![Best Cruiser Skateboards + How To Choose A Cruiser [Complete Guide 2023]](http://stokedrideshop.com/cdn/shop/articles/Choose_a_cruiser_skateboard.jpg?v=1680737692&width=1500)
A cruiser skateboard sits somewhere in between a regular skateboard and a longboard and is designed to simply get you from point A to point B. There is no focus on tricks or bombing hills or hitting the skatepark, just some good ol' cruisy, carvey fun times when doing the beer run.
When it comes to choosing your first cruiser skateboard, there are a few things you need to take into account. For starters, are you commuting or cruising for fun? Where will you mostly be skating? Are you trying to hop up and down curbs?
In this article, we help you understand what you should be looking for, what to avoid and ultimately how to pick a cruiser skateboard from the hundreds (or thousands?) that are now on the market. Oh, and we threw in our recs for the best cruiser skateboards out. Scroll on to get stuck in 🤙
Factors to consider when buying cruiser skateboards
The main things you will want to think about before choosing your cruiser board are:
Budgeting for a cruiser skateboard
The number #1 thing to consider is your budget. We recommend allocating at least $100 for a complete cruiser (a fully built cruiser). This will ensure you get quality components and a board that is going to last.
We know there are cheaper alternatives on Amazon, Walmart, etc, and a whole bunch of 'best cruiser skateboard' articles out there on Google telling you to buy them. Do yourself a favor and don't. Any article that recommends these boards, at least from what we have seen, is just looking for a way to make passive income. The problem with these boards is the cheap (usually birch) decks and poor quality components.
Which size cruiser do I need?
The second thing to consider is what you'll actually be wanting to do with your new board. If you are looking to get around campus or pop to the local store, a mini cruiser might be what you're after. If you are looking to go a little further, skate the boardwalk, or want something for maximum comfort a full size cruiser will be better suited. If you are wanting to mostly do tricks, we recommend checking out our 10 best complete skateboards article.
Another consideration on size is whether you can have the board with you all day? or do you need one you can stash in you locker when you head to class? Generally, a longer and wider deck will be more comfortable for longer distances.
Watch out for wheelbite!
Generally big wheels are best for cruisers as they glide over cracks, rocks and debris smoothly and quickly. Fully built complete cruisers should have wheels already sized correctly for the board, but just a word of warning if you are swapping out your wheels for a bigger size - make sure your wheel does not touch the bottom of the deck when turning. If this happens when you are skating, you're going to take an unscheduled flying lesson.
Cruisers vs longboards
You might be thinking 'hold up! Are cruisers and longboards the same'? and you'd be right to question it. Cruisers technically fall under the umbrella of the longboard family.
A cruiser, or cruiser longboard, is essentially a smaller longboard set up mainly for pushing and going places. A cruiser can be similar or smaller in size than a street skateboard. These smaller cruisers are generally known as mini cruisers.
Mini cruisers are a little more of a hybrid skateboard and often come with a kicktail, but full-size cruisers are essentially smaller-end longboards designed with a focus on just rolling.
Damn, this is confusing. Let's take a look at this comparison table instead:
|
Category |
Width |
Length |
Best for |
Worst for |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mini Cruiser |
8 - 9" |
28 - 32" |
Popping to the corner store, the occasional trick |
Skating 3+ miles |
|
Full-size Cruiser |
8.5 - 9" |
32 - 35" |
Skating 3+ miles, stability, |
Tricks |
|
Longboards |
|
35" + |
Distance travel, open road commutes, riding down bigger hills. |
Stashing in small spaces |
Cruiser skateboard components
As we briefly mentioned earlier, getting a complete with good quality components is a must if you want to give yourself the best riding experience out the box. Yes, components are interchangable, but you'll end up spending more swapping bits out vs just buying that slightly pricey-er complete in the first place.
Any complete that comes with cheap or poor quality components is not going to perform well. The trucks will be stiff and wont turn smoothly, the bearings will be slow and the wheels will be made of cheaper, unpredictable urethane. This rule applies to any complete skateboard you buy, cruiser or not.
The Best Cruiser Skateboards on the market
We have a whole cruiser skateboard buyers guide here, but for those who don't wish to spend the time, here's our top picks.
