Help With Skateboard Purchase

Bruce M. Thomson

Gold Member
This is short notice but I just found out what my freinds daughter wants for her birthday this Sunday, and it is a skateboard. She is turning eleven and up to now her interests have come and gone but she took snowboarding lessons this winterand she seemed to be good at it and now it is skateboarding lessons this summer. I know almost nothing of what to look for and I have seen them in the 60 dollar range. Are they any good? What would be recommended or what do I look for. Any advice,is as always, my fellow drummers, appreciated. If any Torontonians know of a good store that would be great.
 
Hmm...where I'm from, a good skateboard costs a whole lot more than that. It's about $55-$75 for the deck itself, and then with everything else added (trucks, wheels, bearings, grip tape...) it comes to around $120.

I've seen some skateboards for sale at the local supermarket for around $50, but the decks were warped, the wheels were a squishy rubber, and the trucks were plastic. DON'T get one of those! If she's 11 and serious about it, get her something that isn't going to break while she's riding. Quality quality quality!
 
OK...you are a drummer and you will buy her a skateboard!?! WHY NOT just get her a pair of sticks and a snare stand and snare. She will be FREAKED OUT! BFD. If she don't want it, take it back. YOU WIN!
 
Hmm...where I'm from, a good skateboard costs a whole lot more than that. It's about $55-$75 for the deck itself, and then with everything else added (trucks, wheels, bearings, grip tape...) it comes to around $120.

I've seen some skateboards for sale at the local supermarket for around $50, but the decks were warped, the wheels were a squishy rubber, and the trucks were plastic. DON'T get one of those! If she's 11 and serious about it, get her something that isn't going to break while she's riding. Quality quality quality!

You are right;don't want any accidents or money tossed down the drain. I will check out a specialty store and get a good one and that is the price I figured a good one would cost. Thanks for your help.

OK...you are a drummer and you will buy her a skateboard!?! WHY NOT just get her a pair of sticks and a snare stand and snare. She will be FREAKED OUT! BFD. If she don't want it, take it back. YOU WIN!

Ha Ha, you are a fellow drum head (no pun intended) Her mother bought her one of those small electric pianos at Christmas, has not ben touched yet. Does not seem to have an interest for her except exchanging Justin Beiber mp3's with her freinds besides her mother would kill me.
 
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Skateboards are a very "individualistic" item. Much like drum sets. I'd find a "board shop" close to home, talk to a sales clerk about cost of a deck, wheels, and trucks, and then give the young lady a gift card for that shop. Maybe have a few other people kick in, as well.
 
Where I live a custom setup will cost more, although the skate shops near me, used to and probably still do generic setups.

The deck will usually have little to no pattern on it and yeh the trucks and bearings/wheels are not going to be the greatest but get her something to start with, she may decide she doesn't want to persue it after a couple of weeks of hitting the deck (I knocked my front tooth out when I was 11 on my skateboard)
 
Skateboards are a very "individualistic" item. Much like drum sets. I'd find a "board shop" close to home, talk to a sales clerk about cost of a deck, wheels, and trucks, and then give the young lady a gift card for that shop. Maybe have a few other people kick in, as well.

That is a very wise idea. I do beleive there is one very close to me near. Also I just remembered that there is a second hand shop that deals only in sports gear near nearby.

Great advice from you all, thank you.

Cheers
 
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Skateboards are a very "individualistic" item. Much like drum sets. I'd find a "board shop" close to home, talk to a sales clerk about cost of a deck, wheels, and trucks, and then give the young lady a gift card for that shop. Maybe have a few other people kick in, as well.

Cant go wrong with doing this... boards these days have so many different finishes, along with shapes, type of riding style and so on. With a gift card, she has the option to put together her own custom deck suited to her own tastes. And in doing this she not only gets to see whats available, but also learns how to put together and adjust/tweak things to get the "perfect" board. IMO, this would be WAY much more fun than just getting a board from a store. This would be her own creation... and would probably hold alot more meaning to her. Skate Or Die Man!!!
 
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