Top 5 Best Spitfire Wheels for Skateboard [Super Sturdy and Smooth]

It’s understandable that in skateboard building, the most annoying hurdle is choosing the right wheels. It’s not just the size you have to worry about, there are also different shapes and edges to consider. For an individual who is just getting started, I am sure you would agree that this is a bit too much to handle. 

I was in that exact situation when trying to find the best spitfire wheels for my skateboard. Although spitfire is already a renowned brand with a wide selection of wheels, I had to find out on my way. So, I bought a few and tried each of them for months to have a full understanding of what each wheel offers. 

The following is what I have learned during my testing period, along with a detailed buying guide.

Best Spitfire Wheels Comparison Table

SN.	Product Name	Diameter	Width	Riding Surface	Durometer	Wheel Shape	Weight	Available wheel size
1	Spitfire F4 OG Classics	52.0 mm	31.3 mm	21.7 mm	99A	Classic	14.4 Ounces	52 – 58 mm
2	Spitfire Bighead with Bones Reds Bearings	52.0 mm	33.5 mm	20.0 mm	99A	Classic	12.0 Ounces	52 mm
3	Spitfire F4 101D Classics	54.0 mm	33.5 mm	20.7 mm	101A	Classic	15.0 Ounces	52-55 mm
4	Spitfire Classic High-Performance Wheel	52.0 mm	31.3 mm	19.0 mm	99A	Classic	14.0 Ounces	52 mm
5	Spitfire Wheels with Hybrid Ceramic Bearings	52.0 mm	30.1 mm	20.0 mm	99a	Classic	12.0 Ounces	52-57 mm

5 Best Spitfire Wheels Reviewed

1. Spitfire F4 OG Classics (Street wheel)

The first wheel on the list is the Spitfire F4 OG classics. This is a brilliant combination of formula 4 material with an OG classic skate wheel shape. In short, best of both worlds in terms of speed and durability. 

I have ridden these extensively on skateparks and the concrete surface. What I realize is that without a doubt these wheels are by far the best spitfire wheels for street skating.

Technical Specs of Spitfire F4 OG Classics

Wheel dimension	4 x 9 x 9 inches
Wheel weight	14.4 ounces
Wheel diameter	52 mm
Riding surface	21.7 mm
Wheel width	31.3 mm
Durometer score	99a
Wheel Shape	OG Classic
Wheel Material	Formula 4
Color	Yellow, Green, Orange, Purple & Multicolor

Features

Ultra-durable wheels: Spitfire is already very popular among the skate community for its unparalleled quality. I found that to be true in my months of the wide-ranging test. Even after rough use, I found no wear or any kind of damage to the wheel.

Large riding surface: Riding surface determines how much of your wheel contact with the surface. With 21.7mm of the contact patch, I was able to bite on almost any smooth surface without any issue. 

Cutout Edge: Skate wheel edge or lip gives tremendous advantages when you are a technical rider. The smooth cutout lip always gave me the smoothest power slide execution with a minimal hiccup.

Extensive overall width: Wheel width provides great control when you are pacing through the concrete surface. The 31.3 mm overall width never failed me in terms of response and gave me enough confidence to perform tricky moves.

Pros

• Comes in 5 different color options
• Suitable for street skating
• Wears out very slowly

Cons

• A bit hard to hold speed on gravel

2. Spitfire Bighead Wheels (with Bones Reds Bearings)

The bighead wheels and OG classic are almost identical in terms of specs. But the amazing thing is that it comes with precision bearings. Not just any bearings, they are Bones Red bearings. I was really happy as I get to buy Spitfire wheels with bearings without extra cost.

Technical Specs of Spitfire Bighead wheels

Wheel dimension	4 x 9 x 9 inches
Wheel weight	12.0 ounces
Wheel diameter	52 mm
Riding surface	20.0 mm
Wheel width	33.5 mm
Durometer score	99a
Wheel Shape	Classic
Wheel Material	Polyurethane
Color	Multicolor Red

Features

High Durometer score: The bighead wheels from spitfire have a 99a rating on the durometer scale. That means it’s relatively harder and most suitable for a skate bowl as well. I was able to move faster in all sorts of curves with enough control.

Wider wheels: I noticed the overall widths of these wheels are a bit larger than the OG classic. To my surprise that’s what’s giving me such confidence and control on the fast-paced action. 

