Buying guide

Skateboarding caught your eye for some reason: a classmate who skates, a video online, some kids out on the street... Putting together your first skateboard is easy, but there are a few things worth knowing. Here we go through it part by part, in the same order the board is assembled: deck, trucks, wheels, bearings, hardware and griptape. And remember, the final choice is yours: if you have any doubts, write to us or drop by the shop and we'll build it with you.

1. The deck

This is where the options open up: sizes, shapes and concaves, brands, pros, graphics and prices. Let's take it point by point.

Sizes

7.75", 8.0", 8.125", 8.25", 8.5", 9.0"... The size is the width in inches. At the start you shouldn't worry too much: pick one you feel comfortable standing on. Almost everyone goes for something between 8.0" and 8.25". Try a few friends' boards and see whether one suits you better than another; it's a very personal thing. Street or transition has a little to do with it, but it isn't decisive: narrower for street, wider for ramps is the general rule.

Shape and concave

There are as many shapes and concaves as there are decks on the market. The nose is the front and the tail the back. The most typical decks are rounded at both ends, the so-called popsicle shape, like an ice-lolly stick; there are also pointier ones, squarer shovel-nose shapes, cruisers, old school shapes... And softer, medium or deeper concaves. Choose one that feels comfortable.

Brand, pro and graphic

You may warm to one brand more than another because of the pros who ride for it, its graphics or its theme. A secret: every brand is good as long as the deck is Canadian maple, no matter where it was made.

Price

They range from a very reasonable entry price to decks that cost more depending on the finish or the reputation of the brand and its team. The same secret applies: they're all good. If you want the best advice, choose the deck you like most, for its graphic, brand, price or shape. You'll always have that memory of "my first deck was...".

See all decks Decks from €55 to €65

2. The trucks

Just like decks, there are lots of brands, sizes, heights, weights and bushing hardnesses. Here are the basics.

Brands

The most popular are Thunder, Independent, Venture, Ace, Tensor, Slappy... You'll be drawn by the sturdiness, the colours or each brand's reputation for durability. They're all good as long as they're aluminium alloy with a steel axle.

Sizes

Here the deck decides: the axle length (the horizontal part, nut to nut) has to match the width of the deck as closely as possible. Wide deck, long trucks; narrow deck, shorter trucks. It can get confusing because each brand uses its own numbering, so in our shop we've simplified it: in the trucks collection you filter by your deck size and only the trucks that fit are shown. Inside each truck you'll also find the brand's official size chart. As a quick guide:

Deck	Thunder	Venture	Ace AF1	Independent
7.75" – 8.0"	147	5.2	33	139
8.0" – 8.25"	147 / 148	5.2 / 5.6	44	139 / 144
8.25" – 8.5"	148 / 149	5.6 / 5.8	44 / 55	144 / 149
8.5" – 8.75"	149 / 151	5.8 / 6.1	55 / 60	149 / 159
8.75" – 9.0"	151	6.1	60 / 66	159
9.0" and up	161	—	66 / 77 / 80	169 / 215

Height: Hi, Lo, Mid

Height isn't crucial at the beginning. In theory, with higher trucks the tail sits further from the ground and there's more travel for the ollie; with low trucks the board sits closer to the ground and the pop is quicker. In practice, different skaters get on with either. If you can, try a friend's board first.

Weight: hollow or solid

Solid trucks are sturdier and heavier, which helps balance the board's weight when doing tricks. Hollow versions lighten the whole setup. It's down to taste.

Bushing hardness

The bushings that come fitted are usually fine, although you can swap them for harder or softer ones. Some people ride their trucks cranked down tight and others ride them loose: it depends on how you want your board to turn. Ride them however feels comfortable.

See all trucks

3. The wheels

Skateboard wheels are made of urethane, a rubber-like compound, and come in different sizes and hardnesses.

Sizes

Diameter is measured in millimetres. The most common today are between 51 and 56 mm. For street or getting around anywhere, a mid size of 52 to 54 mm; if you're going to be at the skatepark a lot riding ramps or concrete bowls, you may find something bigger more comfortable, 56 to 58 mm. Most brands make conical wheels, wider than flat ones, with a riding surface that handles bumps, pebbles and cracks better.

Hardness

101A, 99A, 80HD? These numbers express hardness. Almost everyone uses hard wheels for street, usually 99A or 101A, because they slide better and powerslide effortlessly. Soft wheels ride smoother, like floating, but grip much more and are hard to slide; the very soft ones are used by filmers, for example, to film without making noise. Think about the terrain you'll be riding and combine size and hardness accordingly.

See all wheels

4. Bearings

You need eight, two per wheel, and boxes come with all eight. They're all the same size and fit any wheel; the difference between them is precision, lubrication and how long they last. For a first skateboard, mid-range bearings are more than enough.

See bearings

5. Hardware and griptape

7/8" or 1" bolts are fine for mounting the trucks straight onto the deck; if you add risers, go up to 1 1/8". Allen or Phillips is just a matter of taste (and of which key you have). Griptape comes in 9" wide sheets (or 10" and up for wide decks); stick it on, trim the excess and you're done.

See hardware See griptape

Would you rather we build it for you?

Complete skateboards come ready to ride, with parts chosen so everything fits together: the simplest way to get started.

See complete skateboards

Questions?

Write to us or come and see us at the shop in Madrid and we'll go through it together. And if you want to read more, here are the original blog articles (in Spanish): Choosing your first deck, Choosing trucks and Choosing wheels.

Contact Shop in Madrid