Viewing 23 posts - 1 through 23 (of 23 total)
  • Skateboard for 5yo
  • aracer
    Free Member

    How big? Mini seem to be 29″ (73cm), but mrs aracer is looking at ones which are 56cm (22″). I know nothing about skateboards, what should we go for?

    Also any recommendations (looking at cheap which works, nothing fancy).

    flatfish
    Free Member

    We’re looking for a six year olds skateboard so I’ll keep an eye on this.

    CountZero
    Full Member

    You could do worse than get one of these:
    http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/2939935.htm
    Proper Old Skool board, good for 5yo and up, I’ve seen a lot of teen and pre-teen kids out riding these instead of fancier boards with wood decks.
    The larger diameter wheels are smoother and roll over stuff better than the daft little tiny wheels that are the current fashion.

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    aracer
    Free Member

    Thanks for that, looks promising

    <oh and bump for the daytime crew 😉 >

    scruff
    Free Member

    Get the bigger one, the small ones are just toys. All cheap skateboards have horrible bearings which are especially bad, any weight on them and they dont roll, even a 5yo. If you want them to learn to skateboard at least get a set of half decent bearings off ebay to chuck in, big soft wheels can make it easier to learn as the board will roll over grit etc.

    gavtheoldskater
    Free Member

    i can’t get onto argos so i can’t see that one and comment, but beware cheap completes that look like street decks.

    unless you want to, there is no pint spending heaps on a 5 year old as most of the time they will scoot on their knees and but at first. but a cheap street deck will have small hard wheels and trucks that are difficult to turn so when they do start standing it will just not work. aldo it will be a full size board so the stance of the kid will be way too wide. the backpack street decks are also a joke.

    my advice is if you can afford a penny, note ‘penny’ brand not a generic plastic board that people call pennys these days, get one. theye are excellent boards with really good components, also they are small so a kid can ride one. the trucks turn and the wheels are soft so they roll even on rubbish surface.

    even if you do not want to spend penny money still look for a board like that, there are cheaper ones for about 30quid that are ok and will do at first.

    another option is search ebay for fibreflex vault as there has been a few new ones sold at auction recently for little money.

    if your kid takes to it buy a decent set up, darkstar do a kids range of completes, flip do kids decks (flip young ones) and also there is a dedicated kids brand termite.

    also see this…

    http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/junior-skateboards

    and btw, tell your kid he is an utter superstar for choosing to skate and not scoot! good lil’ man!!

    molgrips
    Free Member

    All cheap skateboards have horrible bearings which are especially bad, any weight on them and they dont roll, even a 5yo.

    I’m not sure you’d want it to roll really well with a 5yo on it, tbh. When I was starting out on rollerskates, the crappy bearing equipped toy pair I started with were a huge benefit, stopped me carrering out of control

    carlphillips
    Free Member

    my kids 7&9 both have skateboards. oldest has a longboard youngest a penny (proper one) youngest struggles on the penny as its soooooo fast so they generally swap…oldest is now after a proper park style board for xmas…as am i after sessioning the 6ft mini ramp at my kids party in october, id forgotten what fun skating was!!

    and ye good on them for skate not scoot!!

    brassneck
    Full Member

    Get the bigger one, the small ones are just toys.

    Agreed. Look for an Enuff complete or Real .. Powell Peralta had a graphicless entry level brand too, if I could remember the name…

    I built my own from a Krooked deck, a quality truck brand I hadn’t heard of (but then I is old) and some Enuff wheels for under £50 by picking around sales earlier this year.

    and btw, tell your kid he is an utter superstar for choosing to skate and not scoot! good lil’ man!!

    I two minds about this. Mine have all gone to scooters and are riding ramps and stuff, as skating is bloody hard to start with. Fair play to em if they stick with it, but a day on the ramp on anything beats a day in front of the telly. One wants a BMX now, so there’s hope anyway 😀

    finbar
    Free Member

    Definitely, DEFINITELY plastic board for a five year old. A wooden laminate one will be chipped to bits in months. 22″ ish sounds right to me as well.

    I’d get a Penny-alike from Aliexpress (although it might not arrive in time for Christmas from there), although that Argos one is a good shout – basically looks like the same thing.

    This one is fantastically girly if that’s the right gender:

    http://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-22-Printed-penny-skateboard-Retro-Cruiser-old-school-mini-longboard-customized-skate-long-board-Complete/1501563086.html

    CountZero
    Full Member

    Slightly more expensive than the Argos board, but about half the price of most other Penny boards, this one has decent ABEC 7 bearings, the trucks look pretty good, and it has good big urethane wheels.
    https://www.fun4kids.co.uk/index.php/catalog/product/view/id/3049/s/indy-skateboards-retro-cruiser-70s-style-skateboard/?gclid=CMKzhbzxncICFauWtAodpFgAkg
    As I said, I’ve seen a lot of older kids, early teens, out with their mates riding ‘Penny’ plastic boards, and I’ll bet many come from Argos. There’s no way I’d buy a 5yo a board with a wood deck, that way lies lots of bruises and possibly tears from impacts with the board.
    And if they’re fine for someone two-three times his age… 😀

    fannybaws
    Free Member

    Have gone for this for my 5 yo daughter – http://www.rawk.com/p11768/shaun-white-complete-retro-composite-pink/

    Think penny boards are great but won’t get her a proper one just yet….

    aracer
    Free Member

    Thanks for all that – I have to admit that my level of ignorance is such that I had no idea what a Penny is. It’s for a boy, but they have some other colours there and some good pointers – I presume nobody is saying the recommended Argos one is rubbish?

