Skateboards come in a variety of sizes to accommodate a variety of skaters and riding styles.
The size (along with the shape) of your skateboard determines what you can do with it.
Shorter, narrower skateboards (standard boards or shortboards) are better for technical riding and tricks.
Wider, longer skateboards (longboards and long cruisers) are better for stability and commuting.
Once you know what you want to do on a skateboard, you can worry about finding one that’s just the right fit.
Standard Skateboard Size
Today, what we think of as a “standard skateboard” is a popsicle-shaped board with kicktails at both ends that is best for freestyle, street riding, park riding, and tricks.
Standard boards are also known as shortboards to distinguish them from longboards, despite being the standard.
As far as size:
- Standard skateboards run between 29 and 32 inches in length.
- The most popular standard skateboard lengths are 30 and 31 inches.
- Standard skateboard width runs between 7.5 and 8.5 inches.
- The most popular skateboard width is 8 inches.
Any skateboard between these lengths and widths is considered normal skateboard size.
The width of a skateboard is more important than its length.
Width is what fits the skateboard to the skater.
But, as width increases, length also typically increases.
The appropriate width of a skateboard is determined by multiple factors, most importantly riding style and skater preference.
But, when you are first learning to skateboard, the appropriate skateboard size is the board that best fits your feet.
Skateboard Size Chart
When you’re talking about skateboard size, you’re really talking about the size of a skateboard’s deck.
The components of a skateboard are fitted to the deck and the deck is fitted to the person.
If you are shopping for your first board, here’s some general sizing guidance:
Skateboard Deck Size Chart
Our 5 Skateboard Sizing Tips
If you’re trying to find which skateboard size is right for you, here are a few tips that can help you decide.
1. A narrower board makes pushing and stopping easier for smaller feet, but is harder to balance on.
We recommend full-size skateboards for most kids, even when they are slightly below a perfect fit.
One reason is because kids grow fast, and a skateboard that fits today may not fit tomorrow.
The other reason is larger boards have more stability, which makes balancing easier.
2. Too wide of a deck requires exerting more strength, which can also make it harder (and frustrating) to learn on.
When you are choosing a skateboard deck size, you may have to make a trade-off between stability and ease of mobility.
This is especially true for children who are too small for a standard skateboard deck.
In most circumstances, we recommend a slightly too wide deck over a slightly too narrow deck since they are easier to balance on and all beginning skaters have to build up their skate muscles anyway.
3. Most people old enough to skate can handle a full-size (or nearly full-size) board.
We don’t really recommend micro decks (which include penny boards and nickel boards) to anyone for learning or most forms of riding.
A mini or youth deck should be a close enough fit for most young skaters.
4. People with very large feet (men’s size 12+) will be more comfortable on a wider deck.
The best decks for large feet are 8” or higher.
5. Skateboard sizes are very malleable.
Street skaters and technical riders typically prefer smaller deck widths, even dropping down into mini or mid sizes to accommodate tricks.
Vert, bowl, and speed skaters typically prefer wider decks for their increased stability.
Many adults like penny and nickel boards because they are small and easy to transport.
The best sized skateboard is the skateboard that fits into your riding style and lifestyle.
But it’s easier to learn on a full-sized board.
Longboard Sizes
Longboards are basically just big skateboards, but their increased size makes them better for cruising and commuting and less effective for freestyle riding and tricks.
As far as size:
- Longboard length starts at 33”, just above a standard skateboard, and can stretch to any length. But 60” or 5’ is the max length you’ll find in most board shops.
- The most popular longboard lengths are between 36 and 42”.
- Standard longboard width starts around 8.5” where standard skateboards leave off, and top out at around 10” at most skate shops. Though, 11” boards are not uncommon.
- The most popular longboard widths are between 9” and 10”.
Unlike skateboards, longboards are not sized so much to the skater as to the riding style and terrain.
All longboards are designed for comfortable cruising, but a longer, wider board will provide more stability, while a shorter, narrower board will provide more maneuverability.
Shorter, narrower boards are also more portable once you get to where you’re going and have to lug them around.
The right size longboard all depends on where and how you want to skate.
Our 4 Longboard Sizing Tips
If you’re trying to find which longboard size is right for you, here are a few tips that can help you decide.
1. Longer, wider longboards are more stable.
Bigger longboards have more stability and are more comfortable to ride for longer periods of time.
This makes bigger longboards ideal for recreational riding (like on park paths and boardwalks) and commuting on less-trafficked roads.
Downhill skaters also benefit from the increased size and stability of larger boards.
2. Shorter, narrower longboards are more maneuverable and portable.
Shorter longboards are easier to handle and easier to transport.
This makes smaller longboards ideal for commuting in more highly-trafficked places with lots of turns.
Shorter longboards also allow for some freestyle riding. Many have kicktails and can perform basic tricks.
