Choosing the best cheap longboard seems to be an easy task but in fact, it’s overwhelming and confusing. What you have to pay attention to is not just the price tag but also whether it’s high-quality and suitable for your riding style or not.
Besides, how much is considered being “cheap” in your definition?
To help you, I’ve done all the legwork from researching, testing, and analyzing to finally come up with this review of the 15 best options on the market. Take a look!
The Retrospec Zed Bamboo Cheap Longboard is a pretty sturdy hybrid board made from premium maple and bamboo. But the 70x51mm 85a PU wheels and kicktail allow it to easily turn and weave, which will be more suitable for intermediate or pro skaters.
It gives just the right amount of flex so you do freestyle skateboarding on it. For ollie, the weight of this board is on the heavy sides so it might take you some practice.
The trucks, in my humble opinion, work fine. They’re aluminum and the spacer between the trucks and the board is plastic. Remove it and my longboard stops squeaking at once.
One notable thing is the notches carved in where the wheels would rub on it.
Thanks to this special design, its bamboo material is kept from being rubbed or ruined over time, which is also the thing that I truly appreciate!
As featuring a 44-inch deck, I highly recommend this longboard for anyone about 5’6” tall or higher.
Pros
Cons
Product Specs
Deck | 44” |
Material | Maple & Bamboo |
Wheels | 70x51mm 85a PU wheels |
Bearings | abec-7 |
Trucks | 7-Inch aluminum trucks |
Weight Capacity | 220 pounds |
Highlight Features | Bamboo and Maple hybrid board; kicktail; reverse kingpin trucks; designed in Los Angeles |
The PlayWheels Ultimate Spider-Man is a 21-inch longboard for kids aged within 5-10 years or weighing under 100 pounds.
The sizes and brands are a great fit for a child with a smaller stride to learn to ride a skateboard. It’s also textured enough for shoes to have a good grip. The design is just as advertised and holding up well for a long time.
The deck is made from thick, durable 9-ply maple wood but very lightweight for young riders to easily carry around.
A noteworthy thing about this skateboard is it doesn’t compromise between the fast speed to remain kids’ joyfulness and the safety. As you can see, it comes with a single kicktail to allows kids to easily brake if wanted or control the direction.
Meanwhile, it features a steel axle and composite trucks to support faster speeds or higher weight as well as the nylon bearings and PVC-injected wheels for smoother riding experience.
Overall, this is the best cheap longboard for kids under $50.
Pros
Cons
Product Specs
Deck | 21-in. 9-ply |
Material | maple |
Wheels | PVC-injected 50mm x 27mm wheels |
Bearings | nylon bearings |
Trucks | Composite trucks |
Weight Capacity | 100 lbs. |
Highlight Features | Composite trucks and steel axle; Single kicktail |
The MBS All-Terrain Longboard is big and heavy.
It is measured by 40”x13.5” and weighs nearly 6 pounds, which delivers very good stability. In combination with the 100mm x 65mm 78A super-high-rebound urethane wheels, it gives a wonderful balance of traction and speed.
Unlike the traditional wheels, they are no slower on some of the asphalt whereas rolling smoothly on grass, dirt, over rocks, emergency nails, or other imperfections.
They’re soft enough for a quieter, smoother ride and yet, hard enough to allow you to coast or skid far.
Besides, the sturdy maple-lam Drop deck helps lower the rider’s center of gravity for souped-up ease of off-roading or pushing. And, the 190mm Navigator Drones trucks let you turn with the highest precision.
Pros
Cons
Product Specs
Deck | Sturdy maple-lam Drop deck |
Material | maple |
Wheels | 100mm x 65mm all-terrain longboard wheels |
Bearings | ABEC 9 bearings |
Trucks | 190mm Navigator Drones trucks |
Weight Capacity | 220 pounds |
Highlight Features | Comes completely assembled; Sturdy maple-lam Drop deck; 190mm Navigator Drones trucks |
This RIMABLE version inherits all the strength of a standard drop-through longboard but with a tighter turning radius.
That makes it a hard-to-beat option for cruising – especially when weaving through obstacles, kicking around campus school, riding a long distance, or downhill.
