Buying a real skateboard

• Skip the big-box “toy” board. It’s the single most common reason kids struggle to learn.
• Buy a complete from a skate shop. About $100–$170 gets a real board that will last.
• Pick the deck width by shoe size and style: narrower for street, wider for bowls and ramps.
• Hard wheels for skateparks, softer wheels for rough streets and cruising.
• Helmet and pads. California law requires a helmet for skaters under 18.

The $30–$50 boards sold at big-box and toy stores look like skateboards, but they’re built like toys. Their trucks barely turn, their wheels are slippery hard plastic, the bearings are rough, and the decks are flat and heavy. Tricks that are hard on a real board can be close to impossible on one of these, and kids blame themselves.

Prices are rough ranges. A skater who skates a lot will replace the deck far more often than anything else, and decks alone are cheaper than a whole setup.

• Street skaters often go a bit narrower, which makes flip tricks easier.
• Bowl and ramp skaters often go a bit wider for stability.
• Girls don’t need a “girls’ board.” Width follows shoe size and style, not gender.

Trucks

Trucks are the metal axles. Their width should roughly match the deck’s width, and every truck brand publishes a chart. Independent, Thunder, Venture and Ace are long-standing names.

Wheels

Bearings and the rest

• Bearings: the ABEC rating on the box doesn’t matter much for skating. A mid-priced skate bearing is plenty.
• Grip tape: the sandpaper on top. Most shops put it on for free.
• Hardware: the bolts. Keep a skate tool in the bag to tighten things up.

Skate shoes have flat, grippy soles so you can feel the board. Suede holds up to grip tape better than canvas or mesh. Skaters learning flip tricks can wear through shoes fast, so don’t overspend on the first pair.

• Vulcanized soles: thinner and flexible, great board feel, wear out faster.
• Cupsole: thicker and more cushioned, better for jumping down things, lasts longer.

• A helmet that fits, worn every time. California law requires one for skateboarders under 18. Look for a certified helmet; skate helmets certified to both the bike (CPSC) and skate (ASTM F1492) standards are common.
• Knee and elbow pads. Most skateparks and contests require them for kids, especially in bowls and on ramps.
• Wrist guards for beginners, who tend to catch themselves with their hands.
• A signed waiver. Most parks need a parent’s signature for under-18s.

1. 1.What deck width fits her shoe size and the way she skates?
2. 2.Is this complete built with real skate parts, or should we build one?
3. 3.Are these wheels right for the skatepark, or for skating around the neighborhood?
4. 4.Can you set the trucks up a little looser or tighter for her?
5. 5.Do you run sessions, clinics or a shop team?