Vert and mini ramp knee pads should be able to take a big impact without or hardly feeling the shocks. Some knee pads I had to return as they just didn’t fit, so make sure you get the right size. 

Do You Want to Keep Skateboarding?

So there are a couple of questions you should ask yourself if you are on the fence of investing in a good pair.

• Do you have sick pay?
• Do you value your body?
• Do you want to keep skateboarding?
• Do you have health insurance?

Knee pads may seem expensive but it a small price to pay to keep your body intact. A good investment will keep the hospital bills away and if you have a job, you should be able to return to work the next day.

The bills aren’t much of an issue if you live in certain parts of the world but you’ll always need your knees. Also, good knee pads will last for years. Cheap ones can break after just one fall.

Knee Pads I Personally Recommend

I tried many knee pads and probably wasted money on low-quality stuff, but after testing lots of pads these are the ones I can recommend:

• 187 Killer Pads Fly
• 187 Killer Pads pro (heavy duty)
• TSG Force knee pads (heavy duty).
• Smith Elite Scabs
• Pro Designed custom knee pads

187 Killer Pads Fly

My second favorite lightweight pads but not suitable for heavy riders. They are very affordable, stay in place and do what they’re supposed to; protect your knees.

They feel comfortable, not too restrictive, and after a few session they really start to shine. The only downside is that you need to pull them over your knees so putting them on and taking them off is a bit of a hassle.

These are great entry level knee pads and not too expensive.

Older Skater or Bad Knees?

If you are looking for something sturdy and pads that support your knees, I recommend the TSG Force knee pads. These are expensive but high-end and offer optimal protection. Your second option is the 187 Killer Pads Pro. Also, great quality knee pads that can deal with impacts.

187 Killer Pads Pro

Just as good as TSG, the 187 Killer pads Pro offer maximum protection and are used by many pro skaters for good reasons.

These are great for bowl, mini ramp, and vert skating. It’s easy to replace the plastic caps and there’s a thick cup-shaped layer of foam that covers your knee.

At first, they might feel a bit bulky and restrictive but that will go away once you break them in. The materials need some time to adjust and will feel much better after a few hours of skateboarding.

They feel great (not too tight) and don’t move around when skating. Absolutely recommended when you have bad knees, are a bit older, or just want the best protective gear.

TSG Force Kneepads

Those who have bad knees you should consider them as they provide maximum support and you don’t feel much when you fall/slide. I use these pads when my knees hurt or when I try something new. They feel a bit more restraining than the 187 standard knee pads but you’ll get used to that quickly.

They aren’t always available and if they are sold out, consider the 187 killer pads pro. They offer the same level of protection.

TSG (Technical Safety Gear) is relatively new on the market. A fresh face means new ideas and their designs show they know their stuff. Not only do they focus on the kneecap, but also the sides of your knees are protected.

When it comes to safety and preventing injury I rather not cheap out.  The TSG Force pads aren’t for everyone. They are bulky and might feel like it restricts movement but you just have to get used to it. I like to skate bowls and mini ramps but these pads are also great for vert.

They absorb so much impact, every time I fall I thank my knee pads. They have an open back and a plastic buckle and don’t move an inch, but that depends on how well they fit. 

Smith Elite Scabs

These used to be my favorite knee pads but they are really hard to find these days. They aren’t too bulky or restrictive and deal fairly well with impacts. Most importantly, they stay in place because you don’t want your pads to shift just before a slam.

They didn’t fit great at first but then I realized there’s one for your left knee and one pad for you right knee (check the label). After swapping them they felt perfect. They handle impacts quite well and stay in place while sliding. I experience more sweat so I recommend leaving them to dry after a session.

They do press a little on the shins at first but this will go away once you break them in. So far I think these are the best pads I ever had. There is one con that might be a deal breaker. If you land hard on the pads, you will feel it. They aren’t as forgiving as TSG or 187 pro pads, but they feel way more comfortable. That’s something I can live with, and it isn’t that bad at all but noticeable.

• Comfortable knee pads
• Lightweight
• Not too restrictive
• Easy to put on and off
• They don’t shift too much
• Open back and butterfly straps 
• Sweaty knees after a session but you can wash them
• Deal well with impacts though TSG and 187 pro pads handle impacts even better
• Can’t remove the plastic caps like the Elite Scabs 2
• Hard impacts might feel uncomfortable depending on your weight, but your knees will be fine.

You can easily adjust the fit by tightening or loosening the straps which only takes a few seconds. Buy them when you want optimal protection and pads that don’t feel too constraining. Great pads for mini ramps, pools, and street/parks.

I would recommend getting a size bigger when the fit is right between two sizes, the straps will compensate for that.

Optimal Protection vs Comfort

If you’re looking for heavy-duty knee pads you should be aware that they take some time before you get used to them. Pads like the TSG Force III or the 187 Killer pads pro offer protection from hard impacts but are also bulky.

You can’t wear them under your pants but they feel like landing on clouds (especially the TSG’s). So it’s a trade-off between optimal protection and comfort.

If you’re older I would go for big bulky pads. I used to be able to take a beating in my 20’s but those days are over, the Elite Scabs seem to do the job just fine though and aren’t too bulky.

What Size Should You Get?

Take a look at the chart below to find out the size you need. They need to fit properly or they will slide off and you end up with a busted knee.

Knee pads shouldn’t restrict your range of motion. Too tight means you’ll be less comfortable and restrict you from bending the knees. Too lose will make them come off when you take a hit. Measure before you buy:

• Wrap a measuring tape around the center of your knee.
• Stretch your leg and measure around the center of your knee. You can measure at the middle, top or bottom of your leg where the knee pad will rest when worn.

