How to Buy The Perfect Longboard Skateboard Deck For Cruising

The term longboard refers to skateboards that are over 40 inches in length. Whether you’re cruising for chicks on the boardwalk, commuting to school, or just cruising around running errands, getting a board to suit your style is essential. Longboards come in varying lengths. Although the term longboard refers to skateboards that are over 40 inches, there are some cool mini cruisers out there that measure a mere 24 inches. Here are some things to consider when scoping out longboards:

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Length of the board – typically the longer the board the easier it is to maintain your balance. As the length gets longer you lose maneuverability.

2. Width of the board – if you have clod hopper feet I recommend a board that’s at least 9 inches wide. This is important because you don’t want to your feet to hit your wheels as you’re turning. Besides, it looks funny when your huge feet are hanging over the sides of the board.

3. Flex of the board – finding a flex to fit your weight is important. For heavy riders it’s imperative to find a board that won’t bow beneath your feet. For light weights you have a lot of options open to you. A stiff board will make you go fast and you get the most out of your push offs, but you will feel every bump you hit. A flexy board will soak up the bumps and give you a softer ride.

4. Traffic – both on the street and on the sidewalk. If you ride mainly on the street I suggest a board in the 40-50 inch range. This board is long enough you can maintain good balance and also short enough you can dodge a few dumb drivers. Boards of this length also do well at higher speeds. If you’re riding in an area with heavy foot traffic, try out a mini longboard AKA a campus cruiser. These boards are easy to maneuver and they don’t take up that much space on the sidewalk. They’re also easy to throw in a backpack or tote around between classes or while running errands.

5. Graphics – cool graphics will get you stoked about cruising. Also, if you need to stop off and check something and you have to carry your board, people will notice your graphic. Choose something that will set you apart.

Tips & Warnings

• Most importantly choose something that feels good under your feet.
• Support your local skateshop, hopefully they have longboards. Get to know the guys there and maybe you all can arrange some group rides. This way you'll be able to try out some of their boards and get a feeling for what you like.
• Beware of skateboards made in China, they will delam (the plys will come unglued)
• Skateboarding is dangerous. It would be advisable to wear protective gear although it may not look cool when you're cruising, it will help save your pumpkin.

[Dahouse]

on 11/12/2008 I am noew to longboarding. Used to skate old schools and looking to get bakc on for my sake and my dog to get a run in. I weight about 190 lbs. Dog is a boxer so I need something that can cruise and hit the turns. thanks

[dssoccer127]

on 8/17/2007 most skateboard shops actually know absolutely nothing about longboarding and usually all they have are sector 9s which arent bad but usually the completes sucks so instead go online and search for a board
www.silverfishlongboarding.com has a lot of guys that can help you choose the right board for you so you wont waste your money and they actually know what they are talking about