I know squat about skateboards and my 8 year old son has asked for one for Christmas. he has been watching kids doing tricks and wants to learn how to do that kind of stuff. I want to get him something that will work well but I also don't want to spend a bunch of money and then a week later him decide he does not like all of the falling down he is going to do on the way to stardom.
So with that in mind what should we get him? Thanks
Get him a blank - something like this would be good
Unless something has changed, the toy store stuff really, really sucks. Once you're at least buying something from a skate shop, quality-wise they're all going to be the same to a beginner, you just pay more for pretty graphics. Decks have gotten a lot wider in the last few years apparently, but there are kid specific ones too that might be a good starting point.
I've heard the $40-50 price range amazon stuff is actually pretty decent, especially for a beginner.
Those trucks are pretty suspect but if it's actually maple, the deck is probably fine.
In reply to cmcgregor:
Yea, the CCS would definitely be better, depends on the budget.
EvanB wrote: I've heard the $40-50 price range amazon stuff is actually pretty decent, especially for a beginner. https://www.amazon.com/SCSK8-Skateboard-Complete-Pre-Assembled-Graphic/dp/B00J4ZHW5S/ref=sr_1_7?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1480609122&sr=1-7&keywords=skateboard
I Just got one of there longboards to see off I like it. The deck and trucks aren't to bad but the bearings are horrible.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LWT29FN?psc=1
This one's probably better - the thing I don't like about the one EvanB posted is that the kingpin on the trucks looks like it's flipped - the top looks like a bolt head, instead of a nut. That means when you tighten it, presumably into the soft aluminum base, it's just digging into the deck. The "traditional" construction would be a bolt mounted in the base with a nut at the top, so tightening it exposes more threads at the top -usually not a problem.
+1 for either of the ones that cmcgregor showed. I applaud you for trying to get him quality stuff from the start v. something cheap that may keep him from enjoying it.
Just a suggestion, though. Go ahead a buy him a helmet and wrist guards. I wouldn't worry too much about pads and once he gets better at it, the wrist guards won't be as important. But he will fall a lot and wrist breaks for new skaters are common.
-Rob
In reply to rob_lewis:
Wrist guards and helmet, both good ideas. You're right that he's gonna do a lot of falling down. Builds character.
Best option: Just go to a local skate shop, tell them what's going on, and get a complete board from them. Most shops will have house-brand decks that are less expensive and just as good. They can help you figure out what is cost effective, but quality. Expect to spend ~$100-$150.
Best option B: See if that local skate shop or a local indoor park has a parts bin that you can build a board from. Maybe see if they will sell you a used set of wheels and trucks for cheap if you buy a brand new deck.
Second option: get someone's used board off Craigslist. You are bound to find someone with a good setup that stopped skating due to injury or kids, or who got a nice board for their kid who used it a half dozen times and quit.
Third option: get something super cheap. Let them prove they won't give up in a month. Buy them a proper board from a local skate shop if they do. Danger with this is that cheap boards suck, and could discourage a kid who might otherwise be interested.
Go to Embassy Skate Shop in Columbus. They have house brand decks. There's also Old Skool Skate Shop in Westerville, but I don't believe they have house brand stuff. Or have him take a couple classes at Skate Naked (near the airport) to see if he's really going to be into it. Skate Naked might let newbies rent skateboards for their first couple times. I'm not sure. They do have an Embassy affiliated pro shop in house.
The best source in town for protective gear is Next Level Skate Shop. They focus on roller skating, especially roller derby, rather than skateboards, so go elsewhere for that. But they've got really good pads and helmets for the derby people.
i would say go with a used board or the CCS board posted above. I started on an old fishtail board that my uncle gave to me and even though it was crappy and old it was 10x better then any box store board I ever owned.
There's a guy locally who gives lessons. Really cool dude. I'm fairly certain he has some spare boards he loans out to beginners for their first couple lessons. Probably wouldn't sell them, but would give him a chance to see if it is for him or not. I could give you his contact info.
I'm with Beer Baron: Support your local skate shop.
Walk in, tell them what you're looking for, and they'll help you out. Plus a skate shop-bought board will be way cooler.
