Best Skateboard Decks & Brands - 2023

In this article we're gonna get into the best skateboard decks out there, which woodshops and deck brands to trust and general advice on how to pick the best skateboard.

Which Brand Has The Best Skateboards?

There are a lot of different skateboard brands out there claiming to be 'the best brand', and it can be tough to decide which one is right for you. Some look cool, but don't perform, others have the inverse problem. The reality is that a lot of the best brands are in fact manufactured in the same 4 or 5 factories (we will get into this later in the article).

There are a few things you should consider when choosing a skateboard brand, including the quality of the boards, the reputation of the brand, and the price:

The quality of the boards is important because you want to make sure that you are getting a good product. The last thing you want is to end up with a board that breaks after your first ollie.

The reputation of the brand / woodshop is also important. Brand reputation kinda aligns with the quality of their gear. You want to make sure that you are buying from a brand that is known for making high-quality products, that have been around for a long time and have built up a good reputation. As mentioned above, a lot of skateboards come from the same woodshops, so it's best to stick with these highly vetted skate brands.

The price is also something to consider when choosing a skateboard brand. You do not want to spend too much money on a board that you are not going to use very often. However, you also do not want to spend too little money on a board that is going to break easily or does not perform well. As a basic rule of thumb, look to spend around $40 on a blank Maple wood deck, $60 on graphic Maple deck and around $100 on a modern hybrid construction board (this price does not usually cover grip tape - around $10).

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Best Skateboard Decks

In our professional opinion, here are the 9 best skateboard decks on the market.

Powell Peralta Flight Series Decks

🤩 Best Overall

This is our go-to. The Flight series comes in classic popsicle shape, old-school / re-issue shapes and even some more modern shapes thanks to pros like Andy Anderson. Flight decks are all made from 2-ply of fibreglass and 5-ply of maple wood construction that, according to Powell, is...

• 25% Thinner

• 200% Stronger

• 10% Lighter

• 10% Higher Rebound for Pop

• 10x Longer Lasting Pop

... than a standard 7-Ply maple deck. The boards feel weirdly heavy to begin, but after a session we got used to it pretty quickly. So, why do we love this? It lasts foreverrrr, the graphics and shapes are rad. Yeah, it costs a little more than maple, but the longevity far outweighs this from a cost saving perspective.

Performance-wise, other than the surprising weight mentioned above, it has tonnes of pop and a nice concave that allowed us to nail flip tricks with ease. After a lot (and we mean a LOT) of use, Flight decks tend to razor tail vs snapping.

The boards come in plenty of styles and shapes for park skating, pool skating or transition. We like the Andy Anderson Heron Egg shape best.

Stoked Blank Skateboard Deck

🤑 Best Value

Objectively, we wanted to create a deck that was budget friendly but still performed to the high levels of the branded decks out there. After talking with many top factories we opted to make these at Clutch in Mexico to give you the best bang for your buck. Clutch also make Embassy, some Flip boards, Meridian, Thank You, Stereo and more big brands, to give an idea on quality.

The shape itself has a great mellow concave shape and comes in different sizes from 7.5 inch to 8.5 inch. For street skating we ride 8 inches, for bowl/pool/vert skating we ride 8.5 inches.

The catch? To save cost, we opted for no graphic. These decks come in either natural or your choice of stain color. On the plus side, you can pick up 3 decks for under 100 bucks and create the artwork of your choice.

Real Skateboards Team Classic

⭐ Staff Pick

The Stoked staff pick comes from Real Skateboards. A true street skateboard brand through and through, these guys have been in the game for 30+ years and still make some of the best, most poppy decks on the market thanks to a high quality construction from BBS Woodshop (see below).

This board really holds its shape and lasted far longer than any other maple board we tested earning it the coveted '⭐ Staff Pick' badge of honor!

Powell Peralta Anderson Heron Maple

Best for Transition

This is the 7-Ply Maple version of our 'Best Overall' pick, above. The OG Andy Anderson shape may look weird and clunky but it is truly the jack of all trades. This board has a long wheelbase at 15" making it great for bowl skating, but is shaped like a (admittedly large) freestyle deck making it great for transition skating.

Honestly, there is so much to this deck so we will let Andy explain it in detail:

Anti-Hero Classic Eagle

Best for Park

A classic deck that we love in a wider size for park skating. 7 Plies of Maple, with a medium concave allows for shredding bowls and ramps while still being able to pop technical tricks. The board comes in multiple sizes, making it suitable for all ages and skill levels.

