Skateboarding is more popular than ever, both as a sport and as a means of getting from place to place (tiny carbon footprint, anyone?). With more options, gear, and advanced skateboard tech than ever, now is the perfect time to get into this fun, exciting, and convenient sport.
If you’re just getting into skateboarding, you may be wondering if you should buy a longboard or a cruiser. The answer depends on how you’ll use the board but once you know the details, it’s an easy choice to make. This guide will quickly introduce two of the most common types of skateboards and help you decide which is right for you.
Longboards: best skateboards for open roads
A longboard is a skateboard that’s traditionally at least 33 inches long and often 38 inches or longer. Longboards come in a few different shapes and varieties like pintail longboards and drop-through longboards. Different types of longboards have different shapes, and each shape is meant for different purposes.
Built for high-speed use
Overall, longboarding is all about cruising at higher speeds, maneuvering around wide curves, and enjoying a smooth ride. They’re a blast for skaters who love carving turns on a winding downhill road. You can feel the wind in your hair and get some serious speed in the straightaways on a downhill longboard.
Great for beginners
Everything is bigger on a longboard. Longboard decks are longer, longboard trucks are more substantial, and longboard wheels are larger. Because they’re bigger than any other type of board, longboards are quite stable and are ideal for beginners.
Just remember that they’re also more cumbersome to carry around, so don’t plan on stowing your longboard in your backpack in the office or at a friend’s house.
Ideal for carving
If you’re a surfer or a snowboarder, longboarding is a great way to practice maneuvering and carving in the off season. But if you’re hoping to get started doing tricks and kickflips, or skating on rough terrain, a longboard won’t be the first skateboard for you.
For skateboarders who want to cover long distances and experience some serious speed, longboards are the best choice. Get your GoPro ready, and you’ll be filming some sweet downhill footage in no time.
Some popular longboard choices include the Landyachtz Drop Cat 38, the Landyachtz Totem, and the Landyachtz Switchblade 38.
Cruiser skateboards: ideal for advanced street riders
A cruiser is a somewhat smaller skateboard, best used for traveling short distances and for commuting. Cruiser decks are generally no longer than 34”. Cruisers are similar to longboards in terms of what they can and can’t do — with a few key differences.
More challenging
Just like longboards, cruiser boards aren’t designed for doing tricks at the skatepark like a traditional skateboard. They’re best enjoyed on city streets and flat roads. Because of their smaller size, cruiser boards are a bit harder for beginners to use. So if you’re not very stable on a skateboard yet, you may not be ready for a cruiser board.
Best for urban skateboarding
A cruiser’s smaller deck size means it has a tighter turning radius than a longboard so you can avoid obstacles more easily as you skate. That’s a huge benefit for urban skateboarders. Cruiser skateboards also have smaller and softer wheels, making them more comfortable to ride on bumpy terrain and uneven pavement.
More portable
If you want to take tight turns and looking for an easy-to-transport street skateboard, a cruiser skateboard is probably the board for you.
More versatile
If you’re in the market for a more portable skateboard that’s great for getting from point A to point B, then a cruiser skateboard is your best bet. You’ll enjoy the freedom of hopping on and off as you maneuver through busy urban environments on the most laid-back commute you can imagine.
If you’re looking for a good cruiser, Landyachtz is a great brand in this area, too. Be sure to check out the Landyachtz Dinghy Blunt and the Landyachtz Dinghy Fender.
Longboard vs cruiser: which is right for you?
By now, you can tell that longboards are better for beginners, country roads, and high speed carving, while cruisers require a bit more skill and work best for urban or mixed environments.
Whether you select a longboard or a cruiser, once you get the hang of your new board, you can even try doing some freestyle skating. Kickflips may be off the menu, but stepping tricks, longboard dancing, bowl riding, and ollies may still be in your future.
Article by SunnyScope. Photos from Unsplash.
