Sometimes it isn’t easy to figure out what type of longboard you need as a beginner and how much it should cost. Once you first decide to get your first longboard, chances are, you’ll get confused with a huge array of price ranges.
But the question is, how much should a beginner spend on a longboard?
Most beginner longboards that are both sturdy and smooth, will cost between $100 to $150. As a beginner, you should only get a complete longboard, as it can be very confusing choosing all the right parts.
Your first longboard should be your best learning opportunity, and you should get a board that helps you with that. Let’s get you through the facts you must know before you buy your first longboard.
Are Longboards Suitable for Beginners?
Longboarding is amazing. But it can be dangerous for complete beginners. You must learn before you hit the road. You should start by getting familiar with your board and getting comfortable carving and cruising around.
Once you get comfortable, and if you want to try going faster, you can start sliding and learn how to control your speed. But don’t worry, it isn’t hard to figure out how to go fast on a longboard. For beginners, a longboard is good, and here are proofs that support it.
Get in Good Shape
Longboarding is one of the easiest ways you can get into shape. If you are overweight and out of shape, it can be more relaxing to aching joints than running or jogging on hard surfaces like concrete.
If you are not overweight and out of shape, then longboarding can still help you burn a few extra calories while commuting to class or work, during your free time at home, or just as another way to exercise your body.
As you cruise down the road with the longboard, you work your core, glutes, quads, and hamstrings, activating muscles not used as often in daily life. In that way, you get to keep yourself in good physical condition.
Improves Flexibility
Longboarding improves flexibility and strengthens the body. It is a full-body workout that targets the arms, back, legs, abs, and core. It is excellent for beginners as it improves flexibility. This is one of the many benefits of longboarding for beginners. With better balance and flexibility, your body becomes more capable of moving quickly and smoothly in any direction you want.
Besides improving your balance and flexibility, longboarding will help you develop muscle strength and get more out of your arms and legs. Additionally, it is an excellent form of cardio and can aid weight control.
Get a better cardiovascular health
Also, longboarding is an aerobic activity that involves the heart and lungs working together to provide oxygen to muscles. The occasional ride can improve heart health for beginners.
No matter what your favorite activity or sport is, it promotes heart health and some form of cardio. When skating or carving on your longboard, your muscles are working and receiving blood flow, which keeps your heart pumping.
Lose Extra Weight
One of the most significant benefits of longboarding for beginners is that it can help them lose weight. When you are starting to use a longboard, it would be more ideal to choose one with a kicktail because this type of board can help you perform various tricks compared to those without one.
You can burn lots of calories per hour while longboarding. That is more than 6 miles per hour. It helps out the muscles of your legs, arms, and abdomen muscles, so overall, you become stronger with time.
Improve Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is the key to success in a lot of different situations. It allows you to use fact, probability, and speculation to solve problems and make decisions. That is a skill that can be translated into almost any job.
Therefore, longboarding will give you the chance to practice your critical thinking skills. Every time you ride, you face new challenges and constantly make decisions to help you stay on balance. It also teaches you how to evaluate risk.
Relieve Stress
One of the many benefits of longboarding is stress relief. Wind in your hair, sun on your skin, and two feet across a longboard can be just the correct dose of Vitamin D you need to clear your mind and focus on the positive things in life.
Build Strength and Balance
If you are a beginner and love longboarding, you will find that you can gain strength and build new muscles very quickly. Being outdoors and striding around on your own two feet is far more rewarding than being stuck in the gym to achieve the same results.
How Much Should a Beginner Spend on a Longboard?
If you are a beginner longboarder, you may wonder how much you should spend on board. Chances are you would spend a decent amount of money on the best longboards for beginners because everyone has different aspects when it comes to sound quality.
While some quality boards are available for less than $100, we would recommend starting with a board in the $150-$175 range. This price point offers boards with suitable components and construction and a higher likelihood of satisfaction.
You can also upgrade individual components at this level as fit or desire dictates, which is not possible with cheaper boards.
However, if you are on a low budget, getting good quality longboards under 100 dollars will be wise as you don’t need to break the bank to get one.
Longboard Price Ranges Based on Brands
- Arbor longboards within the range of $150 to $210
- Sector 9 longboards within the range of $140 to $225
- Rayne longboards within the range of $200 to $250
- Landyachtz longboards within the range of $170 to $250
- Globe longboards within the range of $150 to $230
- Omen Longboards within the range of $160 to $250
- Loaded longboards within the range of $290 to $360
What Kind of Longboard Should a Beginner Get?
Choosing the right longboard can be tricky. There are different types of longboards out there, and it is easy for a newbie to get overwhelmed by all the choices. The information below will help you choose the best board for your needs.
Longboards with a Wide Deck
A longboard suitable for beginners can provide an excellent platform for learning how to ride and further progress your skills in the future. If you are a novice or just buying a longboard for a beginner, I recommend sticking to longboards with larger boards.
A longboard with a larger deck will make you more stable on it and make it easier to ride. Look for a longboard with a reasonably expansive deck, so you have plenty of room to stand and ride comfortably.
When it comes to downhill riding, longboards are fun and exciting when you can stand on the deck without your feet hanging off the edge.
Longboards with Strong Wheels
A good beginner longboard should be low to the ground for balance, have wheels with good grip, and be responsive with a good turning radius. Therefore, you should consider getting a longboard with solid wheels that can endure wear and tear as a beginner.
The wheels must be solid, so they will not easily break, even if you run over stones or bump into curbs. This is one of the most important things to look at when buying your first longboard.
Note: while the two sections discussed above are essential, below are the right sets of longboards you can consider as a beginner.
Popsicle Longboard
Everyone has to start somewhere, and the same goes for longboarders. The best type of longboard for beginners is a popsicle longboard. Their lower deck height makes pushing easier and provides better control and balance on the board.
It is practically built for cruising and carving. It features a larger deck that provides stability and balance with ample foot room, allowing beginner riders to maneuver without catching an edge quickly.
Single Kick Longboard
The single kick longboards are designed for people just starting to longboard and want a classic style. It is important you start with a single kick longboard if you are a beginner. They offer plenty of room for you to step around or perfect some new tricks.
Double Kick Longboard
Getting a double kick longboard is the best choice for a beginner. They are the most versatile type of board and allow for endless play in the future.
On all grounds, a double kick longboard is ideal for beginners. It offers a more stable ride and a variety of riding stances, which allow you to progress over time and develop your skills as a longboarder.
Also, the drop-through design allows you to lean back for a lower center of gravity and better control, which makes it easy to practice stable sliding and sharp turns.
Cruiser Longboard
Cruiser longboards are great for beginners. They are great for riding around town, to school, or just cruising around your neighborhood. Most cruisers are shorter than other longboards, making them easier to steer and control.
Also, the wheels on cruiser longboards have more grip and roll smoother over cracks and bumps in the road. It makes it easy for beginners to have a smooth performance during training periods.
Conclusion
Now you know how much should a beginner spend on a longboard without compromising the quality and flexibility. To recap, you should find a longboard that has an excellent build, good control, and maximum flexibility in terms of wheels, truck, and deck.
However, as you’re a beginner in the game, you should also keep the budget in mind and fix it around 100 bucks. It’s important to get a longboard that doesn’t fall short in comfort, just to save a few bucks. So, have a $100 budget and get a complete longboard that doesn’t need any assembly.
