Skateboarders Vs Longboarders: What Makes the Difference?

It’s been a while since I talked about skateboarding or longboarding. Even so, due to the many concerns that I have received in recent months from my new readers, I have decided to set something straight. I want to clear the air about skateboarding and longboarding.

So, looking at the skateboarders vs longboarders, who are better placed? Well, let me say this, while both games involve the use of riding boards, every game here is unique in its own way.

The longboarders will seek a completely different type of experience from the skateboarders. This is so evident when you look at the history of these two board riding games and also in their differences.

However, this is not to say that there is no similarity when it comes to a longboard vs skateboard ride; well, there are similarities, but they aren’t as conspicuous as the differences that exist.

Let’s take a look at some of the things that you need to know about longboarding and skateboarding.

Longboard Vs Skateboard: Similarities

Before I step onto the differences and the experience, I want to start with the similarities between these two boarding rides. As it is, there are limited similarities, and they will include the following.

Boards

First, both longboarding and skateboarding are board-riding games. You will use a board on wheels to move around or perform your favorite tricks. This is the sole similarity between these two rides.

One Rider

The next is the number of riders at a time. For both, only one person can ride on the board. These boards aren’t designed for two or more riders. This means that every rider can only have their board.

Wheels

The boards are again set on wheels. It is the wheels that aid in a smooth movement and will move you from one point to the next. However, the wheels will vary in sizes depending on your needs.

Tricks

I guess you have seen board riders performing tricks on their boards. Well, these tricks can be performed by any of the riders, except that with longboards, the tricks that can be performed are limited.

Bearings

The bearing is an additional feature that’s fitted in both longboards and skateboard and which aid in the smooth rolling of the wheels. They ensure that you ride faster and prevent any form of wheel jamming.

Trucks

Apart from what I have mentioned, again, both longboard and skateboard have trucks. The trucks are the metallic alloy mountings that hold the wheels in place. Trucks will work together with the wheels and bearings to aid riders in maximizing a smooth riding experience.

Differences between Longboard Vs Skateboard

With that said, we cannot look at the skateboarders vs longboarders riding experience without brushing through the differences that the longboard and stake board have. As such, I have rounded up the differences, too, in this section. Take a look.

Wheels

I was crystal clear the first time. These two boarding sports have wheels. Even so, their wheels are very different. Longboards are designed to provide fast speeds on downhill rides. They are designed for cruising and, as such, can go for incredible speeds.

To achieve this. Longboards have soft wheels. The wheels are big too so that they don’t jam under rough terrains. Longboard wheels, unlike those used for skateboarding, can measure between 60 and 70 mm.

Stakeboard, on the other hand, is designed for more versatility, shorter rides, and more tricks. They can’t be used for commuting and will not hit those incredible speeds. Due to that, skateboards come with smaller but hard wheels.

For skateboards, the wheels used will measure anything between 52 and 58 mm, which gives them some smooth rolls when looking for the perfect tricks.

Size

The board size of a longboard is bigger than that of a skateboard. Longboards, therefore, provide riders with more space and some high-end stability. This is unlike the skateboards, which are smaller.

For new learners that want to go with skateboard or longboard rides, a longboard will therefore leave you with awesome training. It is a great way to achieve the perfect balance and possibly enjoy the best start to board riding.

Longboards can therefore go up to 59 inches, unlike the typical skateboard that will sit at 36 inches.

Trucks

I have talked about longboard and skateboard trucks before. Even so, I will say it once again. Since longboard and skateboard have wheels, they need trucks. The trucks are used to hold the wheels in place.

It is attached to the deck of the board while the wheels are installed through it. The used for longboards is different from the one used for the skateboard.

On your skateboard, the trucks will come when narrow and rigid. That’s why they are easy to use when landing tricks.

However, on a longboard, the trucks are wider than the deck. They protrude on the outside, and because of that, they will provide more stability.

That’s why longboards are the best option for cruising, long-distance riding, and high speeds on steep terrains.

Weight

I know that you’ve guessed it already. Well, longboards are heavier. They are wider and therefore have more weight compared to the skateboards, which are shorter and less bulky. They could be more durable, too – but that depends on how well you take care of them.

Even so, the weight is not entirely an advantage; while it can hold more weight and last longer, the longboard is bulkier and harder to store or transport. It requires a bigger backpack and will take slightly more energy to carry around.

Shape

The longboard and skateboard again have different shapes. While the longboard comes with a flat nose and an almost flat tail, the skateboard is curved around the board’s nose and tail.

This what makes the skateboard an excellent option for landing tricks while the longboard remains the best for general riding.

