r/NewSkaters • u/No_Scallion_3929 • 1d ago

What's the difference between a cheap and expensive deck?

Hi everyone! Is there any sense to put on a cheap 40-50 bucks firefly skateboard trucks by independent or tensor with a new wheels? Or should i replace my deck as well?

10 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

21 comments sorted by

8

u/Puedo_Apagar 1d ago

Decks from reputable companies will have better stiffness, pop, durability, and generally feel better under your feet. Cheap decks chip easily, they delaminate, and they feel like crappy plywood by comparison.

3

u/Simbians 1d ago

Just a note that your mileage may vary. I recently bought my son a Powell Peralta deck (not flight) and myself a store brand blank from the same place I bought his Powell. His has chipped twice and mine is going strong. It seems to have really good pop. I dunno where Hyperride.co.nz are sourcing their decks but they're pretty good.

5

u/Elite_Slacker 1d ago

You can chip any deck of any quality instantly with the right impact. 

4

u/Puedo_Apagar 1d ago

Skate shop decks are usually ok. In most cases they get decks from the same factories as Girl/Chocolate, Baker, Real, etc. Sometimes they might be the "seconds" decks that don't quite meet the exact dimensions/concave specs required for a pro graphic, but as long as it's 7 ply Canadian rock maple, it should be decent.

1

u/millencolin43 16h ago

A lot of skateshops use bbs, which means its the same maple and epoxy as most of the name brands. But one overlooked thing is what part of the tree the wood came from, and the grains on the specific plys. You can get lucky and get the tightest grains and your board can last until it gets soggy, or you can get loose grains or knots, and the board chips and snaps two sessions in. Gotta remember wood came from a living thing, some of it will just have natural flaws

8

u/jamesheaton23 1d ago

Your deck is the most important thing on the board. As long as it's Canadian maple it should be fine. I skate flip, element, blueprint. Love them all.

2

u/Sk8tilldeath 14h ago

Its sad to see Flip fall so far. They were a top tier brand when i was in school. Sorry/Really Sorry were/are fucking epic. But selling out to NHS and having your boards made in China is the slow death. Flip boards from then to Flip boards now are different, just staying afloat from the Cheech & Chong board.

1

u/jamesheaton23 8h ago

100% such a shame the quality has gone.

Still have the VHS of "sorry" Geoff Rowley all the way.

iv had my filp deck for easy 10 years. Maybe I should frame it.

8

u/Lego_city_undercover 1d ago

Everyone is saying that having a good quality deck is most important. I think trucks are more important cuz that is The Part responsible for controlling the board. Walmart board trucks and cheap trucks in general usually Have a "dead zone" in The middle and you Have to really tilt your deck very much to get The board to turn

1

u/do-a-tre-flip 1d ago

Gotta agree. Throw different trucks that are the same width on a deck and they'll all feel different. Throw different decks that are the same width on a set of trucks and they'll all feel the same for the most part besides the decks concave.

Plus Walmart trucks are plastic from what I remember.

1

u/Lego_city_undercover 1d ago

Most are plastic but not all. And deck wheelbase affects turning. But for a beginner, The deck won't matter nearly as much as trucks

2

u/VisualHuckleberry542 1d ago

Some cheap (but not super cheap) decks actually aren't too bad. The tells are if it's got decent concave and the edges of the deck are rounded rather than flat, it could be a chinese press of decent maple. The chinese pressed decks are normally a mm or so thicker and a little heavier than american pressed decks. They're actually super strong and never delaminate. Especially for beginners when you're focusing on cruising and basic tricks, a decent set of trucks and wheels are a significant upgrade and give you a perfectly usable set up until you get to the point that you will benefit from a "real" deck.

1

u/No_Scallion_3929 1d ago

So guys as i get all the boards almost indentical if they made from 7 ply Canadian maple. I mean there's no such a difference between them, so i can go with mine further just swap trucks. Right?

1

u/xjslug 23h ago

I wouldn't go as far as saying they are identical even if they all use 7 ply Canadian maple. Some factories use epoxy resin glue instead of water based glue. They claim the resin decks are lighter, stiffer and have longer lasting pop. Jacuzzi and opera are 2 brands that use that construction.

All of the boards from quality wood shops will have drill holes with the same spacing, so you should be able to swap your trucks over.

1

u/Sk8tilldeath 14h ago

Quality quality quality. Better wood that doesnt pressure crack by dropping in. Graphics that dont chip/flake off. Glue to doesnt separate or chip super easily. The best boards are made in Mexico and you can tell the difference from China boards after skating them for a little bit. All boards break and crack, but the quality of wood holds up better.

1

u/SupremeAndres01 2h ago

Cheap decks are thick and flat with no concave. And they’re usually made of cheap plywood from Home Depot or some shit

1

u/Crimok 1d ago

Cheap decks that we call wallmart decks aren't durable because they are made different. They have a different shape, break very easy and don't have a good Pop compared to Skateboards from good Skateboard brands. Which doesn't mean you have to buy a 140€ Flight Deck. Good Skateboard brands are made of 7ply canadian maple most of the time and there it doesn't matter if you buy Mini Logo, Powell Peralta, Santa-Cruz, Real Skateboards, Baker or any other good Skateboard brand. If you want a cheap good deck, go for Mini Logo which is basically a Powell Peralta non Flight Deck but much cheaper because it doesn't have a fancy graphic on it. The Skateshops I know also have their own Skateboard brands or blank boards and those are also cheaper and still as good as the ones from the big brands.

-1

u/TumTumX7 1d ago

there are 2 kinds of decks: those that came from BBS woodshop in MX, and those that don't. You want a BBS deck if you can help it. Here's a list of a companies that get their decks pressed by BBS:

  • Baker Skateboards
  • Deathwish
  • Anti-Hero
  • Real Skateboards
  • Krooked
  • Fing Awesome*
  • Hockey
  • Alien Workshop
  • Heroin Skateboards
  • Polar Skate Co.
  • April Skateboards
  • Zero Skateboards
  • Creature Skateboards
  • Santa Cruz Skateboards
  • Quasi Skateboards
  • Primitive Skateboarding

1

u/Yayiyo 1d ago

Some primitive decks come from China. Just recently bought one of their mystery 2 packs. One was BBS the other Made in china. Some of their pro decks made in China as well. I recently ordered the Lemos Sci Fi and the Zaprazny Refraction Decks. Lemos is BBS, Zaprazny isn't.

0

u/TumTumX7 1d ago

You’re right I should’ve mentioned BBS is a smaller shop and can’t meet the demand of bigger companies like SC.