Are you dreaming of cruising down winding roads, carving up hills, or zipping through city streets on a sleek longboard? Whether you‘re a seasoned rider looking to upgrade your setup or a complete beginner eager to dive into the longboarding lifestyle, choosing a high-quality board from a reputable brand is key to having an awesome experience.
With so many options out there, shopping for a longboard can be overwhelming. To help you find your perfect ride, we‘ve put together this expert guide to the top 10 best longboard brands out there. But first, let‘s cover some longboarding basics.
What is Longboarding?
Longboarding is a variation of skateboarding that uses longer, wider boards designed for cruising, transportation, racing downhill, and performing tricks. The first modern longboards emerged in the 1950s, when surfers in Hawaii wanted something to "surf" when the waves were flat. They took their surfboards to the streets, carving and cruising down hills. And so, longboarding was born!
Over the decades, longboarding developed into its own thriving subculture and sport. Today, you‘ll find a dynamic worldwide community of passionate longboarders of all ages and walks of life united by a shared love for riding.
Choosing the Right Longboard
With such a wide variety of longboard brands, models, and styles out there, it‘s important to choose a setup that fits your riding style, needs and budget. Here are the key factors to consider:
Riding Style
The type of longboarding you plan to do is the biggest factor in choosing a board. Different riding styles require specific board shapes and features. Here are the main longboarding styles:
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Cruising: Casual, relaxed riding on flat roads or gentle hills. Focuses on enjoying the ride rather than speed or tricks. Works best with drop-through or drop down longboards.
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Carving: Flowy, surf-like riding with deep turns and cuts. Requires a responsive board with good flexibility, such as a pintail or fishtail shape.
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Downhill: Riding down steep hills at high speeds, often in a tucked position for stability. Needs a stiff, strong board with good traction and sliding ability.
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Freeride: Downhill riding with technical sliding and tricks. Often uses symmetrical boards with kicktails.
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Dancing: Performing cross-stepping and board walking tricks on a spacious, flexible board.
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Commuting: Using a longboard for transportation. Works best with portable, push-friendly drop-through or double drop boards.
Deck Shape and Size
Longboard decks come in a variety of shapes and sizes to suit different riding styles and personal preferences. Here are the most common longboard shapes:
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Pintail: Directional shape with a wide, rounded nose and narrow pointed tail. Provides a smooth, flowy ride. Great for cruising and carving.
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Drop-through: Trucks are mounted through cut-outs in the deck, lowering the ride for added stability. Good for pushing, commuting and freeride.
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Drop down: The standing platform is lower than the trucks, providing a stable ride and easy pushing. Popular for commuting and long distance rides.
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Symmetrical: Identical shape on the nose and tail. Allows riding in both directions. Used for freeriding, freestyle and dancing.
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Fishtail: Similar to a pintail but with a split "swallow" tail. Good for carving and pumping.
In terms of size, longboard lengths generally range from 28" to 50"+. Beginners and smaller riders usually prefer mid-length boards (32-42") as they provide a balance of stability and agility. Deck width is usually between 7-10", with wider decks offering more stability.
Construction and Materials
The deck‘s construction and materials impact its strength, stiffness, weight and durability. Most longboards use a combination of these materials:
- Maple: Strong, dense wood with good stiffness and pop.
- Bamboo: Lightweight, flexible and renewable.
- Fiberglass: Added to wood decks for vibration dampening.
- Carbon Fiber: Used to add stiffness and reduce weight. Used in high-end downhill boards.
Longboards typically use traditional wheels made of high-rebound polyurethane sized 60-100mm. Larger, softer wheels have better shock absorption and ride smoothly on rough roads. Smaller, harder wheels accelerate faster and slide more easily.
Price
Longboard prices range from under $100 for entry-level completes to over $500 for premium custom setups. You can get a decent quality complete longboard for cruising or commuting in the $150-300 range from the brands featured here.
Remember, your longboard is an investment that will hopefully provide years of fun and transportation. Choosing a high-quality board from a respected brand ensures you get a safe, durable and enjoyable ride that‘s worth the money.
