Skateboard for a 1st timer

[jonboylaw]

So my 11yr old, soon to be 12yr old daughter has written her birthday wish list and at the top of the pile is a skateboard. Never having got into it I have no idea what to buy her. Does anyone have a recommendation of a board that would be suitable for her?
The local Skateshop is in Edinburgh or ordering from the Net are options.

 

[Graham L]

Simple rule is don't buy one for a 'Toy' store. Its false economy but she will never get to learn properly, you have to buy the real thing and it might seem expensive but its worth it in the long run. Good initial components can always be swapped to a new deck if she gets into in, cheap components will have fallen to bits.

Lots of places online sell them, you could try Ideal in Birmingham, I used to deal with these guys a lot when my eldest was at home and I ran a skate shop for longboards/slalom & downhill stuff.

Link here http://www.idealbirmingham.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They sell completes and not sure whether she is a 'girly' girl but "girl' is a good brand of deck and as a cruiser this looks quite a good deal http://www.idealbirmingham.co.uk/collections/completes/products/girl-skateboards-crailtap-cruiser" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[jonboylaw]

Cheers Graham,
She is not really a girly girl, never skated before but was pretty handy on Heely's. we gave a decent skate park here as well and we live on a quiet street with a slight slope so plenty of places to practise.
I'll have a look through that web site and gen up a bit. My intention was to buy her something functional, not a toy.


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[lemur]

Hi there,
spent loads of time on decks over the years, agree with previous post as too the "don't buy a toy".. cheap wont last or be safe,

will the nippers be intending to sk8 street or ramp? this will have an impact on wheel/bearing set up.

I've currently got a 'world industries' deck, not the most expensive but a damn good deck with a concave that suits me

Take a look here. http://www.skateboard-city.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's an awesome sport and I'm sure a little research will put you in good stead.

Lemur

ps.elbow/knee pads!

 

[radish]

Support your local skate shop, they will talk you through whats best. Don't buy an off the shelf complete set up as these can be a selection of crap put together.

Big soft wheels are easy to push and roll for longer also easier on the ears, once she can skate or at christmas get her some new wheels.

There are so many trucks to choose from and most will tell you to get indy's which are great and will last forever or until you grind through, but could be heavy for a youngster. venture are great too, but there are loads to choose check the skate shop.

The deck you choose is one that feels right, but for for a beginner you won't know until you've check a few out, you won't know what width you want so for this reason alone don't buy your 1st board online unless you have checked it out in the shop and it's considerbly cheaper online then support your local skate shop goes out the window.

Good luck

 

[jonboylaw]

Thanks chap. Yes I intend to use a skate shop, have a chat and give her some tips and guidance.


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[mister]

All good info above the only thing I would add is protection when your learning, mainly helmet and wrist guards, you can slam hard when your learning... well you can slam hard anytime! :shock: and good grippy shoes with a bit of ankle support, Vans with a gum/waffle sole have always been my choice.

 

[Analog]

Support your local skate shop, they will talk you through whats best. Don't buy an off the shelf complete set up as these can be a selection of crap put together.

Big soft wheels are easy to push and roll for longer also easier on the ears, once she can skate or at christmas get her some new wheels.

There are so many trucks to choose from and most will tell you to get indy's which are great and will last forever or until you grind through, but could be heavy for a youngster. venture are great too, but there are loads to choose check the skate shop.

The deck you choose is one that feels right, but for for a beginner you won't know until you've check a few out, you won't know what width you want so for this reason alone don't buy your 1st board online unless you have checked it out in the shop and it's considerbly cheaper online then support your local skate shop goes out the window.

Good luck

What the big man said, Powell mini logo completes are good value

p.s Thunder trucks are where it is at oh and bones swiss bearings.. :msn4:

 

[Whit]

Get her a scooter grit are pretty good my 11yr old daughter is sick on hers all the boys hate it because she's better than them its a good way to start off at the skateparks

 

[gvee]

This.

