Longboarding is a Zen form of skateboarding that is less about performing tricks and more about cruising and transportation.
If you’re just getting into longboarding, or simply harbor some curiosity about the sport, you probably have some questions.
Here, we try to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about longboarding to help you decide if this skating style is right for you.
What is the best size longboard for beginners?
Longer, wider longboards have more space between their wheels, which increases their bases and make them more stable.
Shorter, narrower longboards have less space between their wheels, which make them less stable, but easier to turn.
Since longer and shorter boards both have advantages, when it comes to beginner boards, it’s a Goldilocks situation.
The best boards meet somewhere in the middle.
We find boards in the 38-44”(L) x 8.5-9.75″(W) range ideal for beginners.
These boards offer the most stability, while still being fairly responsive when turning.
How much is an average longboard?
There is no average longboard price.
You can find complete longboards by generic manufacturers in the $50-100 price range, while the most quality longboard set-ups can cost almost $500.
However, when it comes to good quality consumer completes, the average longboard price is around $200.
How much is a cheap longboard?
It depends.
Are we talking cheap as in cheap, or cheap as in the lowest price quality longboards?
If we’re talking cheap as in cheap, you can find longboards for as little as $50.
Just beware of those weight limits and don’t expect them to last.
If we’re talking lowest price quality longboards, you can find some boards by trustworthy brands in the $150-160 price range and, occasionally, quality boards on sale for right around $100.
Why do longboards cost so much?
If you ask why longboards cost so much, we assume you mean “so much more than skateboards.”
And the answer is pretty simple.
Longboards are bigger.
They have longer, wider decks. And more deck = more material = more expense to manufacture.
They also have wider trucks to support those decks, which is also more material.
The extra expense to the manufacturer gets passed onto the consumer.
Do longboards have a weight limit?
Longboards do have weight limits. Technically, everything has a weight limit, which is simply how much weight an object can support.
However, many longboard manufacturers, just like skateboard manufacturers, do not list weight limits for their boards.
Quality longboard trucks should hold 250+ lbs.
Quality longboard decks should support close to the same.
BUT… it all depends on how you ride.
Since longboards are more casual cruisers than skateboards, they can typically handle more weight, because the deck/trucks don’t have to absorb the shock of skaters landing tricks.
Can a longboard hold 300 pounds?
Few longboard companies will claim their boards can hold 300+ pounds.
But a lot of quality boards can.
How much a longboard can hold has everything to do with its components.
A 9-ply longboard deck holds more weight than a 7- or 8-ply longboard deck.
Composite decks are even stronger.
Higher-quality longboard trucks can bear more weight than lower-quality trucks.
Hard bushings outperform soft bushings for heavy riders.
So, yes, many quality longboards, when outfitted with the right parts, can hold 300 or more pounds.
How long do longboards last?
How long a longboard lasts really depends on how you’re using and abusing it.
Most longboards last longer than standard skateboards, because skaters aren’t sliding, grinding, and landing tricks on them.
The main components of a well-maintained longboard can last for years, even up to a decade or more.
But you’ll have to change out smaller components, such as bushings and bearings, more often.
Are longboards faster than skateboards?
Generally speaking, longboards are faster than skateboards.
Longboards typically have larger wheels that respond better to surface imperfections, as well as faster bearings.
Most importantly, the lowered decks of drop-throughs and drop-downs make them more stable at higher speeds.
Do longboards break easily?
Quality longboards do not break easily, but, again, it depends on how the board is ridden.
It also depends on how much weight the board is supporting.
Generally speaking, though, longboards are solid boards that are tough to break with normal riding.
Who makes the longest longboard?
The longest longboards have always been made by individual longboarders.
Rideable longboards as long as 100” have been entered into longboard contests.
However, when it comes to longboards actually available for purchase, the 60” Koastal Drifter and its twin the Koastal Drifter II take the prize as longest consumer longboard.
What type of longboard is best for cruising?
Most longboards are good cruisers.
That’s kind of their whole thing.