If you don’t have a measuring tape just use string or a rope and hold it against a ruler.

Features to look for

• Open back pad. You shouldn’t have to take off your shoes before putting them on.
• Preferably made of neoprene with Velcro. Elastic straps with Velcro and a plastic buckle to secure them tight (not too tight though).

Most of the reviews are fake, or the reviewers are bribed. If you look at the 1 and 2-star reviews you’ll learn that Amazon skateboard are unsafe and low quality.

It wasn’t a surprise to find out that the skateboards I purchased we’re terrible. Since lots of websites recommend them, I think it’s a good idea to expose these horrible skateboard ‘brands’. I wouldn’t even these a brand to be honest.

The Worst Skateboards?

There are too many to list, but I’ll mention a couple of the worst Amazon skateboards, how to recognize a bad skateboard, even when you shop online. Here are the skateboards I ordered which cost me about 550 bucks because I had to pay a hefty shipping fee:

• Cal 7: Mediocre, not the worst.
• Wolff: Completely unsafe.
• Magneto: Their cruiser is okay, the rest okayish.
• Minority: I can’t make jokes about minorities but this board wasn’t funny anyway.
• WhiteFang: Not great, could be worse.
• Hikole: Snaps when you sneeze.
• Retrospec: What the fk is this?
• Metroller: Not even worth throwing in a bonfire.
• KPC: Rather get some KFC instead.
• Tony hawk Signature Series: Honestly not bad if you get the right series. Decent skateboard for kids.

Some of them are worse than others. Cal 7 and Magneto at least come with a deck that isn’t the worst, but still the components are trash. In fact, most of the best sellers are the worst skateboards you can buy. Somehow they cheated the system and Amazon doesn’t care.

It’s Not All Bad

The better skateboards on Amazon are usually around $70 and up. CCS completes go from 70 to 80 bucks which is a steal. They aren’t perfect, but miles ahead of ‘brands’ like Minority.

Some of the more decent come from a few independent webshops and a couple of reputable brands. Want a decent complete? These are a good choice:

• The CCS Complete is a really good deal.
• Birdhouse offers high quality completes, better than the other known brands.
• Globe offers very decent beginner boards.
• Santa Cruz completes are okay, but a bit overpriced (birch deck and terrible trucks).
• Arbor Wiskey Complete is also a great choice.

Keep in mind that these are not custom setups. In the end you get what you pay for. You can buy a decent skateboard for about 100 bucks but it still won’t be great. Good enough for beginners, but not recommended for skateboarders with experience.

The Absolute Worst Skateboard – Hikole

Basically the easiest way to spot a bad skateboard is its price. A skateboard under 60 bucks is made of cheap materials and probably won’t cost more than $5 to $10 USD to produce. All those 5-star reviewed and $30 to $50 USD skateboards are unsafe to ride.

I ordered this Hikole skateboard and it was dead on arrival, the ply’s were delaminated which is an accident waiting to happen. Look at that, it’s some sort of cheapass wood glue!

It’s not even made of maple like advertised, it’s some mix of low quality birch and the deck has a soggy pop. Not a single nanotube of maple present. It even bends when you apply a bit of pressure!

I dumped it in the trash in the background, the image seems fitting.

I added the green line to show what I mean, you can clearly see the deck bending when I apply some pressure to the front of the board. This shouldn’t be happening and it means that you can’t do tricks on this board because it will deform when you attempt a trick. Most likely it will break on the first try.

It comes wrapped in plastic, which is also a sigh of a low quality skateboard. The manufacturer didn’t even bother to wrap is in plastic after assembly. I removed most of the plastic but some is still stuck under the trucks. I kicked it right at the center and it just snaped, like wow. I didn’t even put a lot of effort into it but it just snapped in half.

Be wary of raving reviews, non of the 4 and 5-star reviews are written by skaters. For the harsh truth you better read the 1 and 2-star reviews, if they don’t get deleted.

“My grand son was really happy to get a skateboard”, BAM 5-stars.

“Super fast shipping, love the graphic”, POW! 5-stars.

You probably see what’s going on here, people who bought this product as a gift for a skateboarder should’t be reviewing a skateboard. There is something more weird stuff with Amazon reviews which isn’t obvious at first.

Many of the reviews are fake. Some are written by bots, and some people gave a bad review at first but got a refund in return for a glowing review. There are tools that can detect fake reviews and here is where it starts to get interesting. Here are a couple you can use to spot fake reviews:

• reviewmeta.com
• thereviewindex.com

The absolute worst skateboards are always wrapped in plastic. The Chinese manufacterers wrap the deck in plastic and then attach the trucks. This isn’t always obvious when you shop online, but when you shop skateboards at Walmart you know what to avoid.

If a skateboard is under 50 bucks you should assume it is absolute trash. A quality deck alone is around 60-70 bucks which is more than a complete cheap skateboard.

Last Words

I get approached by Chinese manufacturers occasionally. One offered me 500 USD for a positive review which I politely declined (like 3 times until I blocked them). It wasn’t even tempting because once you start doing fake reviews, it’s a slippery slope.

I would never recommend a product that I don’t support, 90% of the product I recommend are tested by myself or friends. The other 10% is stuff I just know is great because it’s from a reputable brand or I tested similar products.

Anyhoo, be careful when you shop on for skateboards. There are many quality skateboards but also a load of the worst skateboards you can buy.

FYI: I gave away some of the boards that I felt we’re safe enough to a bunch of kids. The rest ended up in the garbage.

There are a couple of ways to make it easier to find out which is the front and back. The front of your board is the nose and the back is called the tail. The nose of a skateboard is longer and higher from the ground compared to the tail.

