The 4 Best Longboards For Beginners

Whether you’re looking to take up longboarding as a hobby or just want a more active way to commute, there are plenty of great entry-level longboards that make learning to skate fun. The best longboards for beginners are at least 30 inches long to provide a smooth and stable ride, and are made with flexible materials like maple and bamboo for easy turns and carving.

Any skateboard longer than 32 inches is considered a longboard, but features and designs can vary based on what type of riding you plan to do. The longer the deck of the board (aka the part of the board you stand on top of), the more stable you’ll feel starting out, but you’ll need to make wider turns. A stiffer deck will also give you some stability as you learn to ride, while more flexible decks are better for freestyle tricks and can be gentler on your joints by smoothing out road vibrations.

The shape of the board will also impact your ride. Retro-styled pintail longboards or cruisers have classic deck silhouettes that work well for beginners, and more squared drop-through decks will help reduce wheel bite, which happens when your wheels touch your deck during a turn, stopping the forward motion of your board. You may also want to consider whether you want a board with a sloping lip, known as a kick-tail, which can be used to hop curbs or turn quickly to avoid obstacles.

Finally, most beginner longboards will come with the deck, truck, and wheels already assembled, so you’ll want to assess whether the included wheels work best for your intended terrain. Skate wheels are measured by diameter and hardness — the diameter of pre-installed wheels won’t matter much to start, but the hardness can affect how much control you have when riding at higher speeds or how easily your board can slide. The durometer of skate wheels indicates their hardness, and ranges from soft and slow at 73a to very hard and slick at 100a. Most boards will come with 80a to 85a wheels that can tackle a large variety of terrain, but you may want to look for a softer durometer if you plan on regularly skating on rougher roads or streets.

Ready to start riding? Read on to discover the best longboards you can buy right now on Amazon.

1. The Best Pintail Longboard

The tapered ends of this retro-inspired longboard from Retrospec not only inspire surfer vibes, but they allow the rider to carve with precision without risking wheel bite. The 41-inch longboard has a wooden deck, and comes pre-assembled, so it’s ready to ride straight out of the box. The polyurethane wheels are rated 85a, so they can handle both rougher roads and slicker pavement without getting caught in cracks or slipping. If you like the retro aesthetic of the Retrospec board but want a kick-tail, the brand’s cruisers have a similar tapered shape and are easier to pivot quickly or hop curbs.

One reviewer wrote: “I bought this for my 11 year old daughter. She LOVES IT! It's pretty easy to learn on this longboard. It turns super easy, rides very smooth, and is the perfect length for a beginner. I'm in my 30s and I'll be honest I've always wanted to learn too. It's even easy for me! I'm now trying to convince my husband that I need this board for myself. I will say I don't know anything about long/skateboards but this one has been awesome to ride on.”

• Available styles: 17

2. The Best Kick-Tail Cruiser

Unlike most skateboards which use grip tape to help your feet stay in place on a board, this 44-inch-long cruiser has a sand-grit veneer on the bamboo deck to provide friction while still preserving the board’s surfboard feel. The softer 78a wheels are great for cruising on city streets or along beach boardwalks, and will help absorb smaller shocks and impacts to be more gentle on your ankles and knees. Reviewers love that the pre-assembled board isn’t too stiff or too flexible, and that both beginners and experienced skaters will be able to enjoy it.

One reviewer wrote: “This is awesome! My daughter Is a first time longboarder and she’s doing excellent and getting better with each day. The second day riding she had the confidence of a long -time longboarder it seemed! Safe and sturdy board for beginners and experienced!”

• Available styles: 3

3. The Best Drop-Through Longboard

This drop through-style longboard will give beginner riders plenty of control and help them avoid wheel bite with strategically placed deck cutouts. The 41-inch maple wood deck is great for beginner skaters learning to cruise and ride, and reviewers noted that the deck has plenty of flex to absorb shocks and smooth out carves. The board comes with 80a wheels already installed, so you can easily hit the road with this longboard right out of the box. Junli’s board also comes with a convenient skate tool you can use to adjust the trucks and wheels as needed for a customized ride. For the aesthetically-minded, this board comes in a variety of super-cute colors and designs on the underside of the deck.

One reviewer wrote: “I got this long board and I was really impressed with how well it rode! it's very easy to ride and it goes pretty fast. I like it better than a regular skateboard because it's longer so you have more room, you can barely hear it, it rides smooth, and it turns way better. I use it as much as I can and would recommend this if you were looking for a longboard.”

• Available styles: 10

4. The Best Electric Longboard

This electronic longboard is perfect for those who want to skate to work, but have to travel longer distances or tackle steep hills. The 38-inch maple and bamboo deck gives you greater control when turning or weaving through traffic, but it still has the smooth comfort of riding a standard longboard. The board’s maximum speed is an impressive 19 miles per hour, and the battery has a range of up to 10 miles. The battery itself only takes a few hours to charge fully, so you can easily top-up a charge at work so you can effortlessly cruise home. The wheel durometer is not listed, and this board is fully assembled upon arrival.

One reviewer wrote: “This thing is fast and you can't beat the price. I've taken it for a couple miles on a single charge and haven't had any issue. I love carving on the road with it, it's the closest you'll get to snowboarding in Florida. Buying this can lead to a slippery slope, now I want an electric surfboard and bike. Get this, you won't regret it. Charger pack can get a little hot so I don't leave it plugged in while I'm not at home. Also, battery warning says to ‘not overcharge’ - it would be nice if I could just leave it charging and not have to worry about disconnecting it.”