Skateboards guide

Skateboarding has evolved a lot since it was created in the 50’s. We can now distinguish different practices with boards adapted to each one. At ACTA, our goal is to give you all the tools to try these disciplines and progress, whatever your level is. For now, we offer 2 types of boards, Street Skateboards and Surfskates.

Skate Street

Street Skateboard, also called “classical” or “popsicle”, is the most common skateboard because it is more versatile to do tricks whether it is in the street or at the skatepark. It is composed of a “deck” (wooden board) and a “double kicktail” (a “nose” raised at the front and a “tail” raised at the back) that allows you to take off your board and do a large number of tricks. This deck is made out of 7 layers of maple so the board is stiff, durable and lightweight. Provided with a good quality “grip”, not too abrasive, nor too smooth, your feet won’t slip out of the board while riding or doing tricks. The trucks are the link between the board and the wheels. Made from aluminum, they are built in such a way that nothing sticks out. This way it will be easier to “grind” and slide on different obstacles. Their size is adapted to the width of the deck to be more stable and reactive. As for the wheels, they are small and hard to gain speed and have a better feeling when doing tricks. The harder your wheel is, the more it will slide on the ground, but you will feel every bump. On the other hand, the more soft it is, the more it will absorb shocks by “sticking” to the ground, allowing you to cruise peacefully. The choice is yours depending on your practice.

Les trucks (essieux) sont le lien entre la planche et les roues. Fabriqués en aluminium, ils sont conçus de façon à ce que rien ne dépasse afin de faciliter les « grinds » et te permettre de les faire glisser sur différents obstacles. Leur taille est adaptée à la largeur du deck pour apporter plus de réactivité et de stabilité.

Les roues sont quant à elles petites et dures, afin de faciliter la prise de vitesse et d’apporter un meilleur ressenti lors de la réalisation de figures. Plus ta roue est dure, plus elle te permettra de glisser sur le sol mais tu ressentiras la moindre aspérité. Plus elle est molle, plus elle absorbera les chocs en “collant” au sol et te permettra de te balader tranquillement. A toi de les choisir en fonction de ta pratique.
Surfskates

A surfskate is a board made to easily do large curves which brings us back to what the origin of skateboarding is, surfing. WIth it, you can simulate the trajectory you would take surfing, and that way you can practice and keep the same feelings when it is not possible to go to the water. These boards are also really nice for cruising in the city or by the beach.

A surfskate has the same components as a classical street skateboard with a few exceptions. The deck of a surfskate is longer, larger and has a wider wheelbase (space between the trucks) to bring more stability in the turns. The trucks are higher and larger for more comfort and again more stability.

The major difference is that the axis of the front truck is reversed (Reverse Kingpin or RKP) to maximize the angle of the curves and allow you to take speed and pump so you don’t have to push. Wheels also are larger and softer to absorb bumps on the concrete and make your board all-purpose. You won’t fear pebbles anymore! All these details will allow you to keep the same feelings as surfing, but this time on the concrete!
How to choose a Street Skate?

To choose your street skate, you need to take into consideration your height, your shoe size and your practice. If you are tall and have a large shoe size, you will need a large and long board to be stable enough and in better control of your skateboard.

If you want to skate in the bowl or at the skatepark, you can take a larger size than the one you would normally pick to be even more stable. However, if you want to skate in the street and do more “flip tricks” (flipping your board in the air), a smaller board will be more adapted as it will be lighter.

For instance, with a shoe size below 32 and a height of 1m20, you will need a 7” board. Between 32 and 38 and 1m20 to 1m50, a 7.75” board will be perfect. From 38 with 1m50, you can take a 8” board. Follow the graph below to get more info about the perfect board for you!
How to choose a Surfskate ?

To choose your surfskate, you need to take into consideration what you prefer in terms of reactivity, stability and the type of curves you wish to make. A shorter board will be easier to handle and more reactive than a longer board. A larger board will be more stable but less reactive. With a short wheelbase, you will take tighter and more reactive curves, when a large wheelbase will offer you larger and smoother curves.

Most of the time, the most versatile boards are 31” long, 9.5” large and have a 17” wheelbase. However, a 32”/9.925”/18.5” board will be better for a beginner because of its stability. To help you in this choice, you can refer to the graph below. The most beautiful curves will soon be yours!

STREETS
Strengths :
Versatile, easy to handle, light
Features :
Double kicktail
Uses :
Freestyle
Places :
City, Skateparks
Components :
Hard wheels, standards trucks

SURFSKATES
Strengths :
Versatile, stable, easy to handle
Features :
Single kicktail
Uses :
Cruising, Carving, Surfskating
Places :
Ville, Skatepark, Pump Track
Components :
Soft wheels, RKP Trucks

CRUISERS
Strengths :
Easy to handle, light, compact
Features :
Short Wheelbase, kicktail
Places :
City, pumptracks, crowded areas
Uses :
Cruising, carving, road trips
Components :
Soft wheels, standards trucks