Skateboard Decks

The skateboard deck is one of the fundamental parts of a skateboard; some consider it the most important part, though this is questionable. Certainly, a skateboard wouldn’t be a skateboard without its deck. There are a variety of different types of skateboard decks, made out of different types of material, manufactured by different companies. There is really no one absolute best type of deck, though some are better than others; the deck that suits you the best will depend on your particular needs.

One of the most important characteristics of skate board decks is their shape, including their length, width, tail, nose and wheelbase. The majority of skateboarding decks currently sold have a width of about 7.5 to 8 inches. Some models are larger, some are smaller. Actually, the new fingerboarding trend has given rise to Tech Deck skateboards, the smallest skateboards on the market; Tech Deck skateboard decks can be as small as 57 mm! These are obviously not to be skated on normally.

As for boards that are going to be used normally, the narrower they are, the easier tricks will be, while the wider they are, the easier it will be to turn and “surf”. As far as length, the overwhelming majority of boards are in the 31 to 32.5 inch range; here again, small means good for tricks. Other aspects of shape can also vary; to figure out just how you like your skateboard, your best bet is to simply experiment with different boards. Indeed, even pro skaters may use a different deck on their shop skateboarding team on a consistent basis until they find the perfect one.

While the majority of decks are made with 7 layers of plywood, some companies will add extra, thin, plies to increase the strength of the deck, while others increase the concave of the deck. Some companies wish to go for lighter decks instead and they either use thinner layers of plywood, a smaller number of layers or they lay the plies in different directions. Some deck manufacturing companies get fancy and offer innovative deck construction technologies. Some use corrugated stiffening ribs, with others combine standard plies with cross plies. Some add fiberglass, while others add Kevlar.

No one type of deck can be said to be better than all others for everyone. If you’re interested in purchasing a deck, take a look at skateboard decks on sale; browse through cheap skateboard decks, like blank skateboard decks and wholesale decks (blank skateboard decks have no logos printed on them), or brand name decks, like all the Hook Ups skateboard decks, a Girl deck or a skateboard by Termite, to find something that appeals to you. You can even check out websites that have a skateboard deck creator to have a bit more freedom in making your own deck. Make sure you read skateboard deck reviews on the decks that appeal to you the most to get an idea on how particular decks perform.