You may have seen the best carver skateboards already in action, if you live near a beach. These rad boards will allow expert riders to flow back and forth, side to side - literally carving turns on the concrete.
Of course, there are millions of products out there - and not all of them are great. So we did the research, and took a deep dive into the best carver skateboards on the market today.
What Is A Carver Skateboard?
Carving on your skateboard came from surfing - where you would carve waves (make sharp turns, basically) - and then Carver skateboards started making boards specifically for this purpose, in 1996. You don’t need to buy the brand name to carve on the streets - but the official boards do offer an insane amount of great handling.
[Look at this rad guide, and discover the best rideshop.]
10 Best Carver Skateboards
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# 1
Santa Cruz Land Shark Cruzer - Why it's rad: This cruiser is a great buy - perfect for anyone.
- Buy at Amazon
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# 2
Flybar Cruiser Board - Why it's rad: Want to carve the sharpest turns? Grab this board.
- Buy at Amazon
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# 3
White Wave Bamboo Longboard - Why it's rad: We love the bamboo, and this carves like a dream.
- Buy at Amazon
1. Santa Cruz Youth Land Shark Cruzer
This awesome design of this cruiser skateboard really stands out. The smooth icy blue color contrasts with the bold Satna Cruz logo, a classic skating brand.
You will get good cruising speed and a smooth ride with this board. It’s lightweight and easy to carry around too, so you will be ready to ride, and a really fun feature is the bottle opener at the bottom.
2. Flybar Skate Cruiser Board
This carver skateboard by Flybar is made with a 7-layer Canadian maple, making it super sturdy but also lightweight and easy to carry. The durable aluminum trucks give you a superior turning experience.
If you are looking for a classic cruising board, this is a great option that will allow you to ride in comfort all day. It is highly reviewed and comes at a very affordable price.
3. White Wave Bamboo Longboard
We love the sleek design of this board – a beautiful natural wood desk is accented with a bold pop of logo from the wheels and the White Wave logo. The clear grip tape also contributes to the elegant look.
The board is suitable for all types of skaters and will give you a fast and smooth ride with the ABEC-9 bearings with built in spacers. You get all the benefits of a longboard and shortboard in one, so a great choice for anyone.
4. FLOW Surf Skates Surf Skateboard With Carving Truck
Flow Surf Skates brings the feeling of surfing to the city streets and sidewalks. Designed with “flow tech,” this board’s unique design will make you feel like you are riding the waves with fluid carving and smooth pumping.
This board is also very comfortable and easy to ride. It has a classic shape and a wide standing platform with excellent grip so you can easily balance.
5. WeSkate Electric Longboard
If you are looking to invest in an electric longboard, we highly recommend this complete skateboard cruiser by WeSkate. It’s sturdy and reliable and is suitable for beginners, kids and adults.
The wireless remote gives you easy control of the board for cruising to work or school or trying out some new tricks. A high performance battery is hidden inside the deck, so you will have long lasting power while still enjoying the sleek design.
6. Magneto Mini Cruiser Skateboard
We love the simple natural wood design of the skateboard that was designed by skaters right in Southern California. This board is versatile - It’s perfect for cruising and the double kicktails also make it ideal for practicing tricks.
This board will meet all your skating needs no matter where you want to go. It’s a great choice for everyday skating and is built to last a long time.
7. Globe Sun City Cruiser
This board comes in 5 Hawaiian inspired graphic designs that are retro and chic. The large, soft wheels give you a very smooth and speedy ride even on rough surfaces.
This is a high-quality board backed by tons of great reviews. It’s super durable and easy to balance on, so it’s a great choice for beginners.
8. Kryptonics Super Fat Cruiser
This board is designed for fun and super easy handling. The wide deck and single kick tail design make it even easier to control and brake, so you will have a safe, easy ride.
It’s a great choice for beginners and is priced well. Whether you are riding the city streets or along the beach, this board will give you a smooth ride.
9. Boilgon 29 Inch Carver Surf Skateboard
This board by Boilgon comes in a variety of bold designs and colors and will have you feel like you are surfing through the waves. The carver style truck makes it easy to turn and pump, so it’s a great design.
With the right hip motion, you can ride for 10 to 15 minutes without pushing if you are on level ground. It’s a great value for anyone looking for a fun ride.
10. Slide Surfskate Street Surf Skateboard
A more premium board for serious riders, this skateboard’s high quality cannot be beat. Similar to classic carver boards, You can maintain speed and motion with barely needing to push, thanks to the spring loaded “slide” truck.
The trucks are what really make this board unique and help propel you with ease and a smooth flow. Not only will you look good with the board, but it will be one of the best rides you’ve had.
Are Carver Boards Good For Beginners?
Yes, though total beginners may not love them. Carver skateboard (the brand name) will handle extremely well, for tight turns - but this may not be the best way to learn the basics of skateboarding.
We generally recommend learning to board on a longboard, as there is the most margin for error there. You can have the stability and length (not to mention width) of the board, and won’t have to worry about easily falling, while getting the hang of balancing on a board (and pushing).
