What Are The Different Types of Skateboarding?

Skateboarding comes in many forms and the different styles they bring forth can be quite liberating. There are so many ways to skate, descending a hill or landing a kickflip on the street, shredding in a half-pipe…everyone can put their personal touch! However, if you are just starting out — what types of skateboarding is there?

Don’t worry! Our guide today will lead you to the main forms of skateboarding, how they are distinct from each other and which one is going well for you.

Skateboarding has a vibe to match your own, from the adrenaline rush of downhil skate racing or seep Pinterest momentum slides through high-speed corners. So here we go, lets get into the list of different kinds which makes skateboarding so versatile and fun!!!

Types of Skateboarding

There are many different types of skateboarding. Each style has its own techniques, equipment and culture. So, here is your quick cheat-sheet of the most common types of skateboarding.

Street Skateboarding

And street skateboarding is archetypally the best known and probably the most widely done of these. This is the type you commonly see in skate parts, instagram and facebook videos with skaters doing lots of tricks on rails/stairs/ledges or curbs. This technique requires you to be creative, otherwise its all about programming and accuracy.

As a beginner skateboarder, I spent my time learning street tricks like ollies, kickflips and grinds. One of the things I love about street skateboarding is you dont need a particular place to do it, all urban environments are your playground.

Street Skateboarding Setup

• Skateboards: Standard skateboard with a steep tail and small, hard wheels (52-56mm) for increased pop and response.
• Tricks: Ollies, kickflips heelflips slides grinds

As such, you may favor street skateboarding, which centers around obstacles like handrails, benches and stairs—this is the style of skateboarding that can best test both your technical moves (i.e. flip tricks) as well generate new challenges nearly every time you go out to session a spot or park.

Pro Tip: If you are new to street skating, try out beginner tricks like ollies before learning complex flips and grinds.

Know More>> best street skateboards for skating

Park Skateboarding

On the other hand, park skateboarding consists of street and vertical skating. You get it in dedicated skateparks with features such as bowls, ramps, rails and ledges. The flow of the skatepark combines elements that would otherwise be divided into a street and transition section all in one continuous line allowing skaters to do tricks both on the streets and while riding transitions.

That is the beauty of park skateboarding, it offers so many different challenges. A rail to grind, a bowl to drop in on or a launch ramp. Great for the skater who wants to be able to do it all and is looking at nailing down tech tricks as well as airs.

Park Skateboarding Setup

• Skateboards: Triumph Skateboarding Only a standard skateboard with medium-sized wheels (54-58mm) is preferable. It needs to be a board that can go from one type of transition, all the way down to just street style obstacles.
• Tricks: You will see a vast array of street and vert tricks such as grinds, flips, grabs bag an airs to name but a few.

Skateparks are built for any levels of riders to have a variety of features so that beginners always learn something and advanced skaters can be challenged. It is also good to hone your skills on transitions, including wall riding and launching over quarter pipes.

Read Further>> Skateboarding in Parks

Vert Skateboarding

Vert skateboarding is what you see when skateboarders catch big air off vertical half-pipes. This style is nice and simplified focuses on doing tricks in large ramps, bowls or half-pipes where you have the ability to pick up a lot of speed before boosting off.

Cruising in a vert skate park is about managing your speed, you have to pump and carve on the flat sections so that when you launch up into the bowl or over hte lip of a rollin its with much control. A grab, flip and spin are common aerial tricks performed by skaters.

Vert Skateboarding Setup

• Skateboards: Bigger boards for wider trucks and softer wheels (54-60mm) to retain speed on ramps with smooth transitions.
• Tricks — Airs, Grabs, Spins and Flips as well as Lip tricks.

While vert skateboarding can be a bit intimidating at first, if you learn how to overcome the transition it is one of the most fun styles around. Most skateparks have vert ramps, but many skaters build half-pipes in their backyards.

Iconic Vert Pros to Get You Hyped Iconic vert skateboarders » Find out Morepub ↓

Freestyle Skateboarding

Freestyle skateboarding goes a long ways back as one of the first types of skating to develop and it definitely has its own flavor. It’s sort of like skateboarding for the dance world, where folks perform tricks in a seamless and choreographed way. Emphasizing — balance, precision and creativity.

I knew that I had to become technical in controlling my board from the moment I first tried freestyle skateboarding. The tricks themselves aren’t necessarily street or vert flashy, but the technical side is through the roof.

Freestyle Skateboarding Setup

• Skateboards: Narrow boards with harder wheels (52-55mm) are very normal as they offer that tight control when doing tricks.
• Handstands, finger flips, spins and technical balancing tricks like Casper or Primo.

Solo, skate which it has a slower speed than street and vert; If you love mutants tricks as well this one can be perfect for freestlyle because its all technical challenges.

Pro Tip: Do those basic tricks like manuals or no complies before you start doing more advanced combos and shit.

Learn More>> learning freestyle skateboarding tricks 

Cruiser Skateboarding

If you prefer your rides low-key and untechnical, then cruiser skateboarding should be ideal for you. The cruise is an experience of smooth sailing and relishing the voyage. Cruiser boards are some of types extend those lengths above, but generally made for additional stability and motion-ease making it better if you just wanna shake by town or when heading to the beach.

