Resource Center

So you’ve decided to give skateboarding a try – great! But getting started can be a little overwhelming when you’re new to the sport and aren’t familiar with the necessary equipment. That is, unless you have a comprehensive skateboard buying guide to point you in the right direction.

Enter Skate One. Our roots date back to 1976, supplying us with decades of experience in the skateboarding industry that will help you take your skating to the next level. With a growing number of products, brands and retailers to choose from, the first step to finding the ideal skateboard for you is to list your needs and goals, then compare those to the available options within your budget.

Personal variables

No two skateboarders are exactly alike, so their boards shouldn’t be, either! The components of your ideal skateboard depend on your level of experience, physical requirements, budget, and even what you love most about skateboarding since different decks are designed for different riding styles. Use these categories to narrow down your preferences, and then use our buying guides to get more specific about what you want in a skateboard.

Style

Subtle design tweaks can make all the difference when it comes to buying the right skateboard for your riding style. Whether it’s skating on the street, park or vert, or downhill cruising versus freestyle, knowing your style will help you purchase a skateboard that will make the most of your practice time.

Experience

From beginners to pros, a skateboarder’s preferred equipment has a lot to do with his or her experience level. As you learn new tricks and refine your preferences, you’re going to want to buy different types of skateboards and accessories.

• Beginners: Those who are just starting out tend to gravitate more toward street skating products, as they are designed to be versatile and user-friendly. This comes in handy while you’re still learning and adding onto the basics of skateboarding.
• Intermediate: Once you have a handle on one or two different styles of skateboarding, your preferences start to shift and you may want to buy multiple skateboards so there’s one ready for whichever style you want to focus on during a given session.
• Advanced: Advanced skaters will accumulate gear as they go along, mastering tricks and developing skills for different types of skating. This is when it really comes in handy to know your brands and the components you need to customize your favorite boards.
• Professional: If you’ve hit the big time and skate with endorsements and signature products, you’re probably much more particular about the gear you’ll use and may even have the chance to test new items before they hit the market.

Physical characteristics

Everything from your height, stance, shoe size, center of gravity, and weight can affect your purchasing decisions when it comes to skateboards. As a reliable starting point, we recommend reviewing the “Buying a Skateboard” category in this resource center to match your height with a reliable wheelbase. From there, you can explore your personal preferences and find the perfect fit.

Budget

Budgeting for skateboarding equipment largely depends on how much time and effort you dedicate toward the sport. Price doesn’t necessarily equal quality, but while beginners may not want to invest in more expensive boards, advanced skaters see more of the benefits to buying pricier equipment that’s more likely to last. As a rule of thumb, consider that most entry level complete skateboards will start at around $90, and pro quality boards can cost as much as $250.

How can we help you?

Now that you have a handle on a few basic factors, it’s time to get down to deciding on the specifics of your ideal skateboard! Browse our comprehensive buying guides as you shop for a pre-assembled skateboard, or dive into building a custom complete.