There are a lot of factors that can contribute to the feel of a skateboard. The size and shape of the board are going to make the biggest and most noticeable difference. The larger the board, the easier it will be to ride and the more concave a board has the easier it will be to do tricks. How tight you ride your trucks will have a big affect on the feel of your board. Looser trucks are easier to turn but can be wobbly or squirrelly for a beginner, especially at higher speeds. The bearings used will affect how fast your board can go, and also how smooth ride is. Newer bearings or bearings with a higher abec rating will give the smoothest ride. Your wheels will also affect the feel of a board, softer wheels will give you a smoother ride that's good for cruising and harder wheels give a rougher ride but will be better for skate parks or street skating.

Bearings enable the wheels to turn and there is a vast range on the market. They usually have an ABEC rating and generally range from ABEC1 to ABEC9. According to Ninja, "ABEC is an acronym for the Annular Bearing Engineers Committee, a US organization which long ago developed a rating system based on the tolerances of a bearing’s inner and outer diameter, width and width variation, radial run-out, side run-out, and raceway run-out. Unfortunately, several factors which greatly influence bearings performance in skating use are not directly measured by the ABEC system; ball size and uniformity, lubrication, shield construction, material composition, and construction durability." So ABEC ratings are not always an indication of how the bearings will perform in the harsh skating environment. A higher rating means the bearing is made with tighter tolerances, and can spin faster, but the truth of the matter is skateboarders never come close to the maxing out the speed of their bearing, even when you bombed that super death hill. Bones bearings are considered to be in a class of their own. Bones does not specify ABEC ratings because they are specially designed for the unique stresses of skateboarding and therefore bones calls them "Skate Rated."



While most brands rate their bearings with the ABEC system, there are also Swiss and ceramic. These bearings offer the best speed and durability, but cost considerably more because they are made with extra precision. Ceramic bearings are special because the balls in the bearing are made of ceramic not metal which helps reduce wear caused by heat and friction. While Swiss bearings are made with extremely high precision.



Most street riders use ABEC3 – 5, this gives them a solid, durable, and fast bearing depending on the brand. Most people who long board or just ride casually will go for the higher ABEC bearing because they provide a faster ride and will not encounter much impact. If you are looking for long lasting fast bearing, check out Swiss, ceramic or Bones. Bearings are available in packs of 8 (2 for each wheel).

When choosing a skateboard, consider your weight and height before deciding what size board to go for. The heavier and/or taller you are the better off you'll be on a larger, wider board, however you may prefer to start off on a larger board anyway to provide you with stability until you decide what style of riding you are going to adopt. Decks are usually made from layers of laminated wood plys (usually 7) and vary in length and size. Most deck widths range between 7.5 and 8.5 inches, and lengths, from around 31 to 33 inches. Your choice will depend on the type of riding you want to do. The smaller, lighter decks are usually easier to control and flip. Whereas the larger, heavier decks are more stable and are good for riding transitions or doing stairs and gaps. The rest is down to personal preference in terms of wheel base, nose, and tail length. Most decks (except for some longboards) have a raised nose, tail, and sides. This is called the concave. The depth and overall shape of the concave has a dramatic effect on the response of the skateboard. The deeper the concave, the more aggressive the skater can be with their tricks. The shallower the concave, the more forgiving the deck is for newer skaters. Grip Tape is applied to the top of the deck and provides you with traction. There are loads of different colors & graphics available but they all do the same basic job.

The wheelbase of a board is measured from one inner pair of mounting holes to the other. Most skaters with longer legs prefer a longer wheels base. Average wheelbases can be anywhere from 13”-15”, choosing a wheelbase is mostly about comfort and personal preference.

If you look down the length of your board you will notice that the long section between the nose and tail is not perfectly flat. Most boards will curve up a little towards the edges creating a bowed shape. Concave gives the board additional strength and the rider additional control.

Most all skateboards are design to be ridden in a specific direction. The nose of your board is the “kicktail” that is designed to be in the front of you board. Most boards are designed to have a slightly longer and broader nose. If you have trouble deciding which kicktail is the nose you can usually tell by the graphic of the board as well. When a board is placed in a vertical position you should be able to read the text on the graphic if the nose is point up.

Most all skateboards are design to be ridden in a specific direction. The tail of your board is the “kicktail” that is designed to be in the back end of you board. Most boards are designed to have a slightly shorter and narrower tail. If you have trouble deciding which kicktail is the tail you can usually tell by the graphic of the board as well. When a board is placed in a vertical position you should be able to read the text on the graphic if the tail is pointed down.