When the waves aren’t rolling but you’re looking to shred, the longboard is the solution.
Initially developed as an alternative for surfers, longboarding is a way to get that surf feeling on land. There’s even a whole niche of SurfSkates that are dedicated to mimicking the surfy feel.
From big cities to college campuses, longboards are now nearly everywhere.
Brands have stepped up their game when it comes to making decks, trucks, and wheels.
What are some of the best longboard brands you might ask?
In this article, I lay out the top companies.
1. Loaded
Weather can be particularly harsh for surfers and skateboarders. The team at Loaded Longboards knows this. Instead of calling it quits if mother nature wasn’t cooperating, they began attaching trucks and wheels to old snowboards and pieces of wood to get the feeling on days without snow and waves.
That was in the mid-90s. Now, Loaded Longboards is one of the premier makers of longboards in the world. Based in Culver City, California, the tight-knit crew uses high-quality materials to make boards they want to ride themselves.
Beyond the quality of Loaded’s products, which makes them one of the best brands in the world is the amount of information they give to those looking to start their longboarding adventures. Their buyer guides offer detailed information on their individual decks and wheels to make sure you’re picking out the right setup. Whether you need to make a change to your daily commute, are looking for a way to ride around town or are interested in showing off your fancy footwork for your friends, Loaded has something to meet your needs.
2. Sector 9
Sector 9’s mantra of “Smash it” is about the freedom longboarding offers from everyday life. It also is about their commitment to the causes they care about. From actively engaging in the community to fighting cancer, Sector 9 looks to bring about positive change that helps others while cruising around the neighborhood.
It also helps that their selection of high-quality longboards are one of the best around. Their colorful designs and use of top materials makes Sector 9 a smash hit for longboarders everywhere.
Sector 9’s use of everything from 7-ply wood to a maple and bamboo hybrid offers customers a variety of choices when it comes to choosing the right board for them. They also offer complete sets for under $200, making it a reasonably priced option for beginners choosing their first board without sacrificing quality.
3. Landyachtz
The word ‘yacht’ conjures an image of pretension and exclusivity for many. However, Landyachtz and their collection of colorful decks and high-quality equipment are the opposite. Reasonably priced and with options for everyone, the Canadian company has a wide array of options to choose from for every kind of rider.
Split into styles, Landyachtz offers decks for downhill, cruising, free dancing, and racing. Beyond their decks, Landyachtz offers significant options for a whole setup.
Billed as Bear Trucks, the company has what they describe as “the World’s toughest trucks.” Designed and optimized for each style of riding, they hold up to that description. Meanwhile, Hawgz wheels alternate between slippery for free dance riders or gripping for those looking to reach high speeds for downhill riding. Landyachtz is far from exclusive, offering affordable, quality longboards no matter your need.
4. Hamboards
Hamboards are a true throwback to the original longboards meant to provide the feeling of surfing when the waves were down. They even offer a Stand Up Paddle Sup option for those used to paddle boarding. The company, however, is not simply selling nostalgia. Their top of the line options in a variety of styles are perfect for experienced longboarders and surfers looking to keep the feeling of riding the waves even with calm seas.
Featured on the popular TV show “Shark Tank,” Hamboards came about when their founder tried longboarding for the first time. Unable to truly recreate the feeling of surfing on land, he decided to try his hand at creating his own longboard to make surfskating feel more like surfing. Now, Hamboards creates a variety of high-end longboards to bring the feeling of surfing to a street, sidewalk, or park near you.
5. Original Skateboards
This is a longboard company that dominated the market by dropping awesome YouTube videos. I have a personal connection with this brand since they started in a town near where I live. I remember trying their trucks for the first time and it was like skating for the first time. The turning was on another level for pumping.
Their selection of longboards includes ones that are good for doing tricks more commonly associated with the standard skateboarder.
Concave designs offered on their “DiamondDrop” selection allows greater control for anyone looking to do a heelflip while longboarding. While a unique feature of a longboard, the concave setup will look more familiar to those used to a traditional skateboarder. Additionally, Original has comprehensive guides for everyone from beginners to seasoned riders to make the best choice of board. Original also has the ability to build your own or buy a complete longboard, giving you more customization options.
6. Arbor
For 25 years, Arbor Collective has contributed to the world of snowboarding and skateboarding. Working for both types of boarders has allowed the Arbor team to create some of the highest quality materials for snow and land. The wide selection of options includes cruisers, longboards, and hybrid deck options for riders on land to choose from. With reasonable prices, none of Arbor Collective’s boards are out of reach when it comes to cost, giving new riders the chance to support their mission.
The mission of ARbor Collective also stands out. Originally called a “hippie company,” Arbor has been committed to sustainability before it became a buzzword. Arbor Collective and its team members still provide support to environmentally-focused nonprofits and organizations to this day. Now, they embrace the label of “hippie company,” continuing to create boards that are good for the environment and their customers.
