Long Boards

The longboard skateboard is a variation of the skateboard for surfers, and often times are referred to as snowboard or surfboard on wheels. The longboard is used to cruise, slalom race, downhill race and for transportation. The longboards are much different than the short boards and the stunts done on longboards are much different than the ones of short boards.

Longboards usually measure between 33 to 60 inches and there are a number of shapes like the flat nose, pintails, drop decks and drop through decks. Pintails for example allow for a surfy feel where the drop decks are to allow the rider to be closer to the ground and are better for downhill racing due to a lower center of gravity and less drag. The most versatile boards in the group are the mid length boards that are between 37 to 50 inches long. Their weight and bulk do not allow for a lot of stunts but help with momentum and make for a great way to race downhill. The design of a longboard calls for short carves and big turns that are similar to snowboarders and surfers.

The record for travelling the longest distance on a longboard was set in 2006 by David Cornthwaite who skated for over 3,638 miles across Australia from Perth to Brisbane. Touring on a long board is much easier than a shortboard since the momentum helps to maintain the forward motion for a longer stretch of time therefore there is less need for pushing off with your feet.