Skateboarding is a popular hobby that involves navigating all kinds of urban landscapes in creative moves. Skateboarders enjoy the innovation and free-spirited nature of the hobby that easily passes as a sport too, partially due to lightest skate deck. The idea of skateboarding was initially known as sidewalk surfing, and it later evolved into full-fledged recreation that was both a form of easy transport and fun activity. The flat wooden board on which you stand is the skate deck, and choosing the right kind greatly affects your trick spectrum. You should choose the lightest skate deck. The thrill of zooming around using a skateboard has also earned its own sports avenue, with exciting tournaments and competitions cheering on the adrenaline.
When skateboarding meets parkour, you get the best of both worlds! The railings, stairs, pavements, picnic benches, ramps, and bicycle stands are just some of the endless ways the urban space around you turns into make-shift parkour. Several tricks can be performed to take your skateboarding to the next level. These tricks require certain types of decks and accessories to give you a more streamlined and secure experience. Shape ergonomics, dimensions, and concave styles define the skate deck’s potential for different skateboarding tricks. With some of the lightest skate deck designs, customized veneers, and signed autographs, skateboards create the best inspiration as sports aesthetics as well as creative gifts for your friends.
Popular skateboarding tricks
Skateboarding is all about agile, diverse tricks that can be performed using different styles of skateboards – which are all designed to optimize your ability. Ranging from beginner tricks to expert maneuvers, these skills are defined by their neatness and balancing essentials thanks to lightest skate decks. Regular practice helps to “smoothen” out the rough edges of your tricks so that the whole sequence eventually appears effortless. With the right gear and skate deck, the world is your oyster, and no obstacle feels insurmountable. Here are some of the most common skateboarding tricks to kick-start your favorite leisure pursuit and find lightest skate decks.
Ollie
A fundamental trick in the sport, the Ollie is a skateboard jump in which the board remains in contact with your shoes as you jump. It is perhaps the first trick that skateboarders learn before experimenting with other tricks. The Ollie relies on crouching down before jumping as well as popping the board’s tail off the ground, causing the tail end to rise with you first. The result is that you jump along with the board and come back down in a very bite-sized surfing motion.
Nollie
In contrast to the Ollie trick, the Nollie does the exact opposite by causing the nose end of the board to rise up first. For this reason, the trick is also known as the Nose Ollie. With proper foot placement and perfect timing, you can jump with the nose end kicking off from the ground and then adjust the board to a horizontal level mid-jump. As with the Ollie, you land by balancing yourself on bent knees for better stability.
Kickflip
The Kickflip is when you lift the wheels of your skate deck from the ground and rotate the board mid-jump as you lean on the tail end to raise the nose. It can be executed on flat grounds as well as ramps to practice fast turns. The Kickflip is a good starting point to launch more advanced flip tricks. It is mostly a combination of the Ollie and full board rotation skills. By jumping and flipping the skateboard simultaneously, your navigation appears more agile and athletic. There are different adaptations of the Kickflip, and they all involve fluid, graceful turns made easier with the lightest skate deck.
Wallride
The Wallride trick is more complex, requires coached practices, and it is based on superior balancing against gravity, as you skate along the wall rather than the floor. This is where the lightest skate deck comes in handy. You need to put your feet on both ends of the skate deck and roll the skate up to the wall, all the while keeping your upper body parallel to the wall. You can then slide back down to the ground by lifting the nose of the skateboard.
Boardslide
The Boardslide – or the Railside trick – refers to sliding on the lightest skate deck’s center between the wheel pairs rather than on them. As the name suggests, the trick is performed on raised surfaces, and so it is a more advanced-level trick that needs a lot of practice. Skateboarders first build some momentum by rolling towards the rail, jumping onto the surface, and trying to continue with the same inertia. So, there is more balancing and agility needed to keep you upright when you slide back down on the skateboard in one, seamless transition.
Different styles of skateboarding
Before considering the best lightest skate deck, you need to know what skateboarding style you will use. This is because the techniques and tricks you would like to execute require a specific platform for better stability. Skateboarding is carried out in various ways, and people name them differently based on context.
In general, there are 4 popular styles of skateboarding that categorize tricks into separate groups, as discussed below.
Standard skateboarding
This is the standard street and skate park style of skateboarding. All kinds of street obstacles like rails and stairs will be jumped over using narrow, lightweight decks that have a popsicle shape, preferably lightest skate decks. The kicktail is double-sided and helps you move in both directions. This form of skateboarding is more ideal for Ollies and flip turns.
