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20 Best Longboard Brands in 2021 (Full Ranking List)

Today longboard market is saturated with different brands.  They all seem to offer similar products and its hard to identify which are good and bad, which are worth the money and which are gimmicks.

I have written this article to help you sort the wheat from the chaff, highlighting the best companies and some brands to avoid. This article will be your guide, it will be a good reference point to come back to when looking for a new board.

In my longboard brands list, we feature Landyachtz, Rayne, Sector 9 – to name a few.  After reading this you should be able to accurately pick the right longboard brand or go with one of the suggestions below.

Best Longboards in 2021

1. Landyachtz Dinghy – 28”cruiser, great for short commutes. (View on Amazon.com)
2. Santa Cruz Impact – Decent entry-level 40″ longboard. Great to learn things on (View on Amazon.com)
3. Arbor Zeppelin Flagship – Average length cruising boards with good parts for beginners. (View on Amazon.com)
4. Sector 9 Jelly Swift – If you like the classic pintail longboard shape this is for you. (View on Amazon.com)
5. Loaded Tan Tien – All around longboard. Great to try everything from cruising to freeride. (View on Amazon.com)

Longboard Brand Rankings

1. Landyachtz

Type: Premium

Arguably one of the best longboard makers. Landyachtz has been making skateboards since 1997 with a mission to improve lives through them.

The Vancouver based brand is quality driven and all their skateboards have undergone rigorous testing and rider feedback. This results in high-quality products guaranteed to function appropriately and last long.

Under their brand, they also have the Bear trucks and Hawgs wheels companies. Products from these brands will be just as good. Landyachtz started out focused on designing downhill longboards. Over time, they diversified their line up and produced cruisers, dancers, street decks and freestyle setups. All of which have undergone their thorough design process.

Unfortunately, this quality is reflected in the price. Being a premium brand limits access from people with a smaller wallet.  Unique fact: For every skateboard sold, Landyachtz will plant a tree. This is part of their quest to give back and have a positive impact on the world.

They are a very community driven brand. They put up and sponsor events and riders around the world. Trying to give back and spread the stoke in various ways.

2. Rayne

Type : Premium

Adding on to our list of good longboard brands from Canada. We present Rayne Longboards. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, these guys have been producing skateboards since 2004.

The ethos of this brand is to exceed the expectations of every customer. They accomplish this by pushing the boundaries of their products. They firmly believe that a quality product will sell itself. Working hand in hand with some of the best skaters in the world, they produce a variety of boards, from cruisers and dancers to absolute downhill machines.

The quality of these boards shows, a lot of them have seen podiums at world cup races and freeride events.  These guys know their stuff. Once again, with a premium brand, you get premium prices. I recommend investing in their boards once you’re a little more experienced.

Unique fact: All boards are made in their small factory out of a bamboo and laminate construction. Resulting in a strong waterproof skateboard.

Its crazy how many great brands come out of Canada. Must be something in their water eh?

3. Loaded longboards

Type : Premium

Straight outta Cali! You have probably come across this brand through a viral video or seen someone riding their deck around town. These guys started their company in 2000 and struggled for years to have it take off. Eventually, the world took notice of their quality products and they haven’t looked back since.

They are committed to working with shops and distributors worldwide to ensure the long-term success of the industry and longboard community as a whole. You can learn more about their ethos here.

They mainly focus on the production of freestyle, dancing, freeride and downhill boards. One thing I have observed is how in love people are with their products. It seems once you go loaded, you never go back. Their high-quality products are the tools of some of the best riders in the world, and they are one of the few brands easily recognizable inside AND outside of the industry.

They also own the Orangatang wheel brand, which is known for their amazing wheels. Unfortunately, a lot of their products are on the pricey end of the premium equipment. But as I said, once you go loaded, you never go back. They are well worth the investment.

4. Riviera longboards

Type : Premium

These guys make some of the most beautiful skateboards I have seen. As an owner its a struggle to not just hang their decks on a wall and simply enjoy looking at them.  From micro-skateboards to drop throughs and downhill decks to street decks. They have a huge diverse lineup.

These guys are based in California and have been making skateboards for a while now. With their ethos to produce skateboards in all types of genres and blend/mash the lines between them.

In my opinion, they excel in producing cruiser boards. Using materials such as bamboo, fiberglass and carbon fiber to combine the perfect mash-up for strength, durability and in some cases flex. It seems these guys have stopped being very active, leaving their boards in limited supply. I recommend you go out and grab one as soon as you can. They won’t be around long.