For such versatile performance, it’s a big thank you to the lower deck height for maximum stability and ease of pushing. The 70mm PU wheels and the ultra-large 9.5” wide deck is considered a perfect combo for a smooth and controllable ride through turns.
Such a wider deck also allows the big-footed people to feel more comfortable and balance to stand on.
Regardless of the big and bulky design, this board builds up speed pretty fast so if you’re looking for a good longboard for racing or to save more time cruising around campus school, this is it!
Pros
Cons
Product Specs
Deck | 41X9.5-Inch 9-ply laminated deck |
Material | maple |
Wheels | 70x51mm 85A PU wheels |
Bearings | High-speed lubricant Bearing |
Trucks | Drop Through 7inch 180 aluminum trucks |
Weight Capacity | 198lbs. |
Highlight Features | 70mm PU wheels; 9.5″ wide deck; low deck height |
The SCSK8 Natural Blank & Stained is a good value for a beginner board, either boys or girls.
Although its deck sits higher than most – about 5.5” roughly from the ground, the 44” length and 10” width with solid 7-ply maple construction make it easily handle rough terrains and cracks in the pavement like a champ.
The board overall is quite sturdy, stable, and lightweight compared to other counterparts. It turns smoothly, rides fast and nicely, and its center doesn’t bow in.
Such lightness also makes the board easily attach to any backpack when not in use and enhances hands-free capability.
What I love the most is its quality. All the components are made from relatively high materials and seem to be well-constructed enough to start with, whether entry-level boarding, cruising or slow rolling.
The deck itself is a great deal. Over time, you can switch other components, like trucks, wheels, and bearings for advanced practice.
Pros
Cons
Product Specs
Deck | 44″ x 10″ 7 ply deck |
Material | Maple |
Wheels | 70mm PU Wheels |
Bearings | SCSK8 Precision Abec 9 Red Bearings |
Trucks | Aluminum 7″ Trucks |
Weight Capacity | 220 lbs. |
Highlight Features | SCSK8 Pro Black Grip Tape; SCSK8 Precision Abec 9 Red Bearings; 7 Ply Maple Construction |
One of those rare starter longboards that have truly high-quality wheels to keep.
They are white 71mm 78A wheels that can run for about 45 seconds or even longer without biting on the board. This incredible performance allows the board to cruise more effortlessly and steadily, which is ideal for beginners to start their passion.
Besides, its drop-through mounts allow the board to sit lower and decrease your center of gravity, therefore, you can balance better while pushing more easily.
My compliment for this product is its high quality. From the 9-ply Canadian maple deck that can bear a max load of 220 pounds to a good length for great maneuverability. Not only beginners but the board is also perfect for freeride and downhill riders.
It’s also simple to get sideways and break free, due to the smaller wheelbase.
The bearings and trucks of this unit are also very high-quality to last you years of abuse before making a leap to another new skating level.
Pros
Cons
Product Specs
Deck | 9.25-Inch x 36-Inch Freestyle Shape |
Material | Canadian Maple |
Wheels | White 71mm 78a Wheels |
Trucks | 7″ Black Reverse Kingpin Trucks |
Weight Capacity | 220lbs. |
Highlight Features | White 71mm 78a Wheels; 7″ Black Reverse Kingpin Trucks; 9.25-Inch x 36-Inch Freestyle Shape |
The 7. SCSK8 Professional Speed Drop Down is an excellent drop-down longboard at a great price.
Out of a box, it looks really cool and most components are top-notch in quality. Getting most of my good feeling is the wheels. They roll greatly and feel about like an 81A with a nice grippy hard edge because of their superbly smooth riding.
The deck is flexy and the trucks are decent. They’ll be all you even need if paired with some Orangotang Knuckles.
The low deck height is a big bonus for beginners as it lowers your center of gravity to feel in control.
From that point, any starter riders or anyone looking for a decently budget-friendly longboard, give this a look.
Pros
Cons
Product Specs
Deck | 7 Ply deck |
Material | Maple |
Wheels | 70mm PU Wheels |
Bearings | SCSK8 Precision Abec 9 Red Bearings |
Trucks | Aluminum 7″ Trucks |
Weight Capacity | 220 lbs. |
Highlight Features | drop-down design; High bounce /flat-spot resistance 70mm PU Wheels; Aluminum 7″ inverted Trucks |
The 8. Atom Drop Through – 41 Inch Cheap Longboard is my recommendation for beginners who are afraid of wheelbite issues.
