If you're buying your first skateboard, you should consider what type of skating you want to do and what your budget is. Lots of boards are suitable for beginners and it is advisable to go with the board that matches your needs for the best price. Of course, there are lots of boards with great artwork to choose from as well but deciding a board shape and spec first will at least help you to narrow down the decision!

Once you have decided whether you’re looking for a double-kick skateboard or you fancy having a go at longboarding, you will want to find a skateboard with a decent amount of width. If you are a first-time skater, the best way to choose a board is by deck width. Wide decks are much more stable and provide you with plenty of foot space to play around with weight distribution on the board.

Mini Cruisers are a perfect starter set up for young beginners looking to get to grips with riding a board and perfecting their balance. A 6” plastic deck will suit kids 5 years or younger with a shoe size of around 3 or smaller. Mini cruisers are also great for older and more experienced riders looking for a different skateboarding style. Slightly older kids might want to try their hand with a full size double kick skateboard, depending on their confidence. They will also come in handy if they want to learn a more technical style of skating and perform tricks.

If it's a more technical style of skating you want to learn i.e. flips and tricks, then a double kick board is probably what you’re after. These decks measure 8" in width and feature (as the name suggests) two kicks allowing for tricks to be executed from nose or tail. These boards are great for street skating and work just as well on the park.

If you're a frustrated surfer looking for a fix when there are no waves, or you're looking to carve smooth lines as opposed to doing flip tricks then a longboard then you are probably after a Long Board. These work as a surfing simulator on the ground and will help you perfect your carving skills.

If you're looking for a board to smoothly roll around on and if being able to pack it away in your bag is important for you, then a Cruiser might be what you’re looking for. Cruisers are a common shape of deck and feature a single kick tail; they usually feature higher raisers, larger wheels, and larger decks than double kick boards. This allows for a smoother ride, greater stability and better turning.

The plank that you will be riding on usually made of layers of wood (although other materials like plastic can be used).

Grip Tape is the sandpaper like material usually black (or sometimes clear) on the topside of the deck which provides you with grip when riding the board.

Skateboard Wheels are usually made of plastic and available in a variety of sizes and hardness and are generally measured in millimetres. Larger wheels offer more speed but an increase in effort from the rider, whilst smaller wheels offer less speed but a lower amount of effort to get up to top speed. Harder wheels slide easier (great for tricks like grinding) whereas softer wheels offer a lot more traction allowing for speed and control. Skateboard wheels are often measure on the durometer scale ‘A’ and the higher number represents an increasing hardness, for example: 78a is a soft wheel compared to 101a + which offer a pro level hardness.

NOTE: some companies use a B scale which allows for much harder wheels and is 20 points lower than the A scale (for example: 80b=100a) which allows for an increased hardness rating.

Skateboard trucks are the T-shaped metal components mounted to the underside of the skateboard deck. Trucks are important as they enable you to turn by pivoting either left or right. They are formed of several components whilst also playing the role of keeping your wheels and bearings securely attached to your deck! The main features of a skateboard truck:

Baseplate: This is the piece of metal which enables the truck to be attached to the skateboard deck.

Hanger: The hangar is the triangular metal piece that is the largest part of the skateboard truck. The hangar encases the axle which runs through it.

Axle: Protected and supported by the hanger, the axle is a long pin to where the skateboard wheels are attached.

Kingpin: The kingpin is a big bolt that fits inside the bushings and holds the skate truck’s parts together. They are available in a range of different lengths, colours, and designs. Some people even colour co-ordinate their bolts so that they can easily identify which is the nose and which is the tail of the skateboard.

Bushings: Bushings are the rubbery rings that fit around the kingpin and allow the board to pivot and turn smoothly. The stiffer the board, the more stable the board. The softer the bushings, the easier it is to turn a skateboard.

Bearings are a small round part that slots neatly into the wheel of the board and allows you to roll and keep up speed. Bearings vary in their precision which is represented by the ABEC rating system. The higher the number, the greater the precision of the wheel. Those looking to roll for longer and potentially faster should select a bearing with a higher rating. 

NOTE: Osprey use the ABEC rating however some brands do not use the ABEC rating and instead use their own rating system.

Leaving your board to face the elements can have several negative effects. The deck will start to absorb water if it is left in the rain or if left in the sun it will cause expansion of parts which can ruin them when they cool back down. We therefore recommend keeping your board indoors when you’re not using it!

Keeping your bearing clean and lubricated is essential – after all these are the bits which keep your board moving! Regularly use a recommended lubricant and apply it to the bearings once you have thoroughly cleaned them.

Any signs of wear on a skateboard deck could spell disaster if not fixed quickly. Make sure you clean off your deck (both top and bottom) to prevent the build-up of dirt. Cleaning your board will also prolong the life of your skateboard’s grip tape. We recommend using a moist toothbrush to remove the most stubborn debris and then dry by dabbing the deck with a dry towel.

To keep your skateboard performing as it should it is important to regularly check your skateboard’s kingpin. Ensure you replace any broken kingpins and do not ride if it is damaged. Tightening your kingpin is also important and is a simple task to carry out. A top tip is to ensure that both trucks are the same tightness. This can be achieved by counting the number of rotations you carry out when tightening.

Good practice to make your wheels last longer is to rotate your wheels around your board. By doing so it will ensure that your wheels have even wear over time and therefore keep your ride true. We recommend rotating your wheels in an ‘X’ pattern. Therefore, your right rear wheel becomes your left front wheel and vice versa.