- Build Quality 🔨
- How good are the parts on the board. 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. 💲
- Size 📏
- From small to large. 1-5 rulers. 📏
- Overall ⭐
- Overall rating? 1-5 stars. ⭐
How we rated the boards
Fireball Artist Series
If you are looking for something that shreds, but also that not many people have, this is it. Each graphic is only produced in small batches of 100, so once they're sold out, they are gone for good. Not only do they look rad, but they are made at BBS, one of the top factories in the world, so you know the quality is up there with the best.
The 8.5" x 29" mini-cruiser shape is designed for all skill levels looking to cruise around while still having the ability to pop a few tricks thanks to a functional kicktail. This board is purpose made for cruising and carving, thanks to Fireball Tinder 60mm 81a wheels and Paris Street Trucks. Honestly, this has one of the highest quality builds of any board out and is smooth AF out the box.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
|
Length
The measure of the skateboard from nose to tail.
|
29" |
|
Wheelbase
The measure from the innermost truck mounting holes to other innermost truck mounting holes.
|
14.75" |
|
Width
The measure of the widest point right to left on the deck.
|
8.5" |
|
Nose/Tail
Does the board have an upturned nose/tail?
|
No/Yes |
|
Concave
How much curvature does the board have to hold in your feet? Aggressive really locks feet in. Mild is more comfortable. None is flat.
|
Mild |
| Feature | Rating |
|---|---|
| Build Quality | 🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨 |
| Fun Factor | 😺😺😺😺😺 |
| Cost | 💲💲💲 |
| Size | 📏📏📏 |
| Overall | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Arbor Pilsner
Another super high quality build, similar the Fireball, above. The Arbor pilnser is a little smaller @ 28.75" x 8.25", super nimble and snappy thanks to the same Paris street trucks. The bearings are 'ABEC 7' (which we know is meaningless in skateboarding) but they perform well enough for a beginner, and the soft 78a 61mm come with a wide 36mm contact patch for super comfy skateboarding experience over rough surfaces.
The downside? Arbor just bumped up the price to $179! Try find a 2022 model or older for some serious savings.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
|
Length
The measure of the skateboard from nose to tail.
|
28.75" |
|
Wheelbase
The measure from the innermost truck mounting holes to other innermost truck mounting holes.
|
15.25" |
|
Width
The measure of the widest point right to left on the deck.
|
8.25" |
|
Nose/Tail
Does the board have an upturned nose/tail?
|
No/Yes |
|
Concave
How much curvature does the board have to hold in your feet? Aggressive really locks feet in. Mild is more comfortable. None is flat.
|
Mild |
| Feature | Rating |
|---|---|
| Build Quality | 🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨 |
| Fun Factor | 😺😺😺😺 |
| Cost | 💲💲💲💲 |
| Size | 📏📏 |
| Overall | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Landyachtz Dinghy
The golden child of the mini cruiser scene. The Landyachtz Dinghy pretty much made mini cruisers popular. It's our go-to. The board that stays in the back of the car year round. It's small, but not too small, shaped nicely to lock in your feet and somehow makes skateboard tricks pretty much as easy as a standard skateboard. Magic. Just make sure not to leave your board in the rain as the hardware will rust...
The board now comes in different sizes and shapes with some pretty rad graphic option for each - Blunt, Coffin, Fender, Shape 9 and the Classic.
Evolution of the Dinghy. 2000 - Present day
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
|
Length
The measure of the skateboard from nose to tail.
|
28.2 - 28.5" |
|
Wheelbase
The measure from the innermost truck mounting holes to other innermost truck mounting holes.
|
14.5" |
|
Width
The measure of the widest point right to left on the deck.
|
8 - 8.6" |
|
Nose/Tail
Does the board have an upturned nose/tail?
|
No/Yes |
|
Concave
How much curvature does the board have to hold in your feet? Aggressive really locks feet in. Mild is more comfortable. None is flat.
|
Mild |
| Feature | Rating |
|---|---|
| Build Quality | 🔨🔨🔨🔨 |
| Fun Factor | 😺😺😺😺 |
| Cost | 💲💲💲💲 |
| Size | 📏📏📏 |
| Overall | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Loaded Coyote
The 'Apple' of skateboards, Loaded Boards re-entered the mini-cruiser game a couple years back with the Coyote. A 'lightweight, compact, locker-friendly city slasher that’s perfect for freeride, freestyle, and cruising' according to themselves. Well, we are happy to report that to be true.
