The 4 Main Longboard Deck Materials...
Longboards are layers of thin wooden material, whether it be maple, bamboo, birch, etc, that have been glued and pressed together in a mold to give the board it's desired shape. The amount of actual layers of wood that is used during a board pressing is referred to as the number of 'plys'. Just like plywood consists of multiple layers or 'plys', so does a longboard. Boards can simply be one solid piece of wood, but typically boards range from 3 up to 12 plys.
1. Bamboo
Usually 5ply to 9ply , which is the amount of layers pressed together to form board. If 5ply or close to, bamboo boards are fairly light compared to other board that are comprised of denser, heavier materials with additional layers. Bamboo boards offer a ton of flex and spring, which is good for beginners because the board offers "forgiveness" to riders. Good at absorbing bumps and cracks without throwing rider off (also depends on the durometer, hardness, of wheels). This flex allows riders to lean deeper and harder into their board and let the board absorb the weight transfer in order to make sharper more crisp turns (also depends on how lose rider sets their trucks at).
Flexible boards such as bamboo, are usually meant for cruising and carving at lower speeds since the "springiness" of the board can potentially contribute to riders getting the "DEATH WOBBLES" while straight lining at high speeds. Also, while bamboo boards can definitely be used for casual sliding, if the desired riding style is mainly big hill sliding, a bamboo board is not recommended. The aforementioned springiness of a bamboo board causes some 'chatter' or reverberation through the board while in a slide and would cause an uneasy downhill mountain ride.
Usually 5ply to 9ply , which is the amount of layers pressed together to form board. If 5ply or close to, bamboo boards are fairly light compared to other board that are comprised of denser, heavier materials with additional layers. Bamboo boards offer a ton of flex and spring, which is good for beginners because the board offers "forgiveness" to riders. Good at absorbing bumps and cracks without throwing rider off (also depends on the durometer, hardness, of wheels). This flex allows riders to lean deeper and harder into their board and let the board absorb the weight transfer in order to make sharper more crisp turns (also depends on how lose rider sets their trucks at).
Flexible boards such as bamboo, are usually meant for cruising and carving at lower speeds since the "springiness" of the board can potentially contribute to riders getting the "DEATH WOBBLES" while straight lining at high speeds. Also, while bamboo boards can definitely be used for casual sliding, if the desired riding style is mainly big hill sliding, a bamboo board is not recommended. The aforementioned springiness of a bamboo board causes some 'chatter' or reverberation through the board while in a slide and would cause an uneasy downhill mountain ride.
Recommended Riding Styles and Setups:
-Cruiser Setup
-Freestyle Setup
-Dancing Setup
-Cruiser Setup
-Freestyle Setup
-Dancing Setup
Bamboo Skateboard compared to Maple Skateboard...
(*Even though these are skateboards and not longboards, which would exclude riding characteristics of longboards made of maple versus longboards made of bamboo, it still shows the amazing durability factor between the two board materials regardless of if a skateboard or a longboard.)
(*Video brought to you buy YouTube from Spiral Thread Store)
(*Video brought to you buy YouTube from Spiral Thread Store)
2. Maple
Usually anywhere between 5ply and 10ply, or layered in an alternating pattern with bamboo, since maple is such a hard, sturdy wood. If comprised of all maple, than boards are pretty heavy. Maple Boards are usually made for downhill style boards and going fast! Maple boards, depending on style/ shape of board usually allow for sliding with any chatter/ reverberation through the deck.
Usually anywhere between 5ply and 10ply, or layered in an alternating pattern with bamboo, since maple is such a hard, sturdy wood. If comprised of all maple, than boards are pretty heavy. Maple Boards are usually made for downhill style boards and going fast! Maple boards, depending on style/ shape of board usually allow for sliding with any chatter/ reverberation through the deck.
Recommended Riding Styles and Setups:
-Downhill Setup
-Free-ride Setup
-Technical Street Setup
-Downhill Setup
-Free-ride Setup
-Technical Street Setup
3. Birch
Usually 9 to 12ply, creating a significantly heavier board than bamboo but not quite as heavy as maple 5 - 8 ply boards. Birch is unique in the sense that it is almost a happy medium between bamboo and maple. Birch boards are stiff but offer a little flex which makes them versatile and capable of achieving both maple and bamboo board abilities (if the rest of rider's setup is correct, trucks and wheels). Usually cheaper than both maple or bamboo boards and can even be made by anyone who has a few tools.
Usually 9 to 12ply, creating a significantly heavier board than bamboo but not quite as heavy as maple 5 - 8 ply boards. Birch is unique in the sense that it is almost a happy medium between bamboo and maple. Birch boards are stiff but offer a little flex which makes them versatile and capable of achieving both maple and bamboo board abilities (if the rest of rider's setup is correct, trucks and wheels). Usually cheaper than both maple or bamboo boards and can even be made by anyone who has a few tools.
Recommended Riding Styles and Setups:
-Downhill Setup
-Free-ride Setup
-Cruiser Setup
-Freestyle Setup
-Dancing Setup
-Downhill Setup
-Free-ride Setup
-Cruiser Setup
-Freestyle Setup
-Dancing Setup
4. HYBRID, COMPOSITE
Usually interwoven with fiberglass and another material such as maple or bamboo. Boards layered with fiberglass offer more of a 'pop' and 'springiness' to the board, similar to bamboo boards. However boards hybrid composite boards are pretty much in constant flex while being ridden, which allows for more weight transfer into turns as well as offering the rider to compress the board for early grabs or load up the pop and springiness for pop-shuvits. Since hybrid boards compress they usually are more forgiving than boards constructed of one type of wood and can withstand more pressure on them at once without simply breaking in half (be aware that the flex in the board can cause them to bottom out).
Depending on which company is making the particular hybrid board (Loaded, Original, Bustin, NeverSummer, etc.) will depend on the flexes that each company offers. Example, Loaded and their flex chart is as follows: Flex 1- up to 270 lb. rider, Flex 2- 130 lb. - 210 lb. rider, and Flex 3- 80 lb- 170 lb rider.
Usually interwoven with fiberglass and another material such as maple or bamboo. Boards layered with fiberglass offer more of a 'pop' and 'springiness' to the board, similar to bamboo boards. However boards hybrid composite boards are pretty much in constant flex while being ridden, which allows for more weight transfer into turns as well as offering the rider to compress the board for early grabs or load up the pop and springiness for pop-shuvits. Since hybrid boards compress they usually are more forgiving than boards constructed of one type of wood and can withstand more pressure on them at once without simply breaking in half (be aware that the flex in the board can cause them to bottom out).
Depending on which company is making the particular hybrid board (Loaded, Original, Bustin, NeverSummer, etc.) will depend on the flexes that each company offers. Example, Loaded and their flex chart is as follows: Flex 1- up to 270 lb. rider, Flex 2- 130 lb. - 210 lb. rider, and Flex 3- 80 lb- 170 lb rider.
Recommended Riding Styles and Setups:
-Cruiser Setup
-Freestyle Setup
-Dancing Setup
-Cruiser Setup
-Freestyle Setup
-Dancing Setup
