Riding a skateboard is a whole lot of fun. You get to maneuver the streets on four wheels using the power of your legs. It’s an exciting sport that lots of people enjoy.
One of the questions that often comes up is, “how much does a skateboard deck weigh?” It’s a good question. After all, you’re hanging out and trusting your body to a small board under your feet. Plus, when you’re running around doing tricks, boards break on occasion.
Many factors go into the answer to this question, but on average, a complete skateboard weighs around 11 pounds. So that’s what you can expect in terms of weight when you pull a new board out of its cardboard box.
This article will explain what a skateboard deck weighs, as well as what weight to expect for a skateboard truck, skateboard bearings, skateboard wheels, and more.
Skateboard Deck Weight
The deck is the board where you stand when you engage in street skating. It’s the wooden platform you will spend all of your time when you’re doing tricks and flips. In most cases, it’s made of wood (often Canadian maple wood) and has a nose and a tail with a slight rise on the back end.
It will have seven to nine plies of wood laminated together. The fewer layers are included, the lower the weight of a skateboard. On average, expect a deck length of 29 to 33 inches and a 7.25 to 8.5 inches deck width.
A standard skateboard deck weighs somewhere between two and five pounds. Thus, the board deck determines a decent amount of the total weight of a skateboard.
Cutting Weight
If you want the lightest skateboards, you can work with the deck. Avoid a wider deck to remove a bit of weight from your skateboard. It’s worth trying decks of different materials, too; you might like the significantly lighter one.
Skateboard Trucks
Skateboard trucks are attached underneath and onto the deck next to the four wheels. Made of quality grade materials, a skateboard truck is essential since it bears most of the weight of the user. On average, this part weighs approximately 0.77 pounds.
Trucks come in various materials, sizes, and shapes. You can choose from high trucks, low trucks, and standard trucks. They consist of several parts, including bushings, kingpins, and axles. The trucks help determine the skateboard quality and how long it will last.
Hollow Axles
To cut some skateboard weight, you can choose a hollow axle. Try out the different types of trucks to get an idea of what works best for you. Some people love higher versions; others prefer them to be lower. There’s no wrong answer here.
Skateboard Wheels
The next thing to look at is the wheels, which are made of plastic urethane and come in several hardness levels. Part of the weight of a skateboard is in the wheels, which typically come in at about 0.44 to 0.55 pounds.
There are all sorts of wheels to choose from based on where you skate. Street skaters tend to choose harder wheels. Larger wheels are more stable, while smaller ones are better for tricks. Hollow wheels are one option to make a skateboard weigh less, especially when paired with lighter boards.
Hollow Skateboard Wheels
Hollow wheels can cut down a bit on weight, but they aren’t going to have a significant impact on how you skate. However, while some people claim they are more likely to get flat spots, that isn’t true. Instead, this is caused by excessive power sliding.
Skateboard Bearings
Skateboard bearings weigh about 0.02 to 0.03 pounds each. With two bearings per wheel, that adds up to eight bearings on a skateboard. This makes the total weight about 0.16 to 0.24 pounds for the skateboard.
A skateboard bearing creates a rolling motion on the axle. It has six or eight balls inside a race between a pair of shields in a body that is shaped like a disk.
Usage
Most of the time, this part comes as a set of eight. It’s inserted into each wheel on both sides.
Grip Tape
As the name suggests, grip tape gives you more stability while you practice your skating skills. One side is covered by adhesive, while the other side has a sandpaper-type texture. It’s placed on the board to keep your feet in a position to make a proper landing.
On most skateboard decks, this tape is about nine inches wide and 33 inches long. It weighs around 0.29 pounds and can come in all sorts of designs and colors.
How Skateboards Are Affected By Weight
An official skateboarding weight limit simply does not exist. However, the quality of the board will determine what a rider’s weight should be. If you are using a seriously durable board, it may be able to hold someone who weighs 250 pounds or more easily.
But it really comes down to your landings. When coming down, your weight should be distributed across the trucks. If you come down wrong, even the best deck can crack or snap.
What the board is made of matters here. While maple is standard, as we mentioned, skateboards can be made of carbon fiber, plastic, or even bamboo. Cheaper skateboards will often use heavier materials, but more expensive items are made into a lighter skateboard.
So how much weight can the average maple seven to nine ply lighter skateboards hold? It can handle even heavier skateboarders of about 220 pounds. If you want the lightest skateboard decks, consider a composite made of carbon fiber and various woods.
If you aren’t one of the lighter skateboarders, stay away from the lightest trucks. The strongest are going to be made of T6 aluminum and can easily support someone of up to 250 pounds.
Traveling With Skateboards
If you are planning to take a skateboard on a plane, the weight and dimensions should be considered. Depending on how long your board is, many airlines will not allow you to bring it on as a carry-on item. In general, if it fits under a seat, no bag is needed. Wheels should face up to avoid any rolling.
When stowing the board, cover the wheels with a bag of some sort.
However, most airlines will expect you to check in the skateboard unless it’s a mini-cruiser size. As far as electric longboards and skateboards go, you cannot bring them unless the batteries are removed most of the time.
Here’s an example of JetBlue’s policy, but every airline is different: The skateboard is only allowed as checked baggage if it is no more than 22 inches. Most traditional skateboards are longer and need to be checked.
Conclusion
At this point, you don’t have to ever guess “how much does a skateboard weigh?” again. Skateboards range from light to heavy but average about 11 pounds. There are several ways to create a lighter skateboard, though, if you want something easier to transport and store.
Keep in mind that changing out parts can make the skateboard feel different when using it. Experimentation is vital to get the best weight and a feel that you enjoy. Everyone is going to be different so take time to try a few things and come up with a complete skateboard that you love spending time on.