Best Longboards for Beginners: Playshion Leads

The best longboards for beginners are led by the Playshion 39 Inch Drop Through, a 7.6 lb maple deck rated to 250 lb that sits low enough for a first-timer to push and foot-brake without wobbling. If you're taller or want more platform, the 41-inch New Olym Drop Through is the runner-up at 7.14 lb. Before you shop, know this: Amazon's results for "longboards" mix skateboards with surfboards, and this set contains both.

Best longboards for beginners at a glance

Why this search mixes skateboards and surfboards

Two of these six picks are not skateboards. The Thurso Surf Spire and the Waterkids 7ft are surfboards. Amazon's category tree lists both under "Longboards", so they surface together for anyone searching the word. If you came here for wheels, four of these six are your candidates. If you came for waves, two are.

That matters because the term "beginner" means different things in each world. A beginner skater needs a stable, low deck they can push on a sidewalk. A beginner surfer needs a buoyant foam board they can paddle and pop up on. There is no board on this page that does both, and no shopper is well served by pretending otherwise.

The four longboard skateboards are the Playshion 39, the New Olym 41, the Rimable 41 and the VOLADOR 46. The two surfboards are the Thurso Surf Spire 8 ft and the Waterkids 7ft. I've kept both groups in the ranking because both appear in the same search, but I've named the split so you don't waste a click.

How I screened these six listings

I lined up the published figures side by side: deck length, deck width, deck construction, truck size, wheel size, wheel hardness, bearing rating and stated rider weight limits. Then I sorted the four skateboards by shape, because a drop-through deck, a topmount cruiser and a dancer board reward different first-time skills.

Three things stood out from the data.

• Two of the four skateboards are drop-through decks: the Playshion 39 and the New Olym 41. Both sit the platform below the trucks, which lowers your stance.
• All four skateboards list 70mm wheels around 78A hardness, so wheel choice is not what separates them.
• Only three products in the whole set publish a warranty: the Thurso Surf Spire at 5 years, the Waterkids at 30 days, and the Rimable at a stated 1. The Playshion, New Olym and VOLADOR listings don't publish one.

I've weighted deck shape, stated weight capacity and platform width above brand claims. A "beginner-friendly" bullet is marketing. A 39 by 9.1 inch drop-through with an 8-ply maple deck rated to 250 lb is a set of numbers a shopper can compare.

1. Playshion 39 Inch Drop Through — Best overall

A 39-inch drop-through with the lowest published deck weight in this set, an 8-ply maple platform and a stated 250 lb rider limit — the shortest learning curve here for anyone new to pushing and foot-braking.

Best for: adults and teens learning to push, carve and foot-brake on sidewalks Skip it if: you weigh more than 250 lb or want to practise dance footwork

Of the four skateboards here, the Playshion has the lightest published deck at 7.6 lb and the shortest length at 39 inches, which is the easiest combination to carry, store and step onto. The drop-through mounting sits the deck below the trucks, and Playshion says this lowers the platform for confident pushing and foot-braking. That claim lines up with what the shape does mechanically, though it is still a manufacturer claim rather than a lab figure.

The published spec sheet is the most complete in this set: 39 x 9.09 in deck, 4.02 in profile, 8-ply maple, 7-inch aluminum trucks, 70 x 51mm 78A wheels, ABEC-9 bearings and a stated 250 lb rider limit. That last number is the ceiling to watch. Playshion also says the board arrives assembled. It sells faster than any other longboard skateboard in this set.

Pros:

• Lightest deck in the set at 7.6 lb
• Full spec sheet published, including rider weight limit
• Drop-through shape lowers the push stance
• 8-ply maple with 7-inch aluminum trucks
• Ships assembled, per the listing

Cons:

• 250 lb rider limit is the lowest published here
• 39 inches is short for practising dance footwork
• No published warranty
• Only one seller lists it

2. New Olym 41'' Longboard — Runner-up

A 41-inch drop-through with a claimed 660 lb support figure and the widest platform among the three drop-through options — the natural pick if the Playshion feels short.

Best for: taller or heavier beginners who want a longer platform Skip it if: you need a compact board for tight campus paths

The New Olym reads as a longer sibling to the Playshion. Same drop-through shape, same 8-ply maple construction, similar 7.14 lb deck weight, and two extra inches of length. That extra length is what a taller rider notices first: a wider stance is possible, and the wheelbase stretches out for straighter tracking at pushing speed.

New Olym's listing claims "maximum support weight 660 lbs", which is far above any other board here and worth attributing rather than repeating as fact. What is comparable is the geometry: 41 x 9 in deck, 10 in overall width including the trucks, PU wheels with ABEC-9 chrome steel bearings and SHR95A bushings. The brand says the board ships fully assembled. It is the second-fastest seller of the four skateboards on this page.