As featuring a unique perimeter shape, it gives 9.6 inches of leverage and its deck is high enough from the ground to not have wheelbite whenever you make a sharp turn. Compared to other longboards, this turns way better.
My favorite is the wheels. They’re Wide-Lip 70x51mm super high rebound urethane wheels built to be a bit more on the softer side.
It is suitable to ride on flat surfaces or for some serious speeds. Particularly, the wheel doesn’t wear out even a tiny bit during my tests so I’d say it can last a lifetime.
Regardless, the design on the bottom looks good and the grip tape is nice.
If you are looking for a cheap yet quality longboard to use it as a casual cruiser or finding a present for someone, pick this.
Pros
Cons
Product Specs
Deck | Laminated deck |
Material | maple |
Wheels | Wide-Lip 70-by-51-millimeter super high rebound (SHR) urethane wheels |
Bearings | ABEC 9 bearings |
Trucks | reverse King Pin (RKP) longboard trucks |
Weight Capacity | 220 lbs. |
Highlight Features | reverse King Pin (RKP) longboard trucks; Unique perimeter shape |
Featuring a 44-inch length, the 9. Quest QT-NSC44C is a good starter board for teenagers and adults.
It is specifically constructed from better components and materials, including a 7-ply hardwood maple and bamboo deck, solid 7” aluminum trucks, and precision ABEC-7 bearings.
The hybrid deck design is a shining point of this longboard as it has the flex properties of bamboo to weave and turn more easily as well as the sturdiness of maple wood to be extra durable. For beginners who will abuse their board harshly over time, such solid design is built to last.
I also appreciate the extra detail added to this longboard for aesthetic looking – something that is rarely found on other counterparts at the same price point.
Pros
Cons
Product Specs
Deck | Multi-ply deck |
Material | Hardwood Maple and beautiful artisan bamboo |
Wheels | 80A PU wheels |
Bearings | ABEC 7 speed bearings |
Trucks | 7-inch aluminum trucks |
Weight Capacity | 225 lbs. |
Highlight Features | 44” bamboo maple deck; 7-ply hardwood maple and bamboo deck, solid 7” aluminum trucks, and precision ABEC-7 bearings |
The Yocaher Blank/Checker is a 42” longboard made for downhill riding, sliding, carving, or simply plain cruising.
It’s made of a 9-ply maple deck with premium-grade 80A black grip tape for decent durability and grips.
The drop deck design allows it to avoid wheelbite efficiently and the heavyweight combining with ultra-large hard wheels make it more stable at high speeds.
Featuring 70mm Q-Ball wheels, ABEC-7 Chrome Bearings, and 7″ HD7 Heavy Duty 2 Tone aluminum alloy trucks, the board is good for distance rather than the maneuverability. Don’t use it as loose as a trick board because the looser it is, the less the speed you’ll get.
One big plus for this longboard is its great weight capacity, which is up to 275 pounds. That means it can be a choice for heavy guys or adult riders.
In a nutshell, this will be one of the best and most versatile longboards on the market.
Pros
Cons
Product Specs
Deck | 9-Ply wood deck |
Material | maple |
Wheels | 70mm Wheels, 78A Hardness |
Bearings | ABEC-7 Chrome Bearings. |
Trucks | 7″ HD7 Heavy Duty 2 Tone aluminum alloy trucks |
Weight Capacity | 275 lbs. |
Highlight Features | 9-ply maple deck with premium-grade 80A black grip tape; 70mm Q-Ball wheels, ABEC-7 Chrome Bearings, and 7″ HD7 Heavy Duty 2 Tone aluminum alloy trucks |
Whether you’re looking for a good longboard for a freeride showoff or to cut corners in city cruising, the VOLADOR 42inch Freeride Cheap Longboard is a perfect choice.
It is pretty lightweight.
The deck is 8-ply natural Hardrock maple and the wheels feature 78A hardness with 70mm in diameter, which gives an exceptionally smooth ride for a very far distance. Averagely, these wheels can roll around 30-45 seconds remaining at a very stable speed.
