Skateboard Buying Guides | Twelve Board Store

Skateboarding at Twelve Board Store is not a side category, it is what the business was built on. These guides are written by people who skate, stock what we would ride ourselves, and have spent years helping riders at every level find the right setup.

Start with the guide that matches what you want to do. Buying your first board, upgrading a component, choosing between a surf skate and a cruiser, or working out what size deck you need: it is all below.

Skateboard guides

Deck width, truck sizing and wheel hardness are the three decisions that decide how a board rides. Get them right and the board disappears under your feet. Get them wrong and you fight it.

How to Choose a Skateboard
The full guide. Complete or custom, deck size by shoe size and riding style, trucks, wheels, bearings and griptape. Start here.
What Size Skateboard Do You Need?
Deck width explained in more depth, with sizing for kids and adults.
How to Choose a Skateboard Setup
Putting the parts together so they work as one board rather than a parts list.
Best Skateboards Australia 2026
Our picks by riding style: street, park, transition, beginner and cruiser.
Best Skate Shoes Australia 2026
Vulcanised versus cupsole, and which brands hold up.

Shop: Complete Skateboards · Decks · Trucks · Wheels · Bearings · Griptape

Longboard and cruiser guides

Longboards, cruisers and surf skates look similar and ride completely differently. A board built for carving at speed makes a frustrating commuter, and a flat-ground cruiser feels dead on a hill.

How to Choose a Longboard, Cruiser or Surf Skate
The full guide. Cruisers, pintails, drop-through, drop-down, top-mount, downhill and dance shapes, plus flex and wheel setup.
Longboard vs Cruiser vs Surf Skate
How to tell them apart and which one suits what you actually want to do.
Best Longboards Australia 2026
Our picks for commuting, cruising and carving.

Shop: Complete Longboards · Cruisers · Longboard Wheels · Longboard Trucks · Reverse Kingpin Trucks

Surf skate guides

Surf skates use specialised front-truck systems that pivot far more than standard trucks and generate pump and carve from hip movement alone. The motion is close enough to surfing that they work as genuine off-season cross-training.

How to Choose a Surf Skate
All truck systems compared: CX, C7, YOW, Landyachtz, OBFive and Globe. Shape selection and sizing.
Carver CX vs C7: Which System Should You Choose?
The most important decision in surf skating, explained properly.
Surf Skate Sizing Guide
Why wheelbase matters more than deck length, and how to match your surf stance.
Will a Surf Skate Actually Improve Your Surfing?
The honest answer: what transfers, what does not, and the drills that make it worthwhile.
What Is Surf Skating and Which Brands Are Worth Riding?
Carver, YOW, Landyachtz, OBFive and Globe, and who each one suits.
Best Surf Skates Australia 2026
Our top picks by riding style and experience level.
Surf Skating: Every Question Answered
What it is, how hard it is to learn and whether it is worth it.

Shop: All Surf Skates · Carver · YOW

Protection and size charts

Pads and a helmet are the difference between a bad slam and a wasted month. Sizing varies between brands, so check the chart for the brand you are buying rather than assuming.

By brand: Pro-Tec · Triple 8 · 187 Killer Pads · G-Form · TSG · Thousand

Shop: Protective Pads · Skate Helmets · Skate Shoes

Frequently Asked Questions

Which guide should I start with?

If you want to skate tricks, parks or street, start with How to Choose a Skateboard. If you want to commute, cruise or carve, start with the longboard and cruiser guide. If you surf or snowboard and want off-season training, go straight to the surf skate guide.

What is the difference between a skateboard, a cruiser and a longboard?

A standard skateboard is built for tricks, parks and street. A cruiser is a compact board with softer wheels for getting around town. A longboard is longer and more stable, built for distance, carving and downhill rather than tricks.

Do you check and adjust boards before they ship?

Yes. Every complete is inspected, adjusted and checked before it leaves our Richmond shop, whether you collect it or we ship it. Free shipping applies Australia-wide on orders over $90, with same and next-day dispatch from Melbourne.

Can I get advice in person instead of reading a guide?

Yes, and we would prefer it for a first setup. Come into 435A Bridge Road, Richmond, or call (03) 9421 2293. There are setups on the floor and the staff skate, so you get an answer based on riding rather than a spec sheet.

Back to all buying guides · Contact our team · (03) 9421 2293 · 435A Bridge Road, Richmond VIC