SKATEBOARD TRICK | Tips & Guides

As I write this, we are coming up on the Christmas season, but this skateboarding equipment gift buying guide can be used or referred to year round because it isn’t just Christmas time when we need to buy gifts for people. Since skateboarding and all extreme sports are becoming so popular, there is a good chance that you will need to buy a skateboarding equipment gift for somebody who skateboards, snowboards, rollerblades or does one of the many emerging extreme sports made so popular by ESPN and the X-Games.

I am going to start with a list of ideas (in no particular order) then expand a little on some of them. Remember, a lot of skateboarding equipment like skateboard shoes are popular with all extreme sport athletes and are used every day even when not skating.

* Skateboard Shoes

* Complete Skateboard

* Skateboarding Equipment like helmets and pads

* Magazine Subscription

* Beanie with Company Logo

* Baseball Cap with Company Logo

* Sweatshirt or T-Shirt

* Backpack or Bag

* Gift Card

If you know what kind of skateboard your skater wants, buying him or her a new skateboard is probably the best gift you can give. Before you go out and buy a skateboard, though, you need to know what you are buying. Don’t be shy, just ask what they like. Their friends can probably tell you what they like if it isn’t obvious by the clothes they already wear or posters hanging in their room. You need to know what brand they want. Even though their isn’t a lot of physical difference from one skateboard company to another, it makes a world of difference to the person that will be skating on it. You also need to know what size they want. There are different widths of skateboards. Wider boards are typically for skating ramps and narrower boards are for doing street skating and tricks on the ground. Again, the best thing to do is ask. Get some general information and you can apply it to whatever skateboarding equipment choice you make.

Another good choice for skateboarding equipment that any skater will appreciate is skateboard shoes. They can wear them every day even when they are not skating. The one bit of advice I have here is to make sure you know exactly what they want or need. You may want to cut out a picture of a skateboard shoe and put it in a box with a note saying you will go out with them and pay for the pair of shoes they pick out. You can put a limit on the price if you need, but for the most part, skateboard shoes are pretty reasonable compared to many other specialty sport shoes.

Skate clothing is probably the most popular gift. It is easier to buy and you can get lots of different things for under $30 which you can’t really do with a skateboard or shoes. All you need to know is what brands the person likes and what size to get. In both cases, even if you don’t know the exact size or favorite brand the item can still be worn.

If you are worried about injury, you can help to protect the skateboarder you are buying for by getting them some safety equipment. I know it might not be cool, but buying a helmet, elbow pads, or knee pads will be appreciated every time they wreck. If they are skateboarding and doing tricks, it will happen. Now the only trick is to get them to wear this skateboarding equipment.

A skateboarding magazine is another good choice. As I have said a couple times, ask what they have or want. You want to make sure they don’t already have a subscription to the magazine you want to get them. This is another gift in that under $30 category.

I am going to close with one more idea that is sure to give them what they actually want. I am talking about a gift card. You can get one for a shoe store so they can pick out shoes, a sporting goods store where they can get clothing or skateboarding equipment, or you can even get them for skateboard shops. Many people don’t think this is very personal, but if you really don’t know what they want or like, a gift card lets them pick out whatever skateboarding equipment they want. I know I never worried about a gift card being too impersonal.

[by David Vanbergen]

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Descriptions of the following skateboard parts are the ones most prevalent in popular, modern forms of skateboarding. Many niche disciplines exist with exotic or alternative constructions and designs that fall outside of much of the descriptions listed.

Deck

Most decks are constructed with a seven to nine-ply cross-laminated layup of Canadian maple. Other materials used in deck construction, fiberglass, bamboo, resin, Kevlar, carbon fiber, aluminum, and plastic, lighten the board or increase its strength or rigidity. Modern decks vary in size, but most are 7 to 10.5 inches wide. Wider decks can be used for greater stability when transition or ramp skating. Skateboard decks are usually between 28 and 33 inches long. The underside of the deck can be printed with a design by the manufacturer, blank, or decorated by any other means.

The longboard, a common variant of the skateboard, has a longer deck. “Old school” boards (those made in the 1970s-80s or modern boards that mimic their shape) are generally wider and often have only one kicktail. 1970s variants often have little or no concavity, whereas 1980s models have deeper concavities and steeper kicktails.

Grip tape, when applied to the top surface of a skateboard, gives a skater’s feet more grip on the deck. It has an adhesive back and a sandpaper like top.

Trucks

Attached to the deck are two metal (usually aluminium alloy) trucks, which connect to the wheels and deck. The trucks are further composed of two parts. The top part of the truck is screwed to the deck and is called the baseplate, and beneath it is the hanger. The axle runs through the hanger. 