1. Inspect the graphic, they are usually directional and point to the front
2. Check the shape, the higher and longer end is the front of your board
3. Mark your grip tape once you figure our the front or use colored hardware.

After over 20 years of skateboarding I still check if I’m holding my skateboard the right way before I drop in. The thing is, even experienced skaters sometimes check the front and back of their skateboard because the difference isn’t always immediately obvious.

Graphics Usually Give It Away

This doesn’t work when you have a blank skateboard deck, but usually there is a heat-transferred graphic that goes from the back to the front of a skateboard. The arrows in the example above poin towards the nose.

Often there is a brand name or some typography which makes it easy to identify the front of your skateboard.

If there isn’t any logo or typography present, the orientation of the graphic should give away the nose and tail of your skateboard.

Inspect Both Ends For Length and Angles

While it’s hard to see on this image, if you inspect both ends of a skateboard in real life you will see differences. It’s clear that the nose is longer (green area) and slightly more elevated (red line).

• The front (nose) is often longer and has a steeper upward curve.
• The back (tail) is shorter and less steep angle.

The Nose (front) and tail (back) are shaped differently, with the exception of twin-shaped decks. The nose is a bit longer and further from the ground than the tail.

When you put your skateboard on the ground on an even surface, the difference should be visible. This is especially useful when you don’t have a graphic on the bottom of your deck.

3. Mark Your Grip Tape

I always make a grip tape cut out near the back of my skateboard. This makes it immediately obvious that you’re skating the ‘wrong’ way.

You can make a circle, a square, or any shape you desire. Another simple way is to just make a deep scratch at the end of the nose.

Colored Hardware

Last practical solution is to use different colored bolts. If you place 2 colored bolts at the front (or back) it’s easy to identify the which is what.

The only downside is that some colored hardware gradually fades so stay away from the cheap Element hardware. It’s just a colored coating or paint which doesn’t last forever depending on the brand.

As soon as you identified the nose and tail, put the colored bolts where you prefer. Some brands sell hardware with 6 black and 2 colored bolts.

Use a different Colored Wheel

I was watching the documentary Tony Hawk: Until The Wheels Come Off’ and noticed he had 3 green wheels and one white wheel in front (or was it the other way around?), and thought it was an interesting approach. Does Tony hawk also have this issue?

I guess this is way over the top because it would require you to buy two sets of the same wheels, but a pretty cool solution nonetheless.

A cheap solution would be to swap one wheel and put the graphic on the inside (or the other way around).

Difference Between Nose and Tail of a Skateboard

The nose and tail are shaped differently because you use your front and back foot for different purposes. Your dominant foot which you use to pop a deck, is usually in the back and is often stronger.

Your front foot is arguably faster and used for flip tricks, a longer and steeper nose makes this easier.

Usually you either skate regular or goofy where your back foot is always on the tail. You hardly ever ride with your front foot on the nose, except when doing tricks like nollies.

A shorter tail which is lower to the ground takes less time to pop. A longer and steeper nose will help you to flip your board faster.

Anyway, that’s about it I guess.

One has got to admire the skills of Shane O’Neill and his pro shoe is one of the best vulcanized skate shoes Nike SB offers. They are lightweight, feature thin insoles, and offer a significant amount of board feel and control, boosting your confidence.

Like most vulcanized skate shoes, the Nike SB Shane don’t require much time to break in, the upper suede feels more flexible over time allowing for more flick control. Wearing them for a couple of days first will speed up the process, though a few sessions of skateboarding will work just as well.

The SB Shane isn’t a head turner and looks a bit boring because of its minimalist design. Since skateboarding isn’t a fashion show, their simplicity is actually one of their strong suits.

They are true to size for those with normal feet. The toe box can feel a bit tight if you have wider feet. The only con is the lack of impact protection. Just like most Nike skate shoes, the insoles aren’t great and might not be suitable for every style of skateboarding.

The SB Shane laces are a bit further back, making it less likely to rip the laces. The nose and flick areas consist of quality suede, where the rubber toe bumper extends their life span, adding extra durability to the flick areas.

Great for flat ground tricks, rails, ledge tricks, smaller drops, and general low-impact transition skateboarding. Aspiring Homoki’s should at least consider replacing the insoles, they offer little impact protection.

They last between 60 and 70 hours.

Reasons To Buy:

Reasons To Avoid:

Some of these are free to watch and others are not, but with some searching skills you should be able to find them (Bing actually works better than Google). 

Here are 1900 minutes of skateboard documentaries I was able to find in chronological order, I’m sure there are many more. Some won’t work in this site and you have to visit YouTube.

