How To Accurately Pick Your Skateboard Size

[@jtthorn]

What size do you skate and why?

[@spht9ng]

8.5. It's the narrowest size I feel comfortable with at size 12 feet. Alot of 8.5s are shorter than 32 nowadays but I like the full length shape from Real skateboards.

[@simonthibodeau7082]

Shoe size 7.5, I alternate back and forth between bowl shapes 9-9.5 and regular 8.5 pogo stick boards. I love a big boat lol. I do both Street and transition but I do prefer transition and I'm not big on tech flip tricks. Word of caution, lots of fish boards/bowl shapes have tails much narrower than 8.5, even if on paper they might be 9.5 on the wider end towards the nose. Those are cruiser boards and don't perform as well as even a regular 8.5 board. Only good for cruising in my book. You need a good nose for nollies too and good concave. Wheelbase too short is also common and not useful for much. Choosing a bowl shape can be a nightmare lol, I'd say a huge portion of bowl shapes aren't even designed for being functional, only for the "looks" or nostalgia. When in doubt, deluxe 8.5 pogo stick is hard to get wrong even for transition.

[@tadeaslunter]

I don't skate

[@simonthibodeau7082]

@@tadeaslunter go learn it! Never too old

[@TRAVIESO_NA]

@@spht9ngagree with you. I have size ten feet 🦶. 8.5 with 14.25 wheelbase and 32.1 length fav dimensions

[@rushguile]

I used to use 8.25, but 8.5 is my go-to nowadays. The stability just hits right for me.

[@Sk8rboy420]

How I feel about a 10 inch^

[@jalenbeckles9435]

@@Sk8rboy42010 is freaking wild still😭

[@ichwanulmuslimin5462]

my first board is 8.0 and i feel uncomfortable, i feel like the board not stable enough for me so now i got 8.3-8.5. that's a perfect size for me this video helps a new skaters a lot about board size and what new skater should choose for the board! Love from Indonesia

[@EnjoiSweatshopMoney]

Not one mention of wheelbase, the actual important thing. Put your feet in proper ollie position, feet shoulder width apart. Your front foot should be right behind the front bolts. If its over them, too short. If its a couple inches behind them, too long. The only reason width seems important is because you often can't get the longer wheelbase your legs need without getting a wider board. 14" is common all the way up to 8.5" You don't start seeing a good 15" wheelbase (good for taller skaters) until usually around 8.75 or so. You can get 8.5 with 15 but they are pretty rare. Of course its all a matter of preference, but the properly sized stuff feels better and you'll feel more confident.

[@mateusdiaass]

nice video man, so helpful

[@jtthorn]

Thank you! Stoked it was helpful.

[@jeremiahalvarez5361]

Was looking for this exact video like three days ago then seen you posted this just a day later in my recommendations thanks bro

[@jtthorn]

Glad I could help, and thanks for watching!

[@TravelAndShred]

this is pretty accurate on board size. Started as a kid at 7.5 then i went to a 7.6 and 7.75.. I'm a small dude 5'7 and size 9 shoe. when i was about 15 it seemed like no one was riding these 7.75s which is what everyone seemed like they were riding around 2012-13. Shops stopped carrying these smaller decks it seemed like so then most of us were skating 8s. took some time off skating and came back to it after 9 ish years and have tried some differnt sizes. Started back at 8" and rode 2 of them before moving up to 8.5. so much more comfortable on transition for me but my flip tricks were slacking now. grinds also improved on the wider board. next deck i went with was an 8.38 and i think next i will try 8.25 to decide if i should go back to 8.38 or 8.25 for my happy medium.

[@jtthorn]

Totally! I remember when 7.5 and 7.75 were all the rage. Then, everyone shifted to 8.0 as the standard. Now I'm over here skating an 8.8 as I try to learn to skate vert. Getting my flip tricks is a little harder, but my airs and grinds are coming along nicely.

