As Jose Portes, a co-owner of Homage Skateboards and Brooklyn’s Homage Skateboard Academy, explains, “You don’t want the board to be too small, where your feet are overhanging too much.” Banahan says that, generally, “for an adult skater just starting out, our recommendation is an eight-inch board. He says they’re “what you see the kids at the skatepark, or going down the street jumping up and down curbs, using.” Also called “trick” skateboards, these have smaller, harder wheels, which Rodrigues says aren’t the best for riding on streets “but are much better for learning tricks and doing different moves on smooth asphalt or concrete.” He doesn’t “recommend brands, because the shapes and sizes are pretty much in the same range across all companies,” but he does say you should pay more attention to a street board’s width. Rob Rodrigues, the founder of skate school SURE Skateboards, told us he prefers to start beginners out on “street” boards. (If you’re an advanced beginner who wants some degree of flexibility, Kristen Howard, the co-owner of West Village skate shop Uncle Funkys Boards, suggests going for a customizable complete skateboard, which lets you choose all your own components once you’ve settled on a deck.) “I would suggest going for a pre-built complete just so you can feel it out,” says Ellerbe.
But Banahan admits that finding all the right parts to make your own can be difficult, “even for someone that’s somewhat experienced.” O’Neal Ellerbe, the founder of New York City’s Skate Everything School, agrees - which is why the pros suggest beginners stick to what’s called a pre-built complete skateboard, which comes with all the main components already installed, so you can just hit the pavement. If you wanted, you could put a skateboard together by getting each of these things from different brands or retailers. First up: the boards themselves, followed by all the extras the pros say will help you to perfect your new hobby.Ī complete skateboard has six main components: the deck (or top of the skateboard, which is typically made of wood), wheels, trucks (which attach the wheels to the board), bearings, grip tape (which goes on top of the board), and hardware. Still, sometimes, as during a pandemic, you just can’t make an in-person visit - so with the help of our experts, we’ve put together this guide to the best boards and accessories for beginners, all of which can be purchased online (or, of course, at a brick-and-mortar outfitter, for anyone who would rather). “Shops are going to be the local experts, not just in the gear but also in some of the community-based stuff, like places to skate and events,” says Kevin Banahan, founder of the Brooklyn-based skateboarding school SKATEYOGI. While you can certainly buy the right equipment online, every expert we spoke to says that paying a visit to a local skate shop is worthwhile not only to give you a more hands-on sense of equipment but also help build relationships within your local skating community. To help true skateboarding beginners get the hang of the sport, we talked to eight skaters, skateboarding instructors, and skate-shop owners about the best boards and gear you’ll need. Whatever the reason, if you’re looking to take up skateboarding, you might be wondering where to start with a sport that can get very technical very quickly (trucks and bearings, anyone?).
Or maybe you want a more fun way to get around the city. Maybe you watched a lot of Betty and got inspired. Maybe you’ve tried roller-skating, hiking, biking, and scooting and want a new outdoor activity.
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