Powell Peralta Skeleton Flight Deck | 8.13"
The Sweet Spot. In the Best Construction Available.
The 8.13" is quietly one of the most popular deck widths in modern skating — wide enough to feel stable and planted underfoot, narrow enough to flip cleanly and respond quickly to your feet. It's the choice of riders who've tried 8.0" and wanted just a touch more platform, but don't want to commit to the planted feel of 8.25" or above. The Powell Peralta Skeleton is a clean, timeless Powell house graphic — no rider story, no era baggage, just a well-executed design that works on a board and on a wall — built here in Flight construction, which means it'll perform better and last longer than anything in the 7-ply category. This is the everyday skater's deck from one of the most technically serious deck builders in the world.
Flight construction is Powell's fundamental departure from conventional 7-ply maple. Built in their Ventura, California facility using US hard rock maple fused with high-strength fibreglass and AirLam via epoxy resin — not the water-based glue of standard decks — Flight creates a composite structure that is thinner than your phone, lighter than a 7-ply, and more than twice as strong in tail break tests. The epoxy-infused fibre-reinforced structure resists delamination and holds its pop dramatically longer than a conventional maple deck. The K26 concave is a medium-to-mellow symmetrical double kick — nose and tail sit closer together than on older Powell molds with a larger radius at both ends, giving you smooth, precise flicks and reliable rebound without the aggressive cupping that can fatigue your arches on long sessions. Shape 242 is Powell's modern popsicle mold, proportioned for contemporary street and park skating at any level.
Specs
✅ Width: 8.13"
✅ Length: 31.58"
✅ Wheelbase: 14.0"
✅ Nose: 6.81"
✅ Tail: 6.56"
✅ Shape: 242 — Modern Popsicle
✅ Concave: K26 — Medium-to-Mellow, Symmetrical Double Kick
✅ Construction: Flight — US hard rock maple, high-strength fibreglass, AirLam, epoxy resin
✅ Made in: USA — Ventura, California
✅ Griptape: Sold separately
What width is right for me?
The 8.13" sits just above the standard 8.0" — close enough that you won't notice a dramatic change from an 8.0" board, but wide enough to feel a bit more planted underfoot, especially under the back foot on landings. It's a great choice for riders with slightly larger feet who find 8.0" just a bit narrow, or for anyone who skates a mix of street and park and wants a bit more board under them without going full 8.25". If you're already on 8.25" or wider, it'll feel familiar. If you're on 7.75" or below, it'll be a noticeable step up in platform size. Not sure? Come into the store at 435A Bridge Rd Richmond or call 03 9421 2293 and we'll help you work it out.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Flight construction worth the extra cost over a standard 7-ply?
A standard 7-ply deck is maple pressed with water-based glue — proven, but limited in lifespan. The wood compresses under repeated impacts, pop fades progressively, and chip-out at the nose and tail accelerates the more you skate. Flight construction replaces the glue with epoxy resin and adds fibreglass reinforcing layers through the stack — creating a composite structure that holds its pop significantly longer, resists delamination and edge damage far better, and is lighter for the same width. For regular skaters who go through a deck every few weeks, Flight often comes out even or ahead on cost-per-session compared to buying cheaper decks more frequently, and performs better throughout. For riders who want a board that skates well for longer without constantly buying new gear, it's the obvious choice.
What trucks, wheels, and hardware work well with an 8.13" deck?
For an 8.13" deck, trucks in the 139mm–149mm axle range work well — Independent Stage 11 139mm or 149mm (depending on whether you prefer a tighter or more stable feel), Thunder 145mm or 148mm, or Venture 5.6–5.8. For wheels, street-focused setups typically run 52mm–54mm at 99a–101a for maximum response and minimal wheel weight. Park and mixed terrain riders often prefer 53mm–56mm at 95a–99a for more cushion on landings. Hardware is standard: 7/8" bolts without risers work with most wheel setups; go to 1" bolts if you're adding a 1/8" riser. Come into the store at 435A Bridge Rd Richmond or call 03 9421 2293 and we'll set up the full build for you.
How does the 8.13" Skeleton compare to the 8.0" — should I size up or stay on 8.0"?
The 8.13" and 8.0" are built on the same Shape 242 mold with the same K26 concave and 14.0" wheelbase — the difference is purely in width, length (31.58" vs 31.45"), and the proportionally slightly larger nose and tail measurements. In practical terms, 0.13" is subtle but real: the 8.13" will feel marginally more stable underfoot and give slightly more real estate for your back foot on landings. If you've ridden 8.0" and found it comfortable but wanted just a touch more, 8.13" is the natural step. If you're specifically optimising for flip trick speed and board weight, stay on 8.0". For most riders who skate all-terrain, 8.13" is the more forgiving and comfortable choice day-to-day.
About Powell Peralta
Founded in 1978 by Stacy Peralta and George Powell in Santa Barbara, California, Powell Peralta is one of the most important companies in skateboarding history — home to the Bones Brigade and the team that defined professional skating through the 1980s. George Powell brought an engineer's obsession with material science to deck construction from the beginning, and Flight technology is the direct continuation of that philosophy: better materials, better construction, boards that actually perform differently rather than just look different. Powell still manufactures Flight decks in the USA, uses non-solvent-based inks and paints for their graphics, and warrants every Flight deck against delamination for its useful life.
Why Buy from Twelve Board Store?
✔️ Free shipping on orders over $90 Australia-wide
✔️ Melbourne showroom at 435A Bridge Rd Richmond — come in, touch the gear, get proper advice
✔️ Genuine skate knowledge — we ride what we sell
✔️ Flexible payment options including Afterpay & Zip
✔️ Specialists in snow, skate, and electric — 12 months a year
