Choosing a Skateboard
With so many products available on the market, buying a new board is a game of eliminating options. It’s not an easy task, especially if you’re a new boarder, but if you are patient enough to analyze each of the following options, you will surely make the right choice that best suits your needs.
Price
Price is always an important consideration. Skateboards available in online shops are often cheaper than similar products you can find in your local skate shop, but this does not mean you are making the smartest decision. A visit to a local skate shop, getting to see the board for yourself, might change your opinion about a product that looked so appealing in the catalog picture. In addition, by buying from a local shop, you are also supporting the local economy. Read our earlier post, The Scoop on Selecting a Skateboard, to learn more about the benefits of shopping local.
Be careful when buying skateboards from supermarkets because they’re generally of lower quality. If you’re worried about your child hurting themselves or if you’re worried you’ll injure yourself, then do note that poorer quality boards can pose safety hazard because they’re more difficult to ride.
With so many products available on the market, buying a new board is a game of eliminating options. It’s not an easy task, especially if you’re a new boarder, but if you are patient enough to analyze each of the following options, you will surely make the right choice that best suits your needs.
Price
Price is always an important consideration. Skateboards available in online shops are often cheaper than similar products you can find in your local skate shop, but this does not mean you are making the smartest decision. A visit to a local skate shop, getting to see the board for yourself, might change your opinion about a product that looked so appealing in the catalog picture. In addition, by buying from a local shop, you are also supporting the local economy. Read our earlier post, The Scoop on Selecting a Skateboard, to learn more about the benefits of shopping local.
Be careful when buying skateboards from supermarkets because they’re generally of lower quality. If you’re worried about your child hurting themselves or if you’re worried you’ll injure yourself, then do note that poorer quality boards can pose safety hazard because they’re more difficult to ride.
Complete Set or Build Your Own
When you go out in search of a new skateboard for your child, keep in mind that regardless of what you are willing to pay, you will always have two main options: buying a complete skateboard set (called a “complete”) or assembling your ride from pieces. For simplicity, beginners often choose a complete. Pre-assembled skateboards make the decision process much easier and spare you all the technical details. However, what if you plan to expand later? Custom-built skateboards offer an open-door to trade up to higher quality components down the road.
Material
When choosing a skateboard, you should consider the construction of the board. At a local skate shop, the salesperson can help you identify the material. Canadian Maple is the most common. The two other popular materials used to make boards are Bamboo and Baltic Birch plywood. Plastic is another alternative that is much cheaper and durable, and is usually found in penny boards. There are also aluminum and fiberglass decks that provide similar results. The reason Canadian Maple is a lot stronger and more popular is due to the quality of the wood and stability it provides.
Read Full Article Here: 7 Things to Look for When Choosing a Skateboard