3. Shorter, smaller people may prefer shorter, smaller longboards.
Even though they’re more stable, bigger longboards can be a lot of board to handle.
Smaller people can get the same experience from smaller longboards that larger people get from bigger boards.
So, there is just a little sizing involved.
4. Longboard sizes are very malleable.
Just like with skateboards, all longboard sizing information should be taken as suggestions and not rules.
Many smaller people love the biggest longboards.
Many larger people prefer shorter, more manageable boards.
You simply won’t know which longboard is the best fit until you try a few on.
Cruiser Sizes
Bridging the divide between shortboards and longboards, cruiser skateboards encompass the size ranges of both.
Cruiser lengths run anywhere between the micro skateboard length of 26” and the top common longboard length of around 60”. (Though, most cruisers fall below 50”.)
There is no “most popular” cruiser length because these are very different lengths of board good for completely different things.
People using their cruisers for carving or downhill will benefit from longer boards, while commuters and vert skaters might prefer a little less length to manage.
Cruiser widths also run the range of shortboards and longboards.
On the shortest cruisers, widths fall below the full-size skateboard width of 7.5”, dipping as low as 5”.
On longer cruisers, widths reach typical longboard widths of 10”.
Like skateboards, the ideal cruiser is a good fit for your feet, but, like longboards, it is often worth it to make a trade-off for stability or portability.
Again, it depends on where and how you want to skate.
Penny Board Sizes
Penny boards are a brand name of skateboard that has become synonymous with small, inexpensive plastic boards.
The company currently makes five board models with the following dimensions:
While skateboards made by the Penny company come in a number of standard sizes, Penny is most well-known for its tiny 22″x6″ inch skateboard.
Due to this, small plastic skateboards are generically referred to as “penny boards”.
What Size Skateboard Should I Get?
Skateboard sizing guidance can be helpful.
Knowing what different sizes of skateboards are best for can help you decide between a shortboard or a longboard, a narrow width or a wide one.
But, when it comes down to it, skateboard sizing is fairly subjective.
Yes, it’s good to have a board that is easier to push and to stop on, but riding style and utility also matter.
If you want to ride freestyle and learn tricks, you’ll typically benefit from a shorter, narrower skateboard.
But not always.
Heavier people and people with larger feet can have trouble landing tricks on narrow decks.
If you want to use your skateboard for transportation, a longboard or large cruiser will give you more stability and smooth out your ride.
But shorter people may find larger boards harder to control and have better experiences on shorter boards with narrower widths.
Finding what skateboard size is best for you is a lot of trial and error, but here are a few general sizing rules for some (relatively) common skateboard deck sizes.
7.0 Skateboard
For smaller skaters with very small feet.
The youngest kids (under 8 or 9 years old) may benefit from this size skateboard.
7.25 Skateboard
Another transitional size for small skaters.
Slightly larger kids in the 9 to 12-year-old range may benefit from this size board.
7.5 Skateboard
The smallest standard skateboard deck.
This deck can benefit teenagers and adults with smaller feet (around a men’s size 6 or women’s size 7).
Some trick riders choose this size of deck (or even a 7.0 or 7.25) for its responsiveness and ease of maneuverability.
7.75 Skateboard
A smaller standard skateboard deck.
This deck can benefit teenagers and adults with smaller feet (under a men’s size 9 or women’s size 10).
Many trick riders, especially larger riders, make this deck their narrowest ride.
8.0 Skateboard
The most popular size of skateboard deck.
The midway point between stability and flexibility.
8.25 Skateboard
A larger standard skateboard deck.
This deck can benefit teenagers and adults with larger feet (men’s size 12 and above).
The increased width also provides extra stability for bowl skaters and landing tricks.
Though, technical tricks can be more difficult to perform.
8.5 Skateboard
The largest standard skateboard deck.
This deck can benefit teenagers and adults with larger feet (men’s size 12 and above).
It has the best stability of a standard-sized skateboard (shortboard), but can make tricks harder to perform.
>8.5 Skateboard
Plus-sized decks for longboards and cruisers.
More comfortable to ride with the best stability.
Ideal for cruising and commuting.
Skateboard Dimensions Beyond the Numbers
When it comes to choosing a skateboard size, there is no exact equation.
It’s not DECK WIDTH ÷ FOOT SIZE = RIGHT SKATEBOARD SIZE.
It’s more like DECK WIDTH ÷ FOOT SIZE x PARK TIME – COMMUTING TIME + DOWNHILL^FREESTYLE = PREFERRED SKATEBOARD SIZE.
Basically, it’s not an easy thing to calculate.
When you are first starting out, just get a board that’s a good fit for your feet.
Once you start to ride, you’ll get a better idea of what you want to do on your skateboard.
Then, you can downsize or upsize to meet your riding needs.
