So if you are buying a skateboard for your kids or grandkids, you can’t really go wrong…don’t worry about getting the best, because they are pretty much the same.

Now that we have the safety stuff out of the way, I have compiled a list of top quality skateboards that are perfect for that new skater in the family…check them out below, or look around at other complete skateboards for sale in the store. All of boards below come with all parts, they are complete skateboards.

Once you have your trucks tightened to your comfort, all you have to do to turn is simply lean and distribute your weight in the direction you want to go…either lean over your toes, or back on your heels depending on what direction you’re turning. Lean harder to increase the sharpness of the turn. Check out this video below, for a visual explanation of turning.

Now, If you are regular footed (riding with your left foot forward) you want to keep your left foot on the board, towards the front, and take your right foot off and use that foot to push along the ground. That is the correct way to push, with the back foot. If you are goofy footed, keep your right foot on the board, towards the front, and take your left foot off and use that foot to push along the ground. YOU ALWAYS PUSH WITH THE BACK FOOT.

If you push with your front foot, that is whats called PUSHING MONGO and you do not want to do that. Not only does it look weird and somewhat lame, but it is also a bit more dangerous when going from a push back to riding on your board because you have to move your pushing foot from pushing behind you, back to the front of the board which makes it easier to lose balance and fall, or step off and roll the ankle; also, you have significantly less control over your board. Some people do push mongo, but trust me, don’t do it.

Check out this video for a more detailed description of pushing

You’re probably asking yourself, “How do I know what stance I am?” Well, there is a very simple way to figure this out. Stand on the ground with your feet together, have someone push you forward from behind; whichever foot you put out first to stop from falling forward is your dominant foot and that foot should be forward. So if you put your right foot out, you are goofy…and if you put your left foot out, you are regular. If you are goofy, and try to skate regular, that is what is called SKATING SWITCH: skating the opposite stance you normally ride. Many people do some of their tricks switch in order to increase the difficulty of the trick, but we’ll go more into that later.

One thing I cannot stress enough is DO NOT GO TO A SKATEBOARD PARK IF YOU CANNOT CONTROL YOUR SKATEBOARD. This is dangerous to both yourself and also other skaters. If you are not ready for a skateboard park, do not go there. Learn the basics somewhere else, and when you are ready, try out a park. If you are not ready, you will most likely get in other skaters’ way and cause accidents; this will not make you very popular with the other skaters. Take your time and learn the basics first!

1. Deck. The deck is the wooden part of the skateboard that you will be standing on. This is the the most important part of your skateboard, in my opinion. The deck is what wears the fastest and what will need replacing most often. The deck also comes in many different sizes which can affect your comfort level and how you feel on the board. The average width is between 7.5 and 8 inches (19.05 to 20.32 cm) and the average length is about 32 inches (81.28 cm).

2. Trucks. These are the metal pieces that attach underneath the deck that hold your wheels; These are more or less axles. The trucks are comprised of smaller parts, including axles, bushings and kingpins. They are generally made of aluminum or titanium. The trucks are held onto the deck by hardware, which are screws and bolts which are generally about 1″-1.5″ in length.

3. Wheels. Wheels are very important because these are what help you to move, obviously. Wheels are made out of urethane and can vary in different sizes and hardness, depending on what surfaces and terrain you will be riding. Smaller wheels offer less resistance when maneuvering tricks, while larger wheels provide more stability.

4. Bearings. These go inside of the wheel (2 to each wheel) and these are what allow you to move. Bearings come in different ABEC Ratings which measures the tolerance and accuracy of the bearings. Basically, the higher the ABEC rating, the higher the quality and the higher the price. But, generally, any ABEC rating is good enough, so don’t waste your money there.

5. Grip Tape. This is the black, sand-paper like material on top of the skateboard deck. This is what allows traction and for the rider to perform tricks. If not for the grip tape, the surface would be slippery and make tricks much more difficult. Grip tape is self adhering and applies easily. This is another component that is fairly stable across companies; any kind of grip tape will work just fine.

6. Riser pads. This is a completely optional component. Riser pads simply change the height from the board to the ground. they are inserted between the trucks and the deck, and thus will require longer hardware. This, again, is based purely on personal preference and is not necessary to ride.

These are all of the components of a skateboard. When purchasing a skateboard, you can personalize it by picking out each individual piece yourself, or get what is called as a complete skateboard, which is one that is already put together with the necessary parts, all of which sync in terms of size and performance.