Old-school skateboarding
Following the vintage roots in vertical skateboarding, this style of skateboarding is carried out on bowls and pools with various extensions like halfpipes and ramps. Aerial tricks and creative spins have greater scope in this area, which is why skate decks that are wider and less concave in shape are the best choices. This type of skate deck design creates better stability as you can balance well on flat platforms when you ride a bowl.
Cruiser skateboarding
This style is very conducive to transportation and recreational skateboarding. The decks are wider and have just one kicktail. Choose lightest skate decks. These simple structures allow for on-the-go convenience if you are a frequent skateboarder who needs to run errands every now and then. Cruiser skateboards turn easily on the streets, making them your favorite means of nearby transport. They often have soft wheels and are generally lightweight for nimble skating experiences.
Longboard skateboarding
Longboards are all about versatility, speed, and longer distances. They are used for downhill riding tricks as well as flat-ground techniques. These longboards stand out in their symmetrical shapes, and they are equipped with cut-outs to accommodate larger wheels. This helps with better stability and balance for beginner skateboarders who need the support of a larger board.
What to look for in a skate deck
Deck width
The skate deck width is very important, as it decides your comfort zone and aptitude for skateboarding tricks. The width in inches is included as a part of the deck name, and the right width really depends on factors like your height, shoe size, and choice of landscape. On a standard size scale, decks that are up to 7.75 inches wide are suitable for kids, and the ones between 7.75 – 8.25 inches are ideal for street and park skateboarding. Between 8.25 – 8.5 inches, the decks develop more versatility for ramp skating and all-rounder tricks. Above 8.5 inches in width, the decks make a reliable platform for bowl, halfpipe, and pool cruising.
Deck concavity
The concave edges of a skate deck determine your foot placement and ergonomics. Low-concave decks are designed for old-school skating within bowls and pools. Medium-concave decks are often the go-to choices for flip turns and ramp maneuvers. High-concave decks support greater pressure on the edges, and this makes them useful for technical flip tricks.
Wheelbase
A deck’s wheelbase is the distance between both of its mounting wheel trucks – basically the entire central area of the skateboard. The wheelbase gives you a good insight into how far apart the trucks and wheels need to be mounted. This helps you decide your beginner or expert level of skateboarding and acts as a simple guide to choosing the right skate deck.
Kicktail
This is the upturned end of a deck that helps with leveraging the Ollie trick and various Kickflip techniques. Double-sided kicktails facilitate switching tricks as well as Nollies. The kicktail undoubtedly offers more balancing scope, as it is an integrated part of most all-purpose skate decks.
Deck construction
A deck is made up of several wooden layers that stick together as one piece through adhesives. The wooden veneers alternate with adhesive layers to form durable decks. Maple is mostly used in a deck’s construction due to its sturdy and lightweight convenience. Skateboarding brands will also incorporate additional laminates such as carbon fiber for added strength and high-performance – without affecting the overall weight.
The lightest skate decks for your virtual cart
Bamboo Skateboards Blank Skateboard Deck – POP – Strength – Sustainability
These blank skate decks from Bamboo Skateboards are designed with an eco-friendly perspective. The sustainable construction includes a 6-ply bamboo and maple hybrid for better sustainability and reduction in deforestations. High-quality bamboo creates incredibly lightweight and durable skate decks that absorb shocks and last longer, weighing around 2.16 pounds. Bamboo and maple hybrid construction put these decks among lightest skate decks on the market. It is also the reason why these decks have superior strength in terms of trick execution, as they stand up to the test and help you perform skateboarding tricks without breaking apart. Bamboo also contributes to added flexibility to deliver a stronger pop when you hit the deck against the ground. The pop from a bamboo deck is what gives the bamboo material its well-earned spotlight in the arena.
The deep concave structure is available in various sizes for beginners and experts alike. The deck sizes cover a huge range between 7 – 8.75 inches, and the wheelbases measure around 12.10 – 15 inches. Skateboarders of all skill levels can jump over stairs and hit halfpipes with full confidence in their stride. The blank deck also makes a great canvas for your favorite artwork, and you can customize the deck design however you like. Regular maintenance is essential to make any prints you add to the deck survive the high-performance tricks; it also helps to manage those splinters through sanding for smooth skating. The bamboo skate decks are ideal for commuting as well.