[@christianjarvis5729]

I skated multiple deathwish 8.25's and thought it was a great size went up to a Baker 8.38 to see if the bigger size would be more fun and stable. Then i went all the way down to an 8.0 which i honestly love. But i might try 8.125 next board i get. Either that or go back to 8.25

[@jtthorn]

I loved my 8.125. I rode that size for years and loved it! I learned basically all my flip tricks on that size.

[@christianjarvis5729]

@@jtthorn fuck yeah dude! I definitely wanna try that size

[@jasonn1210]

So, as a 185cm, 90kg, semi athletic dude (tall skinny white fella), I've been riding a 8.25, but wondering should i go bigger. There are no skate shops around here, so after the wisdom of YT

[@pipo_ahahah]

im 195 85kg, im skinny too and have a 13 foot (im sorry if some information is confusing but I'm not american so I'm not expert in foot sizes) anyway, i use a 8,75 cruise board, it's very stable and is perfect for my foot sizes, i got it on Skatedeluxe

[@jtthorn]

Hey @Jasonn1210! At 185cm and 90kg, you can definitely ride an 8.25 comfortably, but going up to an 8.5 or even an 8.75 could give you more stability, especially for cruising, transition skating, or learning tricks like manuals. A wider deck can feel more solid underfoot and provide better balance for your size. The trade-off is that it might feel a bit heavier for flip tricks. If you don’t have a local shop, check out some reviews on YT or forums to get a feel for different brands, and maybe order a single deck online to test out the size change. Happy skating!

[@diplenski]

i'm kinda partial to '90-'91 shapes. full tapered nose, squarish tail, 9.25"ish

[@8wheelin269]

Im 53f, 5"2, uk 6. 9stone. I think my board is just under 8. Is that ok? I just want to street roll.

[@jtthorn]

Totally. It's all really a matter of preference, as every skater is different. This video is just a general guide to help you find the style of board that is right for you. The question you should ask yourself when riding is, "Do I feel stable and comfortable when riding? " If you feel off balance, a bigger board size can help. But if you feel good as is then stick with it.

[@rydenhaze10]

I mastered translation skating only riding a 8.0

[@61936]

Are you Ben Degros ?

[@ryanwalters3531]

What if I’m 5’6-5’7 with a size 8 shoe? I think an 8 would best for me right? I want to skate mostly street and flip the board.

[@jtthorn]

Yes, a size 8.0 board will be a good start. It may take some time to get used to. I personally rode an 8.125 for years and really loved it. It gave me the most control over my board for street skating.

[@K_spawn]

Dude I'm close to your specs and 8" wide and 14" wheels base is still stable for me , I'm 5'9 and 9usa

[@HenriqueArona]

Hey man, what size shoes do you wear? I'm asking because I wear 11.5 and I'm riding an 8.125 deck right now, but it just feels too small. I'm thinking about going for an 8.375 or maybe even an 8.5. I skate street like 90% of the time, but I feel like those sizes would suit me better. I’m 5’10 tall.

[@wertirwertir4235]

8.5 should be perfect for you, maybe if you find someone with a 8.5 deck ask if you can stand on it so you dont have to commit to buying one to find out if it suits you i wear size 9.5 and skate 8.25 which feels perfect

[@HenriqueArona]

@@wertirwertir4235 Thanks a lot, man. Do you also skate a lot of street? Or do you ride more bowls?

[@simonthibodeau7082]

8.5 is where it's at even for street if you want a more modern clean style, especially being above average size yourself. It's all preference and trends ofc but thats where the trend is right now. Once you relearn all your tricks, you'll be mastering them better. Depending how long your boards last you, you could do 8 3/8 as a stopgap first, and then go to 8.5 so it doesn't feel as big of a gap.

[@HenriqueArona]

@@simonthibodeau7082 I thought exactly the same thing. Getting an 8.38 deck to adapt first, and then trying an 8.5 because the fact that I used an 8.0 when I was younger, I think it held back my skate progression. I'm getting back into skating now after 15 years off. I'm 33 years old now.

