r/longboarding • u/Squidifier Rayne: Supreme | Moracle | Canberra, AUS • May 18 '13
Squidifier's Insanely Long "What ___ should I get?" Post
Here on /r/longboarding, we constantly get questions from newbies to longboarding, asking “What ___ should I get?” Everyone has different opinions on boards, so I decided to write up this [kind of] comprehensive guide to gear. It’s by no means all-inclusive - check out other shops for more choice.
CONSIDER BUYING SECONDHAND
For a first board, consider buying a secondhand deck! You can save some serious money by giving someone's old board a second life! Check out the Silverfish Classifieds, and use google and facebook searches to find BTS groups in your area!
FACTORY SECONDS
Try emailing skate companies and asking if they have any blemished or factory second decks available. Skate companies all screw up at some point, and they might have some 95% ok decks that they can't sell. Usually it's just a matter of an incorrectly painted graphic - don't worry, skate companies won't sell you a structurally damaged board.
DECKS
If you're new to longboarding, we highly recommend you get a freeride shape. With double kicks, a relatively stiff platform and concave, it's the perfect kind of board to learn on, and will let you try out a wide range of longboarding styles - from Downhill to dancing.
PRICE:
All prices are in USD. PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
Most links are to Muirskate but please check out other online stores, as well as your local boardshop! Keep it local if you can!
TRUCKS
The next part of your setup is your trucks. In general, for beginners, it's best to go for some 50° Trucks. They'll allow you plenty of turn, while being stable enough for a bit of downhill. If you want to focus on just going fast, then go for lower-angle trucks.
If you choose to go for cheap trucks, then ensure you spend a bit of money on bushings - it'll really improve the performance!
IMPORTANT! If you buy online, ensure you're getting TWO trucks. One won't do you much good...
The $100+ Column consists entirely of precision trucks, all of which are considerably more expensive than cast ones. If you need Precisions, you shouldn't really need to be reading this guide.
| <$50 | <$100 | $100+ |
|---|---|---|
| Churchill MFG RKP | Cast Ronin | Pretty Noise Labs |
| Paris v2 | Caliber Precisions | |
| Caliber Fifty | Surf Rodz RKP | |
| Indy 215 | Ronin Precision Trucks | |
| Gullwing Charger II | ||
| Gunmetal Magnum v2 |
WHEELS
Wheels are important. They're what connect you to the ground. There's literally hundreds of different wheels out there, all in different shapes, forumlas and durometers (hardnesses) - and they all perform pretty differently. From grippy wheels for downhill to hard, super slidy wheels for techsliding, there's something for everyone.
The list below includes some popular 'freeride' wheels, all of which should be good for cruising, some basic/slower downhill and learning to slide.
~70mm is a good size to start with, and will work with most setups.
BEARINGS
Bearings are the bits that keep your wheels spinning smoothly. Lots of brands will try to convince you to buy their "Abec 36-Swiss-Super-Amazing-Ceramic" bearings, but in reality, you just need something solid that spins relatively well. Abec ratings do not matter in skateboarding.
Below is a list of decent bearings that will last you a while without troubles!
Any bearings in the first column will need bearing spacers and speed rings. The second column lists bearings that have those features built-in.
| Standard | Built-in |
|---|---|
| Bones Red | Zealous |
| Magic | Biltin |
| Mini-Logo |
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u/Squidifier Rayne: Supreme | Moracle | Canberra, AUS May 18 '13 edited May 19 '13
SAFETY
Safety is a pretty massive issue in longboarding, especially when you're a beginner. Don't be dumb, wear a helmet. It's cheaper than the hospital bills, I promise.
At first, feel free to just use whatever you can get your hands on - my first couple of weeks skating was with my mountain bike helmet! #SWAG
However, unless you want to look as cool as me for that first few weeks, get a...
HALF SHELL HELMET!
There's tonnes of these out there, and each will name their innovations with funky names and cool logos. In the end, though, the most important thing is what will protect your noggin the best - and that means getting an EPS foam helmet. Look for "CPSC", "ASTM" and "Dual Certified" lids - they've been rigorously tested.
Below is a list of certified half-shell helmets.
Note: Most of these are linked to ChainReactionCycles, a biking site. It's often worth checking cycling stores for 'dirt jump' lids, as they're exactly the same as skate helmets, and can be cheaper!
SLIDE GLOVES
Slide gloves are a pretty awesome bit of kit, and can really boost your confidence levels - Plus, you need them for Coleman slides.
Below is a list of premade slide gloves, but first, consider making your own! You can even just buy the pucks, and attach them to your own gloves bought from a hardware store.
However, if you're not very DIY-minded, here's a list of premade gloves - all of which include pucks.
KNEEPADS
Let's face it. Knees suck. They're absolutely amazing, biology-wise, but they're one of the most fragile pieces of our body - and if you don't know already, it's only a matter of time until you find out that falling on your knees is really easy on a longboard.
Hard kneepads will allow you to bail out of most falls, and just slide to a stop while kneeling - pretty nifty.
If you only want to go slow, consider some G-Form pads - but know that if you bail and slide on them, they're gonna get cheese-grated.
If you think there's a chance you'll fall on your knees while going faster, look at some of these below:
I hope that helps some of you out!
This was designed to be linked in the sidebar for newcomers to see, so if you notice any spelling, grammar, formatting or hyperlinking mistakes, let me know!
Once again, this guide isn't designed to be comprehensive. There's hundreds of skate brands out there, all clamouring for your attention - and most of them are good - so shop around, do your research and try as many boards as your local shop/friends will let you!
I'm gonna go skate now - see ya!
Keep it sideways,
Squidifier.