Penny Board vs skateboard, which one is best for you and how do these two options compare?
Let’s take a look.
Penny Board vs Skateboard
Skateboards come in all shapes and sizes, from skateboards designed for cruising to ones that will help you to flip tricks at the skate park.
Skateboards and penny boards are two popular considerations, and they offer their own unique benefits and price points.
Penny Board vs Skateboard Size
Penny Board carries skateboards that come in the following lengths: 22″, 27″, 29″, 32″ & 36″. The 22 inch long board is the classic Penny Board. They are 5 wide in the tail and 6 inches wide in the nose.
CompaMost skateboards are between 7 and 10 inches wide and 28 and 34 inches long.
Standard Skateboards
There is no single type of skateboard, and the term is actually used to cover everything from penny boards to longboards and more. However, when people use this broad term, they’re often thinking about old-school traditional skateboards designed for street skating tricks.
The width of a skateboard provides a number of advantages, including increased stability and control. They’re light, agile, and made for tricks. Beginners should always opt for a traditional skateboard, focusing on a skateboard that is lightweight, strong, durable, and stable, as there will be a lot of crashes and bails.
Look for skateboards with small wheels if you want smooth acceleration without a high top speed and opt for bigger wheels if you want more speed and stability.
You can purchase a good skateboard for between $50 and $100, but if you want some higher quality components, including a multi-ply deck and solid trucks and wheels, you can expect to pay a little more.
Penny Boards
“Penny Board” refers to the brand of skateboard and “penny board” refers to the style, similar to how someone may refer to tissues as a “Kleenex” which is brand of tissue.
The penny skateboard is small, lightweight, and compact. It usually weighs just 4 pounds or so and measures as little as 22 inches.
You can choose from a number of different designs and styles of penny boards, and they are all made from highly durable plastic. It doesn’t matter how many times you crash, bail, or drop the board; it’ll live to ride another day.
Penny boards are great for compact cruising. You can ride the skateboard to work and then store it in your backpack until you skate home.
One of the disadvantages of riding a penny board is its small size. It can be difficult for beginners to find the space needed to plant their feet and stay on the board. Typically, longboards are used for cruising and they work because there is much more space, providing the skater with more control and comfort and allowing them to achieve huge speeds.
Longboards or a standard skateboard are generally the better options for beginners but skaters with a little more experience shouldn’t have an issue with the penny board.
Who Invented Penny Boards?
The first penny board was made by Ben Mackay of Penny Skateboards in 2010, making it a brand as opposed to a type of skateboard.
These days, however, you can find many similar skateboards being sold by other brands, and there are a huge number of penny boards on Amazon. They might not be manufactured by Penny Skateboards or called penny boards, but they’re roughly the same size (approximately 22 inches) and feature a durable plastic construction and a small size like the original Penny SkateBoard construction.
Penny Board FAQs
Are Penny Skateboards good for beginners?
The penny board can be a good option for beginner skaters who just want to have fun and learn balance, turning and other skating fundamentals. They are not a good option for someone who wants to learn to perform street skate tricks.
Is a Penny Board a good skateboard?
Penny boards are small and easy to carry and are good for skating short distances. Beyond that they you won’t be able to do tricks on them like you do with a standard street skateboard and you can’t cruise on them like you can with a longboard or cruiser skateboard.
Can you Ollie on a Penny Board?
Penny boards not designed for tricks including ollies. You may be able to do a small ollie on a penny board but it won’t compare to the ollie you can do on a standard skateboard.
Why are Penny Boards so popular?
Penny boards are popular with people with a smaller frame who want to learn to ride a skateboard casually and for adults who want a small, more compact skateboard that fits into a backpack and to commute shorter distances.
How much weight can Penny Boards hold?
According to the Penny Skateboard site, their skateboards can support up a single rider up to 220 pounds.
The weight other penny board manufactures’ boards support may vary.
Can I wash my Penny Board?
You can wash your penny board with mild soap and water. Here is a video that shows exactly how to wash your penny board.
Summary: Penny Board vs Skateboard
So, penny board vs skateboard, which board is right for you?
If you’re looking for a compact and lightweight cruiser, the penny board is probably the better option. If you’re hoping to learn a few tricks, traditional skateboards are more suitable. Of course, the question isn’t always “or”, and many skaters have both traditional skateboards and penny boards in their collection. The real question here is whether you should opt for a penny board or a longboard skateboard.
Penny boards are often a cheaper option. They are also highly durable, as penny boards are made from plastic and won’t chip, crack, or break. At the same time, penny boards aren’t as easy to ride, don’t provide as much stability and control, and beginners will struggle.
