As a skateboarding enthusiast, you must be looking for a comfortable board for a super comfy ride.
Of course, you will find tons of regular skateboards. But they are usually for advanced riders with some advanced tricks and stances.
But as a go-to board for a beginner, either longboards or penny boards are the safest options.
Although both types are convenient in their own ways, it is somewhat tricky to choose the perfect board for you.
To help the riders to decide the right board, especially the new riders, we have come up with a comparison, Longboards Vs Penny Boards.
In this guideline, we are going to analyze both the suitability and handicap of these two types of popular boards.
So, let’s get straight to the main discussion.
Contents
What Are Longboards
So, what are longboards? What are longboards used for?
You must know the specifications first in order to compare them with the other boards. You can already assume what types of boards are these from the name- we guess.
However, these are pretty longboards with a long space. Usually, the deck length varies from 30-44 inches.
What is a Longboard Made of?
Talking about the materials, longboards are generally made of wood, bamboo, or oak. Because of the availability of various shapes and sizes, longboards are getting increasingly popular as an advanced form of regular skateboard longboard or penny board.
Even a new rider can explore the versatile stances offered by a longboard. The high-quality material and sturdy construction make it extremely durable.
As a four-wheeler board, a longboard is way more convenient than any other board to balance between speed and stability.
There are a lot of variations in the forms of longboards, which make them decidedly desirable for a smooth and comfy riding experience.
The boards made with bamboo are exceptionally bendable while trying different stances like cruising, sliding, downhill, racing, etc. Although maple wood is the cheapest material to produce the cheapest longboards.
Howsoever, the ultimate craftsmanship and multi-purpose usage make longboards the riders’ favorite.
What Are Penny Boards
Though they have been created later than the longboards, because of their portable and rider-friendly feature, penny boards have been giving a tough competition to the longboards.
What is a Penny Board Made of?
The one and only material used in the construction of a penny board is industrial strength plastic. As a result, it avoids loads of weight and weighs only 4.2 lbs. Moreover, this lightweight construction is able to withhold an enormous amount of damage.
Being launched in 2010, it has come a long way within a decade only. The mixture of traditional style and modernized material has really attracted the youth. That’s why a penny board is one of the recent favorite adventure equipment for the young generation.
Even if you fall or crash, your board will remain as a new one with no mark. That’s the major advantage of a penny board, we guess. Also, the cruiser wheels are tremendously strong when it comes to withstanding breakage and bruise.
The type of penny board is also a matter of concern as it decides the size. The Penny Original has a size of 22 inches while the Penny Nickel is 27 inches long.
Consequently, the first one is chosen by the lightweight lovers. The latter one suits the novice most because of the wider space.
The sparkling variations in the designs should be highly appreciated by the company like classic colors, sweet fades, etc. As a combination of both classic and contemporary, a penny board can be your favorite board for the upcoming adventure.
Longboards Vs Penny Boards | Which One Is Best For You?
After going through the features of both, now it’s time for a face-off between Longboards and Penny Boards.
The following components are the most notable factors to decide which is the right pick for you.
So, let’s try to figure it out.
Wheels
Although both are four-wheelers, there are differences in the construction. The longboard wheels are larger and softer, pairing up with the urethane formulas. As a consequence, they provide smoother sliding, higher speed, and firmer grip.
The penny board wheels, on the contrary, are smaller, reasonably using lesser urethane. So, the performance is reasonably not up to the mark.
They offer slower rolling, difficult sliding, and a dangerous carving experience. It particularly affects the newbie’s in terms of learning skateboarding.
Bearings
The poorly made penny boards bearings can no way compete with the high-performing bearings of the longboards.
As a result, the penny board bearings break in no time and they are extremely slow in terms of rolling. But most of the longboard bearings feature inbuilt components such as speed rings, spacers, etc. They make it easier for the wheels to swap out.
Trucks
Talking of the trucks, the reverse kingpin trucks of longboards are more balanced than those of the narrower penny board trucks.
Because of the performance-oriented trucks, longboards make it easier to downhill at the highest speed or skating around the town at a moderate speed. Even a novice rider can maintain the balance easily.
To reduce the expense, penny boards use narrow trucks with lesser fixity. Consequently, they are way back to compete for the efficient geometry of the longboard trucks.
Shapes
Next comes the shapes. There are many shapes available for both longboards and penny boards. But while comparing, longboards are available in more shapes and sizes than penny boards.
The reason behind this is the expensive plastic that makes the penny boards. Even a tiny amount of industrial plastic costs a lot.
That’s why penny boards are not designed in so many shapes as a little change will require more molding.
On the contrary, the longboards are often changed to different shapes based on the riders’ demands as the material is quite affordable. Resultantly, they suit wider ranges of users than the penny boards.
Width and Length
A longboard is both longer and wider than a penny board. The wide-standing platforms ensure a great deal of balance and stability while trying out different stances. Also, they are much more forgiving while facing a sudden fallout.
But the narrow space on a penny board seems to be quite dangerous for even a professional rider. There is no room for mistakes or even a bit of unmindfulness.
A relatively small space under your feet will provide lesser traction and harmony, especially to beginners.
Portability
Being smaller in size and being way more lightweight than the longboards, a penny board offers you the advantage of carrying it anywhere. You can easily take it into your backpack. But a bulky longboard doesn’t come with this benefit.
So, a penny board is much more convenient as a portable option, especially on a crowded town road.
Purpose
A board should be chosen based on the purpose of the users. If you are a regular rider and want a board just for commuting purposes, a penny board is probably an ideal fit for you. It would serve you better on the busy narrow city road.
But if you are more of a hillside rider and wish to try out various tricks, a longboard is undoubtedly better. It is also easier to learn to ride faster on a longboard. Because it provides the much-needed backing that permits flexible movement.
Cost
Of course, the cost is a crucial conception to choose a board from Longboards Vs Penny boards, because budget always matters.
Reasonably, a penny board costs less as it is small in size and ordinary in implementation compared to a longboard. The high-quality construction of longboards makes them a bit expensive, although pretty much cost-effective.
Performance
As we have already informed, a longboard features a sturdy construction. As a result, they can withstand more pressure and persuasion.
Although the penny boards are also pretty damage resistant, the better wheels and bearings of a longboard make it more durable.
Frequently Asked Question
Q: Is it easier to ride a longboard or a penny board?
Answer: If we compare Longboard Vs Skateboard Vs Penny Board on the basis of riding, Longboard is much easier to ride because a longboard is both longer and wider than the rest two.
Final Verdict
In conclusion, we would like to let you decide on the better board for your amazing riding experience.
Which board you go for, Longboard or Penny board, you should always prioritize your safety first.
As a beginner, a longboard will be of much help to get accustomed to all the riding styles. Also, they are pretty convenient to provide better support and stability.
While a penny board is a viable choice for the pros only. Unless you master over skating, you might be in danger while maintaining a penny board.
But the wide array of designs and the super lightweight feature cover its all flaws. Furthermore, they are the cheapest of all boards in the market.
However, whether you choose quality and comfort or portability that is totally up to you.
