17 Skateboard Equipment List [Best Guide For the Beginners]

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In the 1940s, skateboarding started its journey. It is a fun and multi-functional activity like sports. You can use a skateboard as recreation, transportation, and for many other beneficial reasons.

However, skateboarding is not only a fun sport but also dangerous. Without proper equipment, you can’t skate safely. So, let’s check out the protective equipment along with a complete skateboard equipment list in detail.

Skateboarding Equipment List

If you are a beginner, you might not know where to start listing the equipment of skateboarding. So we are going to describe the essentials of skateboarding with three particular objects.

A. Main Skateboard Equipment

Skateboard
Wheels
Bearings
Grip tape
Riser Pads
Truck
Spare Parts

B. Safety Skateboard Equipment

Helmet
Elbow Pad
Knee Pad
Wrist Guard

C. Skateboard Accessories

Skateboard Attires
Shoes
Cameras
Backpack
Water Bottles

Now, let’s check out the details:

Main Equipment

Let’s check out the most vital equipment of skateboarding.

1. Skateboard or Deck

A piece of wood attached with four wheels is called a skateboard. And, it is the first and the most important tools in skateboarding. These are normally made of Maple plywood and specially designed with 7 plies. A polyurethane Coat is being used for its smoothness and durability.

Again, four wheels are attached under the skateboard. If you’re moving with a skateboard for the first time, it is very important to feel your skateboard sensitivity, roughness or tightness.

When you learn to skate smoothly, then you have to practice the tricks also.There are so many tricks, such as kick flips, heel flips, powersliding, manual and many more. They will save your time and effort too in the long term.

Here is a further important issue too, and that is, the size of the skateboard. Most of the board or deck is 31 to 33 inches long and 8.5 inches wide. So, you have to calculate your height, weight and shoe size to choose your deck.

2. Wheels

The prime gadget of a skateboard is the wheel. Without wheels, the skateboard is useless. All the skateboards need four wheels and two bearings for rolling.

High -grade urethane is being used to make skateboard wheels. And different types, shapes and sizes are being designed for these wheels. Skaters prefer wheels ranging from 50 mm to 60 mm (most of the street skaters and the ramp skaters). And 60 millimeters to 70 millimeters for the longboarders. And they normally lodge large wheels.

Another most vital thing while choosing a wheel is the durometer or hardness of the wheel. Most of the skaters, especially street skaters, bring hard wheels which are around 99a to 100a durometer. On the other hand longboarders place softer wheels which are around 78a to 87 a durometer.

3. Skateboard Bearings

Skateboard bearings play the most important and essential role for your skate deck. Normally the bearing is made of steel, ceramic and titanium or with the combination of these materials. It is round shaped and it is fixed inside the wheels and mount on the axle of the trucks.

There is a ABEC rating (1, 3, 5,7,9) for buying bearings. But there are some misconceptions about it. You may think the higher the ABEC rating is, the bearings or wheels may long last or move fast. But that is the misconception. The ABEC rating does not guarantee the faster moving and long-lasting of the bearings.

If you want a long-lasting and fast spinning bearing, you have to lubricate your bearing with oil or grease and have to clean the dirt on a regular basis.

Choose the bearings wisely.

4. Grip Tape

Griptape is the crucial part of your skateboard setup. It’s a layer that applied to the top of the board and it provides the necessary resistance to your foot on the skate deck. Without a griptape, you should not ride on your deck. Because of lacking it on your board, you may slip off and injure yourself seriously.

Grip tape is made with different materials and with various colors. Black grip tape is always made with silicon carbide. Aluminum oxide is also used to make grip, but it is quite cheaper and loses the gripness quicker. Various types of best grip tapes are available on your nearest shop or online shop.

5. Riser Pads

Riser pad is often thought of as unimportant equipment for the skateboarder. But it’s not true. The pad is quite important to save from unwanted falls and breakage.

You know what this is?

Riser pad is a small piece of hard plastic that is inserted between the baseplate of the skateboard and the skate trucks.

Skating with a riser pad will reduce the chance of wheel bite and this wheel bite is an unfortunate experience during skateboarding.

It causes an unexpected or sudden stop while skating. So installing a riser pad will give you much more clearance between the skateboard deck and the wheel to learn and keep you safe.

Different shapes and sizes are available for these riser pads. But the basic shape is the rectangular shape. It increases the height and decreases the shock that you will feel in your foot while skating. Another shape is the angle shape. It will raise the trucks by fixing them with an angled shape from your board.

6. Skateboard Truck

The key part for the skateboard is a skateboard truck. To attach the wheel with the deck of the skateboard, these trucks are being used. Choosing a skateboard truck is a little confusing. But if you find the basic idea of a skateboard truck, you can make a quicker decision to complete your skateboard.

In case you are a buyer of a skateboard truck for the first time, you have to make sure that the truck with an axle wide size and the skate deck’s wide size are similar as much as possible.

Aluminium alloy is the material of the skateboard trucks. And the designs are absolutely durable with high quality. Skateboard trucks vary from size, design and color. So choose your skateboard truck which is perfect for your deck.

7. Spare Parts

When you go somewhere for skating, it’s better to have spare parts for your whole skateboard journey. There are so many companies who sell full sets of spare parts. The most necessary parts are:

Bolts
Nuts
Bearings
Cushions
Washers
Pivot Cup
Spacers
Speed rings
Axle Nuts and many more.

You can set a tool kit box with all of these spare parts like a First Aid Box. And in case of any emergency, you can use those while skating.