Their boards are relatively affordable on the scale of premium pricing, but still expensive nonetheless.

5. Sector 9 longboards

Type : Premium

Arguably making the best longboards for beginners. This staple of the industry has been around forever! It’s not uncommon to see a longboard of theirs in the street.

Based in San Diego, these dudes started out in 1993, they were making skateboards out of snowboards and in a roundabout way transitioned into making longboards.

Their mission statement is ‘We make fun’ and they strive to achieve this.

With their hand in the pocket of the surf, skate and longboard industry, they produce decks in a variety of shapes and styles. They literally have something for everybody and one can struggle to choose from their vast selection of products.

For example composite downhill decks, simple wood ply decks, bamboo cruisers and double kick cruisers etc. There are many many more. All produced in a high-quality manufacturing process.

They produce their own wheels and own the Gullwing truck brand. They also produce hardware, gloves knee pads etc. These guys truly understand how to bring together a skateboard and its accessories.

6. Arbor Longboards

Type : Premium

Also known as the Arbor collective. These guys have committed themselves to producing some of the best skateboard products in the world. They aim their products to be environmentally friendly and sustainable. Using recycled materials and products from sustainable sources of supply. Paired with forward-thinking design, these guys are industry leaders in a commitment to the environment.

All their complete setups feature premium parts and they have partnered with Paris trucks to do so. In line with this their wheel brand, the Sucrose Initiative, produces great wheels for all styles of riding.

In business since 1995 (over 20 years now), they manufacture a variety of boards. Cruisers, street boards, downhill decks, large pintails etc. There is a lot to choose from and they all share a unique look that is easily identifiable as the Arbor style.

Unique fact: These guys also produce snowboards, clothing, glasses, knives and other unique items.

I would recommend this brand to someone interested in matching a board to their style.

7. Santa Cruz longboards

Type : Entry level

Literally the oldest skateboard manufacturers in the world. These guys are the real OGs.
Having started out making the plastic cruisers in the 70s, these guys developed boards over the years to match industry trends and sometimes lead them.
They are the sister company to awesome brands such as Road rider, Independent and OJ wheels. All owned by NHS.
Their main focus are trick decks. Making various shapes from pool, popsicle and cruiser decks.

So when it comes to longboard, they are not their main focus. One cannot expect them to be of the highest quality or having undergone a rigorous design process. However they are good enough for most, and I would recommend them to any beginner.
After all, these guys make skateboards so they can build a decent longboard.

Their boards often come paired with parts from their sister companies. Most decks come with road rider trucks and wheels, which are decent and of good quality.

In terms of beginner brands, these guys are the higher side of the quality spectrum.

8. Omen longboards

Type: Premium

Omen longboards is a brand based out of Seattle. They were started in 2012 and have been a force to reckon with since. They are a brand owned and operated by skaters, so any gear they put out will be high quality, authentic, and will be great to ride.

For Omen, they just weren’t satisfied with traditional maple for their decks. This is because their boards had to be rigid and durable enough to handle the wet and cold weather of the PNW (pacific northwest). To achieve this, Omen came up with a unique construction method called Tsunami tech, which they used across all their boards. It’s what makes Omen stand out from other brands.

Tsunami tech is pretty serious and it features advanced construction techniques. A single board will have vertically laminated bamboo, thermoplastic layers on the top and bottom, epoxy and fiberglass. In short, your Omen deck is built to last.

That said if 8 plys of maple is what you prefer. Some of the older Omens decks are made from wood and are more affordable. You might have to do some digging to find them though.

9. Restless longboards

Type: Premium

Restless longboards have been in the game since 2000. So almost over 19 years now. This experience shines through in their gear and they have kept going where other brands have 

failed. These guys are an elite brand that should be considered in the same ranks with Landyachtz and Rayne.

Restless keep it simple with their decks. They make them all from locally sourced Canadian maple. This helps keep costs down so their decks are affordably priced. It helps stimulate their local economy and allows them to guarantee that they are getting high-quality materials.

They cater for each rider and you’ll be spoilt for choice. A skater can choose from cruisers, shortboards and downhill decks. All with different shapes and designs to suit their preferences.

Simply put, you can’t go wrong with a Restless board.

