Best Longboard Wheels

It doesn't matter what board you have, the wheels make the difference. The best longboard wheels are different for everybody. What the best is for one person, is not the best for the other. It all depends on your riding style and preferences. Generally speaking, longer decks will work well with larger, bigger wheels and smaller decks with smaller wheels.

If you want to know which one is best for you, consider all the specifications you see that comes with wheels. Most of the specs on a wheel has to do with traction.

Durometer
If you look at specs you will see durometer. This means the hardness of the wheel. Wheels are made out of poly urethane and will range in hardness. The harder the urethane, the harder the wheel. The hardness or softness of the wheel has all to do with grip. The softer the wheel, which means a lower durometer, the grippier the wheel. Longboard and skateboard wheels will range between 75a-100a. Most longboard wheels have a softer, more grip wheel compare with skateboard wheels which usually fall in the 75a-90a range. The most you will see is 75a-78a durometer for the more grippy variety, 80a-90a for the freeride and downhill wheels, 80+ for the slide wheels.

Wheel size
You will also see different wheel sizes, called the diameter. With longboard wheels you will see a range from 60mm-100mm. If you compare this with a skateboard, you will notice that the wheel size is larger. Skateboards wheels range usually from 48mm-63mm. This is common, but of course there is no must. You can do whatever you feel comfortable with as long as it fits and there is no danger to you. The larger the wheel, the faster your ride will be. Another thing to keep in mind is that larger wheels will absorb bumps, cracks and other obstacles better. Smaller wheels will accelerate faster but doesn't get much speed, which you do not need as much if you do tricks or riding in a pool. The most common wheel range is 63mm-75mm. It is very possible to get larger wheels, you just have to make sure that you have deeper wheel wells or cutouts to avoid wheel bite. Wheel bite means that the wheel rubs against the longboard, which you do not want. It won't ride very well. Some boards already have a cut out. Think about the drop through longboards. The wheels are sticking out on the sides. If this is not the case, you can see that manufacturers took some 'shaved' some wood away to avoid wheel bites. You still have to check if larger wheels will fit. The wheel wells might not be deep enough. This will cause the board to stop abruptly. It’s a common practice to select the size of the best longboard wheels in proportion to the deck to avoid problems.

Lip Profile
The lip profile of the wheel will determine how well your wheels grip to the riding surface. Square lipped wheels have more grip and provide more control with higher speeds. Round lip wheels have less grip and perform better on slides. Usually, square lipped wheels have more contact with the riding surface, which is good for freeriding and downhill skating, then round lipped wheels, which are mostly for sliding.

See, it is hard to tell which are the best longboard wheels. We have something for everyone!

Check out some wheels we have below.