Is 8 Inch Skateboard Deck Good for Skating?

An 8-inch skateboard deck means the skate deck, where the rider stands, is 8 inches wide. If you have some prior knowledge of skateboarding, you might know that there are two basic types of skateboarding. They are “Street” and “Transition.” A skateboard with an 8-inch deck kind of falls right in the middle of the size requirement for these two categories.

Is 8.0 Inches a Good Skateboard Size?

The answer to this question depends on different variables that come into play. Based on your experience level, age, height, or even shoe size can be a factor in determining if 8.0 size is good for you. Let’s talk about four key factors here and see if the 8.0 skateboard size is good for you or not.

First comes the riding style. If you are into transition skating, you are more likely to need a wider deck. Now, the size 8.0 falls neither into the wider class nor into, the narrower category. So, it’s a pretty balanced size for every riding style out there.

Next up is your height and weight. This one is pretty straightforward. If you are short and weigh less, choose a narrower board. On the other hand, you can go with a wider full-sized 8.0 board if you are tall.

The last factor to consider is the shoe size. Simple yet quite significant for a comfortable skating experience. Whichever riding style you have, getting a good grip is the key to all the tricks you are intended to do with your skateboard. Choose a size that’s not too narrow or wide for your feet. If the size 8.0 can accommodate your feet, then it’s a good size for you.

Is an 8-inch Skateboard Too Big for Kids?

This is another subjective question that can’t be answered with a simple yes or no. We need to dig a little deeper to determine if an 8-inch skateboard is too big or too small for your kid. Ideally speaking, the category “Kids” actually covers quite a wide age range.

From the age of 5 to 13 or over, kids can also have different heights and growth rates. However, skateboarding professionals and doctors don’t recommend kids under the age of 5 for skateboarding, so we consider the age of 5 as a starting point.

Now, an 8-inch skateboard is regarded as a full-sized one and used by bigger and taller skateboarders. So our recommendation would be if your kid is around 10-12 years old, it’s time he can comfortably ride an 8-inch skateboard.

Below 10, it’s probably not a good idea to let your kid skate with an 8-inch skateboard, as it can prove to be too big and therefore hard to control for him. But, of course, there are exceptions, and you might see younger kids rocking an 8-inch skateboard. But if you are getting one for your kid, make sure he’ll be able to handle it.

For Which Type of Skateboarding 8 inches Is Suitable?

As we mentioned before, there are two types of skateboarding out there: the transition and the other in the street. Remember, the type of skateboarding is not the sole determinator to picking the correct board size for you; it’s just a part of the whole equation.

So, if we try to find out which type is best suited for 8-inch skateboards, first, we need to know the size range for both types. A wider deck is usually required for transition skating (like vert, pools, and parks) because of the high speed and quick transitions. So, 8-8.5″ is considered the ideal starting point for skateboarding.

On the other hand, street skating (like ramps, benches, stairs, and ledges) calls for lightweight and easier to maneuver, for which narrower boards are perfect. So, the ideal range of street skating is around 7 to 8″ inches.

From the comparison, we can see 8-inch skateboards are the sweet spot for both skating styles. If you are trying to cover both with one average-sized skateboard, 8 inches is the perfect size for you.

Enjoi Complete 8-inch Skateboard

Enjoi has been one of the leading manufacturers in the skateboarding scene since 2000. If you have some prior knowledge about skateboarding, you have seen or heard about this iconic brand with its panda logo dominating the market with high-quality skateboard parts.

However, apart from the skateboard parts, many people don’t know about their huge collections of complete skateboards with modern designs and stylish looks. In this product review section, we will discuss one of their complete skateboards with the best 8-inch skateboard deck.

First, let’s talk about the size, design, and build quality. To put it simply, this 8-inch skateboard is comfortable for beginners, but at the same time, perfect for doing tricks too. This Enjoi board is 31.6 inches long and 8 inches wide.

