There are many things you should consider when picking the perfect longboard. Besides the style, shape, and deck design, the board’s flex plays an integral part. Longboards have either a soft, medium, or stiff flex, with each type having advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, how much flex should your longboard have? The quick answer is that it depends, but let’s delve deeper.
Cruising – Soft Flex
The type of flex your board should have relates to your performance style. While cruising is the action you are doing on your longboard, it’s also a type of style you can perform. Usually, cruising is the first method of longboarding beginners learn since it is the easiest.
One can cruise on the sidewalk or long distances, but the need for a soft flex remains the same. A cruising board with soft flex provides excellent shock absorption, making your ride as smooth as possible. Cruising also implies that you will be going at a low rate of speed, which works well on a soft flex board.
Freestyle – Soft or Medium Flex
A freestyle boarder enjoys spinning and flipping their board as they stroll down the boardwalk, performing many tricks along the way. Freestyle longboarding is the closest thing to conventional skateboarding, even though longboarding looks more graceful compared to the small deck of a skateboard.
Freestylers require a soft or medium flex due to their technical nature. Rarely does a freestyle board cruise on uneven ground since the flat ground is more conducive for doing the tricks in their repertoire. Beginners should steer clear from freestyling because it’s reserved for the more skilled boarders.
Freeride – Medium or Stiff Flex
Although their names are similar, freestyle and freeride are two distinct styles. Freeride longboarding is a hybrid of downhill and freestyle longboarding. Freeride gets you off flat ground, allowing you to go downhill at safe and moderate speeds, performing elegant slides as you descend.
Using a medium or stiff flex board gives stability to the downhill portion and flexibility when you want to do tricks.
Downhill – Stiff Flex
A downhill longboarder has only one goal in mind—maximizing their speed. Stability is paramount when approaching speeds upwards of 80 mph, so a stiffer board will aid your travels. You don’t want a wobbly board when you’re traveling as fast as a car.
Knowing how much flex your longboard should have entirely depends on what you’re doing. If you want the best carving longboards for sale, you can browse The Longboard Store’s cruising style boards to find the best available. We have the best, most exceptional boards, and you won’t pay a dime for shipping costs if you live in the United States.