If you’re interested in buying a longboard for either yourself or a loved one, one of the first questions that comes up is “how much do longboards cost?” Price is definitely one of those factors that play a big role in the purchase of a longboard. Pre-assembled longboards can have a price range of anywhere between $50 and $300 based on numerous different factors that we’ll touch on in this article. As a general rule of thumb, the more expensive a longboard is, the higher the quality of longboard parts that come with it.
What Can You Expect to Get In a More Expensive Longboard?
In this section, we’ll go over some specific differences between a cheaper longboard when compared to a pricier longboard.
Quality of Longboard Parts
As a result of higher quality parts, more expensive longboards will ride smoother which will ultimately give the rider a more positive riding experience. As an example, when comparing a $100 longboard to a $200 longboard, you’ll notice differences in the longboard parts – deck, trucks, wheels and bearings – that are used in each board. The quality of the parts in the $200 longboard might not be two times better, but there are certainly noticeable differences.
High Quality Bearings
This is a big one. Lower priced longboards typically come with stock bearings that are made of stainless steel. On the other hand, more expensive longboards such as this one by Jaseboards features a top-notch, precision tuned ceramic bearing. In comparison to traditional stainless steel bearings, the use of ceramic bearings allow your longboard to accelerate faster, roll further and have a much longer lifespan. If you’re curious, a set of 8 ceramic bearings cost about $100, whereas the stainless steel bearings by the same brand cost about $20. You’ll also want to note that inexpensive longboards tend to come equipped with generic, unbranded bearings.
High Quality Trucks
Similar to longboard bearings, stock trucks that usually come with inexpensive longboards tend to be subpar in terms of performance. For instance, the Santa Cruz Lion God Drop Thru Cruzer Longboard comes equipped with Road Rider 180 trucks which are made with quality. This set of trucks retail for about $50 and as such, these types of premium quality trucks will most certainly not be included in boards that are less than $100.
High Quality Wheels
The same logic applies to longboard wheels. Rather than generic wheels, pricier longboards come equipped with better performing wheels. An example would be the Sector 9 top shelf wheels that go along with the pre-assembled Sector 9 Fractal longboard. Again, such wheels retail in the range of $40 – $50 per set of 4 wheels.
These are just some examples of what you’ll find in a more expensive longboard when compared to a cheaper one. Of course, this does not only apply to the bearings, trucks and wheels as covered here, but rather, almost every other longboard component including the deck, bushings and so on.
Branded Longboard
Another reason that a longboard might be higher priced when compared to another longboard is its brand. More expensive longboards tend to be manufactured by a reputable company. Well-known brands such as Sector 9 and Santa Cruz have been in the skateboarding business for decades and definitely know a thing or two more about how to make a longboard great. As an example, Santa Cruz Skateboards which have been making skateboards since 1970s – that’s a total of 40 something years of experience!
More Expensive the Better Choice?
Now, do all of these mean that everyone should go out and get a $300 longboard? Certainly not; a heftier price tag does not necessarily correspond to a better choice. It really depends on an individual to individual basis. In general, there are three things that anyone who’s looking to get a longboard should keep in mind.
Budget Available For a Longboard
If you could, you probably would have bought the highest quality and most versatile longboard out there. However, this isn’t always the case as everyone’s budget for a longboard is different. Some of you may have $100 to spend, while others may have $200 to spend on a longboard. Determining what is the maximum you are willing to spend on a longboard is an important first step in narrowing your search.
First, Second or Third Longboard?
If you are just getting into longboarding and you are shopping for your first longboard, chances are you can hardly tell the difference between a decent performing and a high performing longboard. For beginners, it is HIGHLY recommended not to make a huge investment in your first longboard. If you’re on a tight budget, something less than $100 will get you started in longboarding. If you have a little more money to spare, get something in the $150 range which will ride better. While picking the best longboard for your needs is important, one thing to keep in mind is that as a beginner, your first board is really a board for you to build confidence and to figure out how to properly balance on the longboard. We highly recommend that you don’t spend anything greater than $200, unless of course, you are able to afford it.
The opposite is true for someone who has been in the longboarding world for a while. An expert or someone who participates in competitions will definitely want to (and perhaps should) be getting a higher quality longboard.
Keep in Mind Your Preferred Riding Styles
The last factor you should consider when making the decision on whether to buy a cheaper or more expensive longboard is your riding style. How will you be using the longboard? Will you be using it just as a commuter/cruising board or will you be using it for downhill racing? Longboards for different riding styles typically come with different longboard parts – deck, wheels and trucks – which may be reflected in their price tags. If you’re unsure, the safest way is to get a versatile board that can handle different types of riding styles.
For most people, picking out a longboard really depends heavily on their budget. Well, the good news is we’ve compiled and reviewed a list of longboards that we consider affordable. Be sure to check these out below!
Closing Comments
Now that you have all that you need to know about how much do longboards cost, the next step for you is to set a budget and pick a longboard that you’re most comfortable about!
One thing that we didn’t cover in this post is how much a longboard costs to build as well as to maintain. These are pretty big topics that we’ll have to save for different articles in the future! For now, we certainly hope this article helped you to take a step towards getting yourself or a loved one a longboard.