Choosing The Right Skate Deck For You.

If you skate, or you know anyone that skates, you know that skateboard decks are the most commonly replaced portion of any skater's set up. Because they break so frequently it's very important that you know what you like in a deck so that you don't end up riding a board that doesn't feel right to you. Choosing the right board can make tricks feel better, riding easier, or even make the likelihood of landing a trick higher, so it's imperative that you figure out what you need out of a deck so that you can get the most out of each one. When a rider is comfortable with their setup they're more likely to progress because they spend less time trying to figure the board out and more time actually skating. When a board feels just right things just seem to fall into place.
The first thing that you're going to want to look at is size and shape. Most companies make shorter, skinnier decks for smaller riders. These decks are often referred to as "Mini" decks. Chances are if you're in your teen years you're ready for a larger board, but there are obvious exceptions. The major dimension that you're going to want to focus on is the width. Generally speaking the wider the board is, the longer it will be. A wider board is going to be harder to flip but will be more durable and easier to land on simply because there's more wood there. A thinner board will flip easier but is more likely to break. Lighter riders that are just starting out may want to ride a more narrow board just because it's easier to learn tricks when it isn't so difficult to flip the board.
While the size of the board is very important, it isn't the only deciding factor when selecting a deck. You must also look at the shape and decide if you're looking for a board with more or less concave, or if you want a steeper or shallower nose and tail. On top of that you've got to figure out if you want a more pointed nose or one that's more squared off. It's all a lot to absorb but if you're shopping at a core skate shop like you should be then it shouldn't be a big deal to stand on the board before you buy it. As long as you aren't trying to pop tricks on the board before you buy it the shop will usually let you stand on it and get a feel for the board. That's just one advantage of buying from a skate shop that's owned and operated by real skaters as opposed to mail ordering them or going to a corporate skate shop.
In recent years many companies have come out with specialty decks suck as the Almost Uberlight, Impact, and Double Impact, Darkstar Armorlight, and Zero, Flip, Creature, and Plan B's P2 decks. Some people prefer all wood decks, and that's perfectly fine. If you're going to buy a deck that's more than just wood, make sure you know what the deck is designed to do before you buy it. It's not fair of the consumer to buy a deck for $10 more than the price of a normal deck and then complain that it broke when the technology involved in it is supposed to make it lighter and not stronger. This is another area where shopping at a core skate shop can be helpful. Just ask someone about the boards and they can tell you exactly what they do because they've personally talked to the sales reps as well as dozens of other skaters that have come in to talk about the boards. If you try that in a mall shop they're likely to just read the packaging and promise you that it works exactly as the package says it does.
Board quality is very important as well. Some companies use cheap wood, or cheap glue, and their deck's quality suffers as a result. Your local skate shop will probably have their preferences as far as what they think is the best, but if you get a few boards from the same company and you feel like they're breaking way to easily it may be time to try a new company.
Griptape. Some of it has more grip, which may wear your shoes out faster, and some of it doesn't have very good grip at all. Some grip sticks to the board better and is less likely to peal up while you're skating. Some of it has perforations to prevent unsightly air bubbles. It really comes down to personal preference just like anything else, but if you ask to feel the griptape so you can get an idea as to how it's going to work out for you there shouldn't be an issue. If the shop has an issue with you touching something before you buy it then there's a problem and you should find a new shop immediately.
Finally there's the graphic, and a lot of skaters will say that the graphic doesn't matter at all because it's just going to get scraped off on your first boardslide, and technically they're right, but having a good graphic does have its advantages. Sure, that sweet graphic is going to be gone in a few days, but the colors are still going to be there right? Do you want to skate a board that you aren't hyped on because the colors are completely lame? Some people don't care... others do. My advice is to not worry to much about it, but if you find two boards that are similar as far as the size, shape, weight, material quality, and technology go, you should probably pick the one that you would be more stoked to skate. Sometimes having a cool looking board sitting in the corner begging to be skated is enough motivation to make you stop watching TV, pick up your board, and go enjoy a good solo session. A bad graphic isn't the end of the world by any means, but it is something to look into.