Which skateboard is right for children and adults, beginners or advanced? Which one should you buy? On this page you are guaranteed to find the answer.
We have been offering skateboarding courses for beginners for many years and therefore know the answers to all questions that may arise when buying a skateboard.

Note: The right beginner skateboard is available in our store, but you can also test it beforehand at our courses.

First, however, a few questions need to be clarified....

What type of skateboarder are you? Halfpipe or Street? Mini ramp, cruiser or mega ramp rider? Or even better a bit of everything?

Difficult to answer - especially if you're still a beginner. But don't worry, on this page you'll find all the information you need to find the right skateboard for you!

So, let's get started: a skateboard is composed of the following parts, which affect the riding experience.

The SKATEBOARD DECK

Illustration of a skateboard with 7 layers

The skateboard deck is only the wooden board, without axles and wheels, and is usually made of Canadian mountain maple, as this is a very hard wood, which promises longevity. However, you can also sometimes find skateboards made of other types of wood, such as bamboo (for longboards) or birch.

Either way, however, there should always be 7 layers of wood. However, if a deck has eight or nine layers of wood, it is usually rather inferior. In the models in our store, the seven maple layers are glued together with an epoxy resin glue, which allows a very high resilience.

The shape of the board: CONCAVE

Illustration of the concave shape of a skateboard

Concave is the term used to describe the longitudinal curvature of the deck.

The higher this concave, the more pressure you can put on the edges, which improves the steering and flip behavior of the deck. Skateboard decks are generally divided into low, medium and high concave.

We recommend beginners to start with a medium concave skateboard deck.

Essential: THE GRIPTAPE

Is nothing more than a kind of sandpaper, which is glued by hand on the deck, after which the protruding rest is cut off with a carpet knife. The grip tape gives you a secure footing on the deck and makes the surface more grippy. It is very suitable for normal driving, curves, but also for tricks and is therefore a must.

WHAT TYPES OF SKATEBOARDS ARE THERE?

Penny, oldschool skateboard, classic skateboard, cruiser and longboard comparison

The penny board is mostly plastic and rather inferior. Often used for driving short distances, because it can be easily stowed.
The oldschool board has its beginnings in the 1980s and is also called fish board, because it is shaped similarly to a fish.
The Classic sk ateboard is the most used, versatile and popular skateboard today. It is very suitable for tricks, freestyle as well as just for normal riding and thus the perfect all-rounder for everything. The perfect skateboard for beginners and children.
The cruiser skateboard is as the name suggests only suitable for cruising and normal driving.
The longboard is suitable for very fast riding, even downhill skateboarding and has experienced an upswing in recent years.

Skateboard axles

Skateboard axles are metal T-shaped pieces that are mounted on the underside of the skateboard deck. When choosing skateboards, the width of the axle should match the width of the skateboard deck. Axle size can be measured on the widest part, called the hanger. It looks somewhat triangular. Each skateboard needs two axles.

Choose the right skateboard truck width

There are several parts. The pin that runs through the axle to which the wheels are attached. The kingpin is the large bolt that holds these parts together and fits into the baseplate.

When you buy you get both axles, which are necessary to mount your skateboard. Skateboard axles come in different sizes and colors, on TomCatSkate.com you will find a selection of axles to meet your personal taste.

Depending on the size of your skateboard deck you need a different size of axles. Here is a list of which axles fit which deck:

6"-7.25" truck axle - 6.5" to 7.25" inch skateboard decks
7.5" truck axle - 7.25 to 7.5" inch skateboard decks
7.75" truck axle - 7.5" to 8" inch skateboard decks
8.0" truck axle - 8" to 8.5" inch skateboard decks (medium size)
8.5" truck axle - 8.5" to 9" inch skateboard decks
9.0" truck axle - 9" to 10" inch skateboard decks
10.0" truck axle - 10" inch and above skateboard decks

WHAT SKATEBOARD AXLES HEIGHT DO I NEED?

What truck height do I need?

In general, a medium axle height works well for most skateboarders, but high or low axles may also be preferred for different styles of skateboarding.

LOW: For flip tricks, designed for small wheels (50-52mm wheel size recommended).