[@simonthibodeau7082]

@@HenriqueArona It just was the norm back then, tech was more prioritized over everything. Though, outside of really fancy stuff that kinda fell out of favor anyway, we realized over time even most tech tricks can still easily be done with 8.5. Transitioning is definitely doable. I'm 29 but only started at 15 so I only caught the end of the trend, quickly transitioned to 8.5 after my first few years and didn't have an issue. I used to skate almost exclusively vert back then so that made it easier, it was just immediately better. After 2-3 years I learned street but was already comfortable on big boards. But a good friend of mine is an og approaching his 40s, he used to rep the 90s-2000s style of big ES shoes, big pants and tiny boards for like 20 years. Took him some time but he rides 8.5s now. He never ditched the big shoes too, but handles big boards no problem now and is still learning new flip tricks to this day. If anything it gives him an even more unique style, the dude has the cleanest fakie big flips I know lol he can do em mach 10 haha Cheers mate congrats on getting back into it!

[@jrml_3602]

why is there no variation in wheelbase like 8.75 with 13inch wheelbase. large feet short person over here.

[@jtthorn]

Skateboards typically follow specific dimensions for functionality, and wheelbase variations are generally kept within a small range for a few reasons: Stability and Maneuverability: The wheelbase (distance between the front and back trucks) significantly impacts how a skateboard feels when riding. A shorter wheelbase offers more maneuverability, making tricks easier, while a longer wheelbase provides stability at higher speeds. The most common wheelbases range from 13.5 to 15 inches, as these lengths strike a balance between the two. Standardization: Skateboards are often produced with standard deck widths, lengths, and wheelbases to ensure consistency for riders. Most manufacturers focus on popular sizes because they work for the majority of skaters. A very wide deck (like 8.75 inches) paired with an unusually short wheelbase (like 13 inches) could result in an awkward feel, potentially reducing control or comfort. It would be interesting to research to see if there are board brands out there that accommodate this issue.

[@RikRiorik]

I have a Lance Mountain Flip board that is just sub 14” wheel base. It’s not always easy to find these kinds of boards but there are some out there.

[@dragonator5061]

cool I just got into skating and this was pretty helpful

[@jtthorn]

Glad I could help! More videos are coming soon

[@michaelkrauer1286]

Something between an 8 to 8.5 will suit you. If you want to do a lot of fliptricks the 8 would be better. More Transition maybe a 8.5. if you have shoesize over 11 or you are taller than 6.3 you maybe even need a 8.75 or 9.

[@ZONKS-se6td]

I Accidentally bought a 8.125 I'm 5'9 (Should I be concerned?)

[@shikamarujosh]

10” Heroin board babyyyy

[@K_spawn]

I'm 5.9 tall and 220 lbs, shoe size 9 usa, I used to ride a 14.25 wheel base on a 8.125-9.0 but 2 months ago I started skating 8" wide 14" WB with low 47mm tall trucks and 47-56 mm wheels , and I like it , I will say it sucks on pools 😅 not impossible but complicated

[@K_spawn]

My Ollie's and stability is still on point and lighter/ faster pop

[@zerostarinc]

No mention to wheel base? Professor Schmitt is shaking his head 🤣

[@jtthorn]

Wheelbase is super important, but it’s hard to cover everything in one video that people will actually watch. I’ll do a follow-up on it.

[@hou5eheadjason]

you have felipe gustavo skates 8.0

[@onlyaquaa]

thank you

[@jtthorn]

You're welcome

[@Audaz_Firme]

8.375

[@Rot_Dog666]

I use a 9.0, might move to an 8.8

[@JustinKovalchik]

This video is lacking hard. The most important measurement is wheelbase IMO. Also I'm pretty sure length is a consequence of wheelbase + the length of the nose and tail rather than the width. You need to have Prof. Schmitt give you some homework my guy.

[@jtthorn]

"I appreciate the feedback! Wheelbase is definitely super important, and I can see how that got overshadowed here. Thanks for the catch! I guess I’ll hit up Prof. Schmitt for that homework assignment. This video is definitely just a beginner's guide, and I'm trying to keep it simple. I plan to make more videos on this in the future to get more into the details and science behind it.

[@JustinKovalchik]

@@jtthorn good stuff. I look forward to it.