Precision Bearings: This wheelset already comes with precision bearings from Bones Red. It was a treat for me as I did not have to worry about getting bearings for my wheels separately. And the performance was also top-notch.

High-Performance Material: To be honest, I was expecting the bighead wheel will perform less than the formula 4 wheel. But I was wrong. The wheel yields high performance as good as formula 4 wheels on all surface types.  

Pros

• Enhanced control on all surface
• Performs great in tricks and fast-paced action
• Already comes with precision bearing
• Unique hot red color profile

Cons

• You may feel a lack of sharp maneuvering

3. Spitfire F4 101 Classics Wheels

This is another high-performance F4 wheel but it has a 101D hardness score compared to the previous wheel. That translates to swift movement across SkatePark and a comfy transition any time. Due to the larger wheel diameter, I was also able to use these Spitfire wheels for cruising around town to some extent.

Technical Specs of Spitfire F4 101 Classics Wheels

Wheel dimension	2 x 7 x 4 inches
Wheel weight	15.0 ounces
Wheel diameter	54 mm
Riding surface	21.0 mm
Wheel width	33.7 mm
Durometer score	101a
Wheel Shape	Classic
Wheel Material	Formula 4
Color	Multicolor, Red, Orange, Silver, Yellow,

Features

Stiff wheel: On the durometer scale, the 101A is the stiffest wheel you can find in the market. With that high hardness score, the skate will be literally flying on the skate park. Jokes aside, I was able to accelerate fast even with the bigger wheels.

Large diameter: I have always wanted large-diameter wheels so I could cruise and ride a bowl at the same time. This 54 mm wide diameter wheel made my dream come true in a wonderful way. Now I can go anywhere without having to worry about my wheels.

Special Material: Another great thing about these wheels is the build material. While most wheels have polyurethane in them, this one comes with Formula 4. This is the new development from the Spitfire R&D that surpasses the previous durability and performance score.

Straight cut Edges: The perk of classic shape wheels is that they have a straight cut shape. That sharp lip gives a tremendous level of control whenever you are leaning and changing direction quickly.

Pros

• Low rebound on impact
• Slides easily with minimal efforts
• Provides high maneuver action
• Able to handle cruising in city  

Cons

• The wheels feel a bit heavy

4. Spitfire Classic High-Performance Wheel

This classic high-performance wheel would be a great choice for a bowl day if you had to choose just one set. Let me tell you why. It’s got the ergonomic shape of OG classic wheels. On top of that, a narrow contact patch gives an aggressive acceleration capability. If you combine all these with a lightweight design, you get the best spitfire wheels for bowl and Skate Park.

Technical Specs of Spitfire Classic High-Performance Wheel

Wheel dimension	2 x 7 x 4 inches
Wheel weight	15.0 ounces
Wheel diameter	52 mm
Riding surface	19.0 mm
Wheel width	31.7 mm
Durometer score	99a
Wheel Shape	Classic
Wheel Material	Formula 4
Color	Green

Features

Narrow riding surface: You already know a small riding surface gives tremendous speed on the concrete surface. Having a 19 mm thin patch on the wheel will make it easier to launch before a trick. 

Hand-cut design: This ergonomic classic wheel design is completely hand-poured and shaped to provide maximum performance. So when you need that extra oomph, there won’t be any shortage.

Absolute durability: I was skeptical if the wheel can tolerate wear and tear after heavy use. Much to my surprise, I haven’t seen any flat spots while riding bowls and skate parks. But I would highly advise you to avoid sliding on a gravel road.

Highly compatible: The bearing houses on these wheels are highly compatible with most ABEC bearings. The bearing holes also retain their shape even after long usage.

Pros

• Highly suitable for skate park activities
• Quick response on transition and tricks
• Slide easily on the smooth surface
• On-demand fast acceleration 

Cons

• Noticed a flat spot after sliding on the gravel

5. Spitfire Wheels with Hybrid Ceramic Bearings 

The last set of spitfire wheels I tried was the classic 99a with ceramic bearings. That’s right; the hybrid ceramic bearing comes with wheels as part of the package. I couldn’t be more pleased as I got the high-performance wheels and the bearings all at the same time.

