A good longboard usually costs a few hundred dollars, but thanks to the high popularity and competition between various brands, with a little patience, you can find a good board for under $100, or, if you’re lucky, under $50. Most of them are more suited for beginners, but you can also find a good longboard even if you’re an experienced rider.
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Why should you buy a longboard?
If you’ve never had any type of board before, either a skateboard or a longboard you should definitely get one! A longboard is a great means of transportation, that not only allows you to quickly get around the city and avoid being stuck traffic but also a great way of staying in shape.
If you’re not sure if you should go for a longboard or skateboard you should know that there’s a big difference between the 2, even though to the untrained eye they look a lot like each other. The first visible difference is, of course, the size. A skateboard is usually 28-32 inches long and 7-10 inches wide, while a longboard is 33-60 inches long and 9-10 inches wide. The fact that they are longer makes the longboards much more stable, thus making them better for beginners.
While all skateboards have similar shapes, with decks that are curved at both ends, the longboards vary in shape and size and usually have a flat deck. The shape of the skateboard makes it easier to do tricks, while the longboards are better suited for cruising.
The trucks and wheels are different as well. Skateboards have narrower, more rigid trucks, which again help with grinds and tricks, while the longboards have trucks that are wider and more flexible, thus making the ride smoother and the cornering easier. The wheels on a skateboard are smaller and harder, while longboards have bigger, softer wheels that can tackle obstacles on the road such as rocks, pebbles, and even holes, more smoothly. You can easily fall off a skateboard if you hit even the tiniest rock.
In conclusion, skateboards are better used in skate parks, while longboards are better for the open road.
Defeilaisport Skateboard 7
One of the best boards that you can find for under $50 right now is the Defeilaisport Skateboard 7, a good choice especially if you are a beginner. This is a skateboard with a longboard shaped deck that allows you to enjoy the best of both worlds.
The 31” x 8″ deck is made out of 7 layers of Canadian maple wood and can hold up to 220lbs, making it suitable for any age. The deck comes with waterproof Emery Non-Slip Grip Tape, which ensures that ensures you won’t slip off whether you are doing tricks or just cruising down the boulevard.
The Defeilaisport Skateboard 7 is also light, weighing only 5 pounds and comes ready to use out of the box, meaning that you don’t have to buy trucks, bearings, grip tape, or wheels, thus saving time and money.
The board does have some bad parts as well. The bearings aren’t all that good so don’t expect them to last for long. Also, the wheels are pretty rigid, making them more suitable for skate parks than for the open road.
All in all, the Defeilaisport Skateboard 7 is a good choice for a beginner, especially if you are looking for cheap longboards under 50 dollars. Buy, if you’re a seasoned rider you should look for other boards.
Landshark Island Style Longboard
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While $50 will only give you a few options when it comes to beginner longboards, raising your budget to $100 will open up a lot of new possibilities. One of the best longboards for sale under 100 dollars that you can find right now is the Landshark Island Style Longboard. This is a classic longboard with a surf-style design that is just perfect for either carving, cruising, or commuting.
The board has a 35” x 9. 25” deck constructed out of 8 layers of maple wood with cutouts at both ends which are designed to eliminate wheel bites during sharp turns. The deck is also concave, which allows even beginners to easily find the best places to plant both feet, while at the same time making the board more responsive and the ride more comfortable.
The Landshark Island Style Longboard also comes with 7” wide aluminum trucks, that are both lightweight and durable, and 61mm x 54mm PU Wheels with Abec-7 Precision Carbon Steel Bearings. The wheels are wide and soft enough to provide a smooth ride, allowing you to easily get pass road obstacles such as small pebbles and rocks.
For such a cheap deck, the Landshark Island Style Longboard doesn’t have many downsides. After you start learning how to use it you might want to invest in better trucks and wheels.
Atom Lowrider Longboard
Another good pickup for under $100 is the Atom Lowrider Longboard. This too is a board best suited for beginners because of its low-profile design. This makes the board easy to control and offers new riders enough security. The Atom Lowrider is a 39” x 9” longboard with a strong deck made out of 10-Ply maple laminate, traditional longboard trucks, and PU wheels with Abec-5 bearings.
While the low-profile is great for beginners, because it allows them to master carving in no time, the board does have some important downsides. First of all, because of the design, the wheels tend to bite at sharp turns. Also, the bearings aren’t too good and are only suitable for carving.
If you’re new to riding you should definitely get the Atom Lowrider Longboard, as it’s both great for learning how to carve and good for commuting. If you do have some experience, you should consider buying a different board.
Conclusion
Using a longboard is a great way to stay in shape and commute, without being stuck in traffic all the time. While great boards cost a few hundred dollars you can find good ones for less than $100 or even $50, especially if you are a beginner. If you have never ridden before, you will hardly notice a difference when you spend double digits instead of over 100.
If you think you are ready to make the transition to an electric skateboard, you can occasionally find a 100 Dollar Electric Skateboard, but there are not many options. As soon as you increase your budget to the $100-200 range you get a few more options. These tend to be fun toys for learning how to ride an electric skateboard and short cruises around town rather than commuter boards.