My cruiser board that I ride when I want to relax and just cruise but then, this time without tricks. Primarily developed for commuter or weekend cruiser duties

Cruiser Skateboarding Setup

• Skateboard: Bigger boards with a large, soft wheels (60-70mm) for comfortable and smooth carves on shiny plains.
• Tricks: None required! and no holds bar punchy hits, but some people like a slider or carve.

For those starting out or simply after a smooth ride without delving into the world of tricks, cruiser skateboards are ideal. They make it pretty easy to ride over bumpy bits, and those enormous soft wheels means that you barely even feel where the surface has stopped.

Read More >> Selecting the best cruiser board

Downhill Skateboarding

ConclusionSpeed is all that you need, well downhill skateboarding will be your thing to start with. This is the style that deals with zipping down hill and reaching breakneck speeds but still maintaining a degree of control. Properly executed speed wobbles can help a rider stabilize their board at high speeds.

Downhill skateboarding is extremely exciting but it can also be dangerous, here you have to use safety equipment and practice a lot. First time I tried it, now when you all go just remember to wear a helmet and gloves along with full pads their pretty important!

Downhill Skateboarding Setup

• Skateboards: Longboard with specific wider trucks and large soft wheels (70-80mm) for speed & stability.
• Methods: Aero, Trucking and Drifts

This sport is all about adrenaline, and you have to be capable of some precision as well… but it´s definitely not for the faint hearted. Now, if you just started your career in downhill skating then give Final Warning on easier hills before attempting harder runs.

With this style, safety is paramount.

Learn More>> Protective Gear Required for Downhill Skateboarders

Learn More>> Essential safety gear for downhill skateboarders

Transition Skateboarding

Transition skateboarding is a hybrid of vert and street skating. This is riding, tricks in bowls or mini ramps; This is a good style for skaters who mostly ride ramps, but like to do some street tricks also.

Skateboard: Transition Setup — A skateboard setup suitable for skaters who prefer transition.

• Skateboards: Vert setups w/ slightly larger wheels and wider trucks to hold smoother transition
• Style: Grab, Flip and Lip tricks.

Longboard Dancing

Longboard dancing is a more arty type of skateboarding, which focuses on long fluid dance like movements onto the board. Riders position themselves to cross-step, spin and perform simple stylish moves.

Longboard Dancing Setup

Dance Boards: Skateboards suitable for dancing, commonly having a flexy deck and soft wheels (65-75mm)

Cross-stepping, spins and pivots Trick

Find out more >> Different longboard dance styles that you want to break into

Slalom Skateboarding

Slalom skateboarding, when used alone usually refers to racing around cones in a straight single line path or curved count back. The objective is to make it through the course as swiftly and cleanly as possible, without so much laying a tyre on one of those cones.

Slalom Skateboarding Setup

• Skateboards, which are narrower with more flexible trucks and soft wheels (65 to 70 mm) in order have a maximum grip.
• Tricks: Weaving, Tucking and Flick Turns

Choosing Your Style of Skateboarding

Types of Skateboarding by how to choose the right skate for you Read here for guidance:

• Refer Back To What You Want Goals Wise: Do you want to do tricks or just cruise around If you are all about tricks then street or vert skating is right up your alley. If you like going around a lot, get a cruiser board or longboard.
• Factor in Your Terrain: Where Will You Be Skating? Second, if you live in a city with lots of stairs and rails, street skateboarding is your friend. However if you live near to some hills or open spaces… well then maybe downhill might be more your thing.
• Experiment: feel free to mix couple of styles! Switching between playing different types of skateboarding is more popular with many skaters. I came to longboarding from street skating but was drawn to cruising and downhill for a change.
• If you are a beginner, I suggest that you start small so don’t think of jumping straight to pool or ramp skateboarding. Both are friendly and you can continue to explore the other as your experience level increases.

What Style of Skateboarding Is Right For You?

At the end of it all, you need to skate whatever helps you move on from your life woes. Technical tricks, High-speed adrenaline or cruising around the block – whatever your personality and goals perhaps be; there’s a skateboarding style for everyone.

I have skate every kind of skating and each one is different for better or worse.

More info: which style of skateboarding is right for you?

In Closing On The Types Of Skateboarding

There are different forms of skateboarding, and that offers variety. Your style: a street skater who thrives on technical tricks, an adrenaline junkie that loves the high-flying action of vert or maybe you prefer to cruise around for relaxed social skate; there’s something here for everyone.

For those of you who want to go fast, there is downhill skateboarding. Oh yeah and let’s not forget about the freestyle/park skating part, where all creativity happens.

One of the best things about skateboarding is that you can do so many varieties… You could switch it up depending on your mood or the environment.

Therefore, whether you are new to skateboarding or been riding for a long time trying different types of skateboardings is an incredible way to push yourself and enjoy.

So take your board, go out and figure which style is best for you!

For someone who is just starting out here are some internal resources:

Read More >> Essentials you need to start skateboarding

More from us >> Skatepark skateboard wheels: Delving deep into various styles