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If you're new to skateboarding, there's a lot of lingo to learn for just the construction of the board alone (not to mention tricks and other slang). Don't fret — we've talked to skateboarding expert Jeff Gaites, co-owner of Uncle Funky's Boards in New York City, to break down the complexities so you can know what to look for in your own new skateboard. "Skateboarding can be intimidating, but it does not need to be," Gaits told GH. "Basic skateboarding is very easy and fun to pick up without a lot of practice. You can skate around just like you ride a bike and you never have to learn a trick...just stay on the board and have fun."
Our top picks:
At the Good Housekeeping Institute, our outdoor experts and engineers thoroughly test all kinds of equipment like scooters for kids, bike helmets and bikes for commuters. For this roundup, we evaluated dozens of skateboards based on their specifications, descriptions and customer reviews, informed by expert information and opinion. We looked for qualities like performance, ride quality, adaptability, safety and stability.
Keep reading to the end of this article to find out more about the individual parts of a board, other important equipment and what a beginner should look for in a skateboard. Looking for more rad content? (Sorry, had to be done.) Check out our articles on best roller skates for women and best electric bikes.
Pros
- Multiple sizes
- Multiple deck designs
Cons
Santa Cruz is a classic board brand; it's one of the oldest, continuous skateboard companies in the world and was founded in 1973. This board comes built in the box, so you can pull it out and ride immediately. The wheels are a standard middle ground between tricks and cruising, so you have a good balance no matter what you want to get into. Santa Cruz also sells multiple widths and lengths of decks, so you can get what best fits your feet.
| Deck Length | 31.83 inches |
| Deck Width | 8.25 inches |
| Materials | Aluminum, maple wood, rubber |
| Wheel Specs | 52mm; 99A |
Pros
- More customizable
- Experience of building your board
Cons
- Assembly required
Serious skateboarders usually opt to build their own boards, picking out each individual part to optimize their ride. That's a lot for a beginner, so if you want the experience of building your own board without finding all the individual pieces and parts, this complete set from Enoji is a great option. All parts are included and there are a ton of online resources and step-by-step videos to walk you through assembly. If you're not interested in assembling you own, Enjoi has complete pre-built boards for about $20 more, depending on the board.
| Deck Length | 81 centimenters |
| Deck Width | 8.25 inches |
| Materials | Aluminum, maple wood, rubber |
| Wheel Specs | 52 mm, 99A |
Pros
- Versatile size
- Thinner
Cons
- Might be too small for large feet
Element is another popular skateboard brand. Chances are you've seen their arrow logo around sneaker shops and similar stores. This board is skinnier than our other picks on this list, and while a quarter inch doesn't seem like a lot, it makes a world of difference when attempting tricks. Pulling an ollie or other flip trick means your feet have to clear the board as it makes revolutions, so you want allllll the space you can get. The wheels are a nice standard middle ground as well, so it's still a good board for cruising too.
| Deck Length | 81 centimeters |
| Deck Width | 8 inches |
| Materials | Aluminum, maple wood, rubber |
| Wheel Specs | 52mm, 99A |
According to Gaites, kids ages 6 or under should go for a board that's 7.5 inches wide with soft wheels. If they want to cruise, cruiser boards usually range from about 27 to 33 inches. Lauren Matthews, the Group Digital Content Director here at Good Housekeeping, got this Magneto board for her son and reports that it's held up well over time and works great for him. The 7.75-inch deck is nice and wide so the whole foot can fit on the board, and the ABEC-5 bearings are standard for casual skaters (more on bearings at the end of this article).
| Deck Length | 27.5 inches |
| Deck Width | 7.75 inches |
| Materials | Wood, aluminum, polyurethane |
| Wheel Specs | 60mm; 78A |
Penny Australia Cactus Wanderlust Penny Board
Pros
- Soft wheels for rougher terrain
- Made for cruising
- Multiple sizes and colors
Cons
- Not good for pulling tricks
- People with bigger feet may have trouble riding the standard sizes
We all had someone we knew in high school who carried around one of these iconic Penny Boards from Penny Australia. They're popular for good reason: They're made for cruising with softer, larger wheels that translate to a faster ride and make it easier to grip the road and other rough surfaces. They come in multiple sizes and colors, including kid sizes so you and your kid can match zooming down the street.
| Deck Length | 32 inches |
| Deck Width | 6 inches |
| Materials | Aluminum, plastic |
| Wheel Specs | 59mm, 83A |
How we chose the best skateboards for beginners
Our pros spoke with skating experts like the staff over at Uncle Funky's Boards, breaking down the different parts to ensure that the boards we featured were well equipped and made of the proper materials. We looked for features like wheel quality, deck quality, ease of use and overall performance to determine our favorite boards for beginners, as well as any unique designs or customization options.