They’re durable and long-lasting enough for street cruising, even on rough pavements.
To enhance your comfort while cruising on such bad terrains, the deck also delivers great shock absorber and super flex, all thank the artisan work from VOLADOR’s engineering team.
For freerides, some of the other riders say they can get 20MPH but in my case, it remains a good speed at 15MPH.
Pros
Cons
Product Specs
Deck | 42” 8-ply deck |
Material | natural hard rock maple |
Wheels | 70x51mm 78A PU wheels |
Bearings | ABEC-9 precision bearings |
Trucks | Genuine aluminum 7-Inch reverse kingpin trucks |
Weight Capacity | 250lbs. |
Highlight Features | 8-ply natural Hardrock maple; 70mm 78A wheels; |
As-built with a classic pintail deck shape, 78A urethane wheels, and ABEC 5 bearings, the Atom Pin-Tail Cheap Longboard is a great selection for cruising or anyone who has just started in longboarding.
The board isn’t lightweight but not too heavy to prevent all-day use.
It rolls smoothly, gives you a comfortable feeling, and delivers a decent cruise for pretty much anywhere: paved areas, sidewalks, roads, hills, flats, and so on.
The wheels did impress me on the very first try. They are extremely gummy, quiet, and grippy that you can use this board for some sliding as well. Meanwhile, its drop-through deck design is versatile enough to be used for freestyle riding.
Pros
Cons
Product Specs
Deck | 39” Laminate Deck |
Material | Maple |
Wheels | 65mm / 78A Urethane Wheels |
Bearings | Abec 5 Bearings |
Trucks | 8.5 inches Aluminum Trucks |
Weight Capacity | 220lbs. |
Highlight Features | classic deck shape; 78A urethane wheels; ABEC 5 bearings; 8.5-inch aluminum trucks |
The Quest Native Spirit is pretty standard with good trucks, decent 70mm wheels, and a stiff neck. It is reliable, much better than the Kryptonics boards commonly seen at Walmart, and looks kinda cool.
It is a decent board for beginners who don’t want to break a bank to start a new hobby.
The combination of a mellow concave and a decent kicktail has caught my attention from the first time trying it. They help the board cruise with more control and stability.
A compliment for the graphics as it is very character, unique, and so much more vibrant than the pictures shown on Amazon. However, a complaint about its quality as after a couple of months of use, it starts to chip.
Considered the price, it’s something easy to understand.
All-in-all, no matter you’re going to travel in style and get noticed, cruise this board to the pool, or ride across town, it does the trick for both types of riding, especially for the price.
Pros
Cons
Product Specs
Deck | 7 Ply deck |
Material | All Hardwood Maple |
Wheels | 70x51mm 80A PU Wheels |
Bearings | ABEC7 Bearings |
Trucks | 6″ “Aluminum Reverse Kingpin Trucks |
Weight Capacity | <250 lbs. |
Highlight Features | Hollow 4mm Risers; Reverse Kingpin Trucks; Durable 70x51mm 80A PU Wheels; 7 Ply All Hardwood Maple Deck |
Don’t let the name fool you! The Skatro Mini Cruiser Cheap Longboard is great for cruising but there are a number of tricks that can be done with it, not just simple kick-flips or ollies.
The board is also perfect for commuting in the campus school or from/to work as it rolls fast and very silently.
The small dimensions of 22”x6” have added to its maneuverability and therefore, the rider can easily control its direction and weave the board in crowd foot traffic. I myself prefer this unit over a Penny board because of its superb flex.
Although it’s quite hard to balance at first, once finding the proper footing, you’ll feel the ride much more comfortable than that of a Penny board.
Regardless, I also appreciate the included T-tool for easy adjustment as needed.
Pros
Cons
Product Specs
Deck | 22x6inch Retro style deck |
Material | high-quality injection mold plastic |
Wheels | 59MM Urethane Skatro wheels |
Bearings | Abec 7 Skatro Bearings |
Trucks | 3inch lightweight aluminum trucks |
Weight Capacity | 220 pounds. |
Highlight Features | Includes T-tool; Skatro Flexy Technology; |
After putting in some heavy use on this thing, I have no real complaints. The Quest Tribes is a wonderful longboard, especially for the price.
