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Here is an e-mail I recieved which I thought could be used as an article. My response is below:
my son is 8 years old and very into skateboarding - pretty much watching X
games, has many videos, magazines, been to boom boom huck jam - and now
wants to start getting into it. he's been using a toy store bought
skateboard - i know bad move, they suck - and we want to upgrade to a
"real" board.
i came across your page from a google search - very good site. i read
your page about what to look for in beginner skateboard but was looking
for some more specifics.
board size - what's a good length? width? you mentioned 7.5 for the
width, want to know if that's good for an 8 year old? (size 3 shoe if that
helps!)
as a beginner is it better to get a flat or concave board?
anything i should look for in terms of trucks? can you recommend
something specific?
for bearings you mentioned abec 3? what exactly is that? and what does
that mean compared to a 5 or 7?
risers - what are they, and are they needed?
lastly, wheels - i've seen plastic and rubber - what makes the most sense?
what do you think the whole set should cost?
it would be really helpful if you could let me know some of this. if it's
helpful to others, feel free to post on you site.
thanks very much in advance.
- For the size of the board, if he is 8 years old, trying asking skate shop
workers if they have or know of any places that sell skateboard intended for
younger skaters. I know I have came across a few shops that do sell smaller
boards both in length and width. If not your best bet is probably going with
the 7.5 width, and most of the boards are same length, but again, shop
workers can sometimes recommend something they have in stock, maybe a pro
board with some special model that is smaller...
- Flat boards don't really exist anymore, all boards have atleast a small
concave. I would recommend not worrying about that at all. Unless you buy a
non "real" board, it is going to have a concave.
- Trucks, not a lot to worry about their, almost everything in stores now is
good quality in trucks, Independents, are I would say the best choice for a
biggenner skater who is really looking to skate in the future. Those trucks
are a bit heavey but they are very very strong, tough and reliable brand.
- abec is a bearing rating, Most rollerblades come with Abec 5 bearings, but
some do come with 3. In my opinion, get 3's, I would say the vast majority
of skaters use Abec 3's but 5's are somewhat common too.
- Risers are little rubber/plastic plates that go under the trucks to
prevent from the wheels hitting the board and turning and also have a "myth"
that they prevent the wooden board from "pressure cracks" which occur from
doing higher jumps. It's just when the trucks and board get kinda squished
together doing high tricks, the wooden board, a lot weaker then metal
trucks, will tend to crack a bit. But this is not a major problem at all. If
he is a biginner, no worrys i would say in this sense. Don't get the risers,
you can always buy them later and put them on, not a big problem.
- Wheels, I'm not sure about the plastic wheels, but to me, it seems like
most wheels are made of a hard rubber, maybe plasticy rubber compound.
Honestly any wheels should do, but if you want, ask the guy at the store or
just feel a few different wheels and see if they seem to plasticy or to
rubbery. You don't want plastic because you wont have traction, but you
don't want soft rubber because you will come back the next day to buy new
wheels.
The whole set, (I recommend a blank deck, without pictures... though
sometimes 8 year olds do think pictures are cooler) should cost you about
less then $100 US. Check out our shop's "Complete's" section which has
complete skateboards, and I do beleive they start at $78 US. So $80US give
or take a few dollars, plus tax sounds about right.
Thanks for the e-mail, I'l probably post it in the articles section soon.
Good luck to your shopping and your son's skating!
Tom-E
www.skateboard-city.com
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