Between the baseplate and the hanger are bushings, also rubbers or grommets, that provide the cushion mechanism for turning the skateboard. The bushings cushion the truck when it turns. The stiffer the bushings, the more resistant the skateboard is to turning. The softer the bushings, the easier it is to turn. A bolt called a kingpin holds these parts together and fits inside the bushings. Thus by tightening or loosening the kingpin nut, the trucks can be adjusted loosely for better turning and tighter for more control.

Longboard specific trucks are a more recent development. A longboard truck has the king pin laid at a more acute angle (usually between 38 and 42 degrees) to the deck, this gives a lesser degree of turning for the same tilt of the deck. This adds stability and allows riders to go much faster while still maintaining stability and control.

Wheels

The wheels of a skateboard, usually made of polyurethane, come in many different sizes and shapes to suit different types of skating. Larger sizes like 65-90 mm roll faster, and also move more easily over cracks in pavement. Smaller sizes like 48-54 mm keep the board closer to the ground, require less force to accelerate and produce a lower center of gravity, but also make for a slower top speed. Wheels also are available in a variety of hardnesses usually measured on the durometer ‘A’ scale. 

Wheels range from the very soft (about 75a) to the very hard (about 101a). As the scale stops at 100a, any wheels labelled 101a or higher are harder, but do not use the appropriate durometer scale. Some wheel manufacturers now use the ‘B’ or ‘D’ scale, which has a larger and more accurate range of hardness.

Modern street skaters prefer smaller wheels (usually 45-53 mm), as small wheels can make tricks like kickflips and ollies easier. Street wheels are often quite hard as this allows the wheels to ‘break away’ from the ground easier. Vert skating requires larger wheels (usually 55-65 mm) as vert skating involves higher speeds. Vert wheels are also usually very hard which helps with maintaining speed on ramps. Slalom skating requires even larger wheels (60-75 mm) to sustain the highest speeds possible. They also need to be soft and have better grip to make the tight and frequent turns in slalom racing. 

Even larger wheels are used in longboarding and downhill skateboarding. Sizes range from 65 mm right up to 100 mm. These extreme sizes of wheels almost always have cores of hard plastic that can be made thinner and lighter than a solid polyurethane wheel. They are often used by skateboard videographers as well, as the large soft wheels allow for smooth and easy movement over any terrain.

Bearings

Each skateboard wheel is mounted on its axle via two ball bearings. With few exceptions, the bearings are the industrial standard “608″ size, with a bore of 8 mm, an outer diameter of 22 mm, and a width of 7 mm. These are usually made of steel, though silicon nitride, a high-tech ceramic, is sometimes used. Many skateboard bearings are graded according to the ABEC scale. The scale starts with ABEC1 as the lowest, 3, 5, 7, 9. It is a common misconception that higher numbers are better for skateboarding, as the ABEC rating only measures tolerances which do not necessarily apply to skateboards. The ABEC rating does not determine how fast or how durable a bearing used for skateboarding will be. In particular, the ABEC rating says nothing about how well a bearing handles axial (side-to-side) loads, which are severe in most skateboard applications. Many companies do not show the ABEC rating, such as Bones Bearings, who makes bearings specifically for skateboarding.

Hardware

Mounting hardware is a set of eight 10-32 bolts, usually an allen or cross head, and matching self-lock nylock nuts. They are used to attach the trucks to the board. Some have a different colored bolt to show which side is the nose of the skateboard.

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Today’s skateboards are made more durable but that does not mean that you can do anything you want with them. When used improperly, the deck can snap in half, wheels can wear fast, and mechanical parts can break. Here are the things that can definitely put an end to your skateboard’s life.

Braking

Powerslides. Powersliding is cool especially if you are the only one in the group who can perform it. But with all the fame you get, your wheels receive the beating. As the wheels grind against the ground especially on rough terrains, it loses its grip and shape. They will wear fast and you may need to buy a whole new set sooner than later.

Heel brake. When doing the heel break, you wear down the soles of your shoes or the tail of your board, or both. Excessive heel braking causes the kicktail to get thinner and eventually break, requiring you to buy a new deck. If you want to stop using the heel brake, at least put a guard underneath the kicktail which will take the grinding off the deck. A plastic cap will do although it will limit your ability to do some tricks successfully.

Landing

Landing with your feet in the middle of the deck is an effective way to break the deck in half. If you don’t want that to happen, do not place your foot in the middle of the deck. Let the trucks absorb your weight by stepping above them when landing.

