Skateboarding as been around for decades, with the first skateboards being fashioned in the 1940’s. Those early skateboards were rather clumsy in appearance, lacked style and had much room for improvement. Today, those improvements have been made, and skateboarding is known as one of the top activities enjoyed by both young and old.
Skateboarding is now a sport that has styles ranging from freestylers, freecarvers, kiteboarders, mountainboarders, vert skaters, and many more.Off-road is a type of skateboarding where riders take their boards to the hills, and much like snowboarding, skate down with skill and grace.
If you are interested in becoming one of these athletes, choosing the right off-road skateboard can be confusing, so we’ve come up with our top 10 best off-road skateboards in 2021 and buyers guide to help you get started.
Top 10 Best Off-road Skateboards:
All of the skateboards in our off-road skateboard review are manufactured by reputable companies which stand behind their products, offering you the best products on the market. When you go through the review, consider your personal preferences, the type of off-road experiences you’re looking for, your skill level, size and style of each board.
Table of the Best Off-road Skateboards:
[lazboy_item]
1. MBS All-Terrain Longboard
[Azonasinid asinid=”B0157DPOJG”]
The MBS All-Terrain Longboard is a great choice for anyone who is interested in learning the sport of mountainboarding. With this longboard, you can ride over both dirt roads and pavement with great ease. Fabulous board for the offroad adventurer. The MBS All-Terrain Longboard is actually a cleverly designed hybrid blending the best of both worlds: The mountainboard and longboard. With its drop deck design, it gives users the stability they need when going at high speeds. The Navigator Drone Trucks are great for carving, and their large 100mm diameter and 65mm wide wheels help you get a wicked speed, and their layerd surface texture helps you maintain a grip on most surfaces. Features include an all maple deck and ABEC 9 bearings.
[/lazboy_item]
[lazboy_item]
2. GT Powerboard – Black Anodized Aluminum Off-Road Electric Skateboard
[Azonasinid asinid=”B01920G0G6″]
The GT Powerboard is one of the best selling electric skateboards on the market today. This well favored skateboard has been known to reach 0 to 23 MPH in just five seconds. The 45 inch long aluminum deck is 11 inches wide with a 3/4 inch drop for a more comfortable and stable ride. Its 9 inch Kenda Pneumatic Tires are covered in a tread surface which allows you to navigate through offroad terrain such as grasses, dirt and even sand. Powered by an 800 watt motor, this offroad skatboard by E-Glide is a beast, as its Industrial Grade electronics make it one of the fastest boards on the market. Powered by a 36 volt, lithium ion battery, you’ll need to charge this board for about 4 to 5 hours, which will allow you to hit the streets for a good 15 miles.
[/lazboy_item]
[lazboy_item]
3. MBS All Terrain Skateboard, 33 Inches
[Azonasinid asinid=”B01IP5VQE0″]
The MBS All Terrain Skateboard gives riders a nice, 33 inch long 9.2 inch wide, 7 ply Canadian maple deck which keeps them stable and secure when they push from pavement to the more interesting world of offroad boarding. Wheels are MBS’s own 100mm x 65mm All-Terrain Wheels and utilize 78A “Super High Rebound” urethane which gives your the road grip you need for both pavement and offroad excitement. Features include 5 inch die cast aluminum skate trucks, heat-treated axles, high rebound 95A SHR bushings, steel alloy King Pin, SK8 truck type, weighs in at 3.7 pounds, and rubber shielded ABEC 9 bearings.
[/lazboy_item]
[lazboy_item]
4. Atom Longboards Atom All-Terrain Longboard, 39 inches
[Azonasinid asinid=”B01IP5VQBI”]
The Atom Longboards Atom All-Terrain Longboard is 39 inches of solid skateboarding excitement, and can be ridden by either experienced riders or newbies. Easily cross over from pavement to offroad and back again, riding atop its tough, maple-lam drop deck, guaranteeing you a smooth ride either way you go. Features include fast 100mm x 65mm MBS wheels complete with a “Super High Rebound” urethane, rubber shielded ABEC 9 bearings, and coarse 46 grit grip tape. The trucks come with a reverse King Pin, 7 inch aluminum hangers, 50 degree base, heat-treated CMO axles.
[/lazboy_item]
[lazboy_item]
5. Atom 90 MountainBoard
[Azonasinid asinid=”B002ZFBYYY”]
The Atom 90 MountainBoard is designed to accomodate both newbies and experienced riders alike who wish to take on the exciting sport of mountain boarding. With its durable build, 15.3 inch wide deck, and tip angle of 20 degrees, this board was made to give riders the ultimate performance, while being easy on the budget. Features include a maple 36 inch laminated deck, ATS trucks comprised of a die-cast alum base and hanger, cromoly axle, F1 bindings, Orange Bushing suspension, 46 grit grip tape, Tri-Spoke nylon hubs, V5 brake system, and Knobby 8 inch, diamond tread tires.
