Best Beginner Skateboards of 2023

JUMP TO: ENJOI FLOWERS / GLOBE G1 / CREATURE RIPPED LOGO / ENJOI CANDY COATED / ELEMENT SECTION / HABITAT LEAF DOT BLUE / KROOKED BIGGER EYES / ARBOR WHISKEY FORAGE / BUYING ADVICE

Author: Brent Herman

The Short Version

The Long Version

In the world of skateboarding there are scores of companies that make great skateboarding products. For a beginner, it can be overwhelming to try and figure out what kind of deck, trucks, wheels and bearings to buy to get started on your skateboarding journey.

Luckily, there are pre-built complete skateboards available for those who are ready to start skating but aren’t too sure where to begin.

The most important thing about selecting your very first skateboard is that you pick a skateboard of good quality.

There are cheaper options available at supermarkets, but in the skateboarding industry, you usually get what you pay for. Many skateboards that come from these types of stores are made with inferior raw materials and therefore do not perform as well or last as long as pro-grade boards.

On the other hand, our review here features some of the best and most well-known skate companies in the industry.

Starting out with any of the boards from this list will give you a great jumping off point to begin customizing and tweaking your equipment as you gain skill and start understanding more about what you want out of skateboarding.

If you love reading this review of the best beginner skateboards, then you'll likely love reading some of our other skateboarding related content:

Need To Know What To Look Out For?

Not sure what size board to buy? Or concerned about the trade offs between buying a pre-built complete vs building your own skateboard? Then be sure to check out our buying advice at the bottom of the article!

Best Overall: ENJOI FLOWERS COMPLETE

DECK: Enjoi Flowers Resin-7 8”

TRUCKS: Tensor

WHEELS: Enjoi 52mm

BEARINGS: ABEC 5

STYLE: Street/Park

Enjoi is an iconic skateboarding company that was founded in 2000 and has since served the industry as a standard for both quality and creative expression. They are known for colorful graphics as well as for their Resin-7 construction method. 

R7 is a method of bonding the plies of wood together that uses an epoxy resin instead of the water-based glue that other decks use. This results in a lighter, more rigid deck that some report to keep its pop for much longer than other construction methods.

Their Enjoi Flowers Complete features Tensor trucks, another well-known skate brand, as well as Enjoi brand 52mm wheels. The board comes with ABEC 5 rated bearings that should keep you cruising whether you are skating street, or park.

With smaller wheels this complete is not fully suited for skating tall vert ramps, but will definitely serve as a great beginner skateboard for kids or adults!

DECK: Globe G1 Resin-7 8.125”

TRUCKS: Tensor

WHEELS: 52mm 99a

BEARINGS: ABEC 7

STYLE: Street/Park

As a beginner skateboarder, it is definitely recommended that you use safety equipment. Falling is almost unavoidable when skateboarding, even for professionals. Wearing the proper safety equipment minimizes your likelihood for serious injury which ultimately leads to a better skateboarding experience and more time skating!

The Globe G1 Fairweather Complete is an amazing value since it comes with a helmet and set of pads from Triple 8, one of the industry leaders in skateboarding safety equipment. The board itself is also made up of great quality components.

This complete features a 8.125” deck Globe deck made with Resin-7 construction for less weight and a longer lasting pop. Tensor alloy trucks give this board a stable but responsive feel. Whilst the ABEC 7 bearings provide more cruising and less pushing.

The 52mm 99a hardness wheels are great for pushing through the streets or for cruising around parks. And since the wheels are on the harder side, they make for a faster ride as well as easier powerslides.

Best for Younger Kids: CREATURE RIPPED LOGO COMPLETE

DECK: Creature Ripped Logo Micro 7.5”

TRUCKS: Cast Aluminum

WHEELS: 83a

BEARINGS: Not Listed

STYLE: Street/Park

Creature is another iconic skate brand right at the core of the industry. The cool thing about the Creature Ripped Logo Micro complete is that it is scaled to best fit younger kids. Not only is the deck less wide than most, but the length and wheelbase of the deck are scaled down to give kids a proportionate experience.

It is important that kids use boards that are similar in proportion as they grow up, so that when they get bigger, everything still seems the same as they originally learned it. Also, larger boards are more difficult for small children to learn tricks on since they are heavier.

This complete has a micro-sized Creature deck, and cast aluminum trucks that result in a lighter board than others on this list. The 83a hardness wheels are more on the soft side than most skateboard wheels. This is beneficial for young beginners because softer wheels grip surfaces better and can ride over rougher surfaces with more ease than harder wheels. This board is great for practicing in the driveway or for taking on the local skatepark!

