Custom Skateboard Vs Complete Skateboard: Which One is For You?

The beginning stages of a new hobby are exciting. There are often many different choices to make, however, and wary beginners won’t always know what the best course of action is. After all, something that works now may not be the best in the near-future. This is also true of buying your first "real" skateboard, it can be tempting to purchase one of the first real complete boards you see, but think long and hard--after all this is a board that you'll be proud to beat up and learn on.

At Groundswell Surf Shop, our boards and accessories that we carry are of the highest quality from some of the top brands in skating, so you really can’t go wrong!

However, let’s lay it out simply so that you can hopefully make an informed choice on whether you should get a custom skateboard or just purchase a complete board.

Benefits of Buying a Complete Skateboard

This is the most common option. The vast majority of skateboards purchased are “completes”. Heck, for many people who are just getting into skateboarding it may not even be a thought to get anything otherwise.

That’s the beauty of complete boards. There’s the product, it looks like this, it rides like this, and when you purchase it you know exactly what you bought. People like convenience, and having a finished product from the get-go is alluring—especially for those purchasing longboards that they want to use to maybe get around town or their school’s campus.

Those are where the benefits stop, however. Let’s take a look at why you might want to build your skateboard piece by piece instead.

Benefits of Getting a Custom Skateboard

First of all, it’s custom, and doesn’t that just sound awesome every time? It’s custom. Having custom anything is often a sign that you really are invested into what you’re doing.

Custom skateboards have one major advantage over buying prebuilt boards. You get to truly own that board. The deck, bearings, wheels, trucks, everything is tailored to what you want. There are many fine complete skateboards out there, but how much searching do you have to do until you find one where you enjoy every aspect of it? It’s much easier to build the board of your dreams than find it in the wild.

Even with the internet and being able to search far and wide, you’ll still likely have an easier time assembling a board you love right down to the small details than hoping to find it in a shop.

Lastly, barring appearance, you can also customize the board to your personal skating style and needs. Consider just how much variety there is in choosing skateboard wheels and you’ll see how much you can make the board fit your lifestyle when you go custom. If you’re the type of spend a majority of the time skating at a skate park, then hard wheels are something you’re going to want.

So Which One Do I Pick?

If you’re looking for something easy to snap up where nothing could go wrong, pick up a complete skateboard. There are many historic brands in the skate world that have been making boards for over 20 years, and so there’s plenty of high quality options out there.

If you want something totally tailor made to your style, a custom skateboard might be the best solution for you. Remember: it’s not just about looks, what trucks, wheels, and bearings you choose. Even the deck of a skateboard can vary depending on what characteristics you want out of it. Some people like boards that are rigid, while others prefer a bit of pliability. It all depends, and with a custom board you get to choose.

Looking for a quality skate shop in Jupiter FL? Stop by Ground Swell Surf Shop for the best