Types of Longboards & How to Choose the Perfect One
There is no sizing guide when it comes to longboards, it's all about your riding style and personal preference. This can make it rather difficult if you're a beginner trying to choose a board but it's also what makes longboarding so fun. You get to choose your riding style and where you want to take your riding. When it comes riding style, specific boards will obviously work better for certain types of riding.
The diagram below shows the 6 basic types of longboards, each with specific traits that we will go through. Hopefully, you'll have a better idea of how you want to ride your longboard by the end of it.
Pintail
A Pintail is a classic style longboard. Designed to look like a surfboard and have a surfy feel, great for tight turns and cruising.
Drop Through
A drop through is a long board where the trucks drop through the deck of the board. This gives you a lower centre of gravity, in turn giving you more balance and stability. Great for cruising. It's stability also makes a great choice for beginner longboarders. Often they offer a variety of
Drop Down
A drop down longboard is very similar to a drop through, the difference is that the trucks don't drop the deck and instead the deck curves down near the base of the truck. This gives you even more stability and unique feel similar to snowboarding. Makes a great cruising board.
Downhill
Downhill longboards are what they sound like longboards that designed for downhill riding. This is a very niche type of longboarding and boards can vary greatly from deck to deck. However here are the basics- they are typically a bit wider, stiffer in flex and feature very coarse grip tap. A wider stiffer board will give you stability and the grip when lock your feet into the board when speeding down a hill. Often they offer a variety of wheel base options to further customise the feel of the ride to the rider's own personal perference.
Freestyle
Freestyle boards can come a various shapes and sizes. Typically they feature a flexible deck, nose and tail. Perfect for flipping the board and landing tricks.
Dance
Dance longboards are usually quite long making it easier to walk (or dance) up and down the deck.
*All longboards decks come in a variety of different flex's (ranging from very flexible to stiff). The flex of a deck comes to personal preference and what your riding style is.
If you have any questions about what longboard is right for you, give us a ring at (03) 9421 2293 or drop into the store. We will be happy to sort you out.