Best for Bigger Kids: ENJOI CANDY COATED COMPLETE

DECK: Enjoi Candy Coated 8.25”

TRUCKS: Tensor

WHEELS: Enjoi 52mm

BEARINGS: ABEC 5

STYLE: Street/Park

The Enjoi Candy Coated is another complete from Enjoi that made our list of favorites, except this one is made with kids in mind. The 8.25” deck is the same width as many adult skateboarders skate, but this deck is scaled for youth riders.

Ideal deck width is usually determined by a rider’s shoe size, but the rider's height and weight are also important factors. This deck is ideal for bigger kids that are in between a full size deck and micro decks.

The Tensor trucks are good trucks for beginners and pros alike and the Enjoi Brand 52mm wheels are a fairly versatile size that can handle streets and some transition as well. The ABEC 5 bearings should be more than able to handle anything beginner skaters need.

Best for Street: ELEMENT SECTION COMPLETE

DECK: Element Section 7.75”

TRUCKS: Element Trucks

WHEELS: Element 52mm

BEARINGS: ABEC 5

STYLE: Street/Park

Element has been one of the most well-known skateboarding companies for nearly three decades. They were founded in 1992 and have grown their brand into an industry icon. And the graphic found on the underside of their Element Section Skateboard is recognizable by skaters everywhere.

With their history comes experience in making great products. This deck is made with Element’s Featherlight construction. In this process, Element uses the traditional seven plies but with thinner veneers. This results in a lighter deck that still has plenty of durability.

This prebuilt skateboard comes with Element brand trucks and wheels as well as ABEC 5 bearings. While Element is mostly known for their decks, there is no doubt that Element also knows what is needed for a complete skateboard to perform. 

Element has team riders that ride all kinds of different styles, but Element has been mostly known as a street brand. As such, this skateboard should stand up strong to the requirements of street and park skateboarding.

DECK: Habitat Leaf Dot Blue 7.75”

TRUCKS: Habitat

WHEELS: Habitat 53mm

BEARINGS: ABEC 7

STYLE: Park/Street

Habitat is yet another classic skateboarding company that has been around since 1999. Their decks are made using the standard 7 plies of maple, but they are known for their often nature-themed aesthetic and eye-catching artwork.

This prebuilt complete features Habitat logo trucks and Habitat wheels as well. The wheels are 53mm and have a hardness of 99a. With the addition of ABEC 7 rated bearings, this board should cruise comfortably over street and park terrains without being too grippy, or too slippery when it comes to traction.

All in all, this board is a great option to take to the local skatepark as you begin learning how to skateboard.

DECK: Krooked Bigger Eyes 8.25”

TRUCKS: Not Listed

WHEELS: Krooked 53mm

BEARINGS: Not Listed

STYLE: Park/Vert/Street

Krooked skateboards are one of the many companies under the parent Company Deluxe Distribution. Deluxe is responsible for some of the most well-known and best-selling skateboard companies in the industry, so Krooked is held to a high standard.

The deck on their Krooked Bigger Eyes complete is one of the wider ones on our list and the wheels are a bit larger than other wheels that are used for street skating. These specs make this board a good option for those that are wanting to learn how to skate steeper transition and vert- a larger board and larger wheels result in more stability when riding large ramps.

This board should do the trick for beginners who are learning how to pump and carve on ramps and bowls, but riders may want to upgrade the size of wheels and steepness of the decks concave as they get more skilled.

Best for Cruising: ARBOR WHISKEY FORAGE COMPLETE

DECK: Arbor Whiskey Forage 7.75”

TRUCKS: Ace 33 Classic 8”

WHEELS: Arbor Whiskey Series Revert 54mm 90a

BEARINGS: ABEC 5

STYLE: Cruiser/Park

While the other boards on this list are more geared to performing tricks, the Arbor Whiskey Forage offers more of an easy-going experience. That being said, the shape of the deck is still conducive to performing tricks, if you feel so inclined!

Arbor is a company that is well known for their longboards and cruisers, as well as for prioritizing ecological sustainability with their production process.

Even though this board is listed as the best for cruising, it still features a double kicktail 7.75” deck. The board comes with Ace 33 Classic 8” trucks for responsive turning and a stable ride. The wheels are also made by Arbor and are 54mm with a hardness of 90a, making them big and soft enough to handle rougher terrain more easily than smaller and harder street wheels. The wheels are fitted with ABEC 5 bearings.

