How To Measure A Skateboard – Picking The Right Board Size

When measuring a skateboard, the most important thing to measure is the width. The width of the skateboard is usually labelled between 7.25 to 10, meaning how many inches wide the board is.

The size of skateboard that will suit you best will depend on a few things; how you plan on riding, your height, and foot size.

However, an 8.0 is the most common size of a skateboard, especially for beginners. What 8.0 means is the width of the board in inches, including the concave.

How To Pick The Right Size Of Skateboard

If you are new to skateboarding then I highly recommend that you get an 8.0 as your first deck. Then if you feel like you need something more stable, get a wider board. Or if you want something that’s more nimble and fast while attempting flip tricks, try a slightly smaller board like a 7.75.

However, you should also take into consideration the type of skateboarding that you want to be doing, your shoe size, and your height.

If you have a child that wants to get into skateboarding and do tricks, you should lean towards a 7.25 to 7.75. This way they won’t get as discouraged when attempting flip tricks. It’s much easier for smaller kids to pop up a smaller and lighter deck.

Type Of Skateboarding

Another thing to consider is the type of skateboarding. Obviously, if you want to cruise or longboard, you’ll want a wider board. Width helps provide balance and stability.

Generally, those who are interested in doing flip tricks, manuals, and technical tricks tend to choose narrower decks (7.75 to 8.25). Whereas skateboarder’s that are into skating bowls and tricking down sets of stairs tend to stick with wider boards, usually between an 8.25 or 9.0.

Wider skateboards also make better commuter boards because they offer more stability.

Pro Tip: If you have a chance to try out a bunch of skateboards then try that! Make sure to try plenty of different sizes of skateboards to find out what feels best to you. The thing that matters most about the size of your deck is personal preference.

It Depends Your Shoe Size

If you’re new to skateboarding I recommend purchasing a skateboard deck that is proportional to your shoe size.

Skateboarders that are 13 years or older or wear an 8 or larger size adult men’s shoe should consider a full-sized deck, 7.5” or wider. 

Typically, if you wear a men’s 6.5 to 9 size shoe then the best beginner deck for you would be a 7.5 to 8.0 inch deck. Those that wear 9.5 or larger shoes should start out with an 8.0 to 8.5 size deck.

When considering even younger children, you can follow these age ranges:

• Children 9 to 12 years old should ride a mid-sized skateboard (7.25 to 7.375”)
• Children 6 to 8 years old should ride a mini skateboard (6.75 to 7.25”)
• Children 5 and younger should ride a micro board (6.5 to 6.75”)

Height Matters (For Anyone Shorter Than 5’4”)

Height comes into effect when choosing a board size. That being said, it’s usually more important for kids or people under 5’4”.

If you’re looking at getting a skateboard for a child, make sure to know their height and shoe size. It will give you a much better idea as to what size of skateboard to get them.

Height (feet & inches)	Shoe Size (US men’s)	Skateboard Width (inches)
Under 3’4”	3 or smaller	6.5 to 6.75
3’5” to 4’4”	4 to 5	7.00
4’5” to 5’2”	6 to 7	7.25 to 7.5
5’3” to 5’6”	7 to 8	7.5 to 7.75
5’7” or taller	8 +	7.75 +

Does The Length Of A Skateboard Matter?

The length of your skateboard doesn’t matter a whole lot when it comes to a regular skateboard. Decks range from 28 to 32 inches, with the average size being 31.5 inches in length.

Typically, the length of the board increases slightly as the width increases. That being said, length doesn’t affect the ride or tricks the way that width does.

However, with all of that in mind, the length of a board does play a factor when picking out a longboard. 

The longer that a longboard is, the better the stability will be at high speeds, but making the board slower to turn.

Measuring Your Skateboard

To measure your deck you’re going to need a tailor’s measuring tape or a tape measure. 

Measure from one side to the other, keeping the measuring tape flat against the deck. If you measure across without taking the concave into consideration you will get an improper measurement.

You can also measure the length of your board in the exact same way. However, most skateboard decks are between 28” to 32” long.

Pro Tip: If you don’t have a tape measure, you can use a piece of string. Lay the string flat against the board from one end to the other and either cut it or mark it with a pen or marker. Then you can measure the piece of string with a regular ruler.

What Is The Wheelbase? Does It Matter?

The wheelbase is the measurement between the inner holes that are used to mount the trucks to the deck. Usually, the wheelbase is between 13 to 15 inches.

In other words, it’s the distance one truck to the other measured from the closest holes.

Shorter wheelbases are more ideal for smaller skaters, whereas a longer wheelbase will be better for taller riders.

The wheelbase helps to determine your stance and how far your legs can comfortably spread on the board.

Conclusion

Smaller skateboards are better for smaller skaters. That being said, once you’re fully grown the size of your skateboard can really impact your game.

I suggest trying out different sizes of skateboards to find what works best for you.

Once again, if you’re an adult that’s brand new to skateboarding then you should definitely start out with a 7.75 or 8.0 deck. From there you can determine if you want something wider (for balance) or more narrow (for tricks).