9 Best Skateboard Deck Brands To Purchase In 2023
When it comes to choosing a skateboard deck, quality and durability are the most important factors to consider. Choosing a deck made from premium maple wood ensures optimal flexibility and stability, enabling you to push your limits and perform tricks with confidence. To assist you in making an informed decision, we have curated a list of the best skateboard deck brands available in the market today, each renowned for their exceptional craftsmanship and enduring reputation.
Over the course of skateboarding’s evolution, numerous brands have emerged, leaving their mark on the industry. While some have faded into obscurity, a select few have stood the test of time, solidifying their positions as staple brands within the skateboarding community. These brands have remained at the forefront of innovation and consistently deliver top-notch skateboard decks that meet the demanding needs of riders, both amateurs and professionals alike.
In the pursuit of finding the best skateboard deck brands, we have taken into consideration various factors, including the brand’s history, quality control standards, team riders, and the feedback of skateboarders themselves.
By aligning yourself with one of the best skateboard deck brands featured on our list, you can be confident that you are investing in a product that has been crafted with meticulous attention to detail, utilizing the finest materials and manufacturing techniques.
First, let’s find out which width of the board you would need for your shoe size.
Shoe Size US | Shoe Size EU | Shoe Size UK | Deck Width |
US 4 | EU 36 | UK 3.5 | 7.5″ – 7.875″ |
US 4.5 | EU 36.5 | UK 4 | 7.5″ – 7.875″ |
US 5 | EU 37.5 | UK 4.5 | 7.625″ – 8″ |
US 5.5 | EU 38 | UK 5 | 7.625″ – 8″ |
US 6 | EU 38.5 | UK 5.5 | 7.75″ – 8″ |
US 6.5 | EU 39 | UK 6 | 7.75″ – 8.125″ |
US 7 | EU 40 | UK 6 | 7.875″ – 8.125″ |
US 7.5 | EU 40.5 | UK 6.5 | 7.875″ – 8.25″ |
US 8 | EU 41 | UK 7 | 8.00″ – 8.25″ |
US 8.5 | EU 42 | UK 7.5 | 8.00″ – 8.25″ |
US 9 | EU 42.5 | UK 8 | 8.00″ – 8.375″ |
US 9.5 | EU 43 | UK 8.5 | 8.00″ – 8.375″ |
US 10 | EU 44 | UK 9 | 8.125″ – 8.5″ |
US 10.5 | EU 44.5 | UK 9.5 | 8.125″ – 8.5″ |
US 11 | EU 45 | UK 10 | 8.25″ – 8.5″ |
US 11.5 | EU 45.5 | UK 10.5 | 8.25″ – 8.625″ |
US 12 | EU 46 | UK 11 | 8.375″ – 8.625″ |
US 13 | EU 47.5 | UK 12 | 8.5″ – 8.625″ |
US 14 | EU 48.5 | UK 13 | > 8.5″ |
Take the table above as a rough guideline for beginners. Every skater will eventually find their own style and size of board that they prefer. Typically, thinner boards are easier to perform flip tricks but they’re harder to land on.
Best Skateboard Deck Brands for Performance and Quality
When it comes to skateboarding, the deck you choose can make all the difference in your riding experience. That’s why we’ve meticulously researched and compiled a list of the best skateboard deck brands available today. These brands have earned their reputation for delivering exceptional performance, durability, and quality craftsmanship, ensuring that riders can push their limits with confidence and style.
- Almost
- Anti Hero
- Baker
- Blind
- Element
- Enjoi
- Powell Peralta
- Santa Cruz
- Toy Machine
Almost
Almost complete skateboards start around $75 to $110, which is still a great deal for a pro build. Their completes come fully assembled with a 7 Ply Hardrock Maple deck, Tensor trucks, Almost wheels, and quality bearings. Take a look at these Almost complete skateboards.
Almost Skateboards is an American skateboard company founded by professional skateboarders and business partners Rodney Mullen and Daewon Song.
Almost Skateboards have many features:
- Über Light, a 7-ply Resin deck with a carbon fiber inner layer.
- Impact Support, a 9-ply resin deck that has die-cut carbon fiber disks around the truck mounting areas. These discs prevent pressure cracks.