The Top 10 Best Longboard Brands
So which longboard makers stand out from the pack? We‘ve ridden boards from all the major brands to find the very best based on craftsmanship, performance, customer service, and overall stoke factor.
Without further ado, here are our picks for the top 10 longboard brands:
1. Loaded Boards
Loaded is a rider-owned company obsessed with making the best longboards on the planet. Every aspect of their boards is carefully designed and crafted for ultimate performance and fun. From their innovative construction to eye-catching graphics, Loaded boards ooze quality and style.
Loaded‘s diverse lineup has a board for every riding style, including the legendary Tan Tien bamboo carver, the Icarus dancing board, and the Omakase freeride deck. They also make the popular Orangatang wheels and Jehu bearings, so you can get fully kitted out.
With sustainability as a core brand value, Loaded crafts many of their boards with eco-friendly bamboo, cork, and bio-resins. They also support longboarding events and give back to community causes.
2. Landyachtz
Since 1997, Landyachtz has built longboards for the most hardcore riders in the gnarliest conditions. Their downhill division spawned race-winning boards like the Evo and Switchblade. But they also make awesome cruisers, carvers and all-around boards for every type of rider.
The Landyachtz lineup covers a huge range, from the mini-cruiser Dinghy to the giant Hammer head-turning dancer board. The Drop Cat is a super low-riding board that‘s become an extremely popular choice for commuters and distance pushers.
Landyachtz‘s high quality Canadian maple construction and striking graphics have earned them a cult following over the decades. They also support the longboard racing scene and host popular community events.
3. Sector 9
One of the OG longboard brands, Sector 9 has been handcrafting boards in San Diego since 1993. They‘re best known for their classic pintail and bamboo shapes designed for laid-back cruising and carving.
Sector 9‘s flagship models like the bamboo Lookout and mini-cruiser Sidewinder are affordable, quality options for beginners and casual riders. Their Downhill Division series offers freeride and race-ready decks.
Sector 9 keeps that old-school surf style alive with their beach-inspired graphics and shapes. You‘ll often see the iconic Sector 9 logo in surf shops and beach towns. The brand stays true to its roots by supporting the longboarding lifestyle.
4. Arbor Collective
Arbor blends sustainability, craftsmanship and high performance into their artisan-quality longboards. Their trademark wood-grain topsheets showcase the natural beauty of the maple, walnut, koa and other reclaimed woods used in their decks.
From mellow cruisers to speedy e-boards, Arbor‘s lineup has something for every riding style and vibe. Some standouts include the Axis bamboo pintail, the Pilsner mini-cruiser, and the Dropcruiser premium commuter longboard.
Arbor is committed to sustainable production, with many boards crafted in their solar-powered factory using bio-resins and locally sourced wood. They also use recycled materials in their wheels and plant a tree for every board sold. You get a board that looks great, rides great, and does great things for the planet.
5. Rayne Longboards
Rayne is all about building the fastest, strongest, most technically advanced boards for hardcore riders. Their boards are the weapons of choice for many pro downhill racers and freeriders thanks to premium construction and precision engineering.
Models like the Demonseed, Bromance and Darkside are staples in the downhill and freeride scene. The Whip 44 and Jungle Scream are versatile dancing boards. From the sleek Future Killer to the mini Libido cruiser, Rayne‘s lineup is known for futuristic shapes and cutting-edge tech.
Rayne produces their boards in-house in North America using a combo of bamboo, fiberglass and other high-tech materials. Their boards are pricey, but are built like tanks and worth it for serious riders who demand the best.
6. DB Longboards
DB is all about spreading the longboard stoke far and wide with high-quality boards at affordable prices. This rider-owned brand keeps things simple with a tight lineup of all-around cruisers, city slashers, and freeride boards.
DB is best known for their Coreflex bamboo construction that provides lively flex and rebound in boards like the Compound and Contra. The mini Lunch Tray is a zippy campus cruiser. From the Legend downhill bomber to the Dance Floor 47 cross-stepper, DB has options for all levels.
Hand-crafted in the Pacific Northwest, DB boards use eco-friendly materials and finishes. DB also has a strong commitment to growing the longboarding community through clinics, contests, and youth programs. They‘re an awesome brand to support.