[/lazboy_item]
[lazboy_item]
6. MBS Colt 90X Mountainboard
[Azonasinid asinid=”B0157D405U”]
We’ve got the perfect, entry-level mountain board for you or anyone in your family with the MBS Colt 90X Mountainboard with F1 velcro bindings which strap you in tight for those breathtakingly fast downhill rides. One feature which stands out for beginners is its MBS V braking system, which requires absolutely no assembly. This model comes with a weight limit of 220 pounds, and has been upgraded to include 8 inch MBS T1 tires. These tires are constructed with a high rebound rubber which ensures you’ll be able to pack on some enviable speed during your rides. These wheels also have FiveStar hubs, 12 x 28mm MBS rubber-shielded bearings, and a high quality butyl rubber tube. ATS axles are now 12mm, which means you get superb stability and strength for your rides, on it’s stiff maple deck.
[/lazboy_item]
[lazboy_item]
7. MBS Colt 90 Mountainboard
[Azonasinid asinid=”B0157CSIAY”]
Are you a newbie eager to try mountainboarding, or are you into kiting and looking for an affordable board to get your game on? Either way, you can’t go wrong with the MBS Colt 90 Mountainboard. The stiff, maple deck is 35.5 inches long, 8.7 inches wide and has a deck tip angle of 20 degrees. You’ll be securely strapped in for those rapid, downhill rides with F1 Velcro bindings. ATS is comprised of 12 diecast aluminum trucks, hanger and base, with solid 12mm Cromoly axles. Features include a FiveStar hub type, Orange Bushing suspension, no braking system but you can upgrade to one. As for tires, they are MBS 8 inch T1 tires which ensure swift, free movement. Another reason the Colt 90 is great for beginners is that you can grow with it. This model is compatible with much of the MBS line so upgrading your trucks or hubs should be simple.
[/lazboy_item]
[lazboy_item]
8. Rockboard Descender Skateboard
[Azonasinid asinid=”B00BYR7VKU”]
Just taking your first look at the Rockboard Descender Skateboard, and you’ll know it was built for business. Its tank tread design is made from durable double rubber, and carries with it heavy duty triple wheel sets, counting 36 wheels in total. This tank tread design will allow you to descend swiftly on dirt paths or grassy slopes with the treads built to tilt to the back as well as forward to help you move from pavement to grass to dirt. Dimensions for the Rockboard Descender Skateboard are 31 x 9 x 5 inches. This is not really made for level ground skateboarding, basically built for downhill fun only.
[/lazboy_item]
[lazboy_item]
9. Santa Cruz Skate Mahaka Rasta Cruzer Skateboard
[Azonasinid asinid=”B0043SI4FI”]
The Santa Cruz Skate Mahaka Rasta Cruzer Skateboard is a best seller among the Santa Cruz boards. Skateboarders love the 43-1/4 inch board with it’s pintail shape because it affords them the grace and balance similar in feel to riding the waves. If you are looking for a board to simply cruise down the strip on level ground, then this is it. The deck is comprised of North American Maple, which makes it stiff and durable. The ABEC 3 bullet bearings come to you already lubricated and ready to ride. You also get a pair of B150 Bullet Truck Cutbacks with a 9 inch axel, and reverse King Pin. As for wheels, the Cruzer has 65mm Road Rider wheels, with a durometer rating of 78A. Overall, a great commuter board.
[/lazboy_item]
[lazboy_item]
10. Playshion 39 Inch Drop Through Freestyle Longboard Skateboard Cruiser
[Azonasinid asinid=”B01EOUWUT0″]
The Playshion 39 inch, Drop Through Freestyle Longboard Cruiser is rated very highly on several skateboarding sites, especially among skateboarders who are heavily into freestyle. The 39 inch, 8 ply birch maple deck provides them with a secure footing and stable ride. The 180mm powder coated alum. trucks, 70mm wheels help you get off at a good speed with their high quality bearings allowing for a good amount of spin. As a freestyle board, the drop through design is of the utmost importance. This design keeps the center of gravity low, with the board itself ‘dropping through’ the wheels arrangement versus the designs where the deck sits on top of the wheels. This works well for beginners wanting to learn how to freestyle, as it can hop cracks or jump a few bumps. However, users should consider to move to a new board if their freestyle activities get serious.
