Many people contact us at Fringe Skateboards with the following questions, so I compiled a list for you to save everyone time.
1. What are the best beginner skateboards?
2. Could you teach me how to size a skateboard?
3. What are the different sizes of skateboards?
4. What size is a skateboard?
In fact, the list goes on and on. When determining the best skateboard for your needs, many factors must be considered. If you go to your local skate shop, they will gladly custom fit you for a skateboard or longboard, but you won't have that option if you buy online. So let me lay out the fundamentals for you.
Width of Skateboard Deck
Skateboard decks range in width from 6" to more than 10". Let me begin by saying that there are no rules regarding the size of deck you prefer. It is really a matter of personal preference, and it may help to stand on a few of your friends' skateboards to see what size you prefer. However, the ideal skate deck size is dependent on a few factors, including your foot size and skating style. If you have larger feet, size 12 or above, an 8" or larger board will probably be more comfortable for you. I'm a size 13 and fit well on an 8"-10" deck. The other factor is skating style. Skaters who prefer street skating typically ride a narrower deck that allows them to perform better tricks (anywhere from 7.25′′ for smaller feet to 7.75′′ for larger feet), whereas skaters who prefer pool, vert, or transitions typically ride a wider deck that adds stability and confidence at higher speeds (8.25′′ and up is common). Any skateboard between 7.75′′ and 8.25′′ in length is an excellent all-around choice for a wide range of skating styles. Remember, it's all about personal preference; there is no right or wrong answer!
Skateboard Deck Dimensions - Length
The length of your skateboard deck is primarily determined by your riding style. The majority of skateboard decks are 28"-33" in length. The shorter decks, known as minis, are reserved for younger skaters. Aside from that, skate deck length is unimportant unless you want to try longboarding.
Wheelbase of a Skateboard
The wheelbase of a skateboard is the distance between the trucks. This measurement is usually between 13" and 15" and is unimportant for most beginner skateboarders. More advanced skaters may develop a preference as they progress, but the majority of skateboarders rarely notice the minute differences between wheelbases.
Nose and Tail of a Skateboard
The nose and tail of a skateboard are not measured separately, but there is an easy way to tell which is which. The nose of the skateboard is a little wider and does not have as sharp an angle as the tail. The reason for this is that a wider nose gives you a better chance of flipping and guiding the skateboard.
Size Guide for Skateboards
Miniature Skateboard Micro decks are ideal for beginners who are under 6 years old, less than 3'5" tall, and wear a size 3 shoe or less.
Mini Skateboard Deck Width: 7.0" with a deck length of 28" on average
Mini decks are the best skateboards for beginners aged 6 to 8, standing between 3'5" and 4'4" tall, and wearing size 4-6 shoes.
Skateboard of Medium Size Deck width: 7.3"+ with an average deck length of 29" For skaters aged 9 to 12, standing 4'5" to 5'2" tall and wearing size 7-8 shoes.
Decks for Skateboards 7.5"+ with a deck length of 29"+ on average
This skateboard is appropriate for all skaters over the age of 13, who are taller than 5'3" and wear shoe sizes 9 and up. Again, personal preference will play a role here, so use this and all of our skateboard sizing as a general rule.
7.5′′ to 8′′ - Standard deck size for most riders skating the streets or performing more technical tricks wearing a shoe size 11 or less.
9′′ and larger - Best for skateboarding vert, pools, cruising, and kicking it old school. 8.0′′ to 8.75′′ - Average skate deck size for skateboarding pools, drainage ditches, or vert.
We hope this helps you narrow down your options for a new skateboard. Hundreds of new skateboards and skate decks are in stock and ready to ship from Fringe Skateboards. If you have any questions about how to size a skateboard, please send us a message and we will gladly assist you. Fringe Skateboards can assist you in building the best skateboard wheels, skateboard trucks, and skateboard bearings money can buy. We are an independent skateboard brand and shop based in Brisbane, Australia, that ships worldwide.
1. Get a good skateboard and equipment.
There are different types of skateboards, but for beginners it can be hard to see the difference. When you want to use a skateboard, think about the reason for doing it, this will help you decide what type of skateboard you need.
You can always have an electric skateboard for transport, but thats not really skating.... A longboard, also known as cruiser is cool if you want a board for short-distance transport, or just carving it up. Street skating requires something small and agile, while boards for vert and big transition skating tend to be a bit bigger. Visit any of your local skate shops to get the best advice and quality gear.