Skateboarders Vs Longboarders: The Riding Experience

Apart from the similarities and differences that we have seen here, there is the riding experience that these two riders will have. Let us compare this type of experience to understand what it is like riding on a longboard and a skateboard.

Difficulty

I will start with the difficulty. Which one is easy to learn, a longboard, or a skateboard? Believe it or not, a longboard is easier to learn. Since it is wide, heavier, and with larger wheels, it provides better stability and an awesome balance.

In addition to that, the longboard has softer wheels. These types of wheels mean better grip with easier control.

On the other hand, the skateboard has harder and smaller wheels. The clearance under the wheels is also smaller. The board has less room that you can set your feet on. This is why skateboards are harder to learn.

Safety

When it comes to the safety of the board while riding, I want to say that it all depends on your riding style. Again, it relies more on how you protect yourself when riding. Do you have your riding gear on? Are you performing tricks that you have perfected? Do you understand your style?

Nonetheless, if an accident was to happen, the longboard could pose bigger risks since it doesn’t have enough flex and could break into several pieces, which could be fatal. However, when it comes to performing tricks, chances of hurting yourself on a longboard are slimmer.

You could, however, lose your balance so easily on a skateboard, which makes it less ideal for new riders to have a smooth riding experience.

Portability

And if you are the type of person that loves to travel with their longboard or skateboard, you’d prefer the skateboard more. It is smaller, lighter, and easy to move around with. However, the longboard is bigger, bulkier, and heavier. Carrying it around trips whenever you are out will mean bigger luggage that’s heavier to carry.

Tricks

Flicks and tricks, every one of us want to do that. Right? But which board is the best for that? Well, it is a skateboard. This is the board that’s designed for tricks and flicks. The tricks that you can perform on a skateboard are limited.

That’s doesn’t mean that a longboard won’t allow you the luxury of performing tricks; well, you will, except that you’d have to stop somewhere along the way. Limited tricks are what longboard offers.

Effort

How much effort do you need to learn your board? Let’s start with a longboard. For a longboard, the effort is less. The board is wide, the balancing easier, the trucks exposed, and the clearance better.

A skateboard has a smaller deck. It is hard to balance on, and the wheels are harder. Harder wheels mean less grip, while a smaller deck means harder balancing. This is the reason why a skateboard takes more effort for you to learn.

Cost

The initial cost of having a longboard is higher. This is because the longboard uses more materials when manufactured. However, that of a skateboard is lower since the skateboard is smaller and requires lesser materials to manufacture.

Speed

From the onset, we have said that longboards are designed for cruising. This means that they are designed to provide more stability, better balance, easy control, and above all, that insane speeds. These are speed demons; you will cruise with them downhill and use them for commuting services.

This is not possible with a skateboard. A skateboard is smaller. It is not easy to control when going at very high speeds. You could lose your balance and hurt yourself. That’s why they are meant for slower riding and more tricks.

For guys who want to commute to work, move around the campus, or simply go to the grocery shop, it is better to use the longboard than go with the skateboard. Simply put, you are safer on a longboard at higher speeds than you will be on a skateboard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Finally, to cap on our post, let me give you a few concerns that most people get when it comes down to longboard vs skateboard.

Do We Have Longboards that Are Shorter than Skateboards?

Yes. Some longboard measure about 28 inches long. This shouldn’t confuse you at all. Remember that a longboard has a flat nose while the skateboard has a curvy nose. In short, a flat-nosed board; however, short is a longboard.

Can Skateboarding Leave You With Abs?

Skateboarding will help you in developing some of the key muscles around your body, such as the hamstrings, quads, glutes, and lower back, which are key to helping you in maintaining your balance.

Can You Lose Weight While Longboarding?

Longboarding takes effort, which means that you can lose weight when longboarding. After about an hour of going skating, you’ll have burned about 300 calories. That’s how ideal longboarding is for anyone who wants to cut some weight.

How Do You Get a Faster and Smoother Ride?

Longboard wheels are larger and softer. Skateboards wheels are smaller and harder. Skateboard is, therefore, easy to use on rails, gaps, and ledges, and gaps.

NOTE: If you want something to learn on, get a longboard. The same goes for anyone who wants to ride at higher speeds. However, if you want to do tricks and go for short distances, go with the skateboard.

Conclusion

We can’t quite say that when it comes to a longboard vs skateboard, one model gets the best of the other. Not quite. The type of experience that you will get on a longboard or a skateboard will depend on several things, including your riding style, level of skills, type of terrain, and what you set out to achieve.

As such, skateboarders vs longboarders should focus more on what they want to achieve. If you are going to ride for longer distances, go for the longboard. However, if you are going for more tricks at smaller distances, I would suggest going to the skateboard.

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