This complete is a great option if you are prioritizing having a smoother ride, but still want to be able to perform tricks. Overall, this board would perform well at a skatepark or simply riding around town.

BUYING ADVICE FOR BEGINNER SKATEBOARDS

Whether you have ambitions to become a pro skater or simply want to have fun with your friends, everybody has to start somewhere on their skateboarding journey. In order to get started off on the right foot, there are a few things you need to look for when buying your first skateboard.

What Size Board Should I Get?

While there are no absolute rules in skateboarding, it is generally accepted that you should seek out a skateboard that is proportionate to your height, weight, and shoe size. Smaller skaters are generally more comfortable on smaller boards and larger skaters are usually more comfortable on larger boards. Makes sense, right?

But someone who doesn’t yet have a frame of reference for skateboard sizes may not know what size is right for them. Luckily, there are several sizing guides that can be found online to help inform your decision – like this one.

Besides paying attention to the size of the deck, you need to also make sure that the trucks and wheels are proportionate to the rest of the board. Luckily for beginners, the boards on this list are prebuilt with these details in mind.

Should I Get a Prebuilt Complete or Build My Own?

There are pros and cons to both buying a prebuilt skateboard and building your own by selecting different components and putting them together yourself. For beginners, buying a prebuilt complete skateboard can make it much easier to get a quality product with a limited amount of prior knowledge.

One of the main benefits of building your own board with all of the components of your choice is that you have more control over all of the details of how your board looks and performs. More experienced skateboarders usually figure out what products they prefer by trying out different options over time.

If you buy a prebuilt complete as a beginner, you can always experiment with different wheels or other parts by swapping out the ones that came with your prebuilt board.

Decks

The deck of a skateboard is the “board” that you stand on when riding. It is usually made of 7 plies of hardwood maple for durability and stability. There are many different sizes of skateboard decks, but they are usually around 7-8.5 inches wide and around 28-33 inches long.

PRO DECKS: On pro style boards, there is a “nose” and a “tail” of the deck as well. As you can probably infer, the tail is the back part of the board and the nose is the front. Depending on the style of skateboard, the nose and/or tail may be raised. The purpose of this is for the rider to be able to do tricks in which the board comes off of the ground.

GRIP TAPE: Skateboard decks almost always have a layer of a sandpaper-like material called grip tape on top. The grip tape is there to help keep the rider on the board and make it easier to perform tricks. If you purchase a prebuilt skateboard, then it will come with grip tape on the deck. However, if you choose to build your own then you may need to attach grip tape to the deck you purchase - in which case you should check out our review of the best skateboard grip tapes.

Trucks

Skateboard trucks are usually made out of metal and are what attaches the wheels to the deck of a skateboard. They are also responsible for allowing a skateboard to turn. The trucks have a bolt that runs through the middle of them called a “kingpin” with a nut that can be tightened or loosened in order to make the board turn more or less, depending on the desire of the rider. For best results, the width of the trucks on a skateboard should match the width of the skateboard’s deck as closely as possible.

Wheels

Skateboard wheels are usually made of polyurethane, a type of lightweight and durable plastic that allows riders to roll comfortably.

WHEEL SIZE: The wheel size makes a difference in how smoothly the board rolls. Larger wheels roll better, but are heavier which makes performing tricks a little more difficult.

WHEEL HARDNESS: The hardness of a wheel matters too. Some skateboard wheels are designed to be a bit softer which is great for having firm contact with the ground and not slipping out, but some more advanced skateboarders prefer harder wheels that slide more easily because it makes certain tricks easier to perform. Wheel hardness is measured on the durometer scale. An example of a soft cruising wheel would be 65a and a harder street wheel would be 101a.

Bearings

Bearings are small metal circles that fit into the wheel of a skateboard. These bearings help keep the wheel rotating smoothly by taking some of the friction off of the wheels. Without bearings, skateboards would be much less fun to ride.

ABEC RATINGS: There is a rating scale for bearings called the ABEC scale. For skateboard bearings the options are usually ABEC 1, 3, 5, or 7. A higher ABEC rating means that the bearing is more precise in how it was made.

A common misconception is that the higher the ABEC rating, the faster the bearing is, but that is not necessarily true. As long as you purchase bearings that are designed for skateboarding, you shouldn’t have any trouble getting speed.

MORE INFORMATION

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