12 Types of Skateboards: Longboards and Shortboards

A skateboard is a piece of wood or composite material attached to two pairs of axles with a total of four wheels that a skater uses for transportation or for executing tricks. Skateboarding is powered by your feet, but there are also electric skateboards that require no kicking or pumping.

A complete skateboard is made up of three basic parts:

• Deck: Skateboard decks are the wooden or composite material platform upon which the trucks mount, and it’s where you place your feet. To ensure your shoes don’t slide off the board, the topside of the deck typically has grip tape, which is applied in different styles based on the skater’s preference. The bottom skateboard design is usually artwork or plain. The deck size varies based on the height, weight, and shoe size of the skater, as well as their riding preferences.
• Trucks: The axles that hold the wheels are called trucks and are secured to the board with four bolts per truck. By adjusting the kingpin and loosening or tightening the pressure on the bushings, you can set how loosely or tightly the trucks move. This determines how easy or hard it is to make turns and is tuned to the board, rider, and usage. Your trucks should measure roughly the same width as your skateboard. The height of your trucks is determined by the diameter of your wheels and how you want to ride.
• Wheels: There are four wheels on every skateboard, with two wheels on each truck. Wheels come in different diameters, with different uses: Smaller wheels (50–53 mm) are used for street and trick skaters, as they’re easier to turn; average wheels (54–59 mm) work best on vertical (vert) ramps and are good options for beginners; and large wheels (60 mm or more) are for longboards and rougher terrains. The wheels turn via bearings (two per wheel for a total of eight per board) and are judged using the ABEC (Annular Bearing Engineering Committee) rating—sizes 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9, with the higher numbers being of better quality and precision. Wheels also have different hardness ratings, with soft wheels being better for higher speeds and downhill skateboarding, while hard wheels are more tuned to doing skateboard tricks.

Skateboards are broadly placed into one of two categories: longboard and shortboard. Within each category are multiple sub-styles, based on length, width, wheel style, and application(s). Although the majority of skateboards are manual, meaning you must kick off the pavement in order to move forward, there are electric variations in each category, too.

Any board longer than 33 inches is considered a longboard. Also, longboards have a longer wheelbase than a traditional skateboard. Typically, you use a longboard for traversing long distances, cruising, slaloming, and downhill longboarding, the latter of which is a form of downhill skateboard racing that takes the rider up to very high speeds. However, these boards are not convenient for travel, as they take up a lot of space.

Skaters commonly use shortboards for general street skating as well as on vert ramps, bowls, coping, the half pipe, and handrails—skateboarding terms that describe different surfaces at a skatepark or elsewhere. These boards are often the first kind that a beginner rides. You can also buy off-road skateboards of this size.

Longboard skateboards come in many different styles based on their usage, design, and overall appearance. Longboard skateboard subcategories include:

1. 1. Classic longboards: This is the traditional longboard, which is more than 33 inches long with a wider deck. Longboards are not good for doing tricks, but handle wide turns more easily and are better for precise road carving.
2. 2. Downhill longboards: A downhill longboard has the same width and length as a traditional longboard, but the height of the deck is lower. These boards have notches to accommodate taller wheels that go above the deck height and use shorter trucks as well. Many have drop-through decks, which means the deck has cutouts to allow the top of the truck to sit higher than the board, dropping the overall height even lower. This keeps it low to the ground, and the combination can take you up to 45 miles per hour on a downhill track.
3. 3. Pintail longboards: These longboards have a traditional look to them, but they have a pointed oval shape, allowing the wheels to sit outside of the deck. This gives you the ability to go faster and carve turns.
4. 4. Twin tip longboards: Twin tip longboards and downhill longboards are virtually identical. Both have cutouts for the wheels and low stances. The difference between the two is that a twin tip board is identical on both sides, whereas a downhill board may have a nose or tail that is shaped differently than the opposite end.

