Are penny boards good for beginners? You might be asking yourself the question if you want to buy a board.
Penny boards are okay for those new to skating, but it’s a bit more complicated than saying yes or no.
There are some important things you’ll need to know before you get your first penny board.
Are Penny Boards Good For Beginners?
Penny boards are good for beginners but the 27 inch nickel board comes out on top. The 22 inch original penny board is more difficult to ride because it’s so short. And while penny and nickel boards are good for beginners they are still not as good for cruising as longboards.
Why Penny Boards For Beginners?
Penny boards do have a few attractive qualities whichever size you decide to go with. Beginners will find the best penny board qualities useful. Here is a quick list of features you’ll love if you haven’t skated before:
- Penny boards are indestructible
- High weight limit
- Filled with quality parts
- Waffle non-slip deck
- Cruising around town
- Basic penny board tricks
1 Penny boards are indestructible – That might be a little exaggeration, but penny boards are almost indestructible. Penny makes their boards using a secret plastic formula which we know is strong. Here are some of the things beginner penny board skaters will do:
- Smash into kerbs
- Bang into cars
- Fall off the board
- Collide with people
In other words, beginners on penny boards are going to bash them up a bit until they become more experienced. You might be able to scrape your penny board, but you’re not going to snap it. It’s got to be an advantage for new skaters knowing you don’t need to hold back.
2 High weight limit – Penny came out and said the boards have a max weight limit of 100 kilos (220 pounds). Even when it comes to 22 vs 27 penny boards there isn’t a difference. Some manufacturers that make similar mini cruiser boards have weight limits of 200 pounds.
It basically means penny boards are good for beginners of all sizes unless you’re really heavy. Don’t worry if you are heavier than a few hundred pounds because you’ll still have the best longboards for heavy riders to choose from.
Bigger people should opt for the 27 inch penny nickel board even if you do come in under the max weight limit. It’s just difficult to ride on a 22 inch board as a beginner when you’re carrying so much extra size.
3 Filled with quality parts – Everyone starting out doesn’t know lots about skating, so buying a board can be difficult. How do you know you’re getting a good board if you’re a newcomer to the sport? If you decide to use a penny board you don’t need to worry about quality thanks to:
- Ultimate flex strong deck
- High quality aluminum trucks
- Great 59mm 83A wheels
- Stainless steel Abec 7 bearings
The penny board is constructed using great parts no matter which area you look at. You can feel confident knowing you don’t need to worry about what you might be getting. The size of some parts changes as you move up in board length but everything else stays the same.
4 Waffle non-slip deck – We’ve already established it’s difficult to stay on smaller 22 penny boards, but only because your feet might be too big for them. Thanks to the waffle non-slip deck found on all penny boards you’ll be able to grip to the board when doing things like:
- Turning sharply
- Sliding down hills
- Going fast
- Doing small tricks
If the small 22 inch penny board had a deck you could slide off easily it would be terrible. But the waffle deck on penny boards is great for beginners because you’ll stick to it like glue.
5 Cruising around town – Penny boards can do lots of cool things, but they’re small cruiser boards designed to cruise around town. The best longboard for beginners might come out on top in a contest, but penny boards 22 and 27 inch models will still be able to:
- Perform sharp turns
- Move through crowds
- Be carried anywhere (lightweight)
- Be stored anywhere (small)
All of these capabilities lend themselves well to a cruiser board you’ll be able to ride to work or class. Once you arrive at the destination you’ll be able to hide the penny board away. A 22 inch original penny board is so small you can squeeze it inside a backpack.
6 Basic penny board tricks – Can you do tricks on penny boards? Unfortunately you can’t do anything too crazy like backflips and 1080 degree spins without a more advanced board. But you will be able to do basic tricks like:
- Ollies
- Manuels
- Hippie jumps
You won’t be able to do anything more advanced when you’re a beginner anyway, so penny boards are okay when starting out with tricks. The 27 inch nickel board is a lot more effective, which is actually what we’re going to focus on right now.
The Best Penny Board For Beginners
When it comes to the penny board vs nickel board you have to make a big decision. There are longer penny boards available, but the 22 and 27 penny boards are the most popular. Beginners should opt for the 27 inch penny nickel board in most cases.
It’s going to be superior for beginners in almost every way like:
- Going faster
- Skating in crowds
- Long distances
Going faster – 27 inch nickel boards are better for beginners because you’ll be able to go faster without falling off. Once penny boards reach high speeds they’re not stable, so it’s easier to balance on a longer board. Nickel boards can travel over stones and cracks more smoothly too.
Skating in crowds – 22 inch penny boards are better at maneuvering through large crowds in general, but beginners will find it easier on a 27 nickel board. When you first begin skating on penny boards you won’t go too fast anyway, plus you don’t want to fall or bang into people.
Long distances – It’s easier to stay comfortable when you're traveling long distances on a nickel board. The same thing applies to areas where it’s hilly. Once you begin to get tired it’s when mistakes start to happen, so beginners should look for any opportunity to preserve energy.
Penny Boards vs Longboards?
If you’re thinking about penny boards vs longboards it’s not really a competition. Penny boards will have their strengths and weaknesses, so it completely depends why you want one in the first place. Here are a couple of reasons why traditional longboards are so great:
- Cruise at very high speeds
- Completely stable
- Extreme sliding
Those are definitely the biggest reasons why they’re better than penny boards, but they’re a lot heavier and less portable. Sometimes a lightweight penny board is a much better choice when you’re only going to be doing some basic commuting around town.
Are Penny Boards Good For Beginners?
So are penny boards good for beginners? Nickel boards are good for beginners because the extra size makes a big difference when riding, plus they’re still very lightweight and portable. Penny boards require a bit more experience to ride unless you’re pretty small.