That means if a rider wants a longboard for different purposes, he will have to buy different kinds of longboards for the particular style of longboarding such as carving, commuting, etc. The longboard deck is of prime concern when getting one as it dictates the overall performance as well as the riding style.
Longboarding has become the most favorite sport and undeniably the fastest growing youth sport. Here is an introduction to the different styles of longboards with an overview of their designs and types. Downhill longboarding is about speed since you can hit mph.
Extreme longboarders actually can hit mph. So essentially, when it comes to speed, we are looking at stability and turning ability. You will be riding lower and hence with heightened stability. They offer comfortable foot space as well as secure placement for going faster. Larger wheels are accommodated.
Being heavier, they are difficult to turn. Advanced longboarders prefer smaller boards with topmount decks trucks mounted under the deck for easier turning at the expense of reduced stability as they are higher off the ground. Tucking is the body position adopted to minimize air resistance and plays a pivotal role in speed achievable. Your frontal form can be reduced by tucking your back knee behind your front knee. With your arms tucked behind your back, lean into your fore thigh.
The Drop-Through longboard comes highly recommended. It appears like any normal skateboard but has a cutout in the deck. The trucks fit affectively on the board because of the cutout. They are excellent for free-riding. Having become enormously popular as the longboard of choice , if there is a board suited for all-around longboarding, it would have to be a drop-through. Carving is a technique that most longboarders would like to master. It is pretty tough though. Carving is about curves and speed.
Carvers maintain speed naturally without having to push even on flat ground. What are we looking for in a good carving deck? Good response from your moves and a decent energy return from the deck. Cruising places the least demands on a longboard.
It is akin to sauntering on a longboard. It is a leisurely style well suited for pleasant surroundings where you take in the air, gaze around and generally be a dude. A pintail is the longboard of choice for relaxed cruising. The deck style is a flat deck with moderate flex for easy cruising. Flex gives a comfortable ride as well as less joint stress. Choose big wheels for a balanced suspension feel. Long-distance cruising, commuter cruising, and boardwalk cruising are some other forms, which use longboards different from our cool boardwalk cruising.
Bamboo longboards without saying, are very flexible and featherweight. No wonder, the youngsters simply go gaga over bamboo longboards. And you get to make a statement; they are organic. Going on a picnic or a trek and want to lug your board, no problems since they are so light. The great drawback is in changing the wheels but that is not so much of a problem given that bamboo longboards are very inexpensive.
Pintail longboards have a teardrop shape that allows deep carving with a minimum risk of wheelbite. For cruising and carving on flat surfaces and hilltops, they are the numero ono choice. A pintail longboard is high because of top-mounted trucks. The height of the rider is another factor that plays a decisive, significant role in choosing the correct longboard.
The length of the board should match. Foot size is proportional to height. Your feet should sit well on the board and not be dangling out. Your weight is another consideration as it impacts the overall flexibility of the board and how well you can maneuver. Heavier riders should choose a larger board and vice versa. These are easily recognizable with the trademark cleft in the tail, hence the name fishtail. Fishtail longboards are actually Pintails with the difference that sharper turns are possible.
This is because of steeper radial concave, they outplay a kicktail. More heel and toe control because of its low flex and sharper concave. Intensive wide carving and easy speed checks are made possible. And you have to give it to them; they are snazzy, classic surf style. Durability and stability are the trademarks of Blunt longboards. The blunt design is simply a result of blunting the nose and tail parts of a Pintail.
They are not suitable for sharp turns and so are unsafe for hill riding. A lower gravity center also makes sliding easier. If your feet are on top of the trucks, you get more leverage and responsiveness when doing turns. You also get more grip. These are the most common longboard mount types, in decreasing order of deck height — and so increasing stability and decreasing turn agility :.
However, some speed boards use them in combination with other characteristics composite deck, certain shape features etc. Confusing huh? Deck shape is another essential characteristic of the different types of longboards.
The first thing to mention is, a longboard may be either symmetrical twin or asymmetrical directional. Directional longboards may have a pintail pointy tail , round tail, or square tail shape.
Some decks one or two kicktail s, an upward curve on the end of the deck — twin boards may actually have one at each end. Kicktails are used for kicking tricks, obstacle jumps, and quick turns.
They are usually a requirement for freestyle boards. An alternative option is wheel wells , small pits in the deck that give the wheels extra space for such turns.
