Skateboarders vs Longboarders

Longboard vs Skateboard Rivalry

Longboard vs Skateboard competition is stiff international. In the skateboarding world – the most impressive and unexpectedly grand rivalry remains between Skateboarders vs Longboarders.

There has always been a debate as to who should be called a skateboarder and who not. Both – Longboarders and Skateboarders – claim the passion sport to be theirs.

The general notion is that there is a shared dislike between some skateboarders and long-boarders.

By dislike we do not mean visible hate between a skateboarder and a longboarder.

It’s just that both dislike being associated with the other. Both sub-cultures think high of themselves.

Difference between Longboard and Skateboard

Both the skateboard and the longboard have their origin rooted in the sport of surfing. Surfers wanted to practice on land also, so they added wheels to their surf board. And that became the first skateboard. This is how skateboard came into existence in the mid 1900’s. This also marked the beginning of skateboarding.

The necessity of a longboard came when riders wanted to go at higher speeds and the skateboard didn’t allow that as it was quite unstable.

To a non skater, both a skateboard and a longboard would look the same, but there are many differences by which you could easily tell them apart.

So Skateboarding or Longboarding…

Skateboarding is the perfect sport for you if you are an adrenaline junkie seeking thrill every second of your life. A sport of tricks and creativity, skateboarding will never cease to thrill you.

Whether you are performing tricks on the street or are just riding your skateboard to school, skateboarding surely has a variety of people involved in it and that too for different reasons.

Longboard vs Skateboard – Differences

1# Creativity and Skill

Some believe that skateboarding involves more creativity, skill, technicality and hard work than longboarding. But not all skateboarders and longboarders feel the same way.

Some consider that longboarding is usually picked up by people who cannot skateboard. And this is mostly not accepted by the skateboarding community because then the longboarders are also counted as skateboarders without having the same expertise and knack for performing tricks

2# Tricks

There are also some who think that longboard too has its fair share of tricks which can be found difficult to perform by skateboarders.

From a neutral point of view, longboard is nothing but a type of skateboard that is used for a different reason and so it is different from a standard skateboard.

What’s a longboard

As the name suggests longboards are usually longer than standard skateboards. It can come in different sizes.

The longest longbaord is 59 inch and the shortest is even smaller than a skateboard, which is approximately 28 inch. But mostly a longboard is 51 inches long and 9-10 inch wide.

Unlike the skateboard the nose and tail of the longboard are flat.

There are different types of longboards depending on their purpose, shape and other notable features.

Pintail: Also known as the directional board. This board can ride in one direction. It has blunt nose and a pointed tail but is wider in the centre. It is longer, similar in shape to a surfboard. The wheels are soft and fast. The concave is minimal but comfortable enough for foothold.
Topmount or Speedboard: This board has a pointed nose and tail.
Fishtail: this board has a split tail like a fish and is great for carving. It too is wide in the centre.
Freestyle/Freeride: it is of medium length designed for speed. It is mostly topmounted and has lots of concave. There are again a variety of shapes in these types of boards. The most common are known as drop down and drop through.
Drop-through longboard – designed longer for cruising and carving, it has drop through trucks with a symmetrical shape made from flexi wood/fiberglass. The wheels are soft and fast.
Downhill speedboard– it is longer, designed for speed and stability. It gives a lot more space. The deck is light but stiff. The wheels are large and wide with grip.
Cruiser: it is the longest longboard that comes with a rounded nose and tail. It has lots of room. The tail and nose has small kicks so that you can perform tricks.

Longboards are mostly made from bamboo, softwood, fibre glass and carbon fibre.

Along with different shapes and sizes, these boards also have different types of wheels. Some have the common round wheels which are more suitable for speed.

Some longboards have square wheels that are more suitable for straight cruising. There are some longboards that have curved raised edge similar to the skateboard for performing tricks.

The wheels on the longboards are softer and larger in size, making them suitable for riding at high speeds. It can cruise for longer miles on all types of terrains. And also be stable on bumps and pebbles.

But they are unsuitable for performing tricks because the wheels become unstable while doing flips and can bounce back. The size of longboard wheels are mostly 60-70 mm.

Longboard trucks are wider, flexible and stable which makes riding a longboard easier than a skateboard.

What is Longboarding

Longboards are specifically designed for cruising and smoothly turning downhill at high speeds and for long distances. Because even at high speeds longboards are very stable.

They are concave to give more control downhill. The maneuverability of a longboard is amazing. They are also good for cruising the streets and for transit purposes.

It is also easier to balance on a longboard. There is more room on the board for even big feet. As it is big it is heavier than the standard skateboard and don’t forget that it’s very expensive.

Longboards are great for riding without pumping as the design allows you to cruise without putting your foot down.

You can get speed by shifting your weight back and forth on a longboard. This weight shifting creates a force along with thrust.

You can also perform simple tricks on a longboard but it would look weird as well as it is hard to do it. So it is not as good as a skateboard for performing tricks.

Is it Easier to ride a Skateboard or Longboard

Many people are of the strong opinion that longboards are the best option for beginners as it is safe and grants much more stability than the skateboard. It is also very easy to start riding a longboard than a skateboard.

Some may even say that a longboard is more suitable for adult beginners.

Balancing on the board is the most quintessential skill for any beginner.

In that sense a Longbaord is more suitable for beginners as they are heavy and long which makes it easy for a beginner to balance.

Shortboard Skating

Skateboards are also called as shortboards in comparison to longboards. They are usually lightweight and easy to carry. The lightweight of the skateboard makes it great for flips and leaps.

A standard skateboard generally comes in sizes ranging from 28 to 36 inch. The width of the skateboard is usually some 7-10 inch.

The tail and the nose of the board curve up a little in the standard skateboard. This curving of the nose and the tail allows the skater to perform tricks with much ease. In fact both the nose and the tail of a skateboard are instrumental in most of the tricks.

Skateboards have small, hard and narrow wheels compared to a longboard. They are ideal for performing tricks and cruising on flat surfaces. They are also good for keeping balance while doing the tricks. The size of the hard and small skateboard wheel is between 52-58mm.

The trucks of skateboards are also hard and rigorous so that it is easy to grind and perform other tricks.

A Skateboard is commonly constructed from stiff maple and hardwood as it is used to perform rigorous tricks.

Skateboard or Longboard – What is your choice

There is no conclusive answer to skateboarding or longboarding debate. Each board has its own purpose and use and you should go with the one that suits your style.

A skateboard is great for performing tricks but you wouldn’t feel comfortable cruising downhill on one at higher speeds.

Similarly a long-board is risky for performing tricks but you would easily go downhill on one.

Both these boards have their equal share of thrills and excitements. And there isn’t any better way to find it out than picking up your board and get pumping.