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The majority of people just picking up a longboard however, just want to cruise around or possibly use a longboard to get to class. This article is for those people looking for the best longboards for cruising.
Choosing the Best Cruising Longboard
As with every longboard, you choose a longboard based on what you want to do with it. The best cruising longboards are commonly used to allow riders to get to class, work, or simply as a way of riding around without walking.
There are a number of main considerations in choosing the best cruising longboard for you such as length, flex, and if you need a kicktail or not.
Length: What is best for a Cruising Longboard?
There are 3 main classes of longboards decided by length:
Small – Deck length of 28” – 32” – These include boards such as the Penny Board
and are highly maneuverable but might not be suited for taller riders.
Medium – Deck Length between 32” – 41” – Some of the best cruising longboards can be found in this category and in fact, this where the majority of longboards reside. This length of board is intended to be right for just about every rider.
Large – Deck Length >41” – The big longboards are in this category. These longboards will go further when you push them but they also weigh more so they will be harder to carry around for a long time.
Why is Length Important?
Length is important for choosing some of the best cruising longboards as it affects how easy it will be to turn the board. If you expect to be weaving in and out of foot traffic, you will want a smaller cruising longboard such as the Penny Board
or Quest Super Cruiser
.
If at anytime you think you might want to move on from simply cruising around, you might want to consider other boards in the Medium size category. Some examples of boards that are great at cruising and considerably more include the Sector 9 Fractal
and the Loaded Vanguard
.
These boards will give you more stability and allow you to carve easily through thick crowds. Plus, if you ever want to expand beyond cruising (and you definitely should once you feel comfortable!), these boards will allow you to do so.
In terms of value for the price, Medium size longboards allow for easy cruising for beginners yet will last you for years if/when you decide to explore sliding on a longboard or going downhill.
Flex: Do I want it?
While people don’t often consider flex when they choose a longboard, it’s one of the most important parts. With the right amount of flex, you feel comfortable on your board and can ride easily feeling the board underneath you.
Ultimately the amount of flex in the best cruising longboards is a matter of personal opinion. There are a number of advantages and disadvantages of having a highly flexible or highly stiff longboard.
Highly Flexible Longboards – Absorb road vibration from bumps and rough terrain resulting in a smoother ride, help relieve stress on ankles and knees when pushing, great for relaxed cruising, usually better carving capability.
Note: Usually the best longboards for cruising have a moderate to a large amount of flex as the flex really comes in handy when commuting.
Little Flex/Stiff Longboards – maintains stability at high speeds, can feel more responsive than highly flexible longboards, helps prevent speed wobbles.
Best Longboards for Cruising: Kicktails?
Quick review: A kicktail is a part on the end of a longboard which allows the rider to place his foot there easily and “kick” the board into the air.
Kicktails are mainly personal preference as the longboard can be ridden with or without one just as easily.
Kicktails are convenient when you want to do quick turns, do tricks, or pop up and down on curbs. Sounds like something you’ll want or need to do? Grab a longboard with a kicktail.
Best Cruising Longboards: Additional Considerations
If you want to create one of the best cruising longboards for you, sometimes a good option is to build it yourself. In that case, you’re going to need the right longboard trucks.
The best cruising longboard trucks are either 150mm or 180mm and which one depends on the width of your longboard deck. You want trucks which closely match the width of your chosen longboard deck.
If your cruising longboard has a width less than 8.5” choose 150mm trucks to go with it. For decks wider than 8.5” choose 180mm trucks.
When buying longboard trucks to build the best longboard for cruising, you should always make sure that the trucks are Reverse KingPin (RKP) such as the highly rated Caliber Trucks Cal II 50 degree RKP
. These trucks have greater maneuverability which will allow your board to easily carve through crowds.
Top 5 Best Longboards for Cruising
Penny Nickel Skateboard
Smaller than traditional longboards, the Penny Nickel Skateboard is known for its use in cruising around. This is one of the best cruising longboards that is designed purely to get you from place to place quickly.
Measuring only 27” from end to end and featuring a prominent kicktail, the Penny Nickel skateboard (our full review here) can easily make its way through large crowds and pivot on a dime around sharp corners.
With the size, you can simply attach this skateboard to your backpack after you’re done with it allowing you to easily switch between walking and riding. Its portability is particularly useful and places it on the top of the list for the best longboards for cruising.
Quest Super Cruiser
Proven by its best-seller status for years, the best cruising longboard status goes to the Quest Super Cruiser. This longboard has been on top for multiple years and remains on top today even though stiff competition.
The Quest Super Cruiser (see our full review of what makes the Quest Super Cruiser a best seller) features a 44-inch long deck made out of maple. While before we talked about how typically cruising longboards are medium length and highly to medium flexible, the Quest Super Cruiser is the exception.
This board is stiff yet features unparalleled carving ability for the price and is one of the best cruising longboards on the market today.
Sector 9 Shoots
Coming in at a total length of 33.5”, this longboard is the perfect mix between a skateboard and longboard. It’s called the Sector 9 Shoots because you’ll shoot straight through foot traffic with this speedy and highly maneuverable longboard.
This board comes standard with Gullwing Sidewinders mounted in a traditional top mount configuration. This allows for unparalleled carving ability that will swiftly take you through crowds.
The deck is made out of bamboo giving the Sector 9 Shoots a medium flex which allows the rider to control the board. For more information see our full Sector 9 Shoots review of this exceptional longboard which is one of our top choices for best cruising longboards.
Loaded Vanguard
One of the best cruising longboards and my personal favorite, the Loaded Vanguard is one of the most flexible and turny longboards that you will ever encounter. The 180mm trucks are in a top mount configuration allowing maximum carving capability. The deck is 38” long and made out of highly flexible bamboo.
One of the best things that I like apart this longboard is that you can literally bounce up and down on it which allows you to truly feel every part of this deck during cruising. Additionally, the flex of the deck makes this board comfortable to ride for long periods of time.
For more information about the Loaded Vanguard and it’s advantages as one of the best longboards for cruising, see the full review.
Sector 9 Lookout
With 10” Gullwing Chargers, these trucks combine carving and stability and to allow you to make your way through crowds while avoiding speed wobbles at high speeds. The deck of the Sector 9 Lookout is made out of 5 ply bamboo giving this board a little flex as you ride.
For the money, the Sector 9 Lookout is the hybrid cruising-downhill-everything longboard to get. It’s one of the best longboards for cruising and yet will allow you to do so much more.