1. The Devil’s Toy

• Year: 1966
• Director: Claude Jutra
• Duration: 15 minutes

2. Skateboard Kings

• Year: 1978
• Director: ?
• Duration: 59 minutes

3. Blind Video Days

• Year: 1991
• Director: Spike Jonze
• Duration: 24 minutes

4. Dogtown and Z Boys

• Year: 2001
• Director: Stacy Peralta
• Duration: 91 minutes

5. Tic Tac 2 Heelflip

• Year: 2001
• Director: Mike Hill
• Duration: 52 minutes

6. Rodney Mullen: From the Ground Up

• Year: 2002
• Director: ?
• Duration: 30 minutes

7. Video Vortex: The LOVE Park Story

• Year: 2003
• Director: ?
• Duration: 33

8. Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator

• Year: 2004
• Director: Helen Stickler
• Duration: 82 minutes

9. The History of Street Skating

• Year: 2004
• Director: Helen Stickler
• Duration: 32 minutes

10. Hot Chocolate

• Year: 2004
• Directors: Ty Evans and Spike Jonze 
• Duration: 53 minutes

11. WHO CARES – The Duane Peters Story

• Year: 2005
• Director: John Lucero
• Duration: 70 minutes

12. Lords of Dogtown

• Year: 2005
• Director: Catherine Hardwicke
• Duration: 107 minutes

13. Rising Son: The Legend Of Skateboarder Christian Hosoi

• Year: 2006
• Director: Cesario Block Montano
• Duration: 98 minutes

14. Freedom of Space

• Year: 2006
• Director: Steve Olpin and Tim Irvin
• Duration: 61 minutes

15. The Man Who Souled the World

• Year: 2007
• Director: Mike Hill
• Duration:  87 minutes

16. Pray For Me The Jason Jessee Film

• Year: 2007
• Director: Steve Nemsick, David Rogerson
• Duration:  82 minutes

17. Lakai – The Final Flare!

• Year: 2008
• Director: Spike Jonze
• Duration: 63 minutes

18. Skatopia: 88 Acres of Anarchy 

• Year: 2010
• Director: Laurie House, Colin Powers
• Duration: 99 minutes

19. Waiting for Lightning

• Year: 2012
• Director: Jacob Rosenberg
• Duration: 96 minutes

20. Bones Brigade: An Autobiography

• Year: 2012
• Director: Stacy Peralta
• Duration: 120 minutes

21. Rodney Mullen’s TED Talk

• Year: 2012
• Director: none
• Duration: 18 minutes

22. We Are Skateboarders

• Year: 2012
• Director: Ben Duffy
• Duration: 77 minutes

23. Freeling

• Year: 2012
• Director: Andrew Lovgren
• Duration: 26 minutes

24. The Motivation

• Year: 2013
• Director: Adam Bhala Lough
• Duration: 90 minutes

25. We Are Blood

https://youtu.be/69TY-5WToBE

• Year: 2015
• Director: Ty Evans
• Duration: 91 minutes

26. All This Mayhem

• Year: 2014
• Director: Eddie Martin
• Duration: 104 minutes

27. “Nothing Meaner” The Story of Dean Lane Skatepark

• Year: 2019
• Director: ?
• Duration: 46 minutes

28. Daewon

• Year: 2019
• Director: Joe Pease
• Duration: 49 minutes

29. Tony Hawk: Until The Wheels Fall Off

• Year: 2022
• Director: Sam Jones
• Duration: 2h 15m minutes

This documentary with never seen before footage covers the career of the living Legend Tony Hawk. This documentary is about Hawk’s determination, ups and downs, and the history of skateboarding. A truly inspiring and motivating story for anyone that loves skateboarding.

Currently available on HBO Max, interviews with Hawk, Stacy Peralta, Rodney Mullen, Lance Mountain, and many other big names.

Honorary Mentions

If this isn’t enough, there is always Epicly Later’d and Love letters to skateboarding

Many skaters recommend the Epicly Later’d series, and in particular, the John Cardiel episodes.

It’s a decent skateboard for it’s price. The trucks turn smooth and the softer wheels are versatile meaning they can handle slightly rougher surfaces but also perform in skate parks.

This skateboard is not for kids who want to to learn technical skateboarding, nor is it for adults. Because the deck is made of birch, it won’t be able to handle high impact skateboarding.

Basic tricks aren’t an issue, which makes it a decent choice for a kid who wants to explore skateboarding, though it’s a bit heavy making it harder to control.

This board is 7.6″ wide and suitable for kids aged 8 to 12.

The trucks turn well and the bushings aren’t too soft but depending on your kid’s weight you might want to tweak them a little.

You get decent wheels, sturdy trucks, mediocre bearings, and a lower quality deck. Despite the cons, it’s a good skateboard for kids who are just starting out.

What We Like And Don’t Like

Considering the price there isn’t too much to complain about. Corners have to cut meaning you won’t get top quality parts.

Pros:

1. Cool dragon design that appeals to kids.
2. Made by a reputable brand, Powell Peralta.
3. Sized right for kids from 8 to 12.
4. Trucks provide a decent ride and can be adjusted for stability.
5. Wheels handle various surfaces well.
6. Good value for money.

Cons:

1. Not suitable for advanced tricks or high-impact skateboarding.
2. Bearings are standard and might need lubrication for better performance.
3. Might feel too wobbly straight out of the box and requires adjustment.
4. The board is on the heavier side compared to other kids boards.
5. Birch deck while suitable for beginners, isn’t very durable.

The price varies. During holidays it’s often listed for $80USD which is way too much. Often you can get it for around $50-60 USD which I think is a fair price. Let’s take a look at the components.

Deck

The skateobard deck is made of birch which isn’t the best material. While beginners will hardly notice, in the long run you might want to replace it with a maple deck.

My kid really liked this board, mainly because of the graphic. ‘Wow dad, there’s a dragon on this board’, was the first thing he said and he immediately wanted to try it out.

It’s one of the smaller boards in this list, at 7.625″ wide the deck is suitable for kids under 12 years old.

The shape and concave are suitable for both riding and basic tricks. It’s a budget skateboard, and the pop is rather mediocre but this isn’t an issue for kids who want to explore skateboarding.

If you like to take your kids to your local skatepark, or have a reasonable smooth sidewalk outside, this is an excellent choice. It’s a decent board that will last for a long time if used right.

Trucks

It comes with reliable mini logo trucks that are fine for kids. One thing that makes this board stand out from the others are they way they carve.

We didn’t notice and deformations when doing tricks meaning the bushings are hard enough and don’t require much tweaking.