    Oh and for all the people saying good on him – well he’s getting a new scooter as well! Though I’m open to letting him try stuff (I’m not about to start skateboarding at my age, though I have other perversions which mean the teenagers at the skatepark think a 40+ bloke is cool when I turn up with my kids!)

    butcher
    Full Member

    Has he asked for a skateboard? Or is it just something you’ve decided to get him? I ask because to some kids a penny board might be the most uncool thing ever. But then they’re also quite popular amongst some groups, particularly those in places surrounded by surf culture. (Penny boards are vintage, 70s style boards. Very small. Cruisers. Not something you’d go to the skatepark on).

    Don’t really know what size is good for kids really. They do mini versions of street boards though, which would seem a sensible choice. Don’t know what’s on the market these days in terms of budget options either, so can;t help much! But you can get half decent stuff for around £50. Especially for a 5 year old. Even if you went down to £40 or £30, I bet you could get something fully usable if you shop around. Skateboards are quite simple things really. Half decent deck and wheels and you’re ready to roll.

    scruff
    Free Member

    Penny = hipsters = polyprop = losers.

    Proper =

    aracer
    Free Member

    Yes. I doubt he has any idea about cool, and nor will he be ripping stuff up at the skatepark anytime soon (I expect ever, but I won’t be discouraging him, and if he does show an inclination he can always get something more proper). As should be clear by now I don’t have a clue about skateboards – or to be honest about being cool. I’m sure he will love what people are recommending (probably even the pink ones 😉 ), which is all that matters really.

    skids
    Free Member

    5YO can use a full size deck, but you can get a mini http://www.rollersnakes.co.uk/blind-matte-og-logo-pre-built-mini-complete-white-red-width-7-5
    I would buy a proper deck from a skateshop not a toy from argos or sports direct that doesn’t roll, the trucks fall apart, or the deck snaps in half goin down a kerb

    CountZero
    Full Member

    Has he asked for a skateboard? Or is it just something you’ve decided to get him? I ask because to some kids a penny board might be the most uncool thing ever. But then they’re also quite popular amongst some groups, particularly those in places surrounded by surf culture. (Penny boards are vintage, 70s style boards. Very small. Cruisers. Not something you’d go to the skatepark on).

    Already covered that, see ^^^. They seem to be very popular with teenagers living 150 miles from the nearest surf culture, like in North Wiltshire!
    If a Penny, cruiser-type board is good enough for teenagers then I’m pretty damned sure it’ll be more than good enough for a 5yo!

    scruff – Member
    Penny = hipsters = polyprop = losers.

    🙄
    Christ, we’re talking about a 5yo! Not a bloody 20yo! Get a clue, why don’t you!
    The lad will be perfectly happy with something he can scoot along on on the flat, he’s not going to be riding ramps or doing rail grinds or whatever!
    I’m sure some people are desperately trying to revisit their own lost youth by suggesting boards that are totally inappropriate for the OP’s nipper.
    Again, if the cool kids around town are happy to be riding a Penny analog alongside their mates who’re riding scooters and boards with fancy double kick-tails and whizzy graphics then a 5yo isn’t going to be exactly embarrassed by his Penny board, is he?
    Jeeze…

    aracer
    Free Member

    😀

    cloudnine
    Free Member

    The cheap SSOs will have nasty plastic wheels that are lethal and slidey.. Bearings and trucks will be junk. It’s a bit like bikes in that I wouldn’t buy one from a superstore or toy shop and expect it to be much good or last. My 6 year old daughter has a penny type which is actually pretty ok (can’t remember the brand but will check later) was about £25-30 and the wheels/bearings and trucks are ok

    passtherizla
    Free Member

    Just get anything that he can learn to roll about on for starters. As soon as he’s stood up and rolling along go to your local skateshop and buy/get them to order in a complete. Pretty much every brand has a mini option. The old plastic style cruisers are absolutely find for learning to stand on, my first board was one of those back in 92…. Saying that you could just buy a proper mini skateboard straight off as long as you don’t let little dude leave it outside in the wet.

    Completes

    butcher
    Full Member

    Again, if the cool kids around town are happy to be riding a Penny analog alongside their mates who’re riding scooters and boards with fancy double kick-tails and whizzy graphics then a 5yo isn’t going to be exactly embarrassed by his Penny board, is he?

    How do you know what the cool kids around him are riding? I only mentioned the difference because it’s akin to asking for a mountain bike because all your mates have them, and getting a penny farthing, or even worse a road bike – like I did! OK, 5 is pretty young, but even at that age kids are very aware of what is cool and what’s not. If on the other hand it’s not something he’s asked for, it’s unlikely to be an issue.

    I wouldn’t worry too much about cost though. I started on cheap tat, and the cheap tat now is a lot better than what it was then. Durability is a bit of an issue, but not so much for a 5 year old. He’s unlikely to break it.

    cloudnine
    Free Member

    Karnage skateboard.. very similar to a penny but cheaper
    Cheapest place i could find is this

    http://www.toysrus.co.uk/Toys-R-Us/Bikes-and-Rideons/Skates-and-Skateboards/Skateboards/Karnage-Retro-Kickboard%280103842%29

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