What is the best skateboard for beginners?

Skateboarding is one of the most popular extreme sports out there; but with all those different shapes, sizes, and styles, how do you find that perfect starter board? We've put together a simple guide to help you find your ideal beginner skateboard. 

How do I know what type of skateboard is best for me? 
The main thing when buying your first board is what you'll use it for. Do you want to learn gnarly tricks, or are you just using it to cruise about? Different boards are geared towards certain skating styles, so this will help you narrow things down.

Here's a quick breakdown of our boards to show you what we mean: 

Plastic Mini Cruiser	Double Kick Skateboard
Built for cruising from A to B	Built for tricks
Easy to transport and store - it fits in a backpack!	Easy to transport, not as easy to store
Used on flat roads and downhill, can also be used in skateparks	Used in skateparks and skate bowls, can also be used for long distance skating
Great for first time skaters or those wanting mix up their skating style	Great for mastering the basics and stunts, good for intermediate riders too
Single kick style with a pointed nose	Classic double kick style

Which board is best for kids? 
To be perfectly honest, if you're buying a board for a youngster, it totally depends on the child and what they want to get out of their board. There are a few other bits to think about which should help:

• How old are they?
• How tall are they?

Generally speaking, the wider the deck, the more stable the board, but if you're buying for a younger skater, a Cruiser might the way to go as the shorter deck is less intimidating and will likely be a better fit for smaller feet. You don't want to feel overwhelmed by the size of the board.

Taller kids might have an easier time finding their balance on a Double Kick as the added length means more space to play with weight distribution and find their balance. 

As a rough rule of thumb Mini Cruisers are a great beginner board for kids up to the age of about 8, and Double Kicks can be a suitable starter board for the youngest rider right through to adult first timers. Older or more confident kids might prefer to skip the Cruiser and go straight for the Double Kick. 

This might help you out if you're still stuck: 

Of course, all of this is just a guide, and the main thing is feeling steady on the board when you skate, whatever your style. 

Once you've got all that sorted comes the fun bit - find a style you like! 

Make sure you ALWAYS remember your safety gear! Helmets, knee pads and elbow pads can all be purchased from your local skate shop, and are an absolute must, especially for beginners. Everyone falls at first!