Skating Guides: Find Your Board or Skates (2026)

Start With the Right Ride

"Skating" covers five quite different things. They share a culture and plenty of gear, but each suits a different goal. Choose by what you want to do, not by what looks coolest in the shop.

Still undecided between the two most common choices? Longboard vs skateboard compares stability, speed and what each can and can't do.

Browse Every Skating Guide

Guides are grouped by discipline. Each group links to its own hub with the full list.

Sizing Matters More Than Brand

A board or skate that fits will teach you faster than an expensive one that doesn't. Three measurements cover most decisions:

• Deck width. Wider decks feel stable and suit bigger feet and transition skating. Narrower decks flip more easily. See the skateboard size chart.
• Wheel size and hardness. Bigger, softer wheels roll over cracks and pebbles. Smaller, harder wheels slide and suit smooth parks. The wheel size guide and hard vs soft wheels explain durometer.
• Boot size for skates. Skate sizing often differs from shoe sizing, so check the maker's chart. Our roller skate size chart shows how to measure.

The Parts of a Skateboard

A skateboard has five main parts: the deck, griptape, trucks, wheels and bearings, held together by hardware. Knowing them makes buying and fixing a board much easier. Read the skateboard anatomy guide, then the buying guides for decks, trucks, wheels and bearings when it's time to upgrade.

Protective Gear for Every Skater

A helmet is non-negotiable. In the US, look for ASTM F1492, the standard for skateboarding and trick roller skating helmets, or a dual-certified helmet that also meets the CPSC bike standard. Wrist guards matter most while you learn, because reaching out a hand is the instinctive way to break a fall. Knee and elbow pads are standard for ramps, bowls and roller derby.

Our guides to skateboard helmets, knee pads and wrist guards compare fit and coverage. Skateboard safety gear explains what each piece protects.

Skills to Learn in Order

Progress comes from building each skill on the last. A sensible path for skateboarding looks like this:

1. Find your stance with goofy vs regular, then learn to push, ride and stop.
2. Turn and kick turn, and practice falling safely.
3. Learn the ollie. It's the base for most street tricks.
4. Move on to the pop shove-it, kickflip and dropping in.

The full skateboard tricks list and trick learning order map the next steps.

Keep Your Setup Rolling

Most "my board feels slow" problems come down to dirty bearings, worn wheels or loose hardware. Simple maintenance fixes most of them. Start with skateboard maintenance, cleaning bearings and when to replace wheels.

Frequently Asked Questions