10. Prism Skate co.

Type: Premium

By industry standards, Prism is still very much in its infancy. They were only started in 2017, but they have already made their mark in the industry, as a great all-round brand.
Prism was actually started by the same guys behind Caliber trucks – James Kelly, Liam Morgan, and Max Myers. All great skateboarders.

Prism makes a variety of high-quality skateboards to suit every rider. They have an extensive cruiser board line up and feature shortboards and longboards everybody can ride.
What makes this brand stand out is their extensive lineup and varied graphics. They have a ton of similar looking boards with different graphics and designs. If you take your time, you can find something to match your style.

Prism also collaborates with artists to allow their artwork to come alive on their boards. You can definitely find some unique pieces through them.

Lastly, at the core of it all, Prism is a brand built by downhill skaters. So naturally, they make some great downhill decks too.

11. Lush Longboards

Type: Premium

Lush longboards are a seriously underrated longboard company. These guys are a small team of two guys based out of Bristol, UK. And given how small they are it is surprising how much quality gear they produce, enough to challenge even the biggest names in the industry.

Lush makes a variety of longboard decks. From dancers, big pintail cruisers to your focused downhill decks. Lush makes them all. Their gear is high quality too. They use a lot of different construction techniques with extensive testing to make sure each board is built to best fulfill each purpose. It’s hard to go wrong with a deck from them. 

And the proof is in the pudding. Their rider Pete Connolly won the L’Ultime Descent Challenge back in 2018 with a world record top speed of 90mph. Pete riders their decks and also skates their sister brands gear – Sabre trucks and Cult wheels.

12. Bustin Boards

Type: Premium

Based out of New York city, these guys are one of the best all-round longboard brands. Like Original, they have their finger in all disciplines of longboarding. In fact, these guys are so proud of it that their motto is “Skate everything”. Their love for skating shines through.

Bustin was started back in 2001 by an owner obsessed with creating boards that would suit all styles and personalities. That still shows in their line up today, and these guys make all types of boards with a huuge variety of designs.
These guys also push their skate everything ethos and support all sorts of riders and skate disciplines across the globe. They have riders in Colombia, Brazil, the UK, Japan etc. You name it.

Bustin is truly a skater owned brand that supports skating from start to finish. If you are looking to support a brand that also supports the community. You can’t pick a better one than Bustin.

13. Earthwing longboards

Type: Premium

Another New York-based brand, Earthwing are no slouch. This brand is small but like Lush, they push longboard technology and hold their own in the industry.

Started back in 1998, Earthwing has been a one-man show since. Even though they have the potential to grow and produce boards in mass, the owner (Brian Petrie) prefers to make and shape every board himself. As such, every single board is hand-crafted and is unique in its own way. This ensures quality and that all boards are up to standard.

Earthwing makes boards for every type of rider. From cruisers, to downhill machines, to long distance pushers. They are all available in their line up. You simply need to look through and pick the right one for yourself.

When you ride an Earthwing board, you know you are riding something high-quality. Surprisingly given the manufacturing techniques and materials, their boards are all reasonably priced and aren’t too hard on the wallet.

14. Powell-Peralta

Type: Premium

You’ve probably heard of Powell-Peralta through their famous wheels, but I bet you didn’t know they made skateboards and

longboards too.Owned by the company Skate-one, these guys started out in 1978. They still make skateboards and skate wheels, but these days, they also make badass longboards, particularly for high-level downhill racing. They also make some of the best longboard wheels for freeriding to the point they have notoriety in the longboard community.

Their boards are the choice of some of the best racers and freeriders in the world; Byron Essert, Kevin Reimer, Thiago Lessa, and Ryka Mohamadian. So you know they make quality stuff.

15. Subsonic longboards

Type: Premium

Coming out of Washington state, these guys make some of my favorite longboards. Their brand started in 1999 and has been going strong ever since.

They use CNC machines to cut their boards and finish them by hand, every skateboard they produce is unique because of the handcrafted finishing.

Subsonic make a variety of decks, from cruiser to long distance pushers to downhill skating machines, and they all look fantastic.

For example,  check out their Subsonic Vega on Amazon.com, easily one of the best looking downhill boards out there. They also make custom boards, so you can hit them up if you want one.

16. Moonshine longboards

Coming out of the PNW, these guys make some of the best premium longboards on the market. All of their boards are waterproof, use special vertical lamination and feature urethane rails, which makes them practically indestructible.

Their boards are so good, the current downhill skating world champion Thiago Lessa rides a deck made in their factory.