It doesn't necessarily have to be an expensive board, but don’t fall into the trap of cheap, chain store setups, your local skate shop is the place to help you on your way.
There are few things you need to be across to find the perfect deck for you, such as the width, the concave and the shape. The graphics are less important, but you will have loads of options to choose what you like. Your favorite skate store will have all the parts that will let you to make your board exactly how you want it, or buy one already put together.
2. Wear protective gear.
Falling is part of skating, you will fall as a beginner, you will fall when you are a shredder. If you want to be able to skate for a long time, protective gear is a must. Wearing a helmet will protect the head, knee pads, wirst guards and elbow pads complete the set. Make no mistake, you will fall a lot, pads will give you the protection to keep going, as well boosting your confidence to keep pushing on!
When you fall, try not to use your hands to catch yourself. Ideally, slide on your knee pads, or try and roll with the fall as much as you can.
Preventing yourself with your hand could cause you to break a wrist. Every time you fall, you will learn more about how to fall correctly. So get up and shake off every fall from your body. Skateboarding is an extreme sport, injuries come with the territory, so protect yourself as best you can! Get yourself checked out if you think you have broken a bone or hurt something badly.
3. Be confident.
Don't be embarrassed about how you look or how good you are, everyone started out the same, and real skaters encourage beginners. Push yourself to your limits. By trying new tricks and not being worried about what others think, you will earn respect from your fellow skaters because skateboarders love persistence and resilience. Practice and dedication is the only method for learning to skate. There are no shortcuts, there is no substitute for time on the board.
4. The right shoe
You will want to put on a shoe that you will be comfortable maneuvering around. It doesn't only look cool or stylish but is an essential part of Skate learning because they boost your progression. There are a bunch of skate shoe brands out there, and as skating becomes even more popular, even the big shoe companies are making skate shoes. Don’t get sucked in by the hype! Buy a shoe that feels good to you, your favourite skate shop is the best place to try out the options.
5. Basic skateboarding skill
Before pulling a massive trick, you have to get rolling, and get confident on your board. Without a solid foundation, and mastery of the basics, you will not be able to go very far.
6. Stance
There are two types of stances in skateboarding, the regular and the Goofy stance. The standing posture, which involves the left leg as the front foot is the regular stance position, while the Goofy stand got the right leg as the front foot. You will feel what stance is right for you.
7. Pushing
Pushing is an important skill to learn on a skateboard. It involves placing your front foot at a 30-degree angle near the nose of your board while bending your front knee so that your back leg can reach the ground. Place all your weight on your front and push with your back foot. Return your back foot at a slight angle to the tail of your board. Try balancing your weight between both legs once your back door is on the board. After perfecting this skill, continue working on your balancing till you are confident in it.
8. Stopping
Foot braking, or dragging your foot on the ground, is the first and most important way to stop a skateboard. When you want to stop, take your back foot from your board and place it on the ground as a braking mechanism gently, dragging the heel of your feet on the ground while most of your weight is still on the front foot. How faster you are going determine the proper amount of pressure to apply on your back foot. Hold the back foot down until coming to a stop or get to your desire speed level. It can be quite dangerous as you move faster. So try to stop at a slow pace. Be warned, this will chew through your shoes, so progressing to the point where you can stop by sliding, is important.
9. Turning
Turning comes after you master pushing and stopping. Skateboard trucks are equipped to turn as you lean from side to side. Placing your feet across your board truck provide you with leverage to move towards the direction you want to go. Bend your knees and go low before leaning into your turn. Use your shoulders to navigate while applying pressure with your toes or heels in the direction you want. Once you complete the turn, bring your body back to its original stance and push to your destination.
10. Prepare a target
After getting some knowledge of beginner's skills in skateboarding. Now is the time to start challenging yourself. Select a particular trick you like, and keep practicing until you can do it. Ask other skaters for help pointing out what you are doing right or wrong. It will help you in your overall posture, balancing, and foot position. Don't set your target so high. Start small. To get started, things like tic tacs, ollies, acid drops and carving should be where you aim.
11. Keep practicing
When you pull off a trick, that does not mean you are perfect. Keep practicing until you have gotten yourself familiar with the different styles. Consistency is key to good skateboarding. Once you pull off a trick, repeat it over again until it becomes a part of you. Practice does not only make you perfect but opens your mind to new ideas. Use those out of the box ideas to innovate your skating style. There are no rules in skating, so don't restrain yourself. Why don't you break free from the general norm?
