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Posts Tagged ‘Skateboard Buying Guide’

How to Buy a Skateboard for the First Time

By Ferry Suwantoro

There are 4 basic things to consider when you want to buy a skateboard : cost, trucks, bearings and wheels, and decks.

1. Cost. A skateboard can be very expensive so the basic principle to remember is to settle for something functional -basic. Set your budget at around $50 to$80 for a brand new beginner skateboard.

Any higher and you’ll be paying for something you don’t need; any lower and you’ll be paying for junk. The point is, you should buy an average beginner skateboard so when you realize that the sport is not for you or you happen to destroy your skateboard in the process, you have not spent your fortune for nothing.

2. Trucks. There are different types of trucks suited for specific tricks and functions. Go to a proper skateboard dealer and seek advice or bring a friend who really knows what trucks are right for your skill level.

3. Bearings and wheels. Bearings keep the wheels spinning when you stop pushing. Now, there are different ratings (measured in ABEC value) that determine the speed of the bearings. The slowest are the ‘AA’ bearings. While this will help you maintain a very slow speed downhill, it won’t give you that needed speed on flat surfaces.

‘AA’ is then followed by ABEC 3, ABEC 5, ABEC 7, and ABEC 9. Beginners can go for ABEC 3 or ABEC 5 at the most. These bearings may not give you the best movement but going for the fastest bearings is not a good idea either.

4. Deck. Brandings and designs are what make skateboard decks expensive. Aside from that, deck designs can easily scratch off with a decent amount of skating. Instead of focusing on the cool graphics, get a 7-ply deck and pay attention to the shape of the deck.

What to Buy and What to Avoid

By Ferry Suwantoro

You should be careful buying cheap skateboards, because cheap mean dangerous. Those skateboards might be sold in the toy store ar from nearest superstore. Mostly the skateboards are mass produced by companies that have little concern about the quality of the products they produce.

Think smart that skateboards are dangerous. So, don’t ever want to buy a cheap skateboard that is poor in quality which will make it even more dangerous to ride on especially when you plan on practicing your tricks on it.

Cheap skateboards will usually mean weak trucks, poor quality wheels that can break easily, freezing bearings, and boards that break easily. Good skateboard manufacturers will spend a lot of time to make the skateboards that are safer, better and last longer.

Instead of that mass produced cheap skateboard, try to buy a complete pro grade skateboard. Usually, skateboards like this will cost around $120. There are so many skateboard brands that you can choose from. If you are not sure which one to buy, try to take a look at skateboard brand reviews on the internet. You can also try building your own pro grade skateboard. You can purchase the decks, trucks, wheels, and bearings separately. If you don’t want to spend out a lot of money, sometimes you will find good quality skateboards out there that aren’t as expensive as the pro grade ones but not as cheap as the mass produced ones.

If you are buying your kid his or her first skateboard, you can cut some corners. However, never buy the $20 skateboards for your kids` safety. For sure, you want the best quality skateboard to prevent accidents and serious injuries.