With stunts and equipment drastically different from the classic boards, the longboard skateboard developed a subculture within the skating community. A longboard cruiser is perfect for anyone that wants to descend hills or pull off slides and carves. The feel of the ride is much close to that of ripping through a wave barrel, and it might bring back memories of the old term used for skateboarding - sidewalk surfing.

While some people might just enjoy the fact that a cruiser provides a smooth ride, many people like to take things a little bit more seriously. Longboards are often used for transportation because of the easier ride. It wasn’t uncommon to see some stuffy middle-age types pick up a cruiser during a particular New York City transit strike and ride it to work! Using these to get around is a great way to get out of the car and experience the streets in a whole new perspective.

There are many skaters that want something in between the two extremes, and there are plenty of options for them. Instead of a flat out cruiser, they might go for a hybrid board that includes wheel cutouts. These longboard skateboards are shorter than most longboard cruzer designs, so they can allow a rider to do some of the same tricks as on a standard board. The cutouts allow the wheels to turn at a sharper angle, without experiencing bad wheel bite. However, they still have some of the advantages that come with regular longboards. Beginners might want to watch out for shoe bite when they first switch to a hybrid ride.

Beginner longboarders should probably check out pintails. This class of board is perfect for those that are just starting out. The teardrop bodies have a pretty flat deck, and the pintail shape prevents the wheels from coming into any contact with the board. Despite the fact that it avoids this pitfall, pintails still provide plenty of space to plant your feet.