Best Skateboard for Beginners

Finding a good skateboard for yourself or your kid can be very tricky, especially if you’ve never skated before. We’re sure that most of our terminology and the names of components may sound like a foreign language to you right now. But never fear, our Best Skateboard for Beginners Guide below will help you find a good quality skateboard to start your skating journey with.

Best Skateboards for Beginners – Our Top 6 Choices

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  1. Hoopla Alana Smith Wolf Complete Skateboard
  2. Moose Dipped White Complete Skateboard
  3. Darkstar Molten Complete Skateboard
  4. Blind OG Logo Complete Skateboard
  5. Blind Reaper Complete Skateboard
  6. Enjoi Big Head Stardust Complete Skateboard

What makes a good beginner Skateboard?

Firstly, a skateboard for a beginner needs to be good, but it certainly doesn’t need to the best skateboard in the world. In the beginning, all skaters need to learn the very basics of the art of skateboarding, so there is no need to get the strongest board in the world. However, a good quality board is needed.

The number of times we have been at skate parks and seen beginners struggling with a bad skateboard was enough for us to start this website! Of course, it is no one’s fault! A new skater or parent will buy a skateboard from a supermarket or large sports store because they do not know what they are looking at. They just see a skateboard and/or a kid pleading with them for one; they are not to know that they have just bought a potential death trap!

You see, really cheap skateboards are not designed with skateboarding in mind, they are designed for making money. The wheels are extremely slippery, the trucks are plastic or very weak metal and the bearings are so slow that you’ll end up in the firing line of everyone in the skate park no matter how hard you try and get away.

So, we are not saying that you need to get a bank loan to buy your first board, but you should certainly invest some money into it. A good quality beginner skateboard will bring all the joy that you are expecting from skateboarding and help you learn the basics.

What kind of skateboard is best for beginners?

We recommend a very standard looking skateboard for the most part. This style of board has two concaved ends (the nose and the tail) and are a very nice starting off point for all types of skating.

Whether you want to learn how to skate street, park, bowl or vert, this type of board can handle them all. It is also great for learning the basics on as most people will skate this type of board for the rest of their skate careers. You may as well learn on the style of board that you intend to ride forever!

We wouldn’t recommend a Penny-style skateboard for a beginner. These are far smaller than a normal board which some parents may think are better for smaller kids. However, they actually make skating more dangerous for a beginner. You need a fair amount of board underneath you to develop control and balance. Smaller boards do not provide enough of a stable platform for younger kids or inexperienced riders to develop these skills.

There are smaller versions of the traditional skateboard available for smaller kids which are small enough that they can comfortably ride them, but not so small that they do not provide the control and balance that your kid needs in the early stages. If your kid is 6-8 years old, these are the best choice for them.

If you are an adult, then you should be looking for a board that has good components with it. Once again, we aren’t saying that you need the best, but you need good quality components because of weight. We aren’t saying you’re weighty, but we are all heavier than kids and most cheap boards can barely take the weight of a kid let alone us! Getting your first board with good components means that you can learn to turn, push, roll, pump and everything else safely and securely.

What is the best size skateboard for beginners?

The best size of skateboard for a beginner depends on your height and the size of your feet. If you have big feet, you need a wider board.

Here is a rough guide to the best size of skateboard for beginners:

  • 6-9 years old  – A 7.0-inch wide board is a lovely starting off point for this age range.
  • 10-13 years old – A 7.5-inch wide board provides all the stability that these guys need
  • 14-16 years old – A 7.75 or 8.0-inch board will offer the control you guys need
  • 16 plus – Anywhere from 8.0 upwards will give you everything you need to get started.

Of course, this is just a rough guide; if you have big feet for your age range, a step up may be needed. Just remember, the size you get should be comfortable and offer you all the control you need to learn the basics and then grow your skateboarding so it shouldn’t be too big, but you don’t want to ride a toothpick either!

The Best Complete Skateboards for Beginners

People might assume that most beginners are going to be kids, but many older children, teenagers and even adults take up skateboarding.

This list includes skateboards that are perfect for beginners of all ages, if you are specifically looking for a Skateboard for a Kid, then we’ve got you covered here.

Hoopla Alana Smith Wolf Complete Skateboard

hoopla skateboards Alana Smith Wolf Shape 191 Complete Skateboard, 7.5' x 28.65', Black

The board of this complete is made by Skate One. Skate One is a company that makes extremely high-quality boards, and this is no exception. The board itself is a 7.5, so it’s great for younger teenagers.

The complete also comes with Hoopla wheels and some really nice bearings that aren’t too fast but will keep your kid moving along nicely. Overall, this is an excellent starter board for any kid, the board is a very nice shape, and most of the components will last them for a long time.

