I’m thinking of getting into longboarding—it seems a little less intense than skateboarding but still a cool way to get around. What should I look for in a good longboard?
CHRISL., NEW HAVEN, CT
■ ”You’re going to want something you’re comfortable standing on,” says Rob Reinoso, Team Manager at Longboard Loft in New York City. “If you have size-12 feet, you don’t want to grab a smaller board. It’s going to feel awkward.” But more important than anything, perhaps, are the wheels you put on your board. “For wheels, I recommend anywhere from a 78a to an 82a,” says Reinoso, referring to the numbers that denote a wheel’s -hardness—the higher the number, the harder the wheel. “If you’re on rough pavement, 78a or 82a will give you enough acceleration to cruise over bumps and pebbles and have a smoother ride but not overexert yourself.” Also: Pay attention to the bushings, the rubber rings that fit around the pins of your board’s trucks (which keep the