One of the longer 'mini-cruisers' on our list. Certainly the one with the longest wheelbase. All that makes for a more stable board that is perfect for those slightly longer rides when you wanna meet a friend on the other side of town but still need the portability for carrying about.
Components come from Loaded's own Orangatang Wheel company (US Made) and Paris Truck Co. to make another premium build for our list. This board used to be a little more pricey than most others on our list, but with the recent price increases from Arbor and Landy, the Coyote seems a steal. The urethane used in the Otang wheels is much higher quality than both Arbor and Landyachtz (China), and comparible to the Fireball Tinder wheels used on their Artist Mini Cruiser (made in same factory).
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
|
Length
The measure of the skateboard from nose to tail.
|
30.75" |
|
Wheelbase
The measure from the innermost truck mounting holes to other innermost truck mounting holes.
|
17.5" |
|
Width
The measure of the widest point right to left on the deck.
|
8.375" |
|
Nose/Tail
Does the board have an upturned nose/tail?
|
No/Yes |
|
Concave
How much curvature does the board have to hold in your feet? Aggressive really locks feet in. Mild is more comfortable. None is flat.
|
Mild |
| Feature | Rating |
|---|---|
| Build Quality | 🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨 |
| Fun Factor | 😺😺😺😺 |
| Cost | 💲💲💲💲💲 |
| Size | 📏📏📏📏📏 |
| Overall | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Globe Big Blazer
The Globe Big Blazer is a solid all-round cruiser for beginners. It offers little in the way of concave, but that is all good with us as this is a board designed to cruise. The 32" x 9" deck is getting into 'standard' cruiser, but makes for a comfy ride for our longer cruising sessions. The components on Globe cruisers aren't quite up to the same standard as the above recs, but they still offer a solid skateboard for the more budget concious shopper. If this is too large for you, Globe also do a smaller baord called the Globe Blazer which is worth a look (and is even cheaper). We like the extra comfortability of the Big boy though.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
|
Length
The measure of the skateboard from nose to tail.
|
32" |
|
Wheelbase
The measure from the innermost truck mounting holes to other innermost truck mounting holes.
|
17.7" |
|
Width
The measure of the widest point right to left on the deck.
|
9" |
|
Nose/Tail
Does the board have an upturned nose/tail?
|
No/Yes |
|
Concave
How much curvature does the board have to hold in your feet? Aggressive really locks feet in. Mild is more comfortable. None is flat.
|
Mild |
| Feature | Rating |
|---|---|
| Build Quality | 🔨🔨🔨 |
| Fun Factor | 😺😺😺 |
| Cost | 💲💲 |
| Size | 📏📏📏📏 |
| Overall | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Arbor Mission
Getting larger again, the Arbor Mission weighs in at 35" in length and 8.625" wide - just short enough to be portable, but just long enough to be carvy, fluid, and stable.
Arbor uses a premium wood topsheet and graphic on all of their boards to make sure you get a nice, snappy flex pattern. We love the directional shape and kicktail so we can hop up the curbs when we're feeling flashy.
As for the components, like the Arbor Pilsner (above) these are high quality. The main difference with the Mission is that it comes with RKP (reverse kingpin) trucks which provides a more flowy and carvy ride, and bigger softer wheels (65mm 78a)
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
|
Length
The measure of the skateboard from nose to tail.
|
35" |
|
Wheelbase
The measure from the innermost truck mounting holes to other innermost truck mounting holes.
|
21.375" |
|
Width
The measure of the widest point right to left on the deck.
|
8.625" |
|
Nose/Tail
Does the board have an upturned nose/tail?
|
No/Yes |
|
Concave
How much curvature does the board have to hold in your feet? Aggressive really locks feet in. Mild is more comfortable. None is flat.
|
Mild |
| Feature | Rating |
|---|---|
| Build Quality | 🔨🔨🔨🔨 |
| Fun Factor | 😺😺😺 |
| Cost | 💲💲💲 |
| Size | 📏📏📏📏📏 |
| Overall | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Stoked Ride Shop Cruiser Complete
We built this more as a hybrid-cruiser that we could take to the store via the skatepark. Sure, the USA-Made Fireball Wheels aren't purpose-built to shred the park, but they hold up for a quick pit-stop. The deck comes from a top woodshop, skateboard trucks come from Paris Truck Co. and the components from Fireball Supply Co, so you know you're getting top-of-the-line quality.
