The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says skateboarding injuries run at roughly 8.9 per 1,000 participants, which they consider low — for comparison, basketball sees about 21.2 ER-treated injuries per 1,000 players.
I’m writing all that, but the reality is: a person skateboarding falls. Full stop. I learned to skate and have been riding for a while now without falling — but that’s not really how it usually goes. Wearing a helmet early on is genuinely non-negotiable. There’s a huge variety of skateboards out there.
Classic/standard board — small wheels. I don’t personally own one and wouldn’t recommend it, precisely because the wheels are small. A small rock or twig on the road can stop your board dead, and you’ll eat pavement. This type is mainly bought for skatepark tricks.
Big-wheeled boards — rocks and debris have a much harder time stopping you, though it’s never impossible. Deck length starts around 22 inches, going up to 56cm, even 110cm+ versions exist. Smaller boards turn easier; bigger boards let you feel less of the road’s vibration underneath you (what people call a “smooth” ride). These get sold under different names — cruiser, longboard, etc.
The real heart of a skateboard is actually the trucks (the metal axle assembly). If you want a genuinely good board, that’s what to research — check the brand if it has one. I’m not confident how good the trucks are on a plastic-truck board sold for the equivalent of a few dollars.
Truck mounting styles and technology can vary a fair amount between boards — on classic boards they’re mostly standardized, but I’m mainly writing this for boards meant for actual transportation use, not tricks.
The deck itself matters for flex and durability. A kicktail (the upturned back end) is generally preferable, though some longer boards skip it — pressing down on that section to lift the front becomes much harder on a very long board anyway, so it may just not be worth including, or it might just be a styling choice.
Go as big as reasonably possible on the wheels — just make sure they’re actually compatible with your trucks and deck, or oversized wheels can rub against the board when turning, which isn’t pleasant. Wheel hardness affects how well it grips the road.
I personally own three: a short 22-inch one, a mid-size 30.5-inch surf-style skateboard, and a two-wheeled board. Might get a proper longboard eventually too.
The two-wheeled one is a serious workout, genuinely tiring. The 22-inch is great because it’s easy to carry and take anywhere. The surf-style one rides more enjoyably — or maybe I just want it to feel that way since I paid more for it.
There’s a specific tool, T-shaped, for tightening or loosening your wheels. If you’re still learning, you’ll probably want them tighter at first, then loosen them later so they roll more smoothly.
Update: I ended up getting a proper longboard. Wasn’t as thrilled with it as I expected — didn’t feel meaningfully more stable than the short board (though that might just be because I already had the surf-style one). Getting real enjoyment out of it seems to require actually building up speed, and there just aren’t many places where you can safely do that — most spots are only good for slow, casual rolling.
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