17. Original skateboards

Type: Premium

Original is a brand almost everyone has come across. They are fairly popular online and if you are a longboard fan, it’s likely you’ve watched one of their videos on youtube. They are one of the best longboard brands.

Surprisingly, this brand has humble beginners. Back in 2002, they were started by two friends in their garage. Since then, Original has taken leaps and strides to become a dominant player in the market.

These guys make boards of all types and shapes. They have their finger in each niche of longboarding and make great boards to suit all those styles. That said, they are mostly known for their high-quality cruiser decks and signature pintail boards – they even built trucks to suit their boards, specifically designed around cruising and carving.

But whether it is dancing or downhill, they have a great board to match. They even sponsor some of the best riders in the game, so you know their gear performs under the feet of the best.

18. Atom longboards

Type : Entry level

Easily one of the most affordable beginner brands. Atom longboards have been around since 2005. They have succeeded in providing entry-level longboards to many people around the world.

With a diverse line up of boards, they strive to meet customers needs, whilst remaining low cost. Their main focus is producing longboards and as a by-product, also produce all terrain and electric skateboards.

If you are looking for a board to try out longboarding or simply cruise around. Atom longboards will not let you down. Their affordable prices present a low-barrier of entry for everyone. Critical in maintaining longboarding as industry and getting beginners stoked.

A word of warning, the quality of the setup is often reflective of the price, and with Atom longboards the deck is where the real value is. If you are selecting your second board, go for one of the premium brands (like Sector 9), you will be able to appreciate the difference.

19. Urskog Longboards

Type : Premium

In English, a rough translation of Urskog is ‘virgin forest’. This Swedish brand was born out of admiration of the surf culture in California. But with the Baltic Sea not offering the best surfing conditions (think cold, ice, and subzero temperatures), they looked towards land to fulfill their need. So they built skateboards to help them surf and cruise the land.

These guys build a variety of decks but are specialists in making different types of cruiser boards. From pintails, to drop through cruisers, to city cruisers. These guys have them in spades. They build their boards with the local economy and sustainability in mind. They are built from locally sourced Swedish Birch.

Finally, their decks have a beautiful wood grain finish. Meaning they would look great hanging on your wall, as they would on your feet. If you are looking for something unique, hand built and that would stand out from other brands, their boards might be for you.

20. SCSK8 longboards

Type : Entry level

Probably the most affordable entry-level brand. These guys produce products that are unbranded. Such as decks that don’t have graphics and no name trucks and wheels.

Having started their brand in 2010. They seem to have come up with this mad idea and as a result, they save a lot of money in branding and in costs. Meaning – SCSK8 produce a lot of very cheap longboards. And it shows, their products are the cheapest on the market and therefore most accessible.

They only do this with some of their longboards, a few of the others have graphics, so those options are available as well.  If you are a creative person and like drawing (or stickers) on your boards, this one is for you.

Don’t be put off by the absence of a graphic, I personally have had a few blank skateboards in my life and one of them made favorite cruiser. I would recommend these to those with a super tight budget, or those simply wanting a new deck. If possible, go for a longboard from Santa Cruz instead.

 

21. Rimable longboards

Type : Entry level

Finally on our list we have Rimable. Another entry-level brand, these guys produce longboards at affordable prices.

I would recommend this brand to beginners or those with a tight wallet. However those looking to get more out of their equipment and decks should look elsewhere. These guys focus on cutting costs for those affordable prices. With cruisers, stable boards and mini-skateboards making up majority of their line up.

With a brand like this, you get a cheap price. This price is mainly attributed to the cost of the deck. Highlighting that the trucks and wheels will not be the best. However, as an experienced rider, I can tell you that they do well for cruising and carving.

This brand and others like it are there to fill the gap for beginner longboards. Not everyone wants to commit hundreds of dollars just to be able to skate (and it puts of some people). These brands provide the skate experience at a low cost. This brand will definitely provide an enjoyable skate experience.

Buying Guide: Choosing a Longboard

As always with buying anything, there are some things you need to look out for. You need to make sure you don’t get the wrong thing.
We’ve put together a buying guide for you and gone over some important factors. Please note that this is just a brief overview. We have other articles and guides that go super in depth given the riding style or board you want, please check them out.

As we go into these guides, a rule of thumb is to work within your limits, but strive to get the one that catches your eye.

Are you buying for yourself or your kid?