Freestyling

Truckstand spin, truckstand hops, pogo spin, and pogo hops can definitely ruin your tail. Grinds can scratch the bottom of the deck. Some tricks can bend your deck undesirably. Well, skateboarding should be fun and skateboarders live to experiment on new tricks. If you can afford to buy a new skateboard, feel free to do these tricks.

Maintenance

Bearings and wheels must be cleaned periodically to extent their life and spare you from buying a new set. Maintenance is very important to keep your wheels rolling smoothly. This will enhance the riding experience. But if you don’t want to clean it, it is all up to you. Just be sure that you are prepared to pay the price.

You can either put a sorry end to your skateboard or extend its life and sparing yourself from buying a whole new set. The choice is yours. Tricks can and will definitely wear out your skateboard but if done correctly, the wear will slow down.

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Now that you are taking an interest in skateboarding, the first thing that you will think about is buying a skateboard that you can practice on. Sure there are quite a lot of cheap skateboards available but you should be warned that cheap means dangerous.
Don’t buy cheap skateboards from the toy store or from your nearest superstore. What this means is that you should not buy skateboards that are mass produced by companies that have little concern about the quality of the products they produce.

By nature, you have to face the fact that skateboards are dangerous. So, you wouldn’t want to buy a cheap skateboard that is poor in quality which will make it even more dangerous to ride on especially when you plan on practicing your tricks on it.

Cheap skateboards will usually mean weak trucks, poor quality wheels that can break easily, freezing bearings, and boards that break easily. Good skateboard manufacturers will spend a lot of time to make the skateboards that are safer, better and last longer.

Instead of that mass produced cheap skateboard, try to buy a complete pro grade skateboard. This is high in quality and will last a lot longer. It will feel more comfortable when you ride it. Usually, skateboards like this will cost around $120. There are specific skateboard brands that you can choose from. If you are not sure which one to buy, try to take a look at skateboard brand reviews on the internet. It will give you an idea which brands will suit your riding needs best.

You can also try building your own pro grade skateboard. You can purchase the board, trucks, wheels, and bearings separately. This will allow you to get the best boards, trucks and wheels.

If you don’t want to shell out a lot of cash, you will see that there are also good quality skateboards out there that aren’t as expensive as the pro grade ones but not as cheap as the mass produced ones.

If you are buying your kid his or her first skateboard, you can cut some corners. However, never buy the $20 skateboards at your nearest superstore or toy store. For sure, you want the best quality skateboard for your kids. Although it shouldn’t be the pro grade ones, you should get one that is of good quality.

These are the things that you have to remember when buying skateboards. If you want to prevent accidents and serious injuries, you might want to invest a little more money on the skateboard you purchase.

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When deciding which skateboard to buy, there are 4 basic things to consider: cost, trucks, bearings and wheels, and decks.

1. Cost. A skateboard can be very expensive so the basic principle to remember is to settle for something functional -basic. Do not aim for the best board that will set you back a hefty 3-digit figure that does not even include bearings, trucks, and a set of wheels. Set your budget at around $50 to$80 for a brand new beginner skateboard.

Any higher and you’ll be paying for something you don’t need; any lower and you’ll be paying for junk. The point is, you should buy an average beginner skateboard so when you realize that the sport is not for you or you happen to destroy your skateboard in the process, you have not spent your fortune for nothing.

2. Trucks. There are different types of trucks suited for specific tricks and functions. Some are made heavy while some just look tough. While price is your main concern, always go for quality. Go to a proper skateboard dealer and seek advice or bring a friend who really knows what trucks are right for your skill level.

3. Bearings and wheels. Bearings keep the wheels spinning when you stop pushing. Now, there are different ratings (measured in ABEC value) that determine the speed of the bearings. The slowest are the ‘AA’ bearings. While this will help you maintain a very slow speed downhill, it won’t give you that needed speed on flat surfaces.

‘AA’ is then followed by ABEC 3, ABEC 5, ABEC 7, and ABEC 9. Beginners can go for ABEC 3 or ABEC 5 at the most. These bearings may not give you the best movement but going for the fastest bearings is not a good idea either.

4. Deck. If you want to go for the best deck, choose the one without any graphics. Why? Brandings and designs are what make skateboard decks expensive. Aside from that, deck designs can easily scratch off with a decent amount of skating. Instead of focusing on the cool graphics, get a 7-ply deck and pay attention to the shape of the deck. Get one with a good amount of curve to the kicktails.

Therefore, your ideal beginner skateboard should consist of a 7-ply deck, durable tracks, and ABEC 3 or 5 bearings at a reasonable price.

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