Although anybody can go out and skate around, not all skateboards can carry all sizes of people. There are Heavy Duty Skateboards For Big Guys and normal ones for other people. So, when purchasing a skateboard, the question you should be asking is, how much weight can skateboard hold, depending on your own weight.
In essence, choose a board that can carry you, even if the small ones may be perfect for stunting. So, we will discuss the weight limits of skateboards, why your weight matters while skating, and more. Let’s get to it.
How Much Weight Can A Skateboard Hold
The quality of your skateboard will determine if it can carry you and how long the board will hold up before breaking. So, if you’re wondering how much weight can skateboard hold, here are a few types of skateboard categories and their weight limits.
Regular Skateboards
This skateboard has a deck length of 28”-33” (28-33 inches). Its weight limit in pounds is over 200lbs (99 kg). It is a normal-size board designed primarily for stunts and short trips. So, if you’re a heavy person, you better go for a heavy duty skateboard for big guys.
Longboards
This board is an excellent consideration if you’re in search of a transportation board. It is an excellent choice for long-distance trips. Its deck length ranges between 32″-58″ (32-58 inches). It has a maximum weight limit per person from 260lbs-300lbs (117-136 kg). This board is not a great option for stunting.
Longboards have the largest deck of all the skateboard types. It also has strong trucks and longer wheelbases. It’s a board for obese and weighty people as well.
Pennyboard
As its name implies, the penny board is a small-sized board used for performing stunts. This board is used in skate parks and on flat streets. It is mainly used for short trips and slow trips. Its deck length is 22″-27″ (22-27inches), and its weight limit is 180lbs (81kg).
The penny board is extremely light and smallest. If you weigh below 180 pounds, the penny board is highly recommended for you.
Electric Skateboard
The electric skateboard has more utilities than the other boards. You can use it for much longer trips than the longboard. But this board is not good for stunts and street tricks. Its deck size is about 38″ (38 inches).
It has a weight limit range of 200-330lbs, which is over 90-150kg. This board is more expensive than the other boards also.
Why Does Your Weight Matter When Skateboarding?
The various weight differences determine the performance of stunts, speed limit, and several other factors. It is important to realize that fatter people are more susceptible to having injuries. Here is why:
- First of all, a fatter person descends downhill at a higher acceleration due to gravity. Relatively lighter people will need to expel more effort to match the speed or even surmount maximum speed. To successfully evade trucks and oncoming vehicles, they need to pick the right wheels. However, obese people should know to choose the right skateboard sizes to produce maximum productivity while skating—skateboards fit for those over 300lbs.
- Secondly, executing stunts demands more energy, effort, technique, and flexibility. Obese people land much harder and bounce on the skate. They exert more weight on it than lightweight skateboarders. Thus, it’s important to select the right board. Also, put into consideration the number of layers of the board’s deck. The material from which the deck was made, the stiffness and softness of the wheels, are equally important.
Considering these factors, you should put your weight in mind while thinking about skateboarding. Also, you must deliberate upon the quality of material used in the production of the board and how hard or soft the wheels are.
Is It Easier For Short People To Skateboard?
There are skate forums where individuals ask questions like “am I too tall to skate?” However, it’s not true that skateboarding is exactly height-dependent. Instead, skateboarding is about physics, but skateboarders defy the laws of gravity and utilize the art to their benefit.
In truth, shorter people have lower centers of gravity, while taller people have higher centers of gravity. A lower COG enhances you with greater balance. We take the Ollie, for instance. To perform the Ollie, you need to bend your knees to lower your center of gravity. As a tall person, you need to offset your higher center of gravity to perform this Ollie.
And for tall individuals, the taller you are, the more likely you are to have a larger body mass than a shorter person. Additionally, having a greater body mass requires more force to push you further while skating. These two make it more difficult for taller individuals to skateboard, but that doesn’t make it impossible for them to learn the sport.
So, what to do as a tall person?
Facts have also shown us that tall people are generally more prone to accidents due to a high center of gravity. They are also less reactive than shorter people (more specifically, this explains that while skating, taller people have slower reaction times than shorter people.)
However, tall individuals can learn how to skateboard using longboards with broad decks. This is because the larger deck balances the lack of low center of gravity in the taller individuals. So, choosing the right gear solves a percentage of your requirement, whether tall or short.
Final Verdict
The answer to how much weight can skateboard carry depends on the quality, size, and type. Skateboarding is a thrilling sport, and it involves intense focus, creativity, and of course, some risks. This has led to the increasing number of skateboarders yearly as more and more are indulging in it.
However, while deliberating on the sport, also consider your body size and weight. This will help you determine what kind of skating board you should use. The larger boards are a preferred choice for faster, stable, and longer trips. The smaller boards are a great option for stunts in skate parks and on the street.
