Once the grubby pastime of counterculture youth, today, skateboarding is fast becoming one of the world’s most popular urban sports. 

You can use skateboards as a form of transportation, commuting to school or work, but you can also hit the skatepark, practice tricks, bomb massive hills, or simply cruise around town. 

That said, not all skateboards are created equal. 

There are five different types of skateboards (and smaller categories within those five types).

In this article, we’ll break down the five types of skateboards, talk about which type of board is best for which type of rider, and go through some key pros and cons. Let’s get started!

Note: If you’re looking at buying your first skateboard (or you already did) and are wondering how to start riding, check out our in-depth “How to Skateboard” article for a step-by-step process, along with a few pro tips and tricks!

Longboard

Classic longboards are very popular on the street today. Named for their long length (typically 33 inches or more), longboards offer increased stability and maneuverability over smaller skateboards, making them one of the best skateboards for beginners. 

Their large, soft wheels, wide trucks, and long decks provide a smoother riding experience on rough, uneven surfaces. 

Longboards are also the fastest form of skateboard, ideal for bombing big hills, sliding, and making wide, sweeping turns. 

If you’re looking to get into downhill skating, longboards are the way to get started. 

The main downsides with longboards, however, are their heavy weight. This makes them unsuited for tricks and flips, and also much more cumbersome to carry around when not riding. 

There are three main types of longboards.

1. Pintail

Pintail boards are named for their distinctive “pintail” shape, tapered at the front and back (more aggressively tapered at the back). 

This board shape helps prevent wheelbite, which occurs when you carve too hard and your deck makes contact with your wheels. Wheelbite can be extremely dangerous, and it can even completely throw you off your board at any speed. 

All told, pintails are a nice hybrid between cruisers and twin tips (see below). 

The tapered ends provide some of the same performance benefits of a twin tip, while the deck remains wide enough for learners to have plenty of foot space. Zed 41” Pintail Longboard is an excellent example of a high-quality pintail.

2. Twin Tip

Twin tip longboards feature pinched noses and tails, each almost symmetrical. 

This tapered design eliminates the possibility of wheelbite, and is great for deep carves and fast downhill rides, but features less board space. The twin tip frame also allows for a “drop through” deck, where the deck dips down in the center, sitting slightly lower than the trucks. 

Drop through decks keep you closer to the ground, which both improves stability and makes pushing your board easier. Rift 41” Drop Through Longboard and Tidal 41” Drop Through Longboard are both superb twin tip, downhill longboards.

3. Cruiser Longboards

Unlike pintail and twin tip longboards, cruiser longboards feature a full deck, more akin to that found on a traditional street skateboard. 

Cruiser longboards like Zed 44” Longboard are great for beginner longboarders since they offer maximum deck space for your feet. 

The trucks on cruisers are higher and the wheels are also larger and softer than a standard board. In general, you’ll also find the bushings more flexible. 

While cruisers aren’t ideal for bombing big hills or performing massive carves, they’re perhaps the best style of longboard for everyday commuting. 

The kick tail on the back of the board also makes it easier to pop the board up off the ground and into your hand when you’re finished riding.

Skateboards

Other skateboard types include:

4. Cruiser

Cruisers are made just for that… Cruising! Cruiser boards are small, compact, and lightweight (generally between 22” and 35”) so they’re great for getting around town. 

Cruisers are ideal for commuting around college campuses, riding around the neighborhood with friends, and still feature a kick tail, so they can be used to perform basic tricks, drop into pools, and hit ramps, once you gain a bit of experience. 

While not as stable as longboards (so not as ideal for hitting big hills), cruisers have a shorter deck length, so they can make tighter turns, and, like mentioned above, they’re also significantly lighter and more compact than longboards, so they’re easier to stow in a backpack or hold in your hand. 

It’s a bit harder to learn on a cruiser skateboard deck than on a longboard deck, but many riders find they prefer cruisers once they get a bit more experience. Quip 27” Cruiser is a perfect example of a high-quality cruiser skateboard, and also comes in a 22.5” mini cruiser size (see below). 

5. Mini Cruiser

Mini cruiser skateboards are fairly self-explanatory. 

These boards are just smaller versions of traditional cruisers. 