Chocolate Skateboards OG Chunk

Best for Street

Chocolate Skateboards was founded back in '94 right here in Torrance, California, and is owned by distribution company Crailtap (who also do Girl Skateboards). The OG Chunk deck features the classic Chocolate logo with a mellow concave, steeper nose and shallower tail.

We like to set this deck up with hard smaller wheels (52mm) like Spitfire Formula Fours, Dragon RACE Bearings and Indy Stage 11 trucks for a great all-round street setup.

Santa Cruz Salba Tiger VX Deck

Best for Bowls

The huge 9.25" VX deck works great for bowls, giving ample stability while providing great pop. VX Decks are Santa Cruz' answer to the Powell Flight Decks and feature '5 plies of North American Maple and 2 layers of Quad X technology' according the Santa Cruz website. Quad X technology is pretty much a carbon fiber reinforced ply that is deisgned to increase longevity. And it works!

Similarly to the Powell Flights, these decks actually seem to be a little heavier than 7-ply maple, but we actually we prefered it for skating bowls. The difference is noticable, but wont stop you from popping an ollie with ease.

Oh, and the Salba Tiger graphic is one of the best out.

Powell Peralta Chinese Dragon

Best Old School Shape

This classic fish shape came out in 1986 in time for the Animal Chin video and still looks as rad today as it did then. It comes with a long wheelbase at 15", mellow concave and a kicktail (no nose), and makes for a great pool board, cruiser skateboard or wall art for your home. These Old School Powell Peralta pro decks have become highly collecatble over the years, with Powell Peralta re-issuing new colorways in limited batches each year.

CCS 10 Pack Blank Skateboard

Best Bulk Buy

If you go through boards like no other, buying in bulk might be the way to go. You can pick up 10 CCS blank boards for just 200 bucks. Sure, they are not the best quality on the list, but they are cheap enough that it doesn't really matter! They are definitely better suited to beginners or skaters who are not as hard on their boards.

There are multiple colors available.

Stoked Ride Shop Blank (7.5")

Best for Young Kids

Without sounding biased, and for all the reasons listed in the above entry, these are just a great deck for smaller kids looking to get started. The 7.5" size is specifically for smaller/younger skaters with shoe size up to around a kids 8 US.

We get way more in depth in this guide to the best kids skateboards.

How we rated the boards

Build Quality 🔨

How good is the board construction. 1-5 hammers. 🔨

Fun Factor 😺

How much fun you'll have on the board? 1-5 excited cats. 😺

Cost 💲

How much money is this thing going to cost me? 1-5 dollar signs. 💲

Overall ⭐

Overall rating? 1-5 stars. ⭐

Best Skateboard Deck Brands by (reputable) Woodshop

As we hinted above, good boards come from mostly the same place. Sure, the technology and graphics change between brands of the same woodshop, but making sure you pick a board from the following is generally sound advice:

There are also a few other reputable woodshops, but these 4 cover the vast majorty of brands you should know.

Choosing the best skate decks?

Based on the above you should be able to shortlist a few brands to check out, scope the graphics or different colors and get a feel for whichever is best suited to your individual style. Great!

BUT, when it comes to choosing a skateboard deck, there are a few other things you need to keep in mind too. The first is the size (width) of the deck. You want to make sure that the deck is big enough for your feet, but not too big that it becomes difficult to control.

The next thing you need to consider is the shape of the deck. Some people prefer a more traditional shape, while others prefer a more modern shape. There is no right or wrong answer here, it just depends on personal preference.

Finally, you need to decide what material you want your deck to be made out of. Most decks are made out of either 7-ply maple, but there are some modern decks like the Powell-Peralta Flight Boards or Santa Cruz VX Series that combine fibreglass with maple to increase strength. These are both great materials that will last a long time and provide you with a great ride.

So, what's the best skate deck? That really depends on what you're looking for. If you want a great all-around deck, then go with a standard 7-ply maple deck. If you don't wanna spend too much, but are still looking for the best quality decks, pick up something like our Stoked Ride Shop Blank (Made at Clutch in Mexico). If you're looking for something a little more durable, then something from the Powell-Peralta Flight Series is our choice.

Althought we've tried to make the online experience as informed as possible for you, if it's your first time purchasing a deck, it's best to visit your local shop so they can advise you on the above. They'll likely have a wide range and be able to size you up correctly. Or shoot us an email here.

Further Questions: