One of the main differences between any of the decks that we sell is it’s width. Boards range from 7.5” wide to above 8.5” wide. Although we are only talking about an inch here, the width of the board can make a world of difference to someone learning how to do tricks. Of course, like everything in skateboarding, personal preference plays a huge part and there are no strict rules but this guide should point you in the right direction. Learning to skate on a board which corresponds to your shoe size will make the initial learning stages easier and help you gain control. After that you will be in a good space to start experimenting further with what size board you ride.
The visual guide above shows you the kind of shoe to board ratio you want to be aiming for ideally. The smaller your feet, the narrower the board width you want to be shopping for. We often recommend young kids who have much smaller feet entertain one of our complete skateboards tailored to their size which are available even narrower than 7.5”. One sure-fire way to figure out what feels best to you before you buy a skateboard is to visit one of our shops and actually stand on some boards before purchasing. After standing on a few you will be able to figure out what feels the most natural under your feet. Read more about the different widths available to figure out which size could be best suited to you…
This size range is the narrower end of the spectrum. The smallest board any company that we stock makes is 7.5” wide. 7.5” to 8” wide is a medium size which is ideal for kids and teenagers through to adults learning to skate and mastering technical tricks. The thought behind this is that the less board you have under your feet the easier it is to flip and manipulate. Your deck will be lighter and flip faster. If you aren’t very tall and have smaller feet you will have more control. As a rule If your feet fit over the board from rail to rail you are in a good place. If they are flapping over the edges you will want to consider a wider board. Also if you are young and have very small feet having too much board around your feet may hinder learning certain tricks. Some of the complete skateboards we sell come in even smaller widths made specifically for kids starting out, these would be considered a youth size and will help with that foot to board ratio. You can find those complete skateboards here.
If you are a teenager or adult buying your first deck then this size bracket may be best suited to you. We sell a huge amount of boards in these sizes, they are a popular choice for a large portion of the skateboarding community. If you are a size UK 8 shoe or bigger you will be in the right ballpark for having good control over the board beneath you whether you are learning street tricks, skating parks or bowls or just getting used to rolling around. People who have been skating for years have a specific size they favour and choose time after time. If this is your first deck you have years ahead to figure out the exact size that best works for you so don’t stress too hard over 1/8th of an inch. You’re in a way better place to learn flip tricks than you would have been in the 80’s.
If you are a bit bigger then a board 8.5” and above could be the best first deck for you. It would be an ideal size for learning to push and navigate the local park and will feel super stable. Skaters who have spent years mastering their craft have no problem flipping boards this size around and find the stability they offer on bigger tricks preferable. Bear in mind that this won’t be the case if you haven’t done a kickflip yet, a bigger deck will require more effort to flip and ollie on so you may even consider going down a few sizes once you’ve mastered the basics on a board this size.
We hope this guide has been helpful. If you want to learn more about other deck specifics then check out our guide to Buying My First Skateboard Deck.
The visual guide above shows you the kind of shoe to board ratio you want to be aiming for ideally. The smaller your feet, the narrower the board width you want to be shopping for. We often recommend young kids who have much smaller feet entertain one of our complete skateboards tailored to their size which are available even narrower than 7.5”. One sure-fire way to figure out what feels best to you before you buy a skateboard is to visit one of our shops and actually stand on some boards before purchasing. After standing on a few you will be able to figure out what feels the most natural under your feet. Read more about the different widths available to figure out which size could be best suited to you…
7.5” - 8” Wide
This size range is the narrower end of the spectrum. The smallest board any company that we stock makes is 7.5” wide. 7.5” to 8” wide is a medium size which is ideal for kids and teenagers through to adults learning to skate and mastering technical tricks. The thought behind this is that the less board you have under your feet the easier it is to flip and manipulate. Your deck will be lighter and flip faster. If you aren’t very tall and have smaller feet you will have more control. As a rule If your feet fit over the board from rail to rail you are in a good place. If they are flapping over the edges you will want to consider a wider board. Also if you are young and have very small feet having too much board around your feet may hinder learning certain tricks. Some of the complete skateboards we sell come in even smaller widths made specifically for kids starting out, these would be considered a youth size and will help with that foot to board ratio. You can find those complete skateboards here.
8.1” - 8.4” Wide
If you are a teenager or adult buying your first deck then this size bracket may be best suited to you. We sell a huge amount of boards in these sizes, they are a popular choice for a large portion of the skateboarding community. If you are a size UK 8 shoe or bigger you will be in the right ballpark for having good control over the board beneath you whether you are learning street tricks, skating parks or bowls or just getting used to rolling around. People who have been skating for years have a specific size they favour and choose time after time. If this is your first deck you have years ahead to figure out the exact size that best works for you so don’t stress too hard over 1/8th of an inch. You’re in a way better place to learn flip tricks than you would have been in the 80’s.
8.5” Wide and above
If you are a bit bigger then a board 8.5” and above could be the best first deck for you. It would be an ideal size for learning to push and navigate the local park and will feel super stable. Skaters who have spent years mastering their craft have no problem flipping boards this size around and find the stability they offer on bigger tricks preferable. Bear in mind that this won’t be the case if you haven’t done a kickflip yet, a bigger deck will require more effort to flip and ollie on so you may even consider going down a few sizes once you’ve mastered the basics on a board this size.
We hope this guide has been helpful. If you want to learn more about other deck specifics then check out our guide to Buying My First Skateboard Deck.