Technical Specs of Spitfire F4 101 Classics Wheels

Wheel dimension	4 x 7 x 4 inches
Wheel weight	12.0 ounces
Wheel diameter	52 mm
Riding surface	20.0 mm
Wheel width	30.1 mm
Durometer score	99a
Wheel Shape	Classic
Wheel Material	Formula 4
Color	Green

Features

Ceramic Bearings: The Hybrid bearings that come with the wheel have a ceramic ball in them. When you ride, the ceramic ball crushes any debris that enters the bearing and discards it. You can say it’s more like a self-maintained bearing for a skateboard.

Low rebound wheels: Like any other 99a classic skate wheels it’s fairly hard on the shore “A” scale. That kind of hardness is very crucial for producing low-impact rebounds. It means you will feel less bounce back from these Spitfire wheels while transitioning.

Heat dissipation:  If you are someone who skates aggressively and for a long period, you know bearings go hot pretty quickly. With the ceramic ball inside its much heat resilient even after a skate marathon.

Lightweight design: Of all the wheels I tried, this particular wheel seems very lightweight to me. I was able to pivot, slide and do other tricks very swiftly.

Pros

• Robust wheel for any tricky situation
• Bearing stays cool for longer
• Low resistance on the launch control
• No need for bearing cleanout

Cons

• Replacement of wheels and bearings can be costly

Comprehensive Spitfire Wheel Buying Guide

Spitfire wheels are one of the most popular and well-recognized skateboard wheels in the market. This is mainly because they make a large number of wheels curated to serve different needs. Any riding style and scenario you can think of spitfire got you covered down to shape and sizes.

That is also the reason people get confused very easily with all the specs and designs. Especially for beginners, it’s hard to choose the right one when you don’t have enough information about the specs. Well, this all will end as you read through the following comprehensive buying guide.

Wheel Hardness or Durometer

The first thing you should consider is how hard of a wheel you need for your particular riding style. Different riding styles call for different hardness ratings. The easiest way to find a hardness rating is from the Durometer score (shore A scale) of a wheel. 

Anything between 75A- 89A Durometer is generally soft wheels. Then again from 95A to 101A scores are for harder wheels. To put it simply, most street riders doing a lot of tricks in Skate Park tend to prefer harder wheels. On the other hand, riders who only cruise around town and use skateboards for transportation, choose softer wheels. 

Hard Wheels

Most skate riders buy skates for learning and executing those sweet tricks on the Skate Park or on pavement. That’s where the hard wheels come in handy. When you are doing tricks you would want wheels that are fast, smooth, and sturdy enough to absorb impact on asphalt-type surfaces. (Check out asphalt-friendly wheels)

Well, hard wheels deliver all that and some more in terms of riding style and performance. When you are doing tricks like power slide, sliding on ledges, and revert tricks, your wheel hardness matters the most. In these situations, you want responsive and low rebound wheels.

Wheels that have a 95A or higher score on the Durometer scale will have the properties to perform the above-mentioned tricks. Plus any impact you get from jumping will cancel out the moment you touch the ground. Thanks to the low rebound capabilities.

Soft Wheels

So when do you need soft wheels? To answer that question you need to understand how soft wheels perform. Soft wheels are soft to the touch whereas a lower score is the softest one. Being soft the wheel will be very grippy to the surface and will have a high rebound or bounce capability.

Another perk of being soft is they tend to roll over almost any type of surface. Be that it is a concrete or gravel road, it will roll without much effort. Even on grass, the softer wheel performs very well compared to other hard wheels.

Therefore it’s clear the softer wheels are mainly for cruising and running an errand around the cityscape. Despite that, you can still rip out some cool tricks if you want. But remember with grippy wheels like these, performing slides won’t be an option. So, no more power slides with softer wheels.

Wheel Size

Next, comes the skateboard wheel size or diameter of the wheel. Although this is more of a personal preference, it also plays a role in delivering desired performance. Bigger wheels are capable of higher speed and proficient enough to maintain that speed for much longer. 

Typically skateboard wheels come in various sizes starting from 50mm up to 65mm in size. The wheels of the longboard come in a much bigger size than these. As long as you are cursing around town, above 55mm is most ideal for overall performance. If you are doing tricks go for 50-54mm wheels.

Bigger Wheels

So when to consider bigger wheels? If you are buying a skateboard for cruising and want to have some fun on gravel roads, bigger wheels will be your best friend. Even hard wheels have an easier time rolling on rough surfaces due to their bigger size. (Find some rough surface friendly wheels here)

Smaller Wheels

On the other hand, the smaller wheel tends to accelerate faster and maneuver pretty quickly. That means you would want them in your trick board to carry out sick stunts. It slides pretty fast, and pops very easily at your feet.

