Skateboards are strong enough to support an average adult human. The load-bearing capacity of a skateboard depends on factors like deck size, material, and hardware quality. Your riding style will also have a big impact on how much your board can carry.
However, in general, skateboards can hold up to 272 lbs. Sturdy and tough electric skateboards can support up to 330 lbs. Let’s figure out how this load capacity changes with different factors with a more detailed discussion. Let’s get started
How Much Weight Can a Skateboard Hold?
Generally, a skateboard can tackle up to 272 lbs based on the skater’s maneuvering skill, thrust, and speed. On the other hand, a longboard can carry 300 lbs max.
Electric skateboards have the highest load capacity as they can support the weight of individuals up to 330 lbs due to their build quality and performance.
As Jeffrey Moffat said, “The bigger you are, the heavier you are, the harder it’s going to be to skate. But by no means does that mean that you won’t have fun.”
Why Does Your Weight Matter When Skateboarding?
Your weight affects your skating performance, speed on the slope or when, how you land different flip tricks, or how hard you tumble over.
If you’re a little bit on the more rotund side, you will roll at a higher pace on downhill roadways for gravity reasons that may lead you to more injuries and falls.
You will land quicker and much harder on your board when you try out the tricks which may cause your deck to snap off.
The bright side is that a few hours of regular skateboarding will certainly help you drop some weight.
Weight Limits for Different Types of Skateboard
Not just the load of the rider, but the size and material of the deck, the truck, and the wheels will matter too when considering how much weight a skateboard may hold.
- Skateboards
On average, 28 to 33-inch skateboards can hold about up to 220 lbs of weight.
- Longboards
32 to 58-inch longboards usually hold between 260 to 300 lbs.
- Penny Boards
22 to 27- inch regular penny boards only hold up to 180 lbs.
- Electric Skateboards
The 32 to 38-inch electric skateboards hold the maximum weight; around 200 to 330 lbs.
Load-Bearing Capacity of a Skateboard Wheel
Your wheels’ quality heavily influences your riding process. You may want to buy them based on their size and stiffness to match your weight and desired riding style.
Research done at Stanford University by Priyanka Muhunthan has confirmed that a skateboard will fail to support over 220 lbs.
Even most manufacturers don’t endorse people more than 220 pounds to skate or perform stunts with 28”-33” boards since the wheels and trucks of the regular-size skateboards are principally made for stunts.
A longboard would prove to be a clever choice for heavyweight individuals for long rides and to avoid serious injuries.
Factors that Affect the Weight Capacity
- Deck size
Most skateboards are between 7 to 10 inches in width. Smaller and thinner boards go excellent for shorter and skinnier skaters, while the larger ones support heavier and taller riders the best.
The width of the deck holds maximum significance as you select a board for better weight-support and increased stability. The heavier skaters predominantly prefer 8.25 to 8.6-inch decks for an even distribution of weight on the go.
The only downside with the wider decks is that they are far from ideal when it comes to performing technical moves.
- Construction material
The materials your board is built with play a key role in dealing with the weight capacity. 7-ply Canadian elastic maple wood is the most common type of source material for regular skateboards.
Stronger decks are manufactured using sturdy constituents such as fiberglass and carbon fiber.
Classic wooden boards can only hold up to 220 lbs with no trouble and they’re more brittle compared to carbon fiber decks that are lightweight, heavy-duty, and capable carriers.
- Trucks
The trucks underneath will determine the overall durability, load capacity, and performance of your board.
It’s no surprise that 356.0 T6 aluminum is used in some of the rares and sturdiest skateboards that carry around 250 pounds.
Pro tip: When you land, aim to put all your weight right on the truck area to attain the utmost balance.
- Your skill
Your skill level most certainly comes into play in skateboard weight capacity. Weight becomes a less important issue when you love skating so much.
The more you practice, the more you gain control over your board. Explicitly, in the start, it can be a little physically difficult and mentally discouraging to get a balance on the board.
But as you keep going, you soon figure out what works best for you.
Then you start progressing, and that’s when skateboarding becomes insanely awesome!
FAQs
1. Who is the heaviest pro skateboarder?
Ans: Big Ben Schroeder, Sean Sheffey, and Stu Graham come to mind when we talk about the world’s top heavyweight skateboarders. Big Ben Schroeder is a staggering 6.6 feet tall and weighs about 230 pounds.
2. Why Are Most Skateboarders Skinny?
Ans: Skinny teens are instinctively more active and prone to such sports. A skinnier physique gets an extra edge in skating because of the sharp movement, nimbleness, and flexibility. Skating is an extreme amusement that profits a lean body since it includes forwarding your body weight by kicking with one leg.
3. How much weight can a maple wood deck hold?
Ans: A well-constructed maple wood deck may have the capacity to hold up to 220 pounds of weight, but it will still crack upon an incorrect landing.
4. What age is good to start skateboarding?
Ans: Between 5-10 years is a good stage of a human body to start skating. Before a child reaches 5 years of age, they won’t be able to balance themselves on the board.
5. Does skateboarding build abs?
Ans: Yes! As a rigorous cardio, skateboarding helps develop muscles in vital areas such as hamstrings, lower back, quads, glutes, and abs.
6. Can you lose weight skateboarding?
Ans: Yes, skating works as a great form of cardio, burns the fat cells, and lets you sweat them out. Also, the sport increases your body balance and is a great way to stay in shape.
7. What is the official weight limit for skateboarding?
Ans: The official weight limit for skateboarding is yet an ambiguous matter. Features, building materials, and even the skater’s skill level directly impacts the amount of weight a particular skateboard will hold before it is snapped off.
8. What is the maximum weight limit of the most durable skateboard trucks?
Ans: 250 pounds is the maximum weight limit these days for some of the top durable trucks in the skateboard industry.
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