Beginner Longboarder Checklist
Everything you actually need to start longboarding, what it costs, and what you can safely leave until later. The essentials come to about $290 to $400.
The list is short on purpose. Most people starting out overspend on parts and underspend on the two things that decide whether they enjoy it: a board suited to what they will actually do, and enough protection that falling is not frightening.
What we cover
The essentials · If you plan to ride hills · Worth adding soon · Skip for now · Choosing the board · Before your first ride · FAQ
The essentials
| Item | What to get | Cost | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete longboard | 38 to 42in drop-through, or a 28 to 34in cruiser | $200 to $450 | Assembled, matched and set up. Half the price of parts |
| Helmet | Skate style, not a road cycling helmet | $67 to $160 | You carry more speed than on a skateboard |
| Skate tool | T-tool | Around $10 | Nuts loosen in the first few rides |
| Wrist guards | Standalone or in a pad pack | $55, or $80 in a pack | Most common beginner injury |
Total: roughly $330 to $680 depending on the board. A pad pack at $80 covering knees, elbows and wrists is better value than wrist guards alone if you want the others eventually.
Prices current as at August 2026.
If you plan to ride hills
This is the fork in the list. Flat ground cruising and hill riding need genuinely different kit, and the gear below moves from optional to essential the moment gradients are involved.
| Item | Cost | Why it matters on hills |
|---|---|---|
| Slide gloves | $80 to $95 | Let you put a hand down deliberately at speed |
| Knee pads | Around $100 | Let you bail knees-first and slide out |
| Full face or certified helmet | Varies | Speeds where a skate lid is the minimum, not the answer |
| Firmer bushings | $6 to $20 | Stops speed wobbles if you are over about 80kg |
Do not buy these before you need them. If your plan is riding to the tram, they are money that would be better spent on a board that suits you.
Worth adding soon
- Knee and elbow pads, in a pack. Most valuable in the first few months.
- Spare bushings, $6 to $20. The cheapest way to change how the board rides once you know what you want from it.
- Grip tape, $12 to $35. Longboard decks need two or more sheets, so it is not a small job. Not needed immediately.
- A bag or strap. Carrying a 40 inch board and a helmet on public transport is genuinely awkward.
- A gauge, if you run pneumatic wheels. Not needed on standard urethane.
Skip for now
- Upgraded bearings. The ones in your complete are fine. Nothing about learning to push is limited by bearing speed.
- Spare wheels. They last months. Buy replacements when you need them, with knowledge of what you want.
- Precision or high-end trucks. A significant cost for a difference you cannot yet feel.
- Slide gloves, unless you are riding hills. Genuinely essential there, unnecessary otherwise.
- Building your own. Costs more than a complete and you do not yet know your preferences.
- A second board. Learn on one.
Getting the board right
The one decision worth spending time on, because it is the one that determines whether you use it.
Drop-through, 38 to 42 inches suits most first-time riders. The trucks mount through the deck, so the standing platform sits lower. That makes pushing less tiring, foot braking easier and more controlled, and the whole board more stable while you learn.
Cruiser, 28 to 34 inches if you will carry it constantly, store it under a desk, or only ride short distances. Lighter and far more practical in a city, at the cost of comfort over distance.
Size by what you will do, not your height. This is the most common longboard buying mistake and height charts are the reason for it.
What size longboard do I need · How to choose a longboard, cruiser or surf skate
Before your first ride
- Check every nut and bolt with the skate tool. New boards settle in transport.
- Spin each wheel. If one stops fast, the axle nut is too tight.
- Set the truck tension. Tighten until the hanger has no vertical play, then adjust a quarter turn at a time.
- Work out if you are regular or goofy. A gentle shove from behind: whichever foot steps out is usually your back foot.
- Find somewhere flat, smooth and empty. Not a hill, not a busy path.
- Put the helmet on before you leave the house.
- Learn to foot brake first. Before you build any speed at all.
That last one matters more on a longboard than a skateboard. There is no brake, and big soft wheels carry speed further than beginners expect.
Learn to longboard, the full progression
Getting started FAQ
What do you need to start longboarding?
A complete longboard, a helmet and a skate tool. That is the genuine minimum, around $290 to $400. Add wrist guards while you learn, and slide gloves only if you plan to ride hills, where they become essential rather than optional.
How much does it cost to start longboarding?
About $290 to $400 for the essentials: a cruiser or drop-through complete from $200, a helmet from $67, and a skate tool around $10. A full setup with pads and slide gloves for hill riding lands closer to $550.
What size longboard should a beginner buy?
A drop-through around 38 to 42 inches suits most first-time riders. The lowered deck makes pushing and foot braking easier and lowers your centre of gravity. If you need to carry it constantly, a 28 to 34 inch cruiser is more practical.
Do you need slide gloves to longboard?
Not for flat ground cruising or commuting. They become essential once you ride hills or learn to slide, because they let you put a hand down deliberately at speed. Buy them when you start riding hills, not before.
What should you check before your first longboard ride?
Axle nuts and kingpins, since new boards settle in transport, and that each wheel spins freely. Then set the truck tension so the board turns without feeling unstable. That takes about five minutes with a skate tool.
What can beginner longboarders skip?
Upgraded bearings, spare wheels, a second board and precision trucks. None of it helps you learn to push, carve and foot brake. Slide gloves can also wait until you actually start riding hills.
Get it sorted in one visit
Come to 435A Bridge Road, Richmond and we will go through the whole list, stand you on a few board lengths and fit the helmet properly. Nobody on our floor works on commission, so if half this list is not right for how you plan to ride, that is what you will hear.
Free shipping Australia wide on orders over $90. Call 03 9421 2293.
Keep reading: Learn to Longboard · What Size Longboard Do I Need? · How to Choose a Longboard · Longboard Maintenance · Skateboard, Cruiser or Longboard?
Shop: Complete Longboards · Cruisers · Helmets · Pads · Slide Gloves