how to measure a skateboard deck
The deck can be measured with following ways
- Straight across the top of the deck
- On grip side with contour
- On graphic side with contour
By measuring the same deck with the three different measuring ways, the measured deck length can be e.g. 32″, 32.625″ and 32.875″ only because of different ways to measure the board. But which one is the right way? There’s no such thing as the right way to measure your board. Board companies use one of the three methods to measure their deck dimensions. Too bad that they mostly never tell us which method they have used.
We at the Napalm Custom measure the deck dimensions on grip side by following the contour, because the shoes are bending with the concave and the true dimensions of the board follow the contour.
Deck dimensions and how it affects on your skating
Width
The deck width is the dimension that is always mentioned with a skateboard. We measure the width of the skateboard at the widest point of the deck.
Wheelbase
The wheelbase is measured between the center points of the front and back truck holes closer to the middle of the deck. The larger wheelbases makes the skateboard more stable. Many tall street skaters or pool skaters prefer slightly larger wheelbase. On the other hand, the board is a lot more agile with shorter wheelbase, which can make the flip tricks feel lighter. The 14.2″ wheelbase is pretty common on popsicle boards and it is a great starting point for experiencing different deck dimension. In contrast of the regular wheelbase, our vert boards have 15″ wheelbase which is considered as a long wheelbase.
Tail/Nose
Tail and nose lengths are important as the pop angle depends on those. If you have high trucks, riser pads and a short tail, your tail is hitting the ground very late. The longer tail also lasts longer before becoming too small. We have both twin tip shapes, with 2 tails and with 2 noses. The tail and nose lengths should be decided mostly by the personal preference with respect to the other parts of the skateboard. The tail and nose is measured between the center point of the outer truck hole and the tip of the board.
Length
The skateboard length is calculated by the lengths of the tail, the nose, the wheelbase and two times the truck hole distance (2 x 2.1″).
Concave
The deck concave is a lot of personal preference. With high concave the feet can be adjusted better without looking at the board. Some skaters find high concave decks feeling too uncomfortable.
We encourage you to experiment and find out which board will be the perfect board for you. We manufacture boards that has custom dimensions on all the above properties. Contact us for customized orders via email info@napalmcustom.com.