Perhaps the most essential part of a longboard is the board itself or the deck as it is also called. The shape and size largely determine the type of riding your board specializes in.
Board shape and size
In other words, the board or deck is the part of the longboard that you stand on. A longboard can look in many different ways, but the general description of a longboard is that it is a longer type of skateboard. But it doesn't always have to be that way. A longboard can be long, short, wide, narrow, hard or soft. But why the name? Well, it's because the first boards were similar in shape to the longboard that surfers used. That is, quite long and oval in shape.
Penny skateboard a typical mini board
However, it is not certain that everyone calls it a longboard. A Penny Skateboard is no more than two feet tall. Loaded Bhangra However, the longboard competition wins against almost any elementary school student. Somewhere in this spectrum, there is a longboard for everyone.
The categorization of longboards can be very individual and often cross-border. A longboard can have very different uses, and for each use there are also many boards to choose from. But before we go further into specific categories of boards, we will explain in general terms the appearance of the boards and their effects.
First, let's take a look at what the board looks like from above. The most classic shape of a longboard and really the only shape that has a name is pintail.
Pintail
A typical pintail board
There are many different shapes to choose from, but what it all comes down to in the end is that you should be able to stand comfortably on the board. It should be long enough and you should feel like you have enough space for your area of use. At the same time, it should be wide enough. The board should be as wide as the truck. A board that is too narrow will easily become unstable, while one that is too wide will easily become difficult to maneuver. Boards with a symmetrical shape, which have exactly the same shape at the back as at the front, have become very popular. With such a board, you get exactly the same feeling on the board no matter which direction you ride.
Symmetrical
Cut-outs and wheel wells are two different ways to avoid wheel bite; that is, the wheels catch the board and in the worst case the rider is thrown off.
Cut outs are really just changing the shape of the board so that it is narrower where the wheels would otherwise touch.
A board with Wheel Wells to keep the wheels from touching the board
Wheel wells are another way to avoid wheelbite. This means that the board is ground down where the wheel is expected to hit. This increases the distance between the wheel and the board and minimizes the risk of wheelbite.
It is at least as important how a longboard looks from the side.
Camber
Camber means that the board has a positive camber. It is raised towards the middle like a traditional slalom ski. Boards with camber usually have more flex.It provides shock absorption and a pumping feeling with acceleration out of turns. We recommend longboards with camber primarily for cruising.
Rocker
Rocker means that the board has a negative span. It is sunken towards the middle like a hammock. Boards with rocker usually have less flex or no flex at all. Rocker makes you feel more locked in with your feet while also getting you closer to the ground. Then you have perfect conditions for freeriding and faster riding.
Kicktails are sometimes found on longboards and are where one or both ends of the board are angled upwards outside the trucks, like on a regular skateboard. They are used for ollies, manuals, or kick and flip tricks.
Wedge
A board with wedges in the nose and tail
Wedge means that the board is angled where the truck is mounted, thus changing the angle and thus the turn of the truck. How the trucks are mounted in the board determines a lot about the ride feel of your longboard.
Drop deck
Dropdeck means that the standing surface of the board, also called the platform, is lowered in relation to where the truck is mounted. This contributes just as drop-through to a more stable, easier-to-slide board. At the same time, you get pockets to put your feet in to really stand stable when you're riding fast and when you're sliding. There are also boards that are both drop deck and drop through, they are often called double-drop boards.
The height you prefer on your board is really a personal thing, and tastes and preferences vary greatly. But in general, a taller board will turn more and have more grip, while a lower board will be more stable and have less grip. Whether the different effects are positive or negative is up to you and your riding style.
Truckmount/Truck bracket
Top mount
Topmount means that the trucks are mounted below the board and when the standing surface is at the same height as the trucks. The effects of this are more turn and more grip. Topmount has become very popular with more advanced riders for both downhill and freeride. It may seem strange considering that a high board is usually both less stable and more difficult to slide. But in downhill you benefit from the maximum grip you get in turns, while in faster freeride you benefit from the maximum turn to easily slide the board. An example of a topmount board is the Tutone Megalodon V2.
Flushmount
Flush-mount is when the trucks are mounted under the board, but the surface for the trucks is slightly milled into the board. This makes the standing surface a little lower and the ride a little more stable but you get a little less grip. The Comet Takeover is an example of a rigid flush-mount board.