Depending on longboard type, the deck may have concave, i. This allows for more riding comfort and more secure foot grip. There are several types of concave, each aiming to reinforce foot placement and grip. Downhill and freeride boards typically have deeper concave than cruisers. Danse boards are quite flat.
Rocker is the opposite, that is the curve has a lower point in the middle that at each end. They often have soft big wheels for good grip and easy rolling over cracks and bumps. They typically feature double drop decks and midsize wheels. They are not designed for turning, mainly for riding down the line on flat ground. More about choosing the best longboard for commuting here. Carver boards are similar to cruisers but with additional features to enable hard leaning into sharp turns and flowing like on a snowboard.
The deck is usually mounted higher to allow for more responsive turns. It has more concave than cruisers, and often has wheel wells to avoid wheel bite during sharp turns. Trucks are set up to turn more aggressively, and the wheels are very soft for grip. Read about surf skateboards here. Freeride type longboards come in diverse shapes and sizes, some symmetrical most common and some directional, with drop-through decks most common , double drop, or even top mount — basically every option is possible!
Decks usually have less flex not good for speed. The wheels are smaller and harder for sliding. More about freeride boards. Freestyle boards are similar to freeride boards but allow for more technical tricks. They are predominantly symmetrical. The decks are more flexible not speed focused and often wider to facilitate tricks. Mount type is typically drop-through, and they usually have one or two kicktails.
Freestyle boards use many different types of wheels and trucks. Read more about choosing the best freestyle longboard here. They also give you another place to push your foot against as you practice different tricks and slides. Freeriders typically wear gloves so they can drag a hand for balance as they slide and get as low to the ground as possible.
If you are looking at freeriding, be sure to get pads and a helmet to stay protected at speed! A lot of confusion exists around the difference between freeride and freestyle, and with good reason due to the names! You can call it whatever you want but in most skater's minds, freestyle is a whole different realm. It even somewhat includes Dance. Whereas freeride is more focused on fast hills and sliding, freestyle features sliding but exists on flat land as well. It even usually includes flatland style tricks.
Freestyle boards tend to look a lot like Freeride boards but are generally more playful. The style is almost always a dropthrough and the decks can be larger for more space to move around and try tricks. They may also have a kicktail like a street skateboard. These boards are often so specific that if you turn them like a carver or cruiser the deck will actually hit the ground. The deeper the drop, the easier to push. Wheels are typically mid-size and trucks often run narrower to give you space to push without catching the wheel.
If you are looking to mainly commute or travel distance, this is the longboard type to check out. Anything else you want to do is best served by the other categories. One brand is synonymous with Push: Pantheon longboards. In our opinion, these guys have the best-designed push boards on the market.
Longboard dancing is very popular in Europe and there is also a dedicated crowd in the USA. It requires great balance and a willingness to fall as you attempt new longboard tricks. Dance boards are HUGE.
This platform gives you tons of space to spin around, cross your feet, and walk the board. They often have a kick tail and nose for manuals and shuvits. Dance boards usually are mostly flat with a little bit of camber. This keeps them pre-loaded for tricks, while making it natural to move your feet around. Because these are so big, they are also VERY specific to this style of skating.
This is where longboarding gets serious and is something that when witnessed in person can cause most mere mortal's knees to shake. Downhill longboards are some of the most technically built and stiffest boards on the market. Most downhilling is done on a top-mount for more control and a stronger carve. Wheels are usually a little grippier since you can slide anything with a lot of speed and grip is key. This style of concave has an extra ridge in the middle for more control and foot placement options.
Downhillers will also often attach a foot stop to keep the front foot held firmly in place. They are technologically very advanced and often have layers of carbon fiber for an even stiffer ride. Downhillers love ultra-steep hills and the roads that are less traveled to ride safely without fearing a car will come upon them.
There are lots of great brands for downhill, so check out our board guide here to see which you like the most if this is what you plan to do. If you are looking for a board that is going to be good for some downhill, but great for everyday life around the city, then a freeride board is the best choice. The best approach is to list the styles of skating that you realistically see yourself doing, along with the longboard shapes that you like the best.
Check out the downhill line at EVO here. Check out the freestyle line at EVO here. Then you should check out the cruisers at EVO here. Feeling that Euro-style and wanting to throw some fresh dance moves down on a deck? Want to skate across the country and see all the best sites?
Grab a PUSH board and pull out your maps.
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