+ Deck Shape Guide

Skateboards and the technology behind them have undergone a steady evolution over skateboarding's brief history. Skateboard deck shapes are by far the most immediately noticeable due to being the main focal point of skateboarding. Early skateboard decks were little more than 2x4 pieces of wood. This evolved into more surfboard-esque shapes as homage to skateboarding's roots more than being in any way more functional. From there, it was discovered that by adding a kicktail, a rider gained better leverage and control. Early kicktails were simply additional slanted pieces of wood attached directly to the deck; the kicktail was not "shaped" into the deck itself. From there, kicktails evolved to be an integrated part of the deck construction itself. During the entire 1980's, the evolution exploded across the board (no pun intended). Both deck shapes as well as deck concaves began to change. Some of these changes were functional (such as shapes that made grabs for airs easier), and some were just silly explorations to push the boundaries of what had been previously done. From about the mid-1990's to more recently, the shape of a skateboard deck has become more standardized into a shape that is suitable over most any terrain (pool, street, ramps, etc.). This is today's most common "popsicle stick" shape, which at first glance, is simply an evolution of past freestyle decks made slightly longer and wider. The shape itself is the same across all companies. Only width, wheelbase, tail length, nose length and overall length will vary for the decks themselves. The following is a guide of what defines well-known deck shapes over the years. Keep in mind, several deck shapes may be combinations of several shape attributes below (for example, a "snub nose stinger").