My son was able to ride and correct his riding direction when needed, while it isn’t as good as the SkateXS skateboard (review), it’s still a decent budget option.

Wheels

The wheels are grippy and stable; they are softer compared to professional skateboard wheels which is a good thing. We tested the wheels on asphalt, steel, concrete, wood, and they hold up fine.

Sure, if your kid is a really skilled skateboarder, the wheels won’t suffice.

For example, a trick like a powerslide will cause tiny flat spots on the surface of the contact patch (the part of the wheel that comes into contact with the riding surface).

But if you worry about that, you better get the kid a professional custom skateboard.

Bearings

Standard bearings that work fine, not too fast and not too slow. No weird sounds or wheels blocking because of faulty bearings.

I advice to use some silicon lube to increase their performance, just a tiny drop will make a difference.

When riding on rougher surfacesit requires more effort to get some speed, still manageable though.

In Short

The Golden Dragon skateboard by Powell Peralta is a kid-friendly choice, especially for those under 12.

Performance-wise, it’s suitable for beginners but not suitable for advanced tricks, it’s a value-for-money option and a decent entry board.

SkateXS skateboards are of the highest quality and offer kid friendly graphics, improved turning, and softer wheels that handle rougher surfaces well. The maple/bamboo decks are durable and can withstand hard impacts making it a very safe skateboard.

The SkateXS beginner skateboard is the budget version without sacrificing much quality. It’s rather lightweight, which makes it easy for small kids to carry around and offers a stable and smooth ride. You can pick the color of the wheels, grip tape (sand paper like material on top), and graphic.

The Experience of An Absolute Beginner

I had a great opportunity to test this board with an absolute beginner: my niece is who was 6 years old at the time.

She never skated before, but I could tell she loved the experience. She also is a little obsessed with unicorns and when I showed her this skateboard, her eyes became visibly larger. She absolutely adored the graphic and immediately wanted to skate.

I got her a spare helmet first (slightly too big; it was unplanned) and elbow, knee pads, and wrist guards once she started skateboarding without someone holding her hand. She picked it up quite fast, which is also because of the softer wheels and responsiveness of the skateboard.

The softer wheels offer a smooth ride even on some rougher parts of the street. It offers noticeably more stability than any of the other boards we tested.

Turning was still a bit difficult for her at first but she managed to pull it off in the end. Overall, she had a great experience and I gave her the same board for her birthday (and a proper helmet).

A year passed and she still enjoys riding the board and only the bearings start to wear slightly, which is normal.

Available at SkateXS

The beginner version is currently $117,95.

Shop at SkateXS

Diving Into The Specifics

Let’s look at the individual components, and why they work well for kids. To make it comprehensible I’ll briefly explain the jargon:

A Skateboard deck is the flat wooden board that the rider stands on and performs tricks with.

Skateboard trucks are the T-shaped components that attach to the underside of the skateboard deck and enable the rider to turn and pivot.

Skateboard bushings are the small rubber or urethane rings that fit inside the skateboard trucks and allow for smooth turning.

The shore durometer scale is a measurement system used to determine the hardness of the wheels.

Skateboard bearings are small, circular metal components that fit inside the skateboard wheels and allow them to spin around the axle.

Skateboard grip tape is a rough, sandpaper-like adhesive sheet that is applied to the top surface of the skateboard deck to provide traction and grip for the rider’s feet.

Bamboo/maple Deck

The deck feels stiff and wear resistant. It doesn’t flex like cheaper deck brands which makes it easier to maintain balance.

After a year there are no signs of chipping or delamination, also no pressure cracks or warping of the board.

It comes with graphics for both boys and girls to make it more appealing. The deck construction contains 2 ply’s of bamboo and 5 ply’s of hard rock maple, making it last a lot longer compared to birch.

Kid Friendly Graphics

What I really like about these skateboards is the kid friendly graphics. Pirates, unicorns, dragons, to name a few without being over the top. Often overlooked, but graphics play a huge part in getting stoked to skateboard.

Obviously it’s a matter of preference, but I often hear parents mentioning not liking the graphics of certain brands because of the skulls or scary artwork. The quality of the graphics is great and doesn’t peel off after a few times of skating, nor does it fade it you take proper care of the board.

Here are the ones we tested. Including the beginner, advanced, and pro version (from left to right). Honestly the beginner version is just fine.

Softer Wheels

I picked the colorful SkateXS branded wheels that provide enough grip and stability for younger riders. The swirl mix wheels look amazing and work well with the colorful grip tape and deck graphics. The softer wheels handle small cracks and pebbles well.

This makes them very versatile, meaning you can skate on rougher surfaces (not too rough), are great for cruising, but they also perform well in parks and streets.

Keep in mind that softer wheels bounce more compared to harder wheels, which makes it harder to land and control a trick. Not something to worry about because most kids just want to learn how to ride. You can always replace the wheels once a kid is ready to learn basic tricks.

The graphics will wear and fade over time, which is common.

Strong Lightweight Trucks

I am pleasantly surprised by the SkateXS trucks. Rarely do you get lightweight trucks like this on a complete setup. Most of the completes you can buy on Amazon come with very heavy trucks that hardly turn and make the overall setup rather heavy.

They are as good as many of the more popular brands and even come with a hollow kingpin. They turn great because they specifically picked the bushings for kids. Bushings are urethane (plastic) rings that fit inside the skateboard trucks.

The bushings also snap back into position quickly, which means it’s easier to go back to riding in a straight line without having to overcompensate. You also have the option to upgrade the bushings to Bones bushings which offer more stability and control.

SkateXS Bearings

The basic version comes with SkateXS bearings, which perform well. They keep rolling for quite some time and don’t require kids to push as often.