7. Urskog
Sweden isn’t typically associated with surfers and longboarders. Urskog is changing that, bringing the Swedish Riding Concept to longboarders across the world. Given the lush forests and incredible craftsmanship associated with the European nation, it makes sense that premium longboards would be manufactured there. With shapes ranging in design from downhill, cruising, freestyle, and more, Urskog has the right board for every rider.
Urskog also stands out for their heavy focus on quality when it comes to woodwork on all of their boards. Their signature cruisers feature such high-level products as Rosewood. All Urskog materials are made from eco-friendly products, allowing their customers to feel good about their environmental impacts when purchasing from Sweden’s longboard masters.
8. Moonshine
Moonshine Manufacturing’s longboards unique decks are destined to stand out. The one of a kind designs are vertically laminated and waterproof, keeping their sharp looks even if the elements don’t cooperate. Though Moonshine is a newer company, their boards ride like they’ve been made by a seasoned professional. Based in the Pacific Northwest, the Moonshine team all has a say in their designs, making sure each board is perfect for those that ride every day.
Their commitment to quality is so strong that all of Moonshine’s boards come with a 30-day performance guarantee and warranty. If your longboard isn’t up to standard or if there is damage outside of normal wear and tear, you can return your longboard for a replacement. Moonshine wants to make sure you aren’t off your board any longer than you have to be.
9. Bustin Boards
Founded by Ryan Daughtridge when he was just 21 years old, Bustin Boards promises to offer something for all boarders. The name is in homage to Daughtridge’s cousin Mike, who crashed while riding one day. When Ryan went to visit him in the ER, Mike had one request: that the boards be named Bustin. The rest is history. Ryan and the Bustin team are focused on creative designs that maximize the enjoyment of those riding them.
Bustin Boards goes beyond the standard longboard, however. With more traditional designs and hybrid-electric options as well, there’s something for everyone at Bustin. Longboard riders will love the high-quality craftsmanship of each board and cruising in standard Abec-7 bearings. There’s truly something for all longboarders available through Bustin.
10. Prism Skate Co.
Prism Skate Co. takes significant care to make sure all of their boards live up to their incredibly precise standards. Started by a group of friends who used to skate together in the mountains of California, their experience has led to Prism’s exacting specifications for all of their products. Though the Prism team has expanded beyond the initial group of three friends, the standards they hold themselves to remain the same.
While many of Prism’s longboards are made for cruising or commuting, there are additional options for freestyle or downhill riders. With unique, minimalist designs, the Core series is designed for downhill longboarders. The sharp look is also beneficial for freestyle boarders as well. Each series of board also lives up to the quality standards Prism has been made their calling card since the beginning.
11. Subsonic
Started in 1999, Subsonic stands out for its quality of work. That comes from the founder, Scott Moore, who himself is a master craftsman. Originally from Portland, Oregon, Subsonic is now based out of Seattle, keeping its roots in the pacific northwest while expanding its operations to increase its reach. The result is more boards available at prices even beginners can afford, without sacrificing quality.
Subsonic’s handcrafted boards are custom-made and designed for riders interested in freeriding, cruising, downhill and distance. The one-of-a-kind decks Subsonic sells are an affordable option for longboarders looking to stand out from their friends. Each deck’s unique design offers riders a colorful setup that compliments Subsonic’s master craftsmanship perfectly. The result is an incredible looking board with performance to match.
12. Lush Longboards
Lush Longboards has been making products invoking “pure stoke” for more than 20 years. Started in a cellar, Lush was the first longboard brand to come out of the UK, bringing the revolution across the pond in 1999. Standing out from the crowd, Lush has a signature focus on their designs and boards: speed, speed, and speed. Lush’s founders are focused on finding the ultimate ride, and their boards are created with that goal in mind.
Each board Lush makes is focused on the feel riders have under their feet. The variety of deck shapes available are tailored for each rider’s preferred style, with an emphasis on speed. Additionally, Lush offers slide gloves to help riders control their speed without shredding their hands. With a Lush board, pure stoke is guaranteed.
13. Restless Longboards
Restless creates unique decks that offer a sense of community for its consumers. That comes from their desire to use local products and artists to create what they refer to as their rolling canvases. The Canadian company started in 2000 with a jigsaw puzzle, a snowboard, and beat up trucks and wheels. From there, Restless began making their longboards with an energy worthy of their name.
Focusing on quality, aesthetics, and feel, Restless puts all of their boards to an extreme test. All of their boards are made with 100-percent Canadian Maple wood, guaranteeing their decks will perform. Through collaborations with local artists, Restless is able to give their riders boards with unique designs that are wildly different from any other company. Restless also puts all of their boards through a series of significant tests, both on track and off, to make sure they’re ready to go once shipped to their destination.
14. Rayne Longboards
Rayne’s founder, Graham Buska, keeps a busy schedule. Aside from running the day-to-day at Rayne, he also continues to race. In fact, he has medaled in several world cup circuit races as a member of the Rayne team. He has also changed longboarding, creating the first combination bamboo fiberglass longboard. The unique creation and designs Graham has created through Rayne offer boarders top performance and high-quality that continues to push the boundaries in longboard manufacturing.