The trade-off against the Playshion is length. Forty-one inches is easier to ride, harder to carry up a stairwell. If you already know you'll be stashing the board under a desk or on a bus, the Playshion wins. If you'll ride it door to door, the New Olym is the more comfortable platform.

Pros:

• 41-inch drop-through platform for a wider stance
• 8-ply Canadian maple with aluminum trucks
• Ships fully assembled, per the listing
• ABEC-9 bearings and soft bushings noted in the listing

Cons:

• 660 lb rider figure is a manufacturer claim only
• No published warranty
• Longer to carry and store than the Playshion
• Only one seller lists it

3. Rimable 41 Inch Freestyle Topmount — Best for beginners

The only topmount skateboard in this set — the deck sits above the trucks, with a slight concave that gives your feet something to lock into.

Best for: riders who prefer a topmount cruiser with a bit of concave Skip it if: you want the lower stance of a drop-through

If you've ridden a regular skateboard and want the same standing height on a longer deck, this is the shape you already know. The Rimable is a topmount, which means the deck sits on top of the trucks rather than dropping through them. It rides higher than the Playshion or the New Olym, which some beginners actually prefer: the pushing motion feels closer to a shortboard.

The Rimable listing publishes fewer figures than the two drop-throughs. What is there: a 41 by 9.5 in deck, a 9-ply maple laminated build, 7-inch topmount aluminum trucks, 70 x 51mm 78A PU wheels and OS 780 grip tape. Deck weight is not listed. Rider weight limit is not listed either, and that's the field a heavier learner most wants to see. The listing does state a warranty of 1, which is presumably one year, but the wording is not explicit.

Its trade-off against the two drop-throughs is stance height. A topmount does not lower your centre of gravity, so the balancing job is slightly harder in the first hour. Its trade-off against the VOLADOR dancer is width and length: less platform for cross-stepping.

Pros:

• Only topmount skateboard in the set
• 9-ply maple deck with slight concave
• 9.5 in deck width is the widest of the three shorter boards
• Warranty listed, unlike the two drop-throughs

Cons:

• Deck weight not published
• Rider weight limit not published
• Higher stance than a drop-through
• Slowest-selling skateboard of the four here

4. VOLADOR 46inch Dancing Longboard — Best budget pick

The longest and widest skateboard in this set, at 46 x 10 in, shaped for the cross-stepping and pivoting that longboard dancing involves — and the cheapest of the six.

Best for: beginners curious about longboard dancing and cross-stepping Skip it if: you only want to commute in a straight line

This is a different animal to the other three skateboards. A dancer deck is long and symmetrical so you can step foot-over-foot along its length, spin, and switch stance. The VOLADOR is 46 x 10 in, which is five inches longer and half an inch wider than the New Olym and seven inches longer than the Playshion. That is a lot of extra platform to carry.

At 10 lb of deck, it is also the heaviest skateboard here. The VOLADOR listing describes forged aluminum 7-inch trucks with carbon steel kingpins, 70mm 78A wheels, ABEC-9 chrome bearings and zoned grip tape that runs from grittier at the trucks to smoother in the middle, which the brand says helps footwork glide. Those are attributed claims. The board has a stated free-replacement warranty for quality issues.

The trade-off is honest: a dancer is not the easiest cruiser. The extra length that makes cross-stepping possible also makes tight turns and sidewalk manoeuvres slower. If you know you want to dance, this is the board here to start on. If you don't, one of the two drop-throughs is a better first purchase.

Pros:

• Cheapest of the six
• Longest platform in the set at 46 in
• 10 in wide deck for footwork
• Zoned grip tape and forged trucks, per the listing
• Free-replacement warranty stated

Cons:

• 10 lb deck is the heaviest skateboard here
• Long boards turn more slowly at low speed
• Not the natural shape for straight-line commuting
• Only one seller lists it

5. Thurso Surf Spire 8 ft — Best premium

A soft-top foam surfboard, not a skateboard — the buoyant 8 ft platform a first-time surfer paddles out on, and the only pick with a 5-year warranty.

Best for: a beginner surfer, not a beginner skater Skip it if: you searched for a longboard skateboard

Read the category before you buy: Surfboards > Longboards. This is a foam board for the water. Amazon classes it as a longboard because that's the surfboard shape category — long, wide and buoyant, made for catching soft waves and learning to stand.