- 30-day warranty on all Resin-7 and Resin-8 decks and a 45-day warranty with the Double Impact model.
As of September 2020, the Almost Pro Team includes Rodney Mullen, Youness Amrani, Yuri Facchini, Max Geronzi, and John Dilo.
Anti Hero
Anti Hero completes can be purchased for under $100, which is a great purchase for a beginner deck. Anti Hero offers an affordable setup with a good quality deck, Anti Hero wheels, polished hangers trucks, and ABEC 5 bearings. Take a look at these Anti Hero completes.
Anti Hero is a skateboard company that was founded in 1995 by professional skateboarder Julien Stranger. They have you covered with skateboard decks wide and narrow, plus a wicked line of skate-inspired threads.
The pro team includes John Cardiel, Frank Gerwer, Tony Trujillo, Peter Hewitt, Andy Roy, Chris Pfanner, Tony Miorana, Grant Taylor, Robbie Russo, Daan Van Der Linden, Jeff Grosso, and Brian Anderson.
Jeff Grosso, pro skater, joined Anti-Hero in early 2011 and explained the process in an interview, “I’ll ask, I’ll shoot at the mountaintop, and maybe I’ll land at base camp. Once I got the courage to call them up, or whatever, and then they were like, ‘Well, we have to vote.’, or whatever, ’cause they run it like a gang … So once I found out that they all, like, voted yes … it was a proud moment.”
Baker
Baker skateboards are a great price for what you get. Most of their complete boards can be bought for $100 or less. It includes an affordable setup with a good quality deck and decent components such as Core trucks, TGM wheels, and ABEC 5 Amphetamine bearings. Take a look at one of these Baker complete skateboards.
Baker Skateboards is a skateboarding company that professional skater Andrew Reynolds founded in 2000. The company focuses on producing quality skateboard decks, soft goods, accessories, and wheels.
It’s said that back in 1999, Reynolds went to a secret lunch meeting with Tony Hawk and Per Welinder and started Baker Skateboards. The Baker pro team includes Andrew Reynolds, Dustin Dollin, Bryan Herman, Justin Figueroa, Theotis Beasley, Don “Nuge” Nguyen, Riley Hawk, and many others.
Blind
Blind skateboards are an entry-level board but can still be shredded by the pros. A Blind complete setup should come around $120 or less and is an amazing deal for beginners. This setup comes with a 7 Ply Hardwood Maple deck, aluminum Raw Blind trucks, Blind wheels, and Blind ABEC 5 bearings.
Check out this gnarly Blind complete skateboard.
Blind Skateboards is a skateboard company founded in 1989 by Mark Gonzales under Steve Rocco’s World Industries distribution company. The Gonz has since left the company for other pursuits, and they continue under the ownership of Dwindle Distribution. Blind Skateboards produce decks, wheels, soft goods, and accessories.
Element
Element’s complete skateboards offer an excellent value for the money and are well-regarded boards in the skate community. At under $100, you get a solid setup with a good quality deck and decent components. The complete deck by Element includes their own trucks, wheels, and bearings. Check out these Element completes.
Element Skateboards was started in 1992 and have grown to be one of the largest skateboarding and clothing brands in the industry. For over a decade, Element has been making technical skate decks, wheels, cruisers, and skateboard accessories.
“Our goal was simple, to be the best we could be in the most honest and ethical way possible. We joined together to elevate what we all truly believe in. Today we continue to create the art, direction, and message on the constant path to bring progress to skateboarding. We are more than a business; we are a family, all on the same journey for the growth within ourselves, Element and all that surrounds us.” -Johnny Schillereff, Founder.
Enjoi
Enjoi’s complete skateboards offer an excellent value for the money and are well-regarded boards in the skate community. This complete comes with a solid setup. It’s an excellent quality 7 Ply Hardrock Maple deck, Tensor trucks, Enjoi wheels, and Carbon Steel Speed Bearings.
Check out the Enjoi complete setup. They’re usually priced somewhere around $120 or less.
