be careful, it's your feeling that should take precedence over your own choices!
You will see that all the elements can be changed and replaced. You will be able to choose these according to what you want to do with your board. Gradually, you will turn to a personalized skateboard!
In order to make it easier for you, Nature-Ride has put together some tutorials to help you choose each element of your skateboard more easily!