When you first get started with longboarding, you'll probably have many questions. What type of board should I get? What kind of wheels are right for me? Which trucks should I buy? What type of bearings should I get? How much should I spend on a board?

It can be pretty overwhelming to figure all of this out, but the first question you should ask to point you in the right direction is what style of riding you want to get into. This guide will answer some of these questions, and help you get started in the awesome sports of Longboarding!

What type of board should you get?

There are many different style of riding within longboarding, and depending on the style that you like best, will help determine which type of board would be best suited to you. The following riding styles are the most popular categories, and might help give you an idea of what board you may want to pick up.

Freestyle Boards

Freestyle riding involves a wide range of flip tricks, shuv-its, grabs, manuals, slides, and various other tricks. Freestyle boards often have kicktails at either end of the deck which help riders pop the board when performing these tricks. These boards are also usually symmetrical, so that the rider can continuously ride and keep performing consecutive tricks after spinning the board 180 degrees. Freestyle boards are generally paired with slightly smaller wheels (60-70mm in diameter) to help keep the board lightweight for doing flip tricks. A great freestyle board to start with is the Limitless Breeze by Limitless Boards.

Cruising/Carving Boards

Cruising/carving boards are designed to be super comfortable for getting from A to B. These boards often have a flexible and springy ride feel and can create and amazing feeling of flow as you carve side to side with them. Longboarding as a sport was derived from surfing, and the first longboards were created to simulate the feeling of surfing a wave, but on concrete rather than water. Cruising/carving boards are the boards that simulate this feeling the best, due to their great ability to absorb bumps and cracks in the concrete to create a smooth and forgiving ride.

Downhill Boards

Downhill boards are usually made of a stiffer material, which help keep large vibrations to a minimum while flying down hills at high speeds. Softer and springier materials like birch wood or bamboo are great for achieve a nice bouncy and flexy feeling, however they can be unstable at high speeds, creating exaggerated speed wobbles if you lose control. Downhill boards tend to be made of maple veneers, although some higher end boards also use carbon fibre composites to achieve an extremely light and stiff construction.

Dancer Boards

Dancer boards are usually the largest boards you'll come across in longboarding. They have lots of real estate for taking multiple steps on the deck of your board, which lets you dance your way around town. Sometimes these boards have less grip tape on the top of the deck, which lets dancers pivot and spin on the balls of their feet while they dance on their boards.

Still feeling lost? 

Check out the Longboard Wheel Guide to learn about what type of wheels are best suited for your riding style.