Drawbacks of Different Wheel Sizes

Before you make your mind on which wheel to get, consider these drawbacks as well. Bigger wheels are slightly heavy and they add quite a bit of height to the deck. Also, doing tricks on a larger wheel is a bit tough compared to small wheels.

Alternatively, smaller wheels are not great for uneven surfaces, especially if it has pebbles on them. It will significantly slow your speed and you could even get stuck. 

Wheel Shape

Wheel shape is another vital spec if you want to get the most out of your skateboard wheels. It gives you a different range of riding surfaces, sliding capability, and overall maneuver control. In the case of the spitfire wheel, they have tons of shapes and designs to complement the performance.

To be exact, Spitfire supplies whooping 7 different shapes in skateboard wheels. Each of them has a unique shape and ergonomics that deliver unparalleled service. Spitfire offers these shapes; Tablets, Conical, Conical full, Radial, Radial slim, Classic, and lock-ins.

Classic:  This one is the most popular skate wheel shape Spitfire manufactures. They have the narrowest riding surface and cutaway edges. That makes them very fast and quick to control skate bowls and pavements.

Redial: With the round edge design along with a wide riding surface, it delivers top-notch control. That’s not all; they are also fast and very responsive while sliding. 

Redial slim: As the name goes, radial slim is a continuation of the redial skate wheel, only better. With a slim design, they are lightweight and have a slightly narrower riding surface. That’s great for setting up a lighter skateboard for comfort and speed.

Tablets: So the wheels look just like a tablet with a straight cut edge. The contact patch is slightly wider than the radial which gives confidence to aggressive riders.

Conical: This is the hand-cut version of the skate wheel spitfire offers. Like radials, they also have a wide riding surface. But what is really special about that is these wheels perform great in transitions, coping, and other technical tricks.  

Lock-ins: Unlike any other skate wheel this is the most unique shape you will ever see. They have a conical shape on the outside and straight on the inside. This asymmetrical shape helps to gain controlled momentum in the skate bowl as well as on the pavement.  

Materials

In terms of durability and wheel grip, construction material plays a big role. Depending on different materials, the wheel can be durable, hard, and soft. All of the skate wheels you can find in the market are mostly from polyurethane. If it’s not that, it would be some sort of polyurethane along with other compounds.

Classic: Since the wheel revolution, polyurethane has been the go-to material for classic skate wheels. They are great for tricks but wear out on rough uses.

Formula 4: Spitfire develops a new compound for skateboard resistance to wear and chip-off. According to Spitfire, It’s a special kind of polyurethane that is more durable than traditional material.

Charger: Lastly, Spitfire charger wheels are the softest wheel material out there. Like Formula 4, they also make chargers with compound material along with polyurethane. That gives it the signature soft wheel surface, so soft that you could dig your fingernail easily.

Frequently Asked Question on Spitfire Wheels

1. Which one is the best Spitfire wheel for a bowl?

Doing tricks in a skate bowl requires a narrow riding surface like classics and conical. But if you want to control that equation you need fairly wide wheels like a tablet of radial slim. And remember you will also need a smaller wheel size for quick maneuverability.

2. Which skateboard wheels are very soft?

Skateboard wheels that have a lower score on the shore “A” scale or Durometer are the softest. Such as 75A, 80A, or 88A durometer skate wheels. In the case of Spitfire, Charger wheels are even softer. 

3. How to find hard skateboard wheels?

The easiest way to do that is by looking at the durometer score. Anything between 99-101A durometer will have the hardest wheel compound. These hard wheels will serve greatly on the street, pavement, and in skate parks.

4. Which one is the most durable skate wheel?

Spitfire Formula 4 is by far the most durable skate wheel you can find in the market. Compared to traditional skate wheels they last much longer. Plus they are an affordable and credible source of different skateboard wheels.

5. Which wheel size do I need for technical skating?

Technical skating is all about tight maneuver and lightning response. One way to achieve that kind of mobility is through small wheels. More specifically, the 49-52mm wheel is ideal for any kind of technical tricks.   

Final Thoughts

It took me months to get a full understanding and find the Best spitfire wheels among those skateboard wheelsets. So I hope my findings will also help you to find yours without the month-long evaluation.