Skateboard buyer's guide: How to choose a skateboard?

For disciplines other than freestyle park and street, please refer to our guide how to choose a longboard surfskate or Cruiser

 

Skateboard shape: Standard (Popsicle) or Old School?

skate old school new school

Standard skateboards have a so-called "Popsicle" shape, that is to say a more or less symmetrical cutout with a kick on each side. These boards are the most suitable for Street and Skatepark.

Our selection of popsicle skateboards:

Completes popsicle skateboards

Popsicle skateboards decks

Old school skates take shapes from the origins of skateboarding, 80's & 90's. They generally have an asymmetrical shape, are wider, and have little concave. These are popular boards for the Bowl, flat land tricks, Cruising, and Pumptrack

Our selection of old school skateboards

Old school skateboards complete

Old school skateboards decks

 

Skateboard width

skateboard anatomy

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One of the first selection criteria when choosing your skateboard is to choose a deck width that matches your shoe size. Narrow boards are more maneuverable, turn easier, and are lighter. On the other hand, a wider board offers more grip to launch tricks, and a larger landing surface.

Skateboard width is expressed in Inches (1 Inch=2.54cm). Skateboards under 8.5'' are the most common for Street and Skatepark. For the bowl, trays of 8.5 '' and + are more popular.

To facilitate your choice and as an indication, here is a correspondance table

Foot size

skateboard width

32

7’’-7.375’’

33

7.25’’-7.5’’

34

7.375’’-7.625’’

35

7.375’’-7.75’’

36

7.5’’-7.875’’

37

7.625’’-8’’

38

7.625’’-8’’

39

7.75’’-8.125’’

40

7.875’’-8.125’’

41

8’’-8.25’’

42

8’’-8.25’’

43

8’’-8.375’’

44

8.125’’-8.5’’

45

8.25’’-8.5’’

 

 Concave

Skateboards are generally classified into 3 concave depths: Low, Medium, High (Deep)The choice of concave is above all a matter of personal preference, the Medium being both the most widespread and the most popular. If you are a beginner, we advise you to opt for a medium concave.

How is made a skateboard?

usine skateboard

 

In most cases, skateboard decks are made with 7 plies of maple or birch wood. Some boards incorporate resins, fibers, or carbon, which will allow more solidity and/or lightness, and accentuate the pop.

The woods, glues, and presses are the determining elements in the quality of a skateboard. These 3 factors will determine the pop and the solidity of the board. It is at this level that the discount, mid-range or expert boards will stand out.

At Fulkit we have taken care to choose the best European and American skateboard brands for you: Powell Peralta, Jart, Baker, Santa Cruz, Globe... Whatever your level of experience and your budget, we have the skateboard. you need, and the children are not forgotten!