Local boards on CL that would be quality:
https://columbus.craigslist.org/spo/5853813606.html
https://columbus.craigslist.org/spo/5881617312.html
https://columbus.craigslist.org/spo/5845776089.html
But I still encourage going into and supporting the local skate shop. These are small, local businesses that serve the community. The people there are knowledgeable. Bring the kid in and let him stand on some boards to see what feels right for him. They'll ask what kind of skating he's interested in doing. Deck width matters. It could also be fun to let him do a bit to customize his setup without adding more than a few bucks to the cost, with like cool grip tape or something.
Heck, if you want to meet up at a skatepark, I've got two boards I could loan you for a while. They're not for sale, but you could try them out for a while and borrow one of them.
Or you could just break his arm, knock out a few of his teeth and skip the middleman. I swear watching MTVs "Scarred" for more than 10 minutes should have killed off the whole industry but apparently not.
Remember to get skate shoes! 
I wouldn't go cheap on the deck or trucks. If you're trying to get him started on the cheap I would try to buy a beat up complete off craigslist and then transfer that hardware to a new blank deck. Maybe new wheels if you want everything to be shiney.
I got my last one online at skate warehouse for ~$90 for a quality complete. Looks like they are having a sale through tomorrow.
Thanks for all of the advice, mom and I are going to talk about this tonight. I like the idea of going to a local shop but I would like him to have something to open on Christmas and I think taking him to a shop and having him pick something out would kind of be a let down. If he was older opening a box with an IOU in it would be OK but at his age something more tangible would be better, but that is not set in stone. And yes a helmet and wrist guards are going with the board.
BB, thanks for the Skatepark and lesson links and if you could pm that guys info that would be great.
KyAllroad wrote: Or you could just break his arm, knock out a few of his teeth and skip the middleman. I swear watching MTVs "Scarred" for more than 10 minutes should have killed off the whole industry but apparently not.
And how tough would it be to compile footage of football injuries? How about injuries in motorsports? Motorcycles?
Has any of that stopped people from doing those activities? Would a montage of horrific motorsports crashes dissuade you from playing with cars? Do you think such a montage would actually be representative of the hazards in the sport?
Yes, skateboarding is hazardous. I think more people really should wear protective gear. As hazardous as it is, it should be put in context. Getting a bit hurt is common, but we're talking you can expect a bruise or two from most hard sessions. Sprains happen sometimes. Broken bones happen too. I've seen a guy get knocked out and another guy dislocate his shoulder. All figured, it's about as hazardous as most any other athletic sport. It's the sort of hazardous that teaches kids to overcome fear and discomfort in order to learn something new.
KyAllroad wrote: Or you could just break his arm, knock out a few of his teeth and skip the middleman. I swear watching MTVs "Scarred" for more than 10 minutes should have killed off the whole industry but apparently not.
Purse rack is in the corner...
edizzle89 wrote:KyAllroad wrote: Or you could just break his arm, knock out a few of his teeth and skip the middleman. I swear watching MTVs "Scarred" for more than 10 minutes should have killed off the whole industry but apparently not.[Non-gender-based symbol for humans that generally lack courage] in the corner....
Tried to fix it for you, but couldn't think of one...
Skateboarding is a great sport for kids to get into. If you've never spent a lot of time at a skatepark, it's not what most people imagine.
First thing you learn is etiquette and treating people with respect. There is a lot to Skatepark Etiquette. You learn to watch out for other people around you and to take your turn. You apologize or acknowledge when you accidentally get in someone's way. You give recognition when someone does something impressive or takes a hard fall.
You learn that failing is normal part of progressing. You try. You fail. You fall. You get up. You try again. You repeat that until you get it. When you do this, you get respect for doing something that scares you, taking a big fall that you get up from, and finally landing something daring or difficult.
You learn that fear is normal. Skaters talk about what scares them. They talk about when a trick is or feature is "sketchy". It is normal and healthy to be scared. You try anyway, and hold a healthy respect of sketchy tricks to minimize the chances of serious injury.
It's a great opportunity for kids to be treated as equals by people older than them. You get respect for working hard, accomplishing and improving, and being respectful. You don't need to do the biggest tricks either. I've seen a whole park stop and cheer for a kid who successfully dropped in for the first time, because that's a big deal. Experienced skaters will offer tips and advice. Not talking down, but as a peer who is just more experienced. Same way, kids are held to the same standards of etiquette as everyone else.
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