Can you wash a longboard?
If you mean “wash with water,” it’s not ideal.
You can do it, but you should use as little water as possible and make sure you dry all components thoroughly.
Dry-cleaning your longboard is a better option.
Are longboards easy to ride?
Easier than what?
Longboards are easier to ride than standard-sized – 29-31”(L) x 7.5-8.5”(W) – skateboards due to their larger decks and wheelbases.
For the same reason, they are easier to ride than micro, mini, penny and nickel skateboards.
But are they easy to ride?
It depends.
If you have familiarity with other board sports, like snowboarding or surfing, you’ll get the feel of a longboard down pretty quickly.
If you’ve never tried another board sport, you’ll have some work to do when learning to balance on a longboard.
Can you pop a longboard?
Technically, you can pop any board that has enough deck space behind the back wheels for leverage, which many longboards do.
Some longboards even have kicktails.
That said, the design of many longboards makes “popping” more dangerous than on standard skateboards or cruisers.
The cut-outs on drop-throughs and drop-downs and the tapering on pintails and dancers leave the wheels exposed.
This increases the likelihood you’ll hit your wheel while popping on a longboard.
So, if you’re going to do it, do it with caution.
Can you Ollie on a longboard?
Yep.
If you can pop it, you can Ollie it.
How do you make your longboard turn better?
If your longboard feels stiff on turns, the problem is most likely the trucks.
Loosening your trucks will make your longboard more responsive when steering.
To loosen your longboard trucks, see How to Loosen and Tighten Skateboard Trucks.
If your trucks are loose, but you’re still struggling with turns, the problem might be your body placement.
See How to Turn on a Skateboard.
It’s also important to understand the differences in types of longboards when it comes to turning.
Due to the lowered decks of drop-through and drop-down longboards, they are less responsive than top-mount longboards like pintails.
So if both you and your trucks are in the proper positions, but you still don’t like the way your longboard is turning, you may need a different style of longboard.
Can you top-mount a drop-through deck?
Drop-through decks have bolt holes just like top-mount decks, and you can mount your trucks to those bolt holes in any way.
So, yes, you can technically top-mount a drop-through deck by bolting the baseplate of the trucks to the bottom of the deck.
But you shouldn’t.
The openings for the trucks’ baseplates on drop-down decks are very close to the bolt holes.
This leaves very little wood between the two.
When you put a truck baseplate through the opening like you’re meant to on a drop-through, the baseplate supports the surrounding wood.
This is what keeps the wood between the opening and bolt holes from splitting.
Without the support of the baseplate, the wood around the opening can shift while riding, creating small cracks in the deck that can eventually cause the wood to split completely.
So, while you can top-mount a drop-through deck, you risk your deck by doing it.
Can you pump on a pintail?
Not only can you pump on a pintail longboard, the deep angle of a pintail’s trucks and the tapered ends make it an ideal board for pumping.
Can you slide on a drop-through longboard?
Are we talking boardslide/railslide or powerslide?
It doesn’t really matter. Either way, the answer is yes.
If your longboard is short enough for you to control and for the deck to be sturdy under your feet, it is possible to boardslide/railslide on a longboard.
Of course, you should keep in mind a longboard is not the ideal board for railsliding, and the longer your longboard is the harder it is to center on a rail.
When it comes to powerslides, a drop-through longboard IS an ideal board for it.
Due to the lower center of gravity, it’s easier to whip a drop-through longboard in and out of a powerslide.
The only board that powerslides more easily than a drop-through is a drop-down or drop deck longboard.
What is the point of a longboard?
The point of a longboard is to provide more comfort and greater stability than a shortboard.
Where standard skateboards are designed to be highly maneuverable for freestyle skating and ease of tricks, longboards are designed to be sturdy for safe cruising at higher speeds.
Since longboards are sturdier and faster, they are the best commuter boards and best racers.
How do I get started with longboarding?
So, have we brought you over to the longboard side?
Get started longboarding with our articles Longboard for Beginners and Learn How to Ride a Longboard.
