Skateboarding & Longboarding Equipment
Boarding has been popular now for over 40 years. Now, longboard riding has really taken off because of how unique it can be compared to skateboarding. Consider some of the details that set these extreme sports apart.
What makes longboarding different?
- Sizing: A longboard skateboard has two major differences compared to a regular skateboard: Its at least 33 inches long and no fewer than nine inches wide. This width and length ratio makes your ride much more stable so that you can achieve complete balance when its used as a cruiser.
- Wide trucks: Additionally, the trucks, which are usually made of metal or another strong material and hold each wheel to the base of the longboard, are much wider-set on a longboard than on a skateboard. Once again, this provides complete stability at the wheel level.
What makes skateboarding unique from longboarding?
- Tricks: Unlike a longboard, its easy to take a skateboard to a skate park and complete tricks. Theyre lighter to pull upwards, have kicktails, and are easy to complete grinds.
- Quicker Acceleration: A good skateboard has smaller wheels and ABEC 7 and above bearings that usually accelerate faster so that you can quickly complete tricks.
This board is designed for complete distance. If youre trying to complete a commute, a quality cruiser board will get you to the store or work at a good speed.
What is a downhill racer?
If youre looking for complete speed, a downhill racer is a type of skate option thats made to be ridden down hills for speeds exceeding 50mph.
Is a longboard a skateboard?
These certainly are complete skateboards. The chief difference between a longboard and a standard board is that the longboard is a board thats designed to complete a distance skate, not tricks.
How can I select the best longboard trucks and wheels?
For a cruiser board, you want the durometer, which is the hardness of each wheel, to be somewhat softer so that it absorbs the irregularities in the pavement as you longboard. Insofar as trucks, check that you have a wider wheel placement.
Are longboard or skateboard easier to ride?
If youre downhill racing on a Zumiez, it can be very difficult, but for day-to-day riding to and browsing through the store, a longboard can be easier. Its just important that you select the board thatll fit your needs: either cruising or racing.