The budget question is one of the most important when choosing a skateboard.
Does pricier mean better?
What’s the optimal amount of money to give out for a decent board that will last for several years?
What completes a skateboard’s price?
In this article, we address all the questions, starting with “How much does it cost for a good skateboard?”. It’s useful to know about these things to make sure you don’t overpay, being guided by promises of eternal quality for half a thousand.
It’s better to save that money for upgrading the board when needed, as the wheels start to wear, the griptape loses its qualities, or your bearings need a new lube.
An Optimal Price for a Skateboard
On average, a decent skateboard will cost you about $170. The full range is $120-$200, depending on how branded you want the board to be.
For this money, you’re getting fast bearings, high-quality brand wheels for street or cruising, metal trucks (desirable), and a sturdy, wooden deck.
The full ranges are (not regarding to the quality):
- $60-$400 for a classic skateboard (either for cruising or tricks);
- $60-$500 for a longboard (good for cruising, carving, and downhill riding);
- $70-$200 for a street skateboard that is good for almost anything but has its limits.
- $90-$500 for a custom board of any kind, depending on how difficult the job is and how “custom” you want your skateboard.
Tip: Keep in mind that a lot of stores and brands offer great deals and discounts before all kinds of holidays or the birthday of the brand. Make sure you hop on those when there’s an opportunity. Getting even 10% off will be nice, saving those for some upgrades.
To get a discount, look for different shops or sellers online and compare where you can get the best deal, given you’re buying an original board, of course.
Online or Offline?
It depends on your primary concerns.
Why Online Shops Are Good
If your concerns include pricing, then online shops should be your choice. They usually offer lower prices, and there are more possibilities to get a discount or another kind of bonus.
However, pay attention to the location of the seller because nobody canceled the shipping fee. You can find out whether there are any additional fees or the seller offers free delivery.
The Internet is huge, and there are lots of opportunities to get a couple of bucks off.
You should also be attentive to the availability of the elements you may need to change after a while. You want to keep them of the same brand and quality unless you’re into experimentation.
Look for a shop with:
- Great range of products;
- High availability;
- Return and refund policies;
- Low delivery fees;
- Reasonable prices.
Why Supporting an Offline Shop Is Also Great
As to the offline shops, this is the best choice if you’re interested in touching the product before buying it. Also, in case you need a piece of advice or you don’t know what to get at all, there are shop assistants who will always help.
There are few offline skateboard shops as it’s difficult to run one and thrive when there’s so much stuff online.
So, if you have such a store nearby, consider supporting it every once in a while. After all, sometimes it’s exhausting to wait even a couple of ways to get new wheels.
However, the prices at offline shops are usually higher than those found online. There’s a chance to get a discount as the first-time buyer or due to a holiday, but you’ll have to walk some blocks to make sure you get the best deal.
Look for an offline shop with the following qualities:
- Reasonable prices;
- Friendly assistants;
- Possibility of a consultation;
- Possibility of trying the board within the shop;
- Return and refund policies;
- Convenient location.
What About Supermarket Skateboards?
Some store chains sell their own skateboards, penny boards, longboards, etc. We don’t recommend you to fall for cheap prices on seemingly good boards because usually, they aren’t.
The cost implies that the quality of materials used to create those skateboards is poor, and the materials themselves are inappropriate. Such boards can be considered toys to play with at home rather than a complete mode of transportation.
You shouldn’t use those on the streets or try any tricks with them. Some of these things might break within several hours. And you don’t want to jeopardize your safety like that.
It’s better to spend three times as much but get a fully functional longboard with great wheels for cruising, sliding, or the street.
Prices on Separate Components
If you have a goal of creating your own skateboard, you can buy separate parts and make a perfect unit for your riding style and personal preference. Every distribution level adds more money to the cost of the final skateboard.
The pro is you’re getting a completed, ready-to-skate board you can go break in right after getting it out of the box.
The con is usually the pricing.
Let’s see the average prices of separate elements of a skateboard or longboard. Here’s what you will need:
- A deck;
- A set of trucks;
- A set of wheels;
- A set of bearings;
- A griptape;
- Bolts and nuts to assemble the board.
Skateboard Deck
A skateboard deck should cost around $50-$80. The price depends on:
- The materials used in manufacture (plastic, wood, bamboo, cork, etc.);
- The quality of materials;
- The number of plies;
- The size of the deck;
- Its shape;
- The design;
- The exclusive artwork if any;
- The brand;
- The shop you buy from.