The Spire is 8 ft long, 22.8 in wide and 11.5 lb. Thurso Surf says the core is EPS foam with three wood stringers for stiffness, an EPO bonding system, a heat-laminated HDPE slick bottom and an IXPE deck. Those are the terms surf shops use for durable soft-top construction. The most useful figure for a buyer is the 5-year manufacturer warranty, which is the longest published in this whole set by a distance.

Its trade-off is only that it is not what most people typing "longboard for beginners" have in mind. If you did mean a surfboard, though, an 8 ft soft top is the length teachers put first-timers on. The stability comes from length and volume, and volume is what keeps you floating while you learn to paddle and pop up.

Pros:

• 5-year manufacturer warranty, the longest here
• 8 ft length is a standard beginner surf size
• Three wood stringers noted in the listing
• Full construction spec published

Cons:

• Not a skateboard
• Most expensive of the six
• Heavier than any of the skateboards at 11.5 lb
• Only one seller lists it

6. Waterkids 7ft Soft Top — Best for heavy use

The other surfboard in this set: a 7 ft foam longboard with 72 litres of stated volume and a leash included in the box.

Best for: a beginner surfer who wants a shorter foam board with a leash Skip it if: you wanted wheels and trucks

Also a surfboard, also from the Surfboards > Longboards branch of Amazon's tree. The Waterkids is 7 ft long, 22 in wide and 3.25 in thick, with a stated 72 litre volume. The construction is described as an EBS IXL soft top with an HDPE bottom, and the listing says a leash is included.

Against the Thurso Spire, this is the shorter, less-documented option. Length matters for a first surfboard: an extra foot of length is more paddling glide and more stability under a wobbling learner. Volume matters too, and only the Waterkids publishes a litre figure, so a direct volume comparison between these two is not possible from the listings alone. What is comparable is the warranty. Waterkids states 30 days from the manufacturer. Thurso states five years.

If you weigh less, or if you already have some water time and want a shorter board sooner, 7 ft is a common step down from 8 ft. If you're brand new, the extra length of the Spire is usually the safer starter.

Pros:

• Leash included, per the listing
• 72 litre volume stated
• Shorter than the Spire, easier to carry
• Foam soft top construction

Cons:

• 30-day warranty is short
• Deck weight not published
• Not a skateboard
• Slowest seller of the six

Drop-through, topmount or dancer: which shape suits a first-timer?

Deck shape decides more than deck length for a beginner. There are three shapes in this roundup, and each one changes how the board feels the first time you step on it.

1. Drop-through. The trucks bolt down through the deck, so the platform sits below them. Lower stance, easier pushing, easier foot-braking. The Playshion 39 and New Olym 41 are both drop-throughs.
2. Topmount. The deck sits on top of the trucks. Higher stance, sharper turns, closer feel to a regular skateboard. The Rimable 41 is the only topmount here.
3. Dancer. Long and symmetrical, sometimes with kicks at both ends, made for stepping along the deck. The VOLADOR 46 is the dancer.

For a first purchase where the goal is commuting or cruising, drop-through wins on physics alone. Your centre of gravity is lower, your push is shorter, and the platform feels more planted at walking-out speed. If you already skate and want a longer deck to cruise on, topmount will feel familiar. If you've watched dancing clips and that's why you're here, buy the shape that suits it and accept it will not be the easiest commuter.

What deck length actually does for balance

Longer decks are more stable at rolling speed and less nimble at slow speed. That's the trade-off, and it explains why the four skateboards in the best longboards for beginners set span from 39 to 46 inches.

• 39 in (Playshion): shortest, lightest, easiest to carry, tightest turns.
• 41 in (New Olym, Rimable): the mainstream longboard length, a middle path.
• 46 in (VOLADOR): long enough for footwork, slower through tight turns.

The published weights track the length: 7.14 lb at 41 in, 7.6 lb at 39 in, 10 lb at 46 in. The Rimable doesn't publish a deck weight, so it can't be placed on that scale from the listing alone. If you'll be carrying the board any distance, weight and length together decide whether the board comes with you or lives by the door.

Width matters at the feet. The Rimable is 9.5 in, the New Olym and VOLADOR are around 9 to 10 in, and the Playshion is the narrowest at 9.09 in. Wider decks give bigger feet more room. Narrower decks feel more responsive.

What the listings do not tell you

Even the fuller spec sheets in this set leave gaps. Know what's missing before you spend.

• Bearing brand and grade beyond ABEC-9. ABEC-9 is a precision rating, not a durability guarantee, and no listing here names a bearing manufacturer.
• Bushing durometer, except for the New Olym. Bushings decide how a board turns. Only New Olym publishes SHR95A.
• Rider weight limits, except for the Playshion. Playshion states 250 lb. New Olym claims 660 lb as a support figure, which reads more like a static load than a rider limit. Rimable and VOLADOR don't publish one.
• Grip tape grade, except in loose terms. Rimable and VOLADOR mention OS 780 grip. The others don't.
• Assembly state, except for the two drop-throughs. Playshion and New Olym both say assembled. The others don't specify.