PROS
  • Professionally made board and wheels
  • The board has a lovely shape and graphic
  • Comes with a lifetime warranty on manufacturer defects
CONS
  • The trucks of this complete may not hold up to too much abuse. We have a seeking suspicion that the trucks may also not be covered by the warranty.

Moose Dipped White Complete Skateboard

Moose Complete Skateboard Dip White 7.0' with Black Trucks and Black Wheels

Moose Skateboards often feature on our lists because they are amazingly good value for money.  By making their decks professionally, but not printing graphics, they are saving money on production and turning this saving over to you.

This complete has a 7.0 inches wide deck, a great deck for any young kid and some really good hardware too. It comes with ABEC 5 bearings, 52mm wheels and Core trucks. All of this adds up to offer a very stable and controllable skateboard for young kids.

PROS
  • All the components are excellent quality
  • Comes complete with everything your kid needs to get going, even riser pads and grip tape
CONS
  • Assembly is required, but once you know how to do it, this is the fun part!

Darkstar Molten Complete Skateboard

Darkstar 10512215 Molten Fu Complete Skateboard, Blue, Size 7.5

This Darkstar complete comes in at a great price for any beginner. Darkstar boards are professionally made, but as they focus on the beginner market, they are extremely affordable! The board size is a 7.5, like many on this list. This size is great for learning how to control a skateboard.

The bearings on this complete are ABEC 1’s which may make them a little slow in the future, but they are great for the first few months of skating. The trucks are very nice and will help you figure out how to turn the board and keep you stable. The wheels are slightly odd on this board as they are very soft (83a). We believe these have been included to help with control and stability, but they may restrict you once you start trying to learn tricks.

PROS
  • An excellent board that feels great to ride
  • Nice trucks
CONS
  • Soft wheels may restrict you as you start learning tricks
  • ABEC 1 bearings may be a bit slow

Blind OG Logo Complete Skateboard

Blind 10511195Y Matte OG Logo Silver Complete Skateboard, Silver, Size 7.25MD

This Blind complete comes in at 7.25 inches wide making it perfect for 9-11-year-old kids. This size means that they can practice their control and learn some tricks once they have the stability. The Slant trucks are a lovely addition to this complete. They are quality trucks that will keep your kid stable and help them figure out turning.

The wheels on this complete are also great! They are slightly softer than standard (95a), but that will help soak up and bumps and cracks at the skate park. This complete is really one of the best completes for a young kid to start on!

PROS
  • This professionally made board offers excellent control and stability
  • The trucks and wheels further this stability
  • Your kid will not outgrow this board for a long time!
CONS
  • You may need to swap the bearings out in a few months. Once again, the bearings supplied are only ABEC 1 which may feel a little too slow after a few months.

Blind Reaper Complete Skateboard

Blind Reaper E Premium Youth Skateboard Complete - 7.00'

This has to be one of the best graphics on this list! Your kid is going to look extremely cool at the skate park with this deck. The deck is also the perfect size for a youngester that wants to try skating for the first time. It comes in at 7.0 inches which offers a lot of control for small feet.

The wheels and bearings are nice too; they offer some speed, but not enough for your kid to set the land speed record! Overall, this is a lovely starter board and one that any kid would love riding!

PROS
  • Awesome style and graphic
  • The deck has a lovely shape that will help with control and tricks
  • Wheels and bearings are great for the skate park
CONS
  • The trucks are not the highest quality, but this will not affect your kid until they start doing tricks and grinds.

Our Top Pick

There are some truly great Skateboards listed above, but we really love this Enjoi complete.

Not only is this a very high-quality deck, it also has great trucks and bearings, this would be considered a good choice for a beginner or even a seasoned professional.

Enjoi Big Head Stardust Complete Skateboard

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This Enjoi certainly has one of the best graphics on this list, a panda with the classic Stardust face paint on is always hard to beat! The board itself is really nice too. It comes in at 7.5, making it great for younger teenagers and it feels lovely to ride.

The complete is complete with 52mm wheels, tensor trucks and shielded bearings too so the components are really high quality, and that is lovely to see in such a reasonably priced complete skateboard.

PROS
  • Excellent quality, branded components
  • Comes pre-assembled
  • Looks amazing!
CONS
  • This board may lose its shape after a year or so, but pretty much all boards will!

Summary

If you are just starting out skateboarding then choosing your first board is likely an exciting moment.

There are loads of great choices available and any of the boards on this list would make a great beginner board.

What’s good about your first board is that it will likely last you a long time, you’re unlikely to be pulling off too many high impact tricks and grinds, so it’s likely the deck will stay looking fresh for a good few months.