Mini cruisers became popular in recent years, due to their ultra-lightweight build and compact size. 

They’re easy to pop in a backpack, carry in one hand, and stash under your desk during class or work. The downside is that the tighter wheelbase and smaller wheels and deck make for reduced stability, so mini cruisers are much harder to ride for beginners. 

Once you get the hang of your mini, however, you may find you prefer riding it over bigger, more stable boards! Quip 22.5” Cruiser is an excellent mini cruiser.

6. Double Kick

Double kick skateboards are what you picture when you think of classic skateboards. 

These boards, also known as “popsicle boards”, have narrower decks than cruisers and longboards, sport rounded “kick tails” on either end, and typically feature small, hard wheels. 

Double kicks are lightweight and easy to transport, but not ideal for going fast, skating long distances, or riding on bumpy, uneven terrain, making them ideal for street skating. 

However, twin kick tails are crucial for getting your board up off the ground to perform tricks like ollies, kickflips, and pop-shuvits at the skatepark, so if you want to learn to trick skate, a double kick, freestyle skateboard like Alameda (available in both 8” and 7.5” deck widths) is a must-have.

7. Carver

A relatively new addition to the skateboard family, carver skateboards are designed to mimic the carving motion of surfing and snowboarding. 

You’ll generate momentum through carving, or “pumping” the board back and forth and you don’t even have to put your feet down! 

Carve skateboards come with a special type of front truck, and in general, the trucks are extremely loose and high. 

These boards feature a short, wide deck, and are great for practicing deep turns and carves, as well as riding bowls. 

They aren’t very stable, however, and aren’t ideal for reaching high speeds. In short, a carver board isn’t ideal for beginners, but if you’re a surfer looking to get into skating, carvers are a good option.

Bonus: Electric Skateboard

Electric skateboards are another newer type of skateboard. 

Like carvers, you don’t even have to put your foot down to accelerate. However, unlike carvers, you don’t even need to exert any energy at all! All you need to do is press a button on a handheld remote.

Electric longboards are excellent for commuting, and they’re quite fun to ride, since you can achieve high speeds without putting in any effort. 

However, it’s safer to learn to skateboard on a traditional board, before you go electric. 

That way, once you start riding electric, you’re already familiar with the basic motions and principles of skating. Tidal Rev Electric Longboard (which offers a 12.5-mile range and 24 mph top speed) and its upgraded big brother, Tidal Rev Plus are both top-notch electric longboards.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of skateboard is best for kids?

The best standard skateboard for a kid will depend on the child’s height and age, but in general, mini cruisers like the Quip 22.5” are a good style of skateboard for young children.

These boards are lightweight and easy to maneuver, and feature a smaller deck (perfect for smaller feet!). 

Double kick boards like Alameda are also a good choice for young children, since they’re lightweight, low to the ground, and the double kick deck can help kids learn skating fundamentals. 

What type of skateboard is best for beginners?

The answer to this question depends on the style of skating you want to do. 

If you want to learn to trick skate, then there’s no question about it, you need to buy a double kick board. 

Double kicks are a requirement to perform most aerial tricks. 

But if you just want to cruise around town, then you can choose between a longboard and a cruiser. 

Longboards offer increased stability and are a better choice if you want to learn to bomb hills or go fast, but they’re heavy and awkward to lug around when you aren’t riding. 

If you’re more concerned with mobility (i.e. you want a board you can take with you when you travel, stash under your desk at work or class, and easily carry under your arm), then buying a lightweight cruiser or mini cruiser might be a better bet. 

One important factor to consider, regardless of the type of skateboard you choose, is the board’s deck width. 

Wider decks are always more stable and give you foot space to practice weight distribution as you learn to skate. As a beginner, look for boards with wide decks.

What gear should I wear to skateboard?

Skateboarding is often dangerous, but the majority of all serious skateboarding injuries can be mitigated by proper protective gear. 

This is particularly important when you’re still learning how to skateboard, since you’re likely to crash a few times! 

Helmets are a must-have when skating, but elbow pads, knee pads, and wrist guards can also help to prevent injury.

In addition to skateboards, we offer a variety of comfortable, stylish protective skate accessories here at Retrospec, such as helmets, knee pads, and elbow pads. Wearing this gear will help you stay safe while you’re riding.