Enjoi was founded by pro skater Marc Johnson, with the support of Rodney Mullen in 2000. Johnson and Mullen had previously been teammates in a skate company founded by Mullen and Steve Rocco, The A-Team.
Enjoi is a skateboarding company that produces decks, accessories, and clothing. Since their inception, they’ve been known for humorous and satirical designs and have since adopted a stylized panda as their logo.
Powell Peralta
Powell Peralta complete skateboards are affordable skateboards for both beginners and advanced riders. Priced around $100 or so, this deck comes with hand-cast polyurethane Powell Golden Dragon wheels, Golden Dragon trucks, and good quality bearings.
Take a look at this Powell Peralta Golden Dragon complete.
Powell Peralta is an American skateboard company that was founded in 1978 by Stacy Peralta and George Powell. The company featured the Bones Brigade, a skateboarding team with some of the era’s top competitors such as Tony Hawk, Rodney Mullen, Bucky Lasek, Danny Way, and so many others.
Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz is a well-regarded skateboard brand, and so are their products. Usually priced around $120 or less, Santa Cruz completes come with high-rebound urethane OJ wheels, Bullet trucks, and high-speed precision ABEC 5 bearings.
Take a look at this high-quality Santa Cruz complete skateboard.
Santa Cruz has been manufacturing some of the very best skateboards and apparel for over 40 years. They were founded in 1973 in Santa Cruz, California, by Northern California surfers Rich Novak, Doug Haut, and Jay Shuirman. Their main products are skateboard decks and wheels, but they also produce snowboarding and surfing equipment under their own specific companies.
Toy Machine
Toy Machine completes are an awesome skateboard for beginners and advanced skaters. Prices usually range from $80 to $150, but it is worth every penny. These Toy Machine completes come with a 7 Ply Hardrock Maple deck, Ruckus trucks, Toy Machine wheels, and Abec 5 PIG bearings. Check out these amazing Toy Machine complete skateboards right here.
Toy Machine was founded by professional skateboarder Ed Templeton in 1993. He couldn’t decide between Toy Skateboards and Machine Skateboards, so a friend of his and pro skater, Ethan Fowler, suggested he mix the names, creating Toy Machine.
Numerous pros made their first impressions through Toy Machine videos, including Bam Margera, Jamie Thomas, and Elissa Steamer.
Today, the Toy Machine pro team includes Ed Templeton, Austin Stephens, Diego “The Butcher” Bucchieri, Billy Marks, Josh Harmony, Johnny Layton, and many others.
Their board construction is superior to others. Toy Machine decks utilize P2 construction for decks that use an oval-shaped Aramid fiber reinforcement panel on the top ply layer for extra strength and spring-loaded pop, making them a must-have for serious skaters.
List of Reputable Skateboard Deck Companies
- Alien Workshop
- Almost Skateboards
- Baker Skateboards
- Birdhouse Skateboards
- Blind Skateboards
- Blueprint Skateboards
- Cliche Skateboards
- Chocolate Skateboards
- Deathwish
- DGK Skateboards
- Element Skateboards
- Enjoi
- Flip Skateboards
- Girl Skateboards
- Globe
- KR3W
- Kryptonics
- Madness Skateboards
- Primitive
- Plan B Skateboards
- Powell Peralta
- Palace Skateboards
- Santa Cruz Skateboards
- Sector 9
- Supreme
- Toy Machine
- The Hundreds
- Zero Skateboards
- Zoo York
Conclusion
Skateboarding is an incredible sport, and when it comes to choosing the right board for you, there are a lot of great options out there. Whether you’re just starting out or have been skating for years, Enjoi, Powell Peralta, Santa Cruz and Toy Machine all offer quality complete skateboards that come with solid components at affordable prices. Each company has its own unique history and team riders who help make their boards stand out from the rest.
No matter which brand you choose, these completes will give you everything you need to start shredding like a pro! Also, always make sure to wear a certified helmet and protective equipment.
Hot tip: For any skateboard store owner, consider enhancing your publicity and promotions with customized products! You can bulk-customize pins, and personalized stickers to give customers, or you can sell them as skateboard accessories to skateboarders. Choose a professional custom merchant to make metal pins, stickers, and other personalized goods to win the favor of customers.