Safety Equipment

Skateboarding is an action oriented sport or activity. For your skateboarding session, you must need safety guards. While learning or after learning, safety equipment is the most important thing in skating. Because you must fall when you are a beginner skater that’s guaranteed.The necessary safety equipments are:

Helmet
Elbow Pads
Knee Pads
Wrist Guards

We are going to describe all of this one by one in detail:

8. Skateboard Helmet

Helmets are the most essential tool in skateboarding. You must need a helmet that fits your head well to avoid injuries. Without this equipment skateboarding is very dangerous to play.

So, don’t dare to ride in a skateboard without a proper helmet. Because the head is another important part of your body and you have to protect your head by wearing a helmet.

9. Elbow Pads

The most unprotected part of your body is the elbow during skating. If you are a beginner skateboard player it is very important to protect your elbow.

Pads which are made of ballistic nylon, are best for the elbow protection. It must not be so bulky. Elbow pads should be comfortable while skating.

Somehow, many of the elbow pads may restrict your movement. But if you choose lightweight, durable and the elbow guards for your ride, then it will be great fun with your skateboard. So, pick up the right product and ride on your skate safely.

10. Knee Pads

Injuring the knee is the most common matter in skating. That’s why a knee pad is the most essential safety gear for the skateboarder.

Knee is the most crucial part which may be injured seriously by periods of skating. A quality knee pad can help to minimize the amount of the fracture. The plastic outer shell knee pad is the best for the knee. This product varies from size to size. You have to know which size suits you most comfortably.

10″ to 12″ is the tiny size

12″ to 14″ is small size

14″ to 16″ is a medium size

15″ to 17″ is the large size and

17″ to 20″ is the extra large size.

So, measure your knee with an inch of tape and find which pad size you need perfectly and give you more comfort.

11. Wrist Guard

The most essential appliance is wrist guard for the beginner. It supports the wrist and helps to prevent breakage of bone while falling during skating. When you fall, you naturally throw your hands out for saving. But this may cause you wrist damage.

Actually a wrist guard is a glove that covers up the rest of your palm and back of the hand. It’s padded on both sides of your hand. Wrist guard is also known as anti-gloves.

Your wrist guards should be fitted on your hand comfortably. Don’t tighten your wrist protection so much that you feel pressure. It’s important to move your wrist normally.

Wrist guards also vary from design and size. Some of them are full fingers, half fingers and some of them are fingerless also. Choose which one is best for you and give you comfortable movement.

Skateboard Accessories

Skateboard accessories are the things that you need in your whole skateboard journey. Below we are trying to explain some requisites for you.

Skateboard Attire
Skateboard Pants
Skateboard Shoes
Skateboard Cameras
Water Bottles
Backpack for Skateboard

12. Skateboard Attire

You can skate with whatever you wear and feel comfortable. But you have to avoid loose fitting jeans, trousers and shoes with long lace, as they may get into the wheels accidentally. Normally, casual skaters wear tight jeans, flat soled shoes and shorts or long sleeve t-shirts.

13. Skateboard Pants

You can’t avoid falling when you are skating. To ride safely on your skateboard, you just need to wear skateboard pants which are best, comfortable and flexible.

Loads of the best quality pants are available at your nearest shop or online shop.

14. Skateboard Shoes

You cannot skate with your normal running shoes, because it may damage your shoe because of the grip tape, which is at the top of the skateboard deck.

Skate shoes are designed especially for the skateboarders. So, it’s important to have in mind that you have to wear specially made skate shoes while skating.

The material of the shoes must be polyurethane and rubber and the sole must be always flat. The upper side of the shoes might be strapping and it’s being stitched perfectly. By the time of purchasing, you have to keep those things in your mind.

Many brands like Adidas, Nike, Vans, DC make quality skate shoes at a reasonable price.

You can wear the shoes when you are not skating, because skate shoes are fashionable and trendy as well.

15. Skateboard Cameras

Skaters love to capture their skate tricks and clips. For that, skateboard cameras have become one of the most popular pieces of equipment for the skateboarders.

Nowadays, skateboarding is not only an action oriented activity, It’s an art also. You just need top quality, durable and lightweight cameras to have that art and action images!

There are so many great cameras for skateboarding. Choose and pick one of them for your collection of skateboard pictures and videos.

16. Water Bottles

Water bottle is one of the main equipment for your skateboard session. Because it’s a physical activity and you may become thirsty while skating. So, you need to keep yourself hydrated all the time.

There are no specific water bottles for skateboarders. Normally, many types of water bottles are available such as glass, plastic and steel. It’s just your personal choice what types of bottle you choose.

√ Glass water bottles are not safe for the skateboarder.

√ Plastic bottles are light and cheap, but they’re not good for your health.

√ The steel water bottles are the best for everyone, especially for the skateboarder. They keep the water cool for a long time.

17. Backpack For Skateboard

Skateboard backpack is a must for the skateboarder. Basically, you have to store lots of things in your backpack during the skating period. You can also keep your skateboard on your backpack when not skating.

Since there are loads of brands available in shopping malls nowadays, it’s really tough to choose the right one for you. Just look for a backpack that confirms enough compartments, is well-designed, lightweight, and durable.

Last Word

That’s all the most crucial parts of skateboarding. Hope you enjoyed the listings and it’ll help you make a decision to choose the perfect equipment for your next skateboard journey.

Happy skateboarding with the best equipment!

17 Skateboard Equipment List [Best Guide For the Beginners]