Which longboard is right for you?
Buying a longboard doesn't start with the brand or the price, but with the way you want to ride. Do you want to carve tight lines, dance smoothly, cruise the city or bomb hills? Each riding style calls for a different length, wheelbase and mount. Below we explain the four longboard disciplines and match each one to the Hammond longboard built for it.
Buying a longboard starts with your riding style
All four Hammond models share the same foundation: 8 plies of Canadian maple, custom 70mm Surf Highway urethane wheels and Abec-5 bearings. The difference lies in length, wheelbase, concave and truck mount — and that is exactly what decides whether a board excels at carving, dancing, cruising or freeride. Once you know your style, you know which longboard you need.
Carving
Carving is surfing on dry land: you build speed by steering smoothly from side to side without pushing. For this you want a board with enough length for stability and enough stiffness to load up the turns. Top-mount trucks add turning power, making every turn feel like a snowboard carve.
Best choice for carving: the Piper 40 (top-mount, 40") and the B-40 (40", extra stable). →
Dancing
Longboard dancing is all about stepping, cross-stepping and spinning on the deck while you ride. That calls for a long, wide and stable board with a generous wheelbase, so it stays calm and predictable underfoot at low speed. The longer the wheelbase, the more room you have to move.
Best choice for dancing: the B-40, with the longest wheelbase (33¼") in the collection. →
Cruising
Cruising is relaxed riding through the city or along the boulevard — commuting, a lap by the water, a quick ride to a friend. Comfort and agility matter most here. Soft 70mm wheels and a drop-through mount keep the centre of gravity low, so you stay easily balanced. A more compact deck is also lighter to carry and store.
Best choice for cruising: the B-35 (35", light and compact) — though every Hammond board cruises comfortably. →
Freeride & freestyle
Freeride and freestyle are about slopes, slides and tricks: manuals, nose-manuals, shovits, 360° spins and kickflips. For that you want a hybrid deck with a lifted nose and tail, enough flex for pop and enough stiffness to land stable. A drop-through mount keeps it all low and forgiving.
Best choice for freeride & freestyle: the Ding Dong, built as a hybrid freestyle deck. →
What size longboard do I need?
For cruising and commuting a longboard of 38 to 40 inches rides best — long enough for stability, short enough to stay agile. If you want to dance, pick the longest deck with the widest wheelbase (the B-40 at 40"). If you want something compact and light to take everywhere, the 35-inch B-35 is ideal. The 8¾ to 9 inch width and soft concave make every Hammond deck comfortable for any foot size.
Which longboard is right for beginners?
If you're just starting out, choose a stable, complete longboard with a drop-through mount — it keeps the centre of gravity low and is forgiving while you work on your balance. The B-35 and B-40 are popular entry-level boards for carving and cruising, and because they're complete boards you don't have to assemble anything: you just step on.
Frequently asked questions about choosing a longboard
Which longboard is best for carving?
For carving you want length and stiffness so you can load up the turns. The Hammond Piper 40 with top-mount trucks gives the most turning power and makes carving feel like snowboarding; the B-40 is an extra-stable alternative at the same 40-inch length.
Which longboard is best for dancing?
For longboard dancing you choose the longest, most stable deck with the widest wheelbase. Within the Hammond collection that is the B-40, with a 33¼-inch wheelbase — plenty of room for cross-steps and spins.
What is the difference between carving, cruising and freeride?
Carving is steering smoothly from side to side to build speed, like surfing on dry land. Cruising is relaxed riding from A to B. Freeride is about slopes, slides and tricks. Many longboards can do all three, but a board is always slightly better at one thanks to its length, wheelbase and mount.
Which longboard is right for beginners?
A stable, complete longboard with a drop-through mount is the most forgiving for beginners. The Hammond B-35 and B-40 are popular entry-level longboards for carving and cruising — ready to ride, so you don't have to assemble anything yourself.
What size longboard should I choose?
For cruising and commuting 38 to 40 inches works best. For dancing pick the longest deck (40 inch, B-40). If you want something compact and light, the 35-inch B-35 is ideal. All Hammond decks are 8¾ to 9 inches wide and comfortable for any foot size.
Ready to choose?
Browse the full collection and compare the four models side by side. Still unsure? Drop us a line — we ride the boards ourselves.
View all longboards →