Can You Cruise On A Surfskate?
Yes, you can cruise on a surfskate. However, you need to make sure you have enough stability - and intense surfskates that really train you for surfing may not be ideal for cruising.
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How Do You Make A Carver Skateboard?
We don’t really recommend making a carver skateboard yourself. While this is possible, it’s best to buy a complete board, and leave customizing it to the experts.
Is A Carver Skateboard Worth It?
Yes, in our opinion, a Carver brand skateboard is worth it. While they do cost a little more, the performance you get from them is stellar.
How Do You Carve A Board?
You want to focus on speed and curves here. You’ll lean to turn, but it’s all about maintaining your balance, and keeping that forward momentum - then you’ll be carving on your board in no time. 🛹
What Is A Carve Skateboard?
A carve skateboard is a specially designed board, which allows you to more easily chain together quick turns (hence the name ‘carving’). These boards usually have specific trucks, which make turning faster and easier.
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What Are The Benefits Of A Carver Skateboard?
You will have many benefits. The most important is balance, plus you’ll be better at handling waves, your coordination will improve, and so will your posture.
How Much Does A Carver Skateboard Cost?
If you go with the brand name - expect to spend in the neighborhood of $250 to $300. If you want a non-name brand carving skateboard - $50+ is more what you can expect.
What Is The Difference Between A Carver Skateboard And A Regular Skateboard?
Carving boards will allow you to make sharp turns and power slides with ease (trucks come into play here). However, a regular skateboard will do tricks a little easier (think ollies and kickflips) - plus they will bounce a little bit better.
Why Do People Like To Buy Carver Skateboards?
People like carver skateboards because they can look cool, without having to do tricks. Obviously making some rad turns is a great way to make some friends and turn heads - plus these boards are just super fun to cruise around on.
[Learn everything there is to know, about a longboard.]
What Is The Best Material To Carve A Skateboard With?
There are a number of different choices here. Some prefer Baltic Birch plywood, while others like Bamboo - but by far the most common, is Canadian Maple veneer.
What To Know Before Buying Carver Skateboards
Carver skateboards (if you go with the name brand) - can be quite pricey. However, they are very well crafted.
If you opt for the non-name brand, there are plenty of things to consider. There are three different trucks that are ideal for carving - C7, C5, and CX.4.
The C5 is best for street skating, while the other two trucks are great for cruising and carving. Unless you’re an advanced skater, you shouldn’t worry too much about the deck - just make sure it’s from solid maple wood.
Grip tape is another overlooked factor, when it comes to carve skateboards. You can go with the classic black grip tape, or try one of the nifty clear varieties.
If you can, opt for waterproof grip tape. This will mean your riding is more rugged, and the board will become even more durable.
[One of our favorite brands - Landyachtz.]
What Is A Carver Skateboard Used For?
Quite simply - for making sharp, rad turns (hence the term ‘carving’, after all). If you want to carve up the pavement, a carver skateboard is ideal.
Can You Do Tricks On A Carver Skateboard?
Yes, you can absolutely do tricks on a carver skateboard. Some tricks will become much harder, while (you guessed it) turning tricks will actually become easier.
Other Factors To Consider
If you want to make big and fast turns, a retro style carver skateboard is perfect for you. You may want to look at ABEC bearings, risers, wheelbase, bushings, grip tape, durability, kingpin - and other variables - but a high quality board is really all you need.
If you want to do cutbacks, or try a board like a Thruster, there are plenty of great options out there. Your riding style matters, as does the type of riding you’ll be doing.
Snowboarding and surfing are not the same as carving in skateparks, so new skaters should plan accordingly. They may want to look at their skateboard deck, the skateboard trucks on their board, and will want to adjust to riding a shortboard.
[See these rad wheels from Orangatang.]
Surfers may also carve, but a surf trainer who teaches people on a surfboard is a whole other thing than doing a crazy street skate session. Carver themselves make many great models, like the Greenroom, and Carver Surfskates (like the Channel Islands, the Firefly, and others).
There is also the Carver CX truck, the Carver C7 truck, the C5 truck, the Kai Lenny complete skateboard, and other great options. The Carver X JetBoard is particularly cool, but won’t help when it comes to street skating.
Carver also has an awesome Yago Dora model, and surfing products like the SmoothStar can also help you learn to carve. No matter where you go, just keep on shredding. 🛹 🤙
[Learn all about Spitfire Wheels.]
The Bottom Line On Carver Skateboards
There you have it - all the best carver skateboards. Whether you opt for the real brand, or go with a less expensive model - we’ve got you covered.
Before people started doing a lot of insane vert tricks, and grinding everything - there was carving. Surfing, of course, innovated these turns - but skateboarders really brought them to life.
Carving is a thing of beauty, when it’s done properly. We hope you enjoyed this in-depth guide, and if you did - be sure to check out some of our other articles. 🛹 😎 🤙