This also gives them more time to become comfortable with their skateboard. As I don’t expect kids at such a young age to do high-impact skateboarding, they do the job just fine.

Grip Tape

The grip tape comes in many colors and isn’t too gritty. While grip tape is supposed to offer grip, too much can make it difficult to adjust your stance. Ideally, you want grip tape to keep your feet on the board, but also being able to quickly adjust your feet.

The grip tape offers both, and I didn’t notice my son nor my niece having trouble adjusting their stance. Another feature is that you can opt for adding a name to the skateboard to make it more personal.

SkateXS Compared to Other Skateboard Brands

My son and I tried a lot of kids skateboards over the years and after some time you notice most boards are exactly the same with a different graphic. Cutting costs left and right and the most dangerous boards are from unknown brands you over see on Amazon.

SkateXS is the only brand that offers custom skateboards designed for kids. Most kids skateboards are of much lower quality and mass produced. The great thing about these boards is that they are custom assembled by picking the right parts suitable for kids depending on their age/size.

Often skateboards come with wheels that are of low quality, bearings that hardly spin, or bushings that are too hard and make turning difficult. Nowadays, many are made of birch to cut costs, which tends to chip and splinter.

You could assemble your own skateboard by picking the parts yourself, but you need to know what works and what doesn’t. You’ll probably end up paying more and it also requires time.

If the price is an issue, consider the Powell Peralta Golden Dragon (read about our experience) or a rather overpriced Santa Cruz Skateboard.

Verdict

There are no cons to this skateboard which is a first for me, that’s why we consider it the best skateboard for kids. You could argue that $120 USD is a lot for a kids skateboard which is true, but considering the parts you get and how well it’s put together, it really isn’t something to discredit this setup for.

Most decent skateboards these days go for around 100 to 120 bucks and they aren’t even customized like this. Sure, you could buy a $30 USD Amazon skateboard, but they are unsafe, don’t ride well, and mass produced. I actually bought a bunch of cheap skateboards and the experience was just terrible.

This skateboard offers a lot. Easier to control, more predictable, better stability, and looks pretty rad.

I guess that was some sort of placebo effect because in reality ABEC has nothing to do with the quality of your bearings.

Does ABEC rating really matter when considering skateboard bearings? The answer is two fold and isn’t a simple matter of yes and no.

I had an interesting conversation with David from skateceramics about ABEC rating (and ceramic skateboard bearings). He came across my rant about why I think expensive ceramic bearings are worthless and I asked him what he as an expert, thinks about ABEC. Let’s look a bit into what ABEC really means and when it does and doesn’t matter.

ABEC-Rating And Skateboard Bearings

ABEC rating doesn’t mean much when applied to skateboarding. A skateboard bearing should be able to deal with impacts from all directions, but ABEC rating is about ball precision and tolerance. It doesn’t consider side loading, impact resistance, or clearance between the balls and the races.

Using common sense, you can only push and pump as hard as you’re able to, with the exception of downhill longboarders of course. Most bearings can go faster than a human can skateboard, given it’s a quality bearing and won’t melt from friction.

Skateboard bearings don’t need high RPM’s to work. A typical skateboarder won’t go over 2000 RPM’s according to Bones, so a high precision bearing isn’t necessary. That doesn’t mean that you can completely outrule ABEC ratings though.

The other side of the argument that this idea of ABEC rating not taking seriously is that brands like Bones can get away with marketing their bearings as ‘Skate Rated’, which is convenient. Bones offers bearings which are less precise but deal better with impacts, at least that’s what they tell us.

Basically you need precise races and an overall bearing with a really precise internal fit.  This translates to more feedback or “feel” from the wheels to your feet. 

You can’t stop there though – different materials expand/contract differently when heated/cooled – so you can’t use a steel race with a silicon nitride ball and manufacture a really precise bearing. That’s why some bearing manufacturers don’t use the ABEC rating.

The Meaning of ABEC for Skateboard Bearings

ABEC ratings only consider the precision the ball is manufactured to. So, if you have inaccurate races, the ABEC rating of the ball becomes irrelevant. The bearings and races need to be looked at as a whole.

The ABEC rating system is a rating system used to measure the dimensions, precision and performance of bearings. ABEC stands for Annular Bearing Engineering Committee, and the rating system is managed by the American Bearing Manufacturers Association (ABMA).

The ABEC rating system categorizes bearings using odd numbers, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9. the higher the number, the tighter the tolerances. So it reflects efficiency and the speed a bearing can handle, but since this is not really relevant it shouldn’t be the most important factor.

You see these cheap ABEC-9 bearings on Amazon, for example, but I wouldn’t trust them when ollying a set of stairs. It’s not about the rotational speed. Basic bearing like Bones Reds for example, they aren’t the most durable but a great, simple ABEC-9 bearing, pretty bomb-proof, gets quicker with age and not badly priced.

The ABEC scale has equivalent ISO 492 ratings, which are as follows:

• ABEC 1: ISO Class 6X
• ABEC 3: ISO Class 6
• ABEC 5: ISO Class 5
• ABEC 7: ISO Class 4
• ABEC 9: ISO Class 2

What About ABEC 11?

According to David from SkateCeramics there isn’t an official ABEC-11 rating though you come cross them occasionally. ABEC-11 is a term that means it exceeds the precision rating of an ABEC-9 bearing – there are no specific set of parameters it must adhere to, they are set by the manufacturer but they must all exceed ABEC-9. 

It’s common in manufacturing – for example in IP protection ratings for water and dust ingress (the US uses NEMA), the maximum rating with parameters is IP68, but you can order an IP69K rated product for a special purpose (like deepwater subsea use for example).

Factors That Make a Quality Skateboard Bearing

Most brands use lightweight bearings which have a different expansion rate than steel and get slower in certain temperature conditions. If you live in a colder environment, your bearings will perform much better because they stay cooler and expand less.

The problem is that there aren’t many popular brands that offer high quality stuff. They also don’t mention the quality of the bearing other than throwing around confusing marketing mumbo jumbo.

After digging around and testing bearings I’m convinced that expensive bearings are not the best skateboard bearings.

Rubber Shields

Being able to pop of the shields of a bearings is one of the most important features. It allows you to clean and relube them properly. If you live somewhere really dusty, taking the seals (shields) out will mean your bearings are self-clearing.

If they’re full of dust and gunk, the bearings and cage will end up in contact with each other and create friction.

Impact Resistance

If you’re a skateboarder that loves to skate big features, you need something realiable. Cheaper bearings (like really cheap) tend to simply break on impact. Sure, cheaper brands like Mini Logo can take a few beatings but will probably succumb to impacts sooner than later.

Price VS Quality

Spending more than $40 USD on bearings isn’t necessary. It’s better to ride cheaper bearings that last for 6 months than buying expenive bearings that harldy work for a year.

Environment

if you live in a dry and dusty area your bearing will suffer more. Over time bearings will collect dust and dirt resulting in those squeaky skateboard noises. We have a lot of rain over here and one of our local skaters managed to destroy his Bones Reds after 2 months. You can either choose to clean and relube bearings of just get a new set.

Skate Style

Sort of correlates with impact but let’s clarify this a bit further. For those that love to cruise around town you don’t need expenive bearings. Just get a setof Zealous bearings and you should be good. Ignore their ceramics, even though they aren’t that expensive.

if you do some basic skateboarding in a mini ramp or carve bowls, cheap bearings will work just fine. No need for Bones Super Swiss or Super Reds, standard Bronson G2’s or Reds will work just fine.

Street skaters that skate big features should get something that can handle impacts better. Bones Super Swiss or Bronson G3’s are a good option because they handle impacts better. Even then, bearings in the lower price range can still be considered.

Final Words

So ABEC does and doesn’t matter, the key to a decent skateboard bearing is a balance between price and quality.

The ABEC rating system doesn’t always necessarily say something about performance or quality of bearings. Cheap bearings you find on completes often don’t perform as well as those with lower ABEC ratings. Picking skateboard bearings just from their ABEC rating is not the way to go.

Consider bearings that last for a while and can withstand impacts, definitely avoid expensive ceramics. A decent skateboard bearing should consist of quality materials and be able to handle side loading, not just spin fast.

All you need is a popsicle-shaped deck, medium-hard wheels, and trucks from any brand. As for bearings, it doesn’t matter much.

Choose Zealous Classic bearings for longer rides, and Bronson or Bones Red bearings for quick acceleration. You can even just replace the deck on the cruiser you’re currently riding.

Here’s How You Build a Cruiser for Tricks

Let’s consider deck size. Do you want to cruise comfortably and pop a few ollies? Go with a wider deck and 80A wheels. If you want more cruise and fewer tricks, choose wheels from 60mm to a maximum of 63mm.

If you want more tricks and less cruising, opt for 58mm to 60mm wheels. It’s that simple.

Responsive Cruiser for Tricks:

• 8.25″ maple deck
• 85a to 92A wheels – 56mm to 58mm
• Trucks of any brand
• Bronson G2 bearings (add some spacers as well)
• A shock pad for comfort (optional)
• 1/8″ hardware
• Jessup grip tape

Done. Here’s a nimble cruiser, and when you shop smart, you can get it for around $100 to $120 USD.

A Cruiser Trick Board:

We’re doing the opposite here. A smooth cruiser that allows for ollies and other basic tricks:

• 8.5″ to 9″ maple popsicle deck
• 80a to 85A wheels – 60mm to 63mm
• If you go 60mm, add riser pads!
• Trucks of any brand
• Zealous bearings
• 1/8″ hardware
• Jessup grip tape

Done. You can add angled riser pads to create a more carvy experience or not. It’s up to you.

Larger Wheels Make Tricks Harder But Offer More Cruise

Smaller decks are more nimble and allow for flip tricks, though softer wheels will give you a hard time as they bounce a lot. For flip tricks, go with a regular skateboard deck with 90A wheels if you still want to cruise.

Smaller/Harder Wheels Make Cruising Less Enjoyable, but Offer More Tricks

You need to find the right balance between tricks and cruising. You can’t cruise on buttery smooth wheels and still expect to pop technical tricks. This is extremely difficult if you aren’t an experienced skateboarder.

Experienced skateboarders won’t even bother doing technical tricks on a cruiser because it’s risky and pointless. You need a regular skateboard for that.

Check Out Decks With Wheel Wells

A while ago i got this rad 9″ deck from Madness with wheel wells, super awesome deck for cruising and bowl skateboarding. If you are going to assemble your own cruiser, decks with wheel wells are super rad cause they give you a little more clearance to prevent wheel bite.

Bushings

Experiment with bushings, softer give you a nicer carve where harder make it easier to do tricks. Shapes matter, but this is more advanced stuff I’ll save for another post.

Softer Wheels Bounce, Harder Wheels Don’t

It’s all in the wheels. Tricks on harder wheels are easier because they don’t bounce back up and make correcting mistakes easier.

Bigger, softer wheels require much more precision when doing tricks. If you land a trick slightly at an angle, they will bounce back hard and give you a rough time.

Recommended Wheels For Cruising and Tricks

• Ricta cloud 92A: more tricks, less cruising. Get the biggest for more cruising.
• Bones ATF 80A: More Cruising, less tricks. Still very skateable and cruisable but ollies feel bouncy.
• Any wheel in the size and hardness I just suggested, find your sweet spot.

Last Words

Stop overthinking. A cruiser for tricks is something you need to assemble yourself. It’s not going to be perfect because it’s physically impossible to create wheels that are both soft and hard.

A cruiser trick setup is prety fun though but has its limitations. Enough for doing some basic stuff while still enjoying a smooth ride.

I tried them myself and handed them out to a few local skaters that ride in all conditions. These guys were stoked! Oh wow, ceramic bearings!

The hype surrounding these bearings is real, but in reality expensive ceramic skateboard bearings aren’t worth it. They may arguably perform a bit longer compared to regular steel bearings but they still rust, aren’t faster, or give any advantages while skateboarding.

Even though I suspected ceramic bearings to be worthless, it was still a disapointment. Since I gave away the answer already, let’s look at a couple of frequently asked questions and some cheaper alternatives.

What Are Ceramic Skateboard Bearings?

I always assumed ceramic skateboard bearings were 100% ceramic, turns out it’s only the bearing balls. Bearings can be called ceramic even if only one of the balls is made of ceramic material. It’s actually a good thing, ceramic may be lighter and harder than steel but they are still fragile.

Full ceramic bearings do exist but they aren’t suitable for skateboarding. They can’t handle impacts very well and will fracture, never go full ceramic.

Ceramic skate bearings are steel bearings with a number of ceramic balls that have less friction. The ceramic balls are made from silicon nitride which is 60% lighter than steel and also harder.

Here’s also where the first problem surfaces. If the ceramic balls are harder than the steel races, they will eat into the steel components over time.

Ceramics Are a Ripp Off

The expensive ones at least. Here’s a quote from a bearing company I spoke to a while ago:

Bones are a great example of a ripoff.They use lightweight ceramic balls to keep their shipping costs down.  We use ceramic balls that are 26% harder but they’re no lighter than steel so no good for a big corporate like Bones has become.They also use stainless races and we all know stainless gets surface rust so they’ll slow down plenty quick.We use automotive coating on our races which is incredibly hard and means zero corrosion.Another thing that p*sees me off about Bones is the lightweight bearings they use have a different expansion rate than steel – so they get slower in certain temperature conditions – this is why they won’t use ABEC ratings and use “skate rated” instead – basically they have to manufacture looser bearings to compensate.Not only is our ceramic harder, it has virtually the same expansion rate as steel so we can spec ABEC-11 balls.

David (last name redacted)

Pros and Cons of Ceramic Bearings

Let’s have a look at the pros and cons of ceramic skateboard bearings. Fortunately, the cons greatly outnumber the pros, meaning you can keep your money in your wallet and spend it on something more useful.

Pros of Ceramic skateboard bearings:

• They seem perform a bit longer compared to standard bearings (only slightly).
• They require less maintenance.
• They seem to perform better when it’s freezing compared to steel bearings*.
• You can brag about your expensive bearings to your peers.

* I received an email from Denis who had a very interesting take on ceramics:

I find that ceramics roll much better when frozen compared to steel bearings but once everything rolls and the bearings start to heat up, the difference disappears. But then again, I only skated that one time at -15C to see how ceramics roll when freezing.

Denis

That’s it, these are the only benefits of ceramic bearings now let’s look at the cons:

Cons Of Ceramic Bearings:

• They are too expensive.
• They aren’t any faster under normal circumstances.
• Decent regular skateboard bearings cost 80% less.
• They rust just like any other bearing.
• They still require lube and maintenance.
• They aren’t any stronger.

Ceramic Skateboard Aren’t Faster

Despite having lower friction because of the ceramic balls, ceramic skateboard bearings aren’t faster compared to basic quality bearings. Bearings are always fast when they are brand new. In the end there is no difference in speed between decent skateboard bearings and ceramic bearings.

Ceramic Skateboard Bearings Don’t Last Longer

Ceramic skateboard bearings can last over 5 years when properly maintained according to comments on Reddit. If they get wet and dirty they won’t last longer than 1 year, just like regular bearings. Compared to a set of Bronson G2’s, ceramic bearings perform slightly better over time and require less cleaning.

This is purely anecdotal though and honestly it will take a long time before I can give a final answer. We’ve been just riding them for a relatively short time (8 months). I’ll update this blog once I know more.

The only thing I can tell you is that one of my local skaters has been riding them for a while and they now start to rust and squeak. I specifically asked him to ride in the worst conditions possible, so let’s see what happens.

Ceramic Skate Bearings Need Lubrication

Ceramic skateboard bearings need lubrication, only full ceramic bearings can run completely dry. There is still friction between the ceramic balls and the steel components which requires silicon lube. Ceramic bearings aren’t ‘self lubricatiing’, the ceramic balls can still chew through the steel races due to friction.

You’ll notice when unpacking Bones Ceramics and even more so Bronson Speed Ceramics, that they’re super greasy. Neither companies produce full ceramic bearings.

If you live near the coast, the salty air does erode them much faster than usual. Skating on wet, dusty or muddy streets also will make them wear much faster.

Conclusion

Over here you pay 120 Euros for 8 Bones ceramics, and you don’t even get spacers and washers included. If you really have to, consider Bronson Ceramics which are just as good and way cheaper. They come with spacers, washers. and a cleaning unit (no lube included).

Stick with standard bearings, or slightly more expensive bearings that last a little longer. Forget about ceramics, don’t fall for the hype.