12. Enjoy yourself
You don't have to kill yourself trying to look cool. Once in a while, allow yourself to let your guard down. Even in a competitive environment, it should be something you enjoy doing and brings joy to you. Don't take away the fun of it. Go out with friends on an exciting skating stroll enjoying the environment that skateboarding has to offer.
Misfits, renegades and kids that don’t give a shit- they are the only people skating....
Maybe this was once the truth, but the days of skateboarding being an act of defiance are clouded by mainstream acceptance, organised events (errr the Olympics) and big coin on offer. Whilst the hardcore, purist scene will always be at the heart of skating, it has permeated society, it may have once been a form of counter-culture, but it is now seen by many as a recreational activity and sport...there are even skate coaches and national teams.
How though? How did skating emerge from the streets to fill our socials and tv screens?
There are many answers to this question, but I believe the true answer is due to skateboarding’s depth of appeal, that is, on the surface it may come across as street kids with baggy pants killing time, but underneath the appeal of skateboarding and everything it stands for truly does influence a much larger audience.
Skateboarding has done more than influence just it’s loyal devotees over the years. Artists, musicians, directors, designers and other creatives have been influenced by the allure of gravity defying stunts, the speed, the culture and community that skateboarding embodies.
Here are just a handful of industries that skateboarding has influenced, and in turn been influenced by. I'll leave whether its a good or bad thing to you.
Like any activity that has grown in popularity in the last 100 years, music has no doubt been influenced by skateboarding, and vise versa. After all, we all go about our day to some kind of sound track right?
Skateboarding started making huge waves on the west coast of America in the late 70’s and early 80’s. These were the original “Anti-Establishment” street kids with a chip on their shoulder and a point to prove.
Many of these kids also played instruments and were heavily involved with music. In no time at all bands were formed and the skating culture influenced the music they wrote, heavily.
Bands such as NOFX and Black Flag broke through with its own style of anti-establishment punk, and in no time at all, “Skate Punk” was made a genre.
On the back these bands audiences, skating was being received by a much larger group of people and quickly became accepted by a much more mainstream crowd.
In turn, more commercially accepted bands such as Blink 182 and Offspring began to form, and all of a sudden, Skate Punk was being heard by millions.
Since then music has changed drastically, but the nuances that these early bands and skaters created can still be heard and seen in today’s musical culture.
It’s hard to pinpoint who was first on the screens, but what is sure is that as soon as skateboarding hit our screens, we were hooked. This is where I believe skateboarding became “cool”.
Television and Colour Film were both revolutionary inventions, but it was when these things became accessible, that skateboarding in turn was in everyone's living room.
Skateboarding began appealing to young children on the back of cartoon characters like Bart Simpson and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
At the same time it was appealing to Young Adults with documentaries such as Dogtown and Z-Boys. Afterwards spin offs like Lords of Dogtown began to reach our screens and in turn, the popularity of skateboarding grew.
More recently Bam Magera, Johnny Knoxville and Stevo, all of which have a history of skating, have graced our screens with their series Jackass, where once again skating culture shows of it’s anti-establishment, all or nothing mentality.
All of these examples have helped give rise to the awareness of skateboarding culture, and in doing so, influenced many others who previously had never gone near a skatepark.
Skate, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and Skate or Die, were all huge successes in the early console gaming world.
What is most important to note, is that millions of copies of these games and sequels to these games were sold over the years, and yet did the sale of skateboards or skate related items increase in comparison? Not even close.
The popularity of these games has helped propel the skaters featured in them to new heights, injecting money into the indusrty. The have also provided a great way for people to feel connected to skating, motivated kids to get on a board and provided a safe space for older skaters to re-live their youth
So has skateboardings influence on gaming been positive?
In the sense of gaining more influence and being exposed to a wider audience, I would say yes. Not only did the games provide enjoyment for their players, but they stayed true to their cultural beliefs, and in doing so “spreading the word”, so to speak.
Oh, and if you're listening EA Games, hurry up with Skate 4 FFS!
You cannot talk about skating culture without talking about ART.
The two go hand in hand, as one of the most famous ways to rebel against the man, is to leave your “Tag” on the street.
From the early street artists you could see all kinds of paint throughout the local skate park. Over the years this form of artistic expression has been embraced by the classical artists, with many street artists now being accepted for their art and not for the rebellion.
Street art is quickly becoming a global obsession, with many capital cities embracing the look and feel of the street. Cities such as Copenhagen, New York and London can all been seen with iconic street pieces that add to the cities look.