None of these gaps are fatal on their own, but stacked together they explain why the two drop-throughs get the top two spots: their listings simply publish more of what a beginner needs to know.

Which pick fits which rider?

Match the profile to the pick and skip the rest.

• Learning to cruise, adult or teen, under 250 lb: Playshion 39 Inch Drop Through. The lowest published stance, the fullest spec sheet, the lightest deck.
• Taller or heavier, still learning to cruise: New Olym 41''. Same drop-through shape, longer platform, published soft bushings.
• Already skate, want a longer deck: Rimable 41. Topmount stance will feel familiar.
• Want to try longboard dancing: VOLADOR 46. The only board here shaped for it.
• Actually a beginner surfer, first foam board: Thurso Surf Spire 8 ft. Longest, most documented, 5-year warranty.
• Beginner surfer, shorter foam board: Waterkids 7 ft. Leash included, 72 L volume stated.

The verdict

If you want a longboard skateboard and you're new to it, the Playshion 39 Inch Drop Through is the pick. It has the lightest deck at 7.6 lb, the lowest published rider limit at 250 lb (which is enough for most learners), the drop-through geometry that lowers your push stance, and the most complete spec sheet in this set. It sells faster than any other longboard skateboard here.

The cutoff is body size and use case. If you weigh close to that 250 lb limit or you're over about six feet tall, step up to the New Olym 41'' Drop Through: same shape, two more inches of platform, a manufacturer support-weight claim of 660 lb. If you already skate and want a topmount, take the Rimable 41. If longboard dancing is why you're here, take the VOLADOR 46 and accept it isn't the easiest commuter.

The two surfboards, the Thurso Surf Spire and the Waterkids 7 ft, are only the right answer if you meant a surfboard. If so, the Spire wins on length, published specs and warranty. If you meant wheels, ignore both.

FAQ

Are longboards easier to learn on than skateboards?

Longboards are easier to learn on than shortboards for most first-timers, because a longer wheelbase tracks straighter and larger softer wheels roll over cracks more forgivingly. A drop-through deck like the Playshion 39 sits lower to the ground, which shortens the push and makes foot-braking less scary. Shortboards turn tighter and pop for tricks, but that responsiveness works against a beginner trying to stand still.

Is a 39-inch longboard worth it for a tall rider?

A 39-inch longboard is worth it for a tall rider only if the priority is portability. The Playshion 39 is the lightest and shortest skateboard here at 7.6 lb, which makes it the easiest to carry up stairs or stash under a desk. A rider over six feet or close to 250 lb will get a more comfortable stance on the 41-inch New Olym or Rimable, where the extra platform allows a wider foot placement.

Playshion 39 or New Olym 41: which drop-through wins?

The Playshion 39 wins on portability, published spec detail and sales pace within this set. The New Olym 41 wins on platform length and its stated support-weight figure of 660 lb, which is a claim rather than a lab-measured rider limit. Both are 8-ply maple drop-throughs with 7-inch aluminum trucks and 70mm 78A wheels. Choose the Playshion for carrying, the New Olym for stance.

What wheels are best for cracked sidewalks?

The best wheels for cracked sidewalks are larger and softer, in the 70mm and 78A range that three of the four skateboards here publish. Soft PU absorbs vibration and rolls over pebbles instead of stopping on them. Playshion, Rimable and VOLADOR all list 70mm 78A wheels; New Olym describes soft PU without naming a durometer. Harder, smaller wheels are quicker but punish rough pavement.

Why do two surfboards appear in longboard results?

Two surfboards appear in longboard results because Amazon uses "Longboards" as a subcategory under Surfboards as well as under Skateboards. The Thurso Surf Spire and the Waterkids 7 ft sit under Surfboards > Longboards. They are foam boards for water, not decks with wheels. Read the category path on any listing before you buy, and check for wheels and trucks in the images.

The fastest way to end up on a longboard you enjoy is to pick the shape first and the length second. Decide whether you want a low, planted drop-through for commuting, a familiar topmount stance, or a long dancer platform for footwork. Then match the length to your body and your storage: 39 inches if you carry it often, 41 inches if you don't, 46 inches only if dancing is why you're here. For most first-time buyers on this page, the Playshion 39 Inch Drop Through is the right default, and stepping up to the New Olym 41'' is a small change with a real payoff for taller riders.

Last updated: September 30, 2026. Product availability re-checked.

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