What to look for when shopping for the best skateboards for beginners
There are a ton of different factors to consider when shopping for a board. We've broken down the basic elements for a fast guide on what you're looking at when shopping, but when in doubt, go to your local skateboard shop so you can hop on and feel the ride for yourself.
✔️ Deck: This is the main part of the board where your feet rest. You want it wide enough to balance on, but not too wide where you can't tilt and control the board. Most decks are made of pine, maple and other woods or plastic. All decks tend to be pretty durable so unless you plan on absolutely going to town and wailing on your deck, material really comes down to personal preference. The most important thing is to make sure the top of the deck is a rough surface with rough enough grip tape to (you guessed it) be able to grip the board.
✔️ Wheels: Wheels break down into two numbers: The diameter (usually in millimeters) and the wheel hardness, often referred to as durometer. Most wheels run from about 50 to 60 millimeters wide, and the lower the number the smaller the wheel. Wheel diameter affects how tightly you can turn and how quickly you can accelerate. Smaller wheels tend to have more technical precision and are better for tricks, while wider wheels are better for cruising and riding. Typical wheel hardness is measured on the Durometer A Scale, a 100-point scale measuring hardness where the higher the number, the harder the wheel. Keep in mind though that 99A is a standard wheel, and 78A to 87A are soft wheels that are good for anyone who needs lots of grip to easily roll over rougher terrain, like commuters. Harder wheels at 101A and up are better for technical skating on smooth surfaces, like skate parks.
✔️ Bearings: These are the small, circular devices that allow the wheels to roll. The ABEC scale for bearings measures the tolerance and precision of any bearing (even outside of skateboarding). The scale goes from one to nine, with ABEC-9 providing the bearings to go as fast as possible. That being said, the quality of the material is what needs to be considered first; as long as it's at an ABEC-5 or higher, it'll work just fine for a beginner. Look for steel, and high-quality steel at that. While ceramic and titanium bearings are usually about the same quality-wise, they're often far more expensive for a difference that's pretty much negligible for beginners.
What should a beginner look for in a board?
"Beginners should figure out if they want to cruise around, learn to do tricks, or both," says Jeff Gaits at Uncle Funky's Boards. Depending on your interests, he suggests either a cruiser or longboard for riding around, or a street board — also known as a trick board — for pulling off tricks. If you don't know what you're interested in yet, or if you're interested in both, he recommends looking for a more versatile board that can handle both cruising and tricks. For kids, Gaits recommends looking for a trick board that's 7.5-inches wide with preferably soft wheels. If they'd rather cruise around, he says any cruiser board 27 to 33 inches in length will be just fine.
What safety equipment do beginner skateboarders need?
A good helmet is non-negotiable and an absolute must-have. You'll likely be on concrete when learning, so one nasty bonk to the noggin without one might land you in the ER. Besides that, it's also a good idea to invest in knee and elbow pads, especially if you want to learn tricks. You will wipe out when learning — there's no avoiding it — so come prepared and you can minimize injury.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Abigail Bailey was awarded her Master of Science in Publishing Digital and Print Media from NYU and writes about any number of products for the Good Housekeeping Institute. For this article, she spoke with experts in the field to round up tips and recommendations for boards, and while she's incredibly clumsy, she will struggle on four wheels for the sake of science.
Abigail (she/her) is product reviews writer who has covered everything from kitchen gear to mattresses and smart blinds. She graduated from Louisiana State University with a B.A. in creative writing and earned her M.S. in publishing digital and print media from New York University. She currently works at Wirecutter, but has also spent time on staff at Good Housekeeping and The Southern Review literary magazine. In her free time you can find her quilting, cross-stitching or trying to figure out how to squeeze one more bookshelf in her tiny apartment.
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