Skateboard Wheels
A set of wheels will cost you somewhere between $30-$50. Here’s what the price depends on:
- The urethane formula used for the manufacture (some brands have their exclusive formula for better performance and durability);
- The durometer (softness);
- The size;
- The brand and the shop.
There are wheels from 50mm (penny board, skateboard) to 85mm (for longboards) and even more. The amount of material used for the manufacture should influence the price, it’s only fair.
Skateboard Trucks
A set of trucks will cost you about $30 to $60. The price depends on:
- The materials used (plastic = cheaper, metal = more expensive);
- The method of manufacture (cast, cut, etc.);
- Precision or no precision;
- The size;
- The brand and the shop.
Make sure you get the trucks that are the closest in width to your deck. This will make sure you assemble a stable unit.
Skateboard Bearings
A set of bearings will cost about $10 to $30. The price depends on:
- The material (steel or ceramic);
- ABEC-rating;
- Skate rating;
- Number of balls;
- The brand and the shop.
The bearings are responsible for how your wheels roll, so getting high-quality ones is a must.
As to the griptape and all kinds of bolts and nuts, they will cost you about $5-$20.
How a Price of a Skateboard is Estimated
For those who are interested in the distribution costs and all that, here’s an example of how brands get from $10 for a board to at least $100. After all, every company needs to have profit to be able to function and produce more and more skateboards, right?
- The manufacturer creates a deck costing $10;
- It’s sold to a distributor for, say, $20;
- The distributor sells the deck to an online or offline shop for $30;
- The shop sells that same deck to you for around $50 for online and $75 for offline stores;
- The same process occurs when the manufacturer finishes a set of wheels, trucks, bearings – basically any element of any unit.
As a result, you’re getting a beautiful, high-quality skateboard manufactured by professionals. You can buy it anywhere, anytime. There’s no additional time or effort needed from you unless you want to customize the result a bit.
On the other side, the businesses involved in the process of manufacture get their profit so that they can survive and keep their workers and machinery satisfied and intact.
It might not sound good for the buyer, but if you think about all the benefits you get, paying $120 for a board becomes not so bad.
A Complete Preassembled Skateboard Vs. Building One Yourself
The choice depends on how much you know about skateboards and their construction. If you have a clear understanding of how to assemble a board and what kind of elements you will need, then sure, go ahead.
This will also take some time and effort, so make sure you have enough of that.
Such a board will be a bit cheaper than a high-quality branded skateboard, but there’s a lot of precision and tools to it, as well as the time to choose proper elements.
Pros of Building Your Own Board
The upsides of assembling your own board are:
- You can customize it, creating a perfect model for your riding style, terrain, and personal preferences;
- You may save some money by buying separate elements (with some of them potentially on sale);
- You’ll have a custom board, which is something to be proud of;
- You can add something to it to suit your shoe size, for example, that you cannot find in any board sold online or offline;
- It can be much more durable given you’re using high-quality materials and maintain the board (clean the bearings, wax the skateboard, etc.) regularly.
Cons of Building Your Own Board
However, there are some downsides, as well:
- You’ll need to spend a lot of time looking for the elements you need;
- A lot of time will also be spent on actually assembling the board;
- You have to know how to do it to make sure the board is safe after the assembly;
- If going for the best elements without any discounts or deals, the price factor will rise very much.
The Bottom Line
A decent skateboard should cost you up to $200 or much less if buying a mini one for a child. You can go for a cheaper one if you’re living on a tight budget or get an exclusive one if you’re collecting – the decision is yours.
The point of this article is that you don’t have to overpay if there’s no need for it.
The price may be a bit lower ($30-$50 off) if you choose to create your own board, but it’s much easier to buy a complete one from a reliable seller online.
The Decision Is Yours to Make
There are high-quality boards built using amazing materials that don’t cost $500. Yet, there are models that general stores claim to be good that will break in the first month of skating, no matter how careful you are.
Take some time into researching the market and realizing what kind of board you need. It might be a longboard, after all, the one for cruising or downhill riding (remember they are different from skateboards).
Anyway, how did you like the article? Do you understand what kind of board you need and how much to pay for it? Share in the comments section, and don’t forget to tell your friends about the article!