Cal 7 Blank Maple Skateboard Deck | 7.75, 8.0, 8.25 and 8.5 Inch |
This maple skate deck from Cal 7 is available in sizes of 7.75, 8.0, 8.25, and 8.5 inches. Weighing around 2.6 pounds, the 7-layered Chinese maple construction is designed for resilience and usability. The skate decks are available in 5 different colors, and they all highlight the natural maple grain structure. This deck follows a medium concave shape for its symmetrical popsicle design, allowing you to carry out various skateboarding tricks and basic maneuvers along your commute.
The durable construction makes an efficient backup skate deck that you can customize to your liking using stickers or spray paints. It is incredibly versatile for skateboarders of all ages and skill levels. Various skating styles can be performed, and you can use this deck on the street, in skate parks, as well as over urban obstacles to diversify the skating experience. The deck can be a bit brittle for advanced skateboarding tricks, snapping under pressure with rigorous use. This is why the maple skate deck is a great replacement deck to come in handy when needed, and it is an ideal choice for beginners to warm up to the experience.
Yocaher VW Vibe Beach Series Skateboard Longboard Pintail Deck Only – Blue
Yocaher longboard skate deck has a 9-ply maple construction that makes it weigh around 3.65 pounds. The pintail deck measures 40″ x 9″ with a 24.5-inch wheelbase and has a none-concave shape with a medium flex. A grip-tape lines the surface to create friction, and the brand also offers a variety of creative graphics to choose from. This vintage-inspired design adds the perfect aesthetic for beginner and professional skateboarders to expand their collections. The durable deck is ideal for classic cruising activities as you zoom around with a timeless style. Its high-end construction is compatible with 9.675″ HD7, 180mm hanger and aluminum alloy trucks. By connecting 70x52mm solid wheels of 78A hardness, you get to traverse a very smooth and effortless skateboarding learning curve.
This is a deck-only piece, and all attachments need to be purchased separately – or reused if you already have them. Abec 7 chrome bearings are used on the mounting trucks. Taking its cue from surfing origins, the design and architecture of the skate deck is streamlined to achieve the perfect drop as you cruise along. With beach vibes and interesting color combinations, these maple skate decks are the perfect gifts for your skateboarder friends, apart from making classic showcase displays.
5 Pro Skateboard Decks Blank Choose Your Color + Size (7.75″ 8.0″ 8.25″ 8.5″)
This 5-piece pro skate deck set includes dipped black decks that have a modern concave shape. Each deck weighs around 3 pounds. The nose and tail ends are designed for a greater pop when you kick off from the ground. These clank decks are all made of 100% Canadian maple and are available in various sizes ranging from 7.0 – 8.25 inches.
Manufactured by Moose Skateboard, the decks are tested for quality assurance and optimum performances. With pure materials and reliable laminated layers, they are approved for some of the best deck designs out there. Blank decks often sell better than printed decks because skateboarders can add their custom touches through graphic arts, autographs, paintwork, spray-painted designs, etc. There is more artistic and athletic freedom as you can sand away the original finishing and customize the design. This is also why these skate decks will be a common sight for wall art and signed souvenirs, as rigorous use may lead to delamination.
Baker Brand Logo Deck-8.0 Black/White Skateboard Deck
This skate deck from Baker Skateboards is a cruiser white design of size 8.5 inches. It weighs around 2 pounds and reflects the industry-standard of some remarkable workmanship. The brand is known for its competitive skateboarding supplies and accessories, and this lightweight deck features just the right concavity and clear-cut pop against the ground. Its high quality and durability aspects make the deck a good inspiration for gifts to surprise your enthusiastic family members and friends. The structure is refined to the smallest detail, giving the skate deck very smooth aesthetics.
The piece does not include a grip tape, and you will need to purchase that separately, which seems to be one major letdown of this otherwise efficient skate deck. It is a popular choice among young boys, and parents increasingly make a virtual beeline to add these decks to their carts. On the whole, it is clearly one of the lightest skate deck products that are also reliable for frequent use.
All hands on deck
Stepping back a bit from the athletic adrenaline, there is a whole world of possibilities for interior design that become tell-tale signs of a skateboarder’s interests. Skate decks are improvised into home décor ideas to help hobbyists dance with the added freedom and flow of creativity. They make some of the most influential split canvas wall art with sceneries, quotes, and artworks. When skateboards meet the inspiration boards on Pinterest, you cannot help but craft your own DIY skateboard shelves, shoe storage, and coffee tables. Skateboarding as a hobby also branches out into artistic collections. Skate deck collectors keep an eye out for the perfect missing puzzle piece to add to their collection and finally make it complete. With such a versatile hobby opening more doors to diversify your interests, you really have all hands on deck from street skateboarding to home remodeling to prized possessions sitting humbly in your display.