Aside from the beautiful design which will definitely draw a ton of compliments, it features plenty of clearance for wheels to not hit the board. For those who want to learn the power slide, this will become handy.
Its solid 70x51mm 80A polyurethane wheels, on the other hand, deliver incredibly smooth riding to allow you to cruise on most terrains, even over sticks and rocks. I assure you that you’ll hardly feel them.
Another big bonus is the price. To be honest, this is incredibly cheap for a board this nice.
Pros
Cons
Product Specs
Deck | 7 Ply deck |
Material | Hardwood Maple |
Wheels | 70x51mm 80A polyurethane Wheels |
Bearings | ABEC 7 Bearings |
Trucks | 7″ Aluminum Trucks |
Weight Capacity | 200 lbs. |
Highlight Features | beautiful design; features plenty of clearance for wheels; solid 70x51mm 80A polyurethane wheels |
While many longboard gurus would emphasize the close connection between deck lengths and the rider’s age, this thing, in fact, isn’t a big matter.
I mean a kid can ride a 40” longboard for cruising. It just requires some more time to practice.
What truly impacts on the decision of a longboard’s deck length is your riding styles. In the longboard realm, there are five common riding styles: slalom, freeride, downhill, freestyle/dancing, and cruising.
Riding Style | Deck Length Ranges (inches) |
Slalom | 30-34 |
Freeride | 36-46 |
Downhill | 34-40 |
Freestyle | 45 or longer |
Cruising | 28-46 |
This feature will decide three things about your longboard:
That’s why you should keep this feature carefully in mind whenever considering the best cheap longboard.
On the market, there are three common styles of the deck:
Drop Deck – usually found on some freeriding and downhill boards where their trucks are mounted higher than the deck. The main purpose of this weird-looking design is to lower your center of gravity to deliver less fatigue and increase stability when pushing.
Drop-Through Deck – It features the same purpose – lower the center of gravity but the trucks of this deck style are now mounted through the board. It is perfect for downhill riding, freeride, and long-distance riding.
Top-Mount Deck – The most popular style because of its versatility. As featuring a deck-mounted above the trucks, which increases the center of gravity, it’s perfect for most riding styles, such as freestyle, freeride, downhill, carving, and cruising.
Durometer or wheel hardness is listed in the wheel’s name, followed by a letter “A” or “B”. “A” wheels are commonly softer as they’re made from more rubbery materials and conversely, the “B” is harder due to its increased amount of plastic material.
In terms of the number, a basic rule of thumb is the higher the number, the harder and more plastic the wheels.
Each type of wheel will give the rider-specific pros and cons. For example:
Hard wheels are easier and quicker to break out into a slide, however, as featuring less friction, it roughly rides on rocky terrains, bumpy pavements, or over small cracks
The soft wheel is on the contrary as it provides more fractions to be better in shock absorption and comfort. But compared to the hard wheels, these roll more slowly.
If you’re looking for a longboard with good grips, go for a range of 75a to 80a.
The choice of durometer also depends on your needs for a specific riding style. For example, slalom riders who want to dodge obstacles will choose softer wheels. But those who need faster speed will opt for harder ones.
It depends on many factors needed to consider, such as your budgets, riding styles, longboard skills, and more.
For starter riders, I recommend choosing a longboard priced within $20-$90. For intermediate and pro riders, the price ranges of $50-$250 are perfect.
My recommendations are:
It’s because longboards feature more technology applications, such as precision trucks, gas pedals, wheel wells, flares, rockers, and flex.
Not to say that they require more materials in the deck to be more durable because of freestyle, freeride, and downhill riding takes severe abuse.
The last reason is such components like trucks and bearings must be of higher quality because they’re decisive elements for a longboard’s performance.
To choose the best longboard at a good price, you need to keep in mind three factors to consider: deck length, wheels, and weight. To learn more, let consult my ultimate buying guide in the previous section.
With so many options on the market these days, I hope I’ve been able to help you determine which is the best cheap longboard that will work for you.
I have shared which models are my favorite for cruising, carving, downhill riding, freestyling, and more. So with this review, you’ll get more confidence in selecting the right one for your budget and riding style. Good luck and happy longboarding!