[/lazboy_item]
How to Choose the Right Off-Road Skateboard for You
What is an off-road skateboard? Well, they are skateboards that are a bit tougher and larger than standard skateboards. Instead of cruising down the strip, off-roaders take to the hills, and skate down wooded bike paths, grassy slopes or engage in a little kite play.
Experience Level
If you’re just getting into the art of skateboarding, but have your eye on being a future mountainboarder, then you’ll want to go for an affordable, basic pre-assembled longboard or cruiser board. Don’t look for anything too fancy. While an electric skateboard might look, ‘cool’ it’s probably not the right fit for a beginner. We recommend going for a basic longboard or cruiser, getting comfortable riding that while learning about trucks, wheels and deck materials, so you’ll become familiar with the board as a whole and can confidently move to a more advanced board, or perhaps even order a custom board from a buider, or even build your own!
Deck Width
The width of the deck is actually more important than the length, especially for novice riders. The width you choose will be based on your size and personal skating style. The information below should be treated as a basic guide only, as your skateboarding preferences may vary.
Full Deck Width
A full size deck will be 7.5 inches or more. The full size is for riders who are over 13 years old, 5 ‘ 3″ tall. The shoe size should be 9 or higher. If you are into general cruising and basic tricks, then choose a deck width of between 7.5 to 8 inches. If you are planning on hitting the ramps then a deck width of 8 to 8.25 inches is a good choice. Finally, if you’re style is Vert, or old school then
consider deck widths 8.25 inches or larger.
Middle Deck Width
The Middle Size deck will have a width of 7.3 inches and is for kids 9 to 12, who stand 4’5″ to 5’2″ in height. Shoe size for the middle
size deck is 7 to 8.
Mini and Micro Deck Width
Mini Decks have a width of about 7 inches and are for kids 6 to 8, and stand 3’5″ to 4’4″ in height. The shoe size for Mini Decks is 4 to 6. Finally, we have the Micro Deck. This size caters to very young children who are under 5, and stand 3’4″ and under. Shoe size for the micro deck is 3 or under.
Off-Road Skateboarding Styles
The type of off-road skateboard you choose will largely depending on what type of skateboarding you plan on doing. For a beginner, a good pre-assembled skateboard will do. But if you plan on engaging in a specific style, then the type of board you purchase must benefit that style.
Freestyle
Freestyle skateboarders use their board for cruising, basic transportation to doing complex tricks and obstacle courses. Casual freestylers often purchase longboards or cruiser boards. Those of you who are interested in simply cruising or using their board for transportation, and who have some experience under their belts may also consider an electric skateboard.
Mountain and Kiteboarding
In our review above, you’ll notice that we have a few boards listed as ‘All-Terrain’ and ‘mountainboards’. When skateboarders choose to go off-road, the type of board they select depends on their intention. If you plan on going mountainboarding, you’ll look for a board with a wide deck, foot bindings and pneumatic tires with good treads. The foot binding is necessary to keep the deck secure to the rider, whether they are racing downhill or participating in kiteboarding.
Wheels
Off-road wheels usually are made up of pneumatic tires with metal or plastic hubs, with tire size being around 8 to 13 inches. These pneumatic tires have a tube and can come in a variety of tread patterns, such as diamond tread. If you are into downhill riding, then we recommend that you choose tires a little larger if possible.
Brakes
Not all off-road boards have braking systems, and some are designed to you can easily upgrade and add your own by purchasing a kit such as the MBS V5 brake kit. If you intend to be a long distance off-road skateboarder, hitting the dirt bike paths, then an off-road board with brakes are recommended.
Trucks
When you turn over a skateboard, you’ll see your wheels attached to metal axles. Trucks are made up of a movable hanger, base plate, king pin, and bushings. Channel trucks are often used in off-road boards, and have springs which aid in balancing. Mountain board skate trucks are simply enhanced versions of standard skate trucks. These trucks are lighter and great for kiteboarding.
Conclusion
There you have it, our top 10 best off-road skateboards in 2021 and buyers guide. The first thing to consider, is that purchasing an off-road skateboard is a very personal matter. You must consider your own size in respect to the width of your deck as well as the type of off-road sports you’ll be engaging in. For instance, if you plan on hitting the dirt paths, you’ll look for pneumatic tires with nice tread, plus a model that brakes.
if you are looking for casual transportation, then perhaps an electric model will do the trick. If you plan on enjoying kiteboarding down pavement, then a nice all-terrain skateboard model will do, one that can handle the dirt as well as the concrete without losing too much speed. We hope you’ve enjoyed our off-road skateboard review, and found it informative enough to get you started enjoying some skateboarding fun in the sun!