Drop-through
Dropthrough means that the trucks are mounted through the board. This gives you a low standing surface and the board is very stable. Many people prefer dropthrough boards for cruising because they have low ground clearance and are easy to get going. For those who are just starting to ride fast or slide, dropthrough is often recommended. Due to the low center of gravity, the board is more stable and easier to slide. An example of a popular dropthrough board is the Loaded Dervish.
Concave
Radial concave with an equal cupping from edge to edge
Concave is the cupping across the width of the board. It can be a lot or a little and is combined with both rocker, camber and dropdeck. The absolute most common is radial concave, round concave, which is perhaps most simply described as having cut out a small piece of a very large circle.
Rather, there is something called progressive concave, it is also rounded all the way around but more so the closer you get to the edge of the board.
Tubeconcave/Bathtub concave
Tubeconcave/Bathtub concave
The next step is the tub concave, or badkarskonkav in Swedish. It has a completely flat section in the middle that can be of different widths depending on the manufacturer and model. After the flat section, it gets steeper, either at a sharp angle or with a smoother transition. This is another way to get references for your feet and not have to look at the board when you are riding really fast or doing different slides one after the other.
Mean Concave
A form of bathtub concave but not as deep. You could perhaps say it resembles a plate more.
W-concave
Finally, we have the w-concave, which looks exactly as it is called. In the middle of the board, an extra small hill is bent, it can be of different widths, different heights, completely round, flat on the top, run along the entire board or just cover a small part. The function is, in addition to getting additional references for foot placement, also to make it easier for toeside slides.
What kind of concave you want is obviously individual, but generally you want a lot when you're downhill to really get a good grip on the turns. W-concave is also popular because it's easier to push the board out sideways but still have the weight on top of the board.
Many freeriders appreciate rocker, drop deck and w-concave because they keep your feet firmly locked in place, so you don't have to look down at your board and feet when you're going fast in all directions.
If you are just going to cruise or dance your way around, a fairly mild concave is preferable, many people find that a deep concave is a bit uncomfortable. So if you want to kick into the sunset without any discomfort in your feet, it can help to choose a shallow concave. The fact that it is suitable for dancing is because you move around and spin and don't want too much concave to trip over.
Wheelbase
When talking about wheelbase on a longboard, it actually refers to the distance between the trucks. When you hear the term, you naturally think of the width of the truck axle. But that is not the case in this case. The distance between the trucks affects how fast and tight your board turns. A shorter distance makes it quicker in the turn than a longer distance. Generally speaking, you also get more flex the longer this distance is. You can find more about flex below.
Construction
The construction also varies often and greatly and can consist of different types of materials. Most commonly, the board is built up of several thin layers of wood, called veneers, which are glued together to create a durable construction. The wood is usually Canadian maple. It is also common to use bamboo. Loaded has used a lot of bamboo in their boards. Sector 9 also has a bamboo series. Bamboo gives very soft boards with a lot of flex. Perfect for those looking for a cruiser or a good one freeride board.
There are also boards constructed from wooden slats glued lengthwise, known as stick-glued wood. Additional layers of glass or carbon fiber are often used to give the board additional rigidity or save weight. There is even a longboard made entirely of grass, the Holesome Streetsweeper.
Flex
How stiff a longboard is is described by the term flex. We talk about how much the board flexes, that is, how much it sags when you stand or “rock” on it. A soft board is comfortable to ride, bounces back and forth beautifully if you want to pump yourself forward and makes life a little more fun when you are not riding so fast. But there is a catch. You should not ride downhill on a flexible board because it becomes erratic in turns. In the worst case, it bounces back and you get thrown off when you least expect it.
If you want to go fast, you should have a hard board. It will be stable at high speed and more controllable in curves and slides. Hard boards are generally harder to pump speed with, but that is often because they are large. In the skateboarding discipline called slalom, hard boards are the only thing that applies, but there the boards are significantly shorter and the trucks are specially adapted to pump speed.
Torsional stiffness
We have one last term to go over when it comes to boards; Torsional stiffness. The property you want in a hard board is actually this property. The fact that the board gives a little when you jump on it doesn't have to be the end of the world. The main thing is that it doesn't twist longitudinally. Such a procedure can be exaggeratedly compared to wringing out a dishcloth. This property of being able to twist longitudinally is not desirable in any longboard. It is what makes it nervous at higher speeds, but above all it is what makes it unpredictable in curves. Often, boards that have a stick-glued wood core between two layers of fiberglass, such as Rayne Longboards, have very good torsional stiffness.
