22″ Penny Board Review (Tested & Compared)

By: Billy James | February 24, 2024 | Cruiser Skateboards

The 22″ Penny Board is a durable and portable cruiser.

I decided to buy all the penny board sizes and test them for myself.

Here’s an in-depth look at the 22″ Penny Board that will help paint a clearer picture.

Who Is It Best For?

The 22″ Penny Board is best for anyone who wants a small skateboard to cruise on. There are a lot of people who first start off skateboarding on a Penny Board and then transition to another board. It’s a solid entry board.

However, I realized there are a lot of people who make the mistake of buying the 22″ (Penny) instead of the 27″ (Nickel). The 22″ board is very short and thin. Most people will be best off with the 27″ board since it gives you more deck space.

Purchase Options
22" Penny Board
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Parts Breakdown

Length: 22“ (55.88cm)
Width: 5.75“ (14.60cm)
Wheelbase: 11 3/8” (28.9cm)

penny board parts

Hardware

All of the hardware included on the original 22″ Penny Board is made of high tensile steel.

When I compared it to the fake ($30) Penny Board, you could tell a solid difference.

When I took the fake one apart, the paint chipped off the screws easily. Whereas on these screws, the powdered coat prevents the paint from chipping.

Also, the nuts are self-locking, a huge plus, so you don’t have to worry about them loosening. A truck nut falling off while riding could be a disaster.

Overall, this is your typical quality skate hardware.

penny board hardware

Trucks

The penny board trucks are made of 356 cast aluminum.

Compared to the fake $30 Penny trucks, you can see a difference when holding them side by side. The manufacturing process has to be vastly different, given the quality.

penny board trucks

Deck

The deck is basically the most iconic part of the Penny Board. The plastic deck with a waffle print grip is what most envision when they think of a Penny Board.

According to Penny Skateboards, it can hold up to 250lbs.

The shape of the fake penny board was pretty much identical.

penny board deck

Wheels

Their wheels are 59mm 83A wheels. They’re soft and wide enough, making for a smooth ride.

Unlike on the RipSurf, the penny can handle rougher environments better.

Again, if you compare them to the fake Penny, there’s a solid difference in quality. These ones have more polyurethane, so when you ride over bumps, it feels much smoother.

penny board wheels

Bushings

The bushings and washers are solid. The real ones are slightly softer than the knockoff Penny from Amazon. Overall, they’re soft enough for smooth carving. You can loosen your trucks to get deeper carves.

penny board bushings

Bearings

Now, onto the bearings.

They’re single, plastic capped bearings, which are solid. As long as you don’t ride in wet conditions consistently and do some maintenance here/there, they’ll last.

Bearings don’t make that much of a difference when it comes to performance.

penny board bearings

Bottom Line

Personally, I don’t ride the 22″ penny board a lot because for my riding style, I don’t need something that portable. I would rather something larger/ more stable.

Portability

The portability is easily the best part about the 22″ Penny Board. The fact that it’s only 22″ long and 6″ wide makes it incredibly easy to stash away. Especially if you’re using it to cruise around campus.

Durable

Since the deck is made from plastic and not wood, riding in wet conditions is less of a concern. Although be careful of riding in wet conditions since it’s much sketchier.

Billy James

I've been skating for over 20 years and it's had an incredibly positive impact on my mental health. My mission is to show the world the power of cruising and carving.

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