Beginner Skateboarder Checklist
Everything you actually need to start, what it costs, and what you can safely ignore for now. The essentials come to about $250 to $300.
The list is deliberately short. Most people starting out buy too much of the wrong things and not enough of the two that matter, which are a board that fits and enough protection that falling is not frightening.
What we cover
The essentials · Worth adding soon · Skip for now · If it is for a kid · Before your first session · FAQ
The essentials
| Item | What to get | Cost | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete skateboard | 8.0in to 8.25in for most adults, real skate brand | $130 to $200 | Matched, assembled, adjusted. Half the price of parts |
| Helmet | Skate style, not a cycling helmet | $67 to $160 | The one injury you cannot walk off |
| Wrist guards | Standalone, or inside a pad pack | $55, or $80 in a pack | Wrists are the most common beginner injury |
| Skate tool | T-tool | Around $10 | Nuts loosen in the first few sessions |
Total: roughly $260 to $370. A pad pack at $80 covering knees, elbows and wrists is better value than wrist guards alone if you are going to want the others anyway.
Worth adding soon
- Skate shoes, $85 to $120. Flat vulcanised or cupsole soles grip the board properly and survive grip tape. You can start in flat-soled shoes you own, but this is the first upgrade worth making.
- Knee and elbow pads, in a pack. Most valuable in the first few months and any time you go to a park.
- Spare grip tape, $12 to $25. Not immediately, but grip is the first consumable most people need.
- A bag. Sounds trivial. Carrying a board and a helmet on public transport is not.
Skip for now
- Upgraded bearings. The ones in your complete are fine. Nothing about learning to push is limited by bearing speed.
- Spare parts. Nothing will wear out for months. Buy replacements when something actually needs replacing.
- Riser pads. Only needed if you get wheel bite, which you will not on a standard complete.
- A second board. Learn on one.
- Building your own setup. Costs roughly double a complete and you do not yet know what you want.
- Anything under $80 sold as a skateboard. That is not a budget option, it is a different and worse product that makes learning harder.
If it is for a kid
Same list, with three changes.
- Size to them now, not to grow into. The most common and most costly mistake. A too-wide board is heavy and hard to turn, and it is the main reason kids give up.
- All four pieces of protection, not just a helmet and wrists. A junior pad pack is $110 to $120.
- Youth complete, $90 to $140. Deck widths run 6.5in to 7.375in depending on height.
Full detail in what size skateboard for a kid.
Before your first session
- Check every nut and bolt with the skate tool. New boards settle.
- Work out if you are regular or goofy. Have someone push you gently from behind and see which foot steps out.
- Find somewhere flat, smooth and empty. Not a skatepark yet.
- Put the protection on before you leave. Not once you have already fallen.
- Learn to foot brake first. Before you build up any speed.
- Stand on grass first to get used to the board without it rolling.
The full progression is in our learn to skateboard guide.
Getting started FAQ
What do you need to start skateboarding?
A complete skateboard, a helmet, wrist guards and a skate tool. That is the genuine minimum and it comes to roughly $250 to $300. Everything else, including knee pads, skate shoes and spare parts, can be added once you know you are enjoying it.
How much does it cost to start skateboarding?
About $250 to $300 for the essentials: a complete at $130 to $200, a helmet from $67, wrist guards or a pad pack from $55, and a skate tool at around $10. A full setup with skate shoes and knee pads lands closer to $400.
Do beginners need a complete skateboard or should they build one?
Buy a complete. Everything is matched, assembled and adjusted, and it costs roughly half what the same parts do separately. Build your own later, once you know which deck width, truck and wheel setup you actually want.
What can beginners skip when starting out?
Spare parts, upgraded bearings, riser pads and multiple boards. None of it helps you learn to push and stop. Skate shoes are worth having but you can start in flat-soled shoes you already own if the budget is tight.
Is a skate tool necessary for a beginner?
Yes, and it is the cheapest thing on the list at around $10. Axle nuts and kingpins vibrate loose within the first few sessions, and a board with a loose nut is both unpleasant to ride and quietly destroying a bearing.
What is the best first skateboard for an adult?
An 8.0in to 8.25in complete from a real skate brand, at $130 to $200. That width suits most adult feet, and a complete arrives set up correctly. Avoid anything under about $80, which is a different product entirely.
Get it all in one go
Come to 435A Bridge Road, Richmond and we will sort the whole list in fifteen minutes, fit the helmet properly and set the board up for you. Nobody on our floor works on commission, so if half this list is not right for you, that is what you will hear.
Free shipping Australia wide on orders over $90. Call 03 9421 2293.
Keep reading: Learn to Skateboard · How to Choose a Skateboard · What Size Skateboard Do You Need? · Skate Protective Gear · How Much Does a Skateboard Cost?
Shop: Complete Skateboards · Helmets and Protection · Pad Packs · Skate Tools · Skate Shoes