Who would have thought that what was once seen as an act of rebellion would now be embraced by national government?
Naturally, after all the exposure that the 3 examples above created, fashion was eventually going to be affected, by skateboarding culture.
Fashion designers and clothing brands were exposed to skateboarding culture as time went by, and began to see market opportunities to target the popular activity. Brands that initially were niche, and just for skaters have become super mainstream, Vans and Santa Cruz being standouts. Even Thrasher, the seminal skate magazine has become such a popular fashion brand that many skaters actively shun their shirts.
It is not uncommon to see a bunch of dudes in old school black Vans, Santa Cruz socks and a Thrasher T sipping craft beers, who wouldnt know the difference between a McTwist and a Big Mac.
Many of skateboarding’s purists have rejected mainstream celebrities from wearing skating fashion, saying that they simply don't get it. Over time however, brands have made this kind of clothing fashionable, much the same way as the skate punk bands of the late 80’s and early 90’s crossed over to more popular audiences, and in doing so exposed the sport of skating to the masses.
Skateboarding has definitely made an impact, there is no doubt about it, but has it been for the better, and in becoming more popular, has it taking away some of the spark the early skaters created?
It is a hard question to answer, and I am sure some of the early skaters would be disgusted in what their favourite past time has become.
Like anything, there are opinions on both sides, but it is definitely clear that with the larger exposure that different artforms and industries bring, the popularity and acceptance of skateboarding only gets bigger. And this has to be a good thing right?
]]>Despite the minor issue of a global pandemic, the Tokyo Olympics are going to happen sooner or later and skate communities around the globe are buzzing with a cocktail of stoke, fear, dread, and in some cases, total indifference. We are filled with a mixture of the four. While we do cringe seeing what is usually a motley gang of beloved misfits, suddenly neatly dressed in fully matching team rags, looking more set to swing a bat over a diamond plate than kickflip back lip a 10 set-- we can also see, with a little squinting, a few pretty huge plusses to this whole, Olympics...thing.
Note: We’re all aware of the downsides, what with the possible loss and gentrification of skateboarding’s street culture-- so we won’t go into the lows here and now. There are enough downers atm.
Both men and women will have equal representation on the world stage that is the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games. What this means, is that regular people watching the Olympics globally, people who may never normally watch a video part or competition, will suddenly be faced with the realization that skateboarding is in fact not a criminal activity, it is not gender-specific, nor do female skaters fit in with any single stereotypical image.
This will have a positive global impact.
Look at places on the planet where the gender gap is quite massive; Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Cambodia, to name a few. Out of these places, we are seeing more and more girls and women shredding. With already stellar work being done by organizations like Skateistan; which of its 800 members in Afghanistan, 45 percent are women-- skateboarding being in the Olympics will only further this and widen skateboarding’s reach.
Of course, this isn’t only about the physical act of skateboarding. This is about what skateboarding means. To a young woman whose role has previously been to take care of the men and boys in the house, to clean and cook, skateboarding can mean freedom. Skateboarding can mean confidence. Skateboarding can become a much-needed escape and a point of focus and empowerment.
Olympic fever has taken hold, and as a result, is certainly solidifying skateboarding as more than a nasty case of nCoV19 that won’t go away. Government bodies can no longer dismiss skateboarders as only punks and criminals. That’s right boys and girls, we’re as legitimate as figure skaters.
Take Melbourne, for example. The city council has recognized that the city, thanks to its ledges, benches, smooth flat, parks, and architecture, has become a world-renowned skate destination, easily rolling with Barcelona and LA. They’ve released a 10-year plan (which places heavy emphasis on the addition of skateboarding to the Olympics) in order to encourage skateboarding in the city of Melbourne. This plan outlines the city-wide addition of multiple features to public spaces and skateparks, while making existing shared public areas and outdoor furniture more skateable. When we say ‘more skateable’ we mean adding metal edges on public benches, stuff like that.
Whether the intent of this plan is an attempt to curb the skating (and de-skate-stopper-ing) of public infrastructure; “if skating becomes more popular they’re gonna destroy the whole city!”, or if it is a real attempt to embrace the culture and provide more places to skate, it really makes no difference. The result is the same. And the result is damn good.
So we say let’s focus on the positives, of which there are many. Sure, there are a bunch of downsides, but why focus on those? This train is a-rollin’ and there’s no stopping it now! No point focusing on the bad!
Peace!
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