Of every board on this list, this is the one we'd grab for flip tricks or a session on rough terrain. The wheels are sandstone ground too which means you can do board slides out the box, just like you could with harder street wheels.
If you already have a standard skateboard setup, you could just pick up a set of these Fireball Terra 54mm, 78a Wheels and slap 'em on your baord instead.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
|
Length
The measure of the skateboard from nose to tail.
|
32" |
|
Wheelbase
The measure from the innermost truck mounting holes to other innermost truck mounting holes.
|
14" |
|
Width
The measure of the widest point right to left on the deck.
|
7 - 8.5" |
|
Nose/Tail
Does the board have an upturned nose/tail?
|
No/Yes |
|
Concave
How much curvature does the board have to hold in your feet? Aggressive really locks feet in. Mild is more comfortable. None is flat.
|
Mild |
| Feature | Rating |
|---|---|
| Build Quality | 🔨🔨🔨🔨🔨 |
| Fun Factor | 😺😺😺 |
| Cost | 💲💲 |
| Size | 📏📏📏 |
| Overall | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
There we have our favorite cruiser skateboards on the market in 2023. We will keep this list updated periodically. Feel free to drop us any questions
Frequently Asked Questions on Cruisers:
With your teeth. Obviously.
If you're thinking about getting into skateboarding, a cruiser skateboard is a great option for beginners looking for a comfortable ride. Cruiser boards are typically smaller and lighter than other types of skateboards, making them easier to maneuver. They also tend to have larger soft wheels which make for great beginner wheels as they will cruise over cracks and small rocks with ease, providing a smooth ride.
There are a number of good brands of cruiser skateboards on the market today. Some of the more popular brands Landyachtz, Arbor and Fireball Supply Co. These brands offer a variety of different styles and designs to choose from, so you should be able to find one that suits your individual skating needs and preferences. In addition, these brands also offer a variety of different price points, so you can find a board that fits your budget as well.
We wholeheartedly recomend avoiding the plastic cruiser boards, like Penny boards, if you want to have fun skating. Canadian maple is stronger, more durable, and full of pop. It won't sag with use and you won't regret the kooky purchase as you dive deeper into the skate scene.
Unlike sizing a regular skateboard, a cruiser skateboard should be chosen more based on what you are trying to achieve with the board (which we covered in the article above).
The make-up of a regular cruiser board, in terms of components, is (or, should be) the same as a standard skateboard. Cruiser skateboards are typically made of 7-Ply Canadian Maple wood. The trucks are typically made of steel or aluminum. Wheels are made from Polyurethane. The board will also come with grip tape and bearings.
There are a few key things to look for when assessing the quality of a cruiser skateboard. Firstly, check the deck for warping or cracks. These can weaken the structure of the board and make it more likely to break.
Secondly, take a close look at the trucks and wheels. The best cruiser skateboards will have durable, high-quality trucks and wheels that can withstand heavy use. Cheap trucks and wheels will have excess flashing and generally look more 'toy-like' than quality parts.
Finally, check the bearings to make sure they are smooth and free of any defects. If you find all of these elements in a cruiser skateboard, then you can be confident that you are getting a high-quality product.
The wheels on a cruiser skateboard are generally larger than those on a standard skateboard. These range from 60 - 70mm+ on a cruiser, wheras the small wheels found on a skateboard range from 50 - 58mm.
Why larger wheels? This is because cruisers are designed for cruising around town, rather than for performing tricks. The larger wheels give more surface and make the cruiser easier to maneuver and more comfortable to ride. That said, bigger is not always better. If your wheels are too large for the board they will cause wheelbite - when your wheel comes into contact with the deck. If you are buying a complete cruiser, the board should come set up with the correct size wheels. If you are buying components and building your own, take a look at the website for the brand of deck - they will often offer complete setups too and you'll be able to check out the component sizing.
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