MID: Good all-around profile for street or park (52-56mm wheel size recommended)

HIGH: Suitable for cruising and carving, designed for large wheels (wheel size 57mm+ recommended )

WHAT DO I HAVE TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING SKATEBOARD SCREWS / HARDWARE?

Skateboard hardware, known as assembly hardware, is used to connect the skateboard trucks to the skateboard deck. Skateboard hardware refers to the nuts, bolts, locking nuts and screws used in the construction of a skateboard.

Each skateboard hardware set includes 8 bolts and 8 lockuts. The set is used to attach the skateboard axle to the skateboard deck.

What size screws do I need to assemble my skateboard?

7/8" to 1" hardware - no riser
1" to 1 1/8" hardware - 1/8" riser
1 1/4" hardware - 1/4" riser
1 1/2" hardware - 1/2" riser

WHAT DO I HAVE TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING SKATEBOARD BALL BEARINGS?

What skateboard bearings do I need for my skateboard wheels?

The good news is that all skateboard ball bearings are the same size, so you don't have to worry about size when choosing bearings.

But. .. Although they do not vary in size, they vary in quality. The rule of thumb is that the more expensive the skateboard bearings, the higher the quality.

Cheaper bearings are typically made of inferior materials that can deform or break completely under the pressure of the skateboarder.

Inferior ball bearings may also not be sealed, resulting in dirt and dust in the bearings that will dramatically slow down your board.

The high quality skateboard ball bearings are sealed, with higher precision processing and higher quality metals. With proper handling, they will remain fast and accurate over time.

Wetness is the enemy of every ball bearing, so it is best never to drive in the rain or store in high humidity.

ABEC ratings

Most skateboard ball bearings are measured by an ABEC rating. The higher the ABEC rating, the more accurate and precise it will be. This rating system includes grades 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9.

The ABEC rating does not include significant factors such as bearing handling, ball precision, materials, hardness, ball polishing, noise, vibration and lubricant. Due to these factors, an ABEC 3 bearing could turn out better than an ABEC 7 bearing.

Many companies e.g. Bones Bearings do not use the ABEC rating scale. They use their own rating system which is known as Skate Rated.

These ball bearings do not follow ABEC ratings as they are superior in quality and the ABEC rating ignores many quality factors that Bones Bearings prides itself on.

WHAT DO I HAVE TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING SKATEBOARD WHEELS/WHEELS?

What size and diameter do I need?

Skateboard wheels vary in color, size and durability. The skateboard wheels are mostly made of polyurethane. The diameter and durometer of the wheel affect the way the board rides and are a matter of personal preference and skate style.

Diameter is the size of the wheel when measured from top to bottom. All skateboard wheels are measured in millimeters (mm). The smaller the number, the smaller the wheel. Smaller wheels are slower, larger wheels are faster.

50-52mm small slow wheels for flip tricks, skateparks

53-59mm Average wheel size for beginners and advanced skaters, for skateparks, bowls, halfpipe and vert ramps.

60 mm + special types for longboards, old school boards, downhill and dirtboards made for high speeds and rough surfaces.

What Durometer skateboard wheels do I need?

Durometer measures the hardness of the roller. Hard rollers are faster, soft rollers are slower but have a better grip.

Skateboard wheel durometer is usually measured on a durometer A scale, ranging from 1 to 100 to hardness. Some companies use the B scale, which is 20 points lower, which allows the scale to be extended 20 points for harder wheels. For example, an 80b durometer is the same as 100 a durometer.

These skateboard wheels have greater and more accurate hardness. The average wheel durometer is 99a, 101a.

78a-95a Soft wheels good for rough surfaces, longboards or strett that need a lot of grip to roll over cracks and pebbles easily

96a-101a Beautiful speed and grip... a good wheel. Great for beginners, skate parks, ramps, pools and other smooth surfaces.

101a + Hardest and fastest wheel with the least grip. Ineffective on narrow and rough surfaces. These are professional wheels

83b-84b Wheels with the B scale are extremely hard, measuring 20 points below the A scale to allow the scale another 20 points for harder wheels