Which skateboard should I buy for my child?
Which skateboard should I buy my child?
Does your child want a skateboard? Great, it's not that difficult to find the right one! Internet research can be confusing here and lead to a lot of counterproductive half-knowledge, so I have summarized a few points here to make your search easier:
How much does a skateboard cost?
In general, you can say the following: Everything under 80 Euros for a complete skateboard is rubbish. Why? Quite simply, you can't offer a board with 7 ply maple, urethane wheels, good bearings and trucks at this price. This means that almost everything that various toy retailers and sports chains currently offer is of no use. In other words: It's just not possible to have fun with these boards because most of the time the trucks don't turn properly and often the wheels hardly turn at all. In order to ensure safety, we strongly advise you to buy the board from a specialty retailer. Really useful completes cost around 100 euros.
Put it together yourself or buy a complete set?
This is a question of price. 100 euros is an investment, especially for the really young ones, where you don't yet know whether they will really stick with it. The advantage of a board bought from a specialist dealer: All parts are standardized, so you can gradually replace all worn parts individually. Of course, you also have the option of assembling the board individually, here you have to reckon with around 180 to 240 euros. The upside is better quality and more choice, but a kid just starting to get into skateboarding won't notice much of a difference. That comes later.
Which size should I buy?
This is sometimes the most important question before buying. The most important indicator here is the width of the board, the length is usually in relation to the width anyway.
For the very young up to approx. 5 years or approx. 1 meter tall I recommend a board around 7.0"
Up to approx. 8 years or 120cm a board from 7.25- 7.75
From 8 years a board from 7.75 to a maximum of 8.0"
As with everything in skateboarding, there are no rules here as it is a matter of personal preference. Pros are currently riding boards between 7.75" and 9". The disadvantage of a larger board is that it is heavier and a little more sluggish to maneuver, but it helps the little ones if they have a little more space, i.e. don't ride a board that is too small.