7. Pantheon Longboards
Pantheon specializes in low-riding double drop and drop platform longboards built to go the distance. The brainchild of distance skater and aerospace engineer Jeff Vyain, Pantheon has earned a cult following among hardcore long distance pushers and commuters.
Models like the Ember, Trip, Pranayama, and Nexus all ride super low to the ground, making them a dream to push for miles. The Quest, Gaia, and CHiller offer more versatility with functional kicktails. The Seed doubles as a slashy pool and park board.
Proudly made in the USA with 100% maple construction, Pantheon boards are built to last a lifetime. With their streamlined design and smart engineering, they simply perform better than most boards in their class.
8. Bustin Boards
NYC‘s Bustin Boards lives by the motto "Skate Everything" with their lineup of city-tough, do-it-all longboards. They‘re best known for mid-sized boards designed to handle the roughest streets and gnarliest traffic.
Bustin‘s flagship Maestro and Sportster are the gold standard for pushing and commuting boards thanks to their comfy drops and custom urethane inserts to dampen road vibration. Hybrid shapes like the Shrike and Yoface are designed to shred it all: freeride, park, dancing, you name it!
Hand-crafted in Bustin‘s Brooklyn workshop, these boards are overbuilt for battle. You really can skate everything with confidence. Bustin also has a thriving NYC scene and throws some of the raddest events in longboarding.
9. Comet Skateboards
Comet has been handcrafting high-end longboards inspired by snowboarding in the USA since 1997. They‘re best known for their bamboo cruisers and hybrid boards that transition from pow to pavement.
Comet‘s cruiser lineup features bamboo, vert lam wood, cork, and other sustainable materials. The Upcycle series uses recycled snowboards for a unique board with major pop. From the Cruiser to the Gravalanche, these decks are lively, damp, and built to last.
As a certified B corp, Comet meets high standards of sustainability and social impact. All boards are crafted with non-toxic, low-VOC bio-resins and finishes. Comet also donates a portion of profits to community causes.
10. Moonshine MFG
Moonshine MFG is a relative newcomer that‘s made huge waves thanks to their striking designs and indestructible construction. Started by a group of hardcore longboarders, Moonshine is all about building the strongest, most technically advanced boards that can take a beating and keep rolling.
The Moonshine lineup includes futuristic boards like the Outlaw, Rum Runner, and Elixir built for downhill, freeride, and even pow surfing. But they also make fun cruisers like the Hoedown and Proscrito that are great for all-around riding.
What sets Moonshine apart is their proprietary urethane infused hard rock maple construction. They claim it to be virtually "unbreakable" compared to normal maple decks. Considering many of their team riders are chucking huge mountain gaps, that‘s saying a lot!
Safety and Protective Gear
However you ride, wearing protective gear is essential to preventing serious injuries from falls and collisions. At a minimum, you need a quality helmet certified for skateboarding. Opt for a full-face helmet for downhill riding.
You‘ll also want to wear slide gloves, knee and elbow pads, and closed-toe shoes while skating. Padded shorts can protect your hips and tailbone from impact. And always be cautious and respectful of cars, pedestrians and other riders on shared paths.
Where to Buy a Longboard
You can buy longboards directly from the brand‘s website or through major retailers like Muirskate, Daddies Board Shop, and Tactics. Your local skate shop is also a great place to see boards in person and support the community.
Avoid cheap, low-quality boards from big box stores and Amazon as they can be unsafe. Stick to buying from core skate retailers or directly from reputable brands like the ones featured here.
Longboarding Events and Community
Longboarding is more than just a solo hobby — it‘s a thriving community full of events, meetups, and group rides. Look for Facebook groups and Discord servers to connect with the local longboarding scene in your area. Many brands and shops also host community events.
On the competitive side, the International Downhill Federation and World Skate host major races and freeride events around the world. Longboard dancing and freestyle also have their own contest circuits.
But you don‘t have to be a pro or even leave your neighborhood to enjoy longboarding. Ultimately, it‘s all about having fun on your board and spreading the stoke. And of course, that starts with choosing an awesome board from one of the best longboard brands featured here. See you out there!