In general, kids are small in size. This will affect how they would ride and control a longboard.  It’s an important factor to consider because a longboard that is too large can prove cumbersome. It would be difficult to control and maneuver. It would be hard to turn as they don’t have sufficient weight to lean on the trucks.

So when thinking about longboard size for kids, I recommend you go with cruisers to begin with.

In short, you want something that’s about as wide as their shoe size and a wheelbase (truck to truck distance) that is about as wide as their shoulder width stance. This will ensure that they can easily balance and control the board.
Don’t be held back if its bigger or smaller than those measurements. This is just a general guide and one might prefer a board that is longer or shorter according to their advantages.

You want the setup to be lightweight. This will make it easy to push, maneuver and carry around.  Lastly, make sure they like the board. Nothing will prevent a kid from using a board more, than if they hate how it looks.  Once again, this is an entire article condensed to a few sentences. For something more in depth, look at our other guides.

 

How big should a longboard be?

If you are an adult and are thinking about what size longboard to get, you should first consider your riding style. This is the most important factor as certain sizes would be better for different riding styles. For example: If you want to push a long distance, a longer, wider board is best for it. This is because it will be more stable and comfortable to stand on.

If you want a compact board to commute short distances, get something as large as Penny Nickel (28in long) or a short as a Penny Original (22in). This makes it easy to store and carry around.

The final decision it is all up to you. For example, I like smaller boards for commuting and even though they are uncomfortable, I have built up a good balance and leg strength.

Thusly I only recommend this when it comes from a place of experience, knowing what you can handle. Only take a risk when it’s your 3rd or 4th board and when you understand how size, shape, trucks etc. affect how the board feels underfoot.

The same goes for picking longboards for girls but will be different for kids. The difference in size affects how their riding experience will be.

How to pick the right longboard type & deck style?

As we had mentioned above, riding style determines board size. The same goes for longboard types and deck style to some extent. You could also use the same board for many things.

They will often be similar traits shared between styles. People mix and match, though I only recommend this if you are experienced and understand the drawbacks of mixing deck styles and such.

For sure,some deck styles are more suited to some purposes than others. We have super in-depth guides on things like the best drop through longboard, the best cruiser boards, the best longboard brands for cruising boards etc. I highly recommend you read them as they are far more informative.

If I had to summarise, I would say that drop downs and drop throughs are good for beginners in all riding styles. Top mounts are better for hard carving and cruising. Drop throughs and top mounts are better for tricks, freestyle, and dancing.

As you are putting together your dream setup, don’t forget about truck styles. In brief, there are only two –  traditional kingpin (tkp) and reverse kingpin (Rkp). Rkp trucks are more suited towards cruising. They have a smooth turn and feel very stable.

Tkp’s are the trucks seen on skateboards. They are best suited for tricks but can also be used to cruise. However, they are not as stable and smooth turning as Rkps.

Try to get RKPs if you can, but for a beginner, the difference won’t be that noticeable.Finally, your riding style will determine the wheels you want. Typically, wheels between 65mm and 75 mm are great for cruising, pushing, freeriding, i.e all round purposes.
Wheels around 60mm are great for freestyle and dancing.
Check out our wheel guide for more information.

Other Important Things To Consider.

As with any hobby, there will be a bit of wear and tear, both of the board and potentially you as a rider.
I recommend buying safety gear. At the minimum a longboard helmet. This is critically important because we never know when accidents can happen. We should be prepared to prevent the worst. A helmet will prevent concussions and brain damage. Helmets have saved my life twice now when LEAST expected them to.

I recommend you practice foot braking. This technique of slowing down will reduce your speed in a smooth and controlled manner. You can use it in a variety of situations and it is better than simply running off and letting your board roll into the distance. When you get your first setup, chance are the bearings will be bad. I recommend replacing them with some aftermarket ones. They will roll faster and provide a better riding experience. Also, buy some bearing oil to put in your bearings once a month. This keeps them from locking up and makes sure you are rolling smoothly.

Your Turn!

There is definitely a lot to talk about with longboards. I can’t go over everything in one article, please check out our other guides for more info.
To summarise, go with an entry-level brand if you are a beginner and a premium brand if you are looking for your second setup. However, if something catches your eye, go for it!
My favorite brand of 2018 is Landyachtz. Their boards are amazing and their commitment to the environment and communities is admirable.
I hope this article has served you well and has helped you get the board you need.