Support your local skate shop

Consider a Powell mini logo deck as they are a bit shorter in length than a standard deck.
Don't get pulled in by the shiny, expensive designs. Equally, don't buy the cheapest, unbranded, blank deck either.
I recommend a UK deck. Not only are they cheaper than the bigger name US companies (£30-40 vs £55-65) they're almost always the same. I ride a store deck from Note in Manchester (http://www.noteshop.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false and it is one of the best I've ever had.
As for width: depends on shoe size and preference. But because she's new I'd probably get something mid-range; 7.75" most likely. Get her to stand on a few different widths (ideally with trucks and wheels attached) and see how it feels.

Trucks: width shouldn't be wider than the deck. Light is good for little'uns but to be honest there's not a lot in it. I advise most beginners to start on Ventures because they're cheap. I ride Silvers because they have inverted kingpins (the nut is in the base plate) because they give better clearance for grinding but I don't think that's a biggie for newbies and if/when it becomes a problem just take an angle grinder to the bolt and nut to clear the base plate anyways!

Wheels: most beginners won't notice any difference in soft vs medium vs hard. Soft are a bit quieter but obviously don't last as long and are more prone to squaring off (so become less smooth and quiet).
In terms of size: probably start on a 44mm. Again don't be pulled in by designs; they will rub off within a week or two. Solid colours are the way to roll.

Bearings: don't be brought in by ABEC ratings. The impact on bearings from riding alone wears these tolerances away in no time. You're better off buying cheap and often. A friend of mine bought a £60 set of Bones Swiss and they lasted no time at all. Sure, they were smooth as hell on day 1 but that feeling won't last. I tend to buy unbranded bearings for about £6 a set from a local bearing shop. Keeping dirt out, riding with spacers and washers whilst having everything tightened up correctly will make your bearings last longer than any ABEC rating rubbish. While I think of it; later on in skateboarding life go for ones with removable sides so you can clean'em and lube 'em up properly... I'm actually too lazy for this, but hey.

Grip tape: any decent skate shop won't stock the crap they put on Argos skateboards, so don't worry.
Risers: get them. 1/8" will do.
Bolts: ask the guys in the shop. I bought the wrong length last time and so am mis-remembering what I've got on :lol: Basically try and get a set that doesn't leave any excess bolt sticking past the nut because fingers inevitably get caught on them. Most sets come with an extra colour or two which can be used to indicate the nose ("front") of the board when fitted. Useful feature!


Last up, and quite importantly: don't buy anything made by Fracture.

 

[gvee]

Get her a scooter grit are pretty good my 11yr old daughter is sick on hers all the boys hate it because she's better than them its a good way to start off at the skateparks

Scooters.. that reminds me: there's an etiquette at skateparks and I'm afraid kids on scooters fall foul of it more often than most.

It's not "get out of the way of the older lot" but "take turns, don't hog features and don't sit on ramps/in the way".

And most importantly: be aware of others around you. Please teach your children to look around them before they set off to do their thing/

 

[Analog]

Slow Bones swiss? Just clean and add some speed cream....

Priority is to watch this too... you will learn everything and anything you need to know about skateboarding from this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6K8zfZ0828" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[gvee]

Slow Bones swiss? Just clean and add some speed cream....

Cracked cage :msn4:
Happens on impact stuff.

Should have clarified that before: if you're cruising (e.g. longboarding) then sure, spend a few more pennies on "better" rated bearings and you will notice the smoothness for longer. Spacers and washers are still the best advice IMO; less lateral movement the better!

 

[Whit]

Get her a scooter grit are pretty good my 11yr old daughter is sick on hers all the boys hate it because she's better than them its a good way to start off at the skateparks

Scooters.. that reminds me: there's an etiquette at skateparks and I'm afraid kids on scooters fall foul of it more often than most.

It's not "get out of the way of the older lot" but "take turns, don't hog features and don't sit on ramps/in the way".

And most importantly: be aware of others around you. Please teach your children to look around them before they set off to do their thing/[/quote

There not all bad and I rather see a scooter on there than a kid with a football:wink:

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[magoo]

Never took much notice of parts when I was into skating. I had the tiniest board, fastest wheels, no pads, massive manoeuvrability that nobody else could even stand on my board...then found the steepest tarmacked hill. The scars healed up twenty years later. Have fun