Shortboard skateboards have more varieties than longboards, making it important to pick the right one for your style. Shortboard skateboard subcategories include:

1. 1. Cruiser skateboards: If you’re looking to ride your skateboard for transportation purposes, a cruiser is a good option. These boards are similar to street skateboards, but have thicker decks and larger, softer wheels, making them better for faster speeds and rougher terrains. The tail of a cruiser can be a kick tail as well, allowing for tricks like ollies and kickflips that allow you to pop off the ground around obstacles like curbs.
2. 2. Double kick skateboards: A double kick skateboard uses the popsicle design of the street board, but both the front (nose) and rear (tail) of the skateboard are tilted up, making it easier to perform tricks and freestyle while riding. They have thicker decks and harder wheels to accommodate the hard impact when you and the board launch into the air and then land.
3. 3. Mini skateboards: These are the smallest skateboards, and are often used for younger beginners based on their size. Older and more seasoned skaters also like mini boards because of their portability, particularly if used while traveling or if space is at a minimum.
4. 4. Mini cruiser skateboards: A mini cruiser board is a combination of a cruiser and a mini, which gives you larger, softer wheels, with a smaller, narrower deck. They are also good for beginning riders, particularly children, as the larger wheels provide stability and the size is right for smaller riders.
5. 5. Old-school skateboards: An old-school skateboard has a similar appearance to a surfboard—the tail of the board is flat, while the nose is pointed.
6. 6. Penny or nickle skateboards: These are plastic boards that are lightweight, shorter than a traditional shortboard, and easy to carry. Most have the shape of an old school board, although there are street and mini cruiser variations as well.
7. 7. Steep kick skateboards: Steep kick skateboards have taller and steeper ends, which are better for more experienced riders to perform skateboard tricks that require higher lift when jumping off the ground.
8. 8. Street skateboards: These skateboards are versatile. Skaters take them both to and from the skatepark, as they are easy to ride both in bowls and while street skating. They have a nose and tail that have the same shape, which is rounded like a popsicle stick, although there are variations on that theme. These boards are also thinner than other models.

Since there are many different types and styles of skateboards, there are many factors to weigh when you’re choosing your board. Here are a few things you should consider when trying to choose the right skateboard:

• Riding style: Different skateboarding styles dictate different boards. If you prefer doing tricks at the skatepark with your friends, then you should start with a shortboard and narrow your choices down from there. If you prefer cruising long distances and performing more street carving, then a longboard is more appropriate.
• Shoe size: Should you wear a 9.5 adult shoe size or larger, go with a deck that’s 8–8.5 inches wide. If you have an adult shoe size of at least 8, then a full-sized standard skateboard will work for you, with a 7.5-inch deck width. A shoe size of 6-8 can handle a deck that’s 7.25–7.375 inches wide. And a shoe size of 2–5 can use a 7-inch-wide deck. A size 1 or smaller should use a deck that’s 6.5–6.75 inches.
• Usage: You can have multiple boards with multiple applications, so think about how often you will use your skateboard and where. If you are going on a trip and want a skateboard to ride at your destination, consider a mini board or something similar that will be convenient for travel. Conversely, you can get a longboard for cruising or slaloming if space isn’t an issue.
  
• Your height: Full-sized regular skateboards are perfect for anyone with a height of 5 feet, 3 inches or taller. A skater that is between 4 feet, 5 inches tall and 5 feet, 2 inches tall should get a mid-sized skateboard, with a deck width of 7.25–7.375 inches. Skaters who are between 3 feet, 5 inches tall and 4 feet, 4 inches tall can get a mini-sized skateboard with a 7-inch width, and anyone shorter should get a micro-sized skateboard that has a deck that’s 6.5–6.75 inches in width.

Professionals who work in skate shops are often experienced skateboarders themselves. If you have the opportunity to ask someone at your local skate shop, they can likely advise you on the right board width, wheel size, and other features.

Whether you’re just learning how to ollie or ready to hit the halfpipe and tackle a benihana, the MasterClass Annual Membership can help you find confidence on your board with exclusive instructional videos from skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, street skater Riley Hawk, and Olympic hopeful Lizzie Armanto.