Because of the size, it can cover different riding styles simultaneously, which is a big plus of this complete skateboard. After riding this board, we must admire the high-quality construction of the board too. The deck is made of 7-ply maple wood, which will provide you with enough durability to withstand any skateboarding and surface.

Unless you are super heavy or tall, this skateboard’s max weight capacity of 198 lbs. with a concave design should serve you for a long time. With a variety of attractive designs and colors to choose from, this skateboard is also an excellent option for people prioritizing the look of the skateboard.

Apart from the deck and design, Enjoi also sourced some quality parts reasonably priced for this skateboard. With this complete skateboard, you get ABEC 7 bearings and 52 mm PU injected wheels. Combining these two, this complete skateboard gives you a smooth, fast, and responsive skating experience.

Overall, with all the good qualities, this 8-inch complete skateboard stands out from the rest of the complete boards at the same price range. Even after being a complete skateboard, the wheel and bearing quality are way better and impressive than another cheap 8-inch skateboard. If you want to cover a lot of ground with one skateboard, this is the board to go for.

Can I do tricks with an 8-inch Skateboard?

Doing tricks is an integral part of skateboarding, and everyone, whether just beginning or thinking about getting into skateboarding, dreams about doing tricks on their boards. Assuming you want to learn tricks, too, choosing the right skateboard is an important part of the process.

Before answering this question, we need to take into account the different characteristics of the skateboard. Judging only the width of the deck may not draw the complete picture here, though the width is an important characteristic for a board capable of doing tricks.

To do tricks, what you need is the perfect balance between response and stability. Other characteristics might change with board width, but stability and response are the two core characteristics affecting the skateboard most.

If we try to answer this width-wise, then YES, an 8-inch board can be a good starting point for transition or street skating tricks. Later, when you get a good grip on the skateboard and decide which type of skating you want to focus on, you can get a board with a wider or narrower deck.

Comparing 8-inch and 7.5-inch Skateboard

7.5 and 8-inch skateboard decks are the two most common deck sizes out there. Because of how common they are, you might have seen people arguing over which size is the perfect one.

If you are new to skateboarding, you might think about what difference a half-inch of width can make. Well, skateboarding, can be pretty significant depending on individuals.

Before we compare these two skateboard sizes, we want to say that this something totally subjective, opinion-related, and depends on personal preference. So keeping an open mind can be helpful to choose between these sizes. So now, let’s go straight to the comparison.

• In general, if you are short and lean, controlling a wider deck like 8 inches can be a little hard for you as they need more power to maneuver or perform simple tricks like a kickflip or double flip. On the other hand, a narrower deck like 7.5 is easy to control.
• This is quite a simple point to understand. As a wider board, 8-inch decks are easier to land on after flips or any other tricks, which is tough with 7.5-inch boards. You literally have to land perfect, or else you might end up falling unless you are someone too expert.
• Talking about the flips themselves or other tricks, smaller boards like 7.5 inches are much quicker to flip, so if you can manage the landing part, 7.5 boards are great for quick tricks. As 8-inch boards are wider and heavier, you might not have enough time before landing after you do the trick.
• Wider boards like 8-inch ones are more compatible with different terrains; whether it’s small stairs or big ramps and bowls’ you get to land easily with all of these. However, for smaller boards like the 7.5-inch, it’s a little crazy and needs a whole lot of expertise to land on big ramps and bowls after big transitions.
• If you are a beginner, 7.5-inch boards are definitely not recommended for you because of the points mentioned above. As you’ll have more area to stabilize and balance, get an 8-inch skateboard.

So....

Technically, width is one of the key characteristics that separate one skateboard from another. So, before purchasing a skateboard, we need to fixate on the size depending on what we intend to do with the skateboard. 8-inch skateboards are one of the most popular sizes around the world.

As a size not too narrow or wide, it can cover different categories simultaneously. That’s why it’s the perfect size for average recreational skaters. After reading our article, we hope you better understand different deck sizes, riding styles, and answers to various questions you might have about an 8-inch skateboard.