The innovative nature of Rayne is easy to see through the technology in their products. Different flexes of decks are created for different types of boarders, with an elasta-flex designed to recreate the effect of surfing, and stiff-flex to maximize speed for downhill riders and cruisers. They also offer different types of truck and wheel mounting, all with an eye on maximizing enjoyment out of the ride for any type of boarder.
15. DB Longboards
Richard Docter, Bryce Hermansen, and Tim Mackey have been making their “dashboards,” as their first boards were called, since 2003. Founded in Dash Points, Washington, the nickname for their first longboards stuck. Which led to the name DB Longboards. With three avid boarders leading the company, DB’s longboards are designed to stand up to anything riders can put them through. Especially as the boards are designed to stand up to the adventurous terrain offered in the pacific Northwest.
With the ability to make prototypes on-site, DB and their dedicated crew of employees are able to test all of their equipment as soon as possible. The close connection between design and testing allows DB to stretch the limits of what’s possible with longboarding. Beyond the three founders, many of DB’s employees are also longboarders. All of this increases the quality of their product, providing riders with a product that has been tested and approved by some of the best in the world.
16. Pantheon Longboards
Pantheon’s founder works to set trends, something he’s been doing since he picked up a board at the age of 12. While in college, he even took on the mean hills of Nashville, Tennessee, only further sparking a desire to create boards that can perform in the wildest of conditions. While working in New York, Jeff was able to get early experience designing boards. Now, he’s creating his own.
The decks that come out of Pantheon’s headquarters in Colorado are based on the desire to be a trend-setter. They are described as inspired, opening a world of possibilities to those that aspire to reach new heights. Originals are encouraged to try out a Pantheon creation and see the endless opportunities under their feet.
17. Kryptonics
Kryptonics isn’t a new name in skateboards. They’ve been around for 55 years. They even introduced the polyurethane wheel, forever changing skateboarding and longboarding. Their experience sets them apart from others on this list, and helps the quality of their products stand up against other longboard brands.
With a wide range of longboards, cruisers, and mini-cruisers, Kryptonics has been able to make a product any rider can enjoy. Their long history is a testament to both their innovation and quality. Not many could keep up with the radical changes in skateboarding and longboarding that have happened since 1965. The fact that Kryptonics is still around shows just how impressive their products are.
18. Eastside Longboards
The eastside of Portland, Oregon, inspired a group of 20-something boarders to create their signature products. While taking on the local hill and riding through their hometown, the team discovered a problem. Standard skateboards were unable to hold their balance at the speeds they could reach while riding down the hill, and the longboards at the time were unable to maneuver as quickly as they needed through city streets.
As usually happens, necessity leads to innovation, and the Eastside team immediately got to work. Their designs are created with performance in mind. Their signature longboard line, the Tabor, was specifically made to improve maneuverability when compared to standard longboards, while holding up to speeds of 25 to 30 miles per hour better than a traditional skateboard. These innovations make Eastside’s decks a must-have for city dwellers looking to keep their balance at high speeds.
19. Earthwing
When Earthwing began in the mid-90s, their products seemed like something out of this world. At a time when skateboards still relied on standard wood, Earthwing was starting a revolution. Their products were created with new materials that gave boarders a unique take on how their ride should feel. Combining wood with woven stainless steel fabric and other high-quality materials, Earthwing brought an entirely new feeling to the world of longboarding.
The new designs and materials allowed for even greater adventures in longboarding. Now, riders could more easily carve and weave through traffic, able to doge and keep up better with traffic than previous boards. By being unafraid to take chances, Earthwing opened a new world of adventures and opportunities for longboarders everywhere.
20. Madrid Skateboards
Jerry Madrid’s first passion was surfing, like many longboarders. In the 60s, he started shaping his own surfboards in the garage of his parents house. However, they couldn’t stand up to the waves. Instead of letting that stop him, Jerry took a different direction. He took to the concrete, turning his creations into longboards. Since 1976, he’s been creating longboards under the name Madrid Skateboards, turning back the clock to the earliest days of longboards.
Madrid also offers another claim to fame, this one coming from the world of mainstream pop culture. The board Marty McFly rides in Back to the Future was a Madrid original. Madrid was also responsible for the first-ever collaboration with Vans, showing that Jerry’s influence goes beyond just the boards he created, but to pop culture as well.
21. Zenit Longboards
Hailing from Montreal, Canada, Zenit longboards offer a taste of surf culture in a typically cold climate. The 100 percent handmade boards offer ridiculous craftsmanship that is guaranteed to hold up to even the harshest condition longboarders could face. Each of the Zenit’s more than 100 board designs are personally tested by staff to make sure they hold up to anything you can put them through.
Zenit’s process for finishing each board is similar to how a surfboard is finished. They sand all of their boards by hand to ensure everything they produce holds up to any kind of abuse. This guarantees their decks will be under your feet for a long time after purchase.
And there you have it – the best longboard brands in the world. If you have any other suggestions, feel free to comment them below.
Would love to learn about more longboard companies!
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