Best Longboard Wheels: The Real Guide to Smooth Rides 🚀

Looking for the best longboard wheels? Let’s be honest—if your longboard feels more like a jackhammer than a smooth cruise, your wheels are betraying you. Wheels are everything. They decide whether you glide like butter or rattle like an old shopping cart. They’re the difference between bombing a hill with confidence or eating pavement because a tiny crack threw you off.

This isn’t just another boring “ultimate guide.” It’s the no-BS version of what wheels actually do, how to choose them, and which ones are worth your money in 2025.

What Are Longboard Wheels (and why should you care)?

They’re made of polyurethane (fancy plastic, basically) and built to give you grip, comfort, and speed. Bigger and softer than skateboard wheels—because unlike skaters doing kickflips, you’re not here to impress teenagers at the park. You’re here to roll, carve, and fly down hills.

Skateboard wheels: small, hard, made for tricks.
Longboard wheels: bigger, softer, made for cruising, carving, and downhill madness.

Think of the difference as roller skates vs monster truck tires. Both roll. Only one crushes rocks for breakfast.

The Specs That Actually Matter

Forget the marketing hype. These are the only things you need to know before you buy:

Wheel Size (Diameter)

• 60–66mm: Fast starts, easy slides, not built for speed. (Great for dancing/freestyle).
• 70–75mm: The sweet spot—cruising, carving, all-around good vibes.
• 76–85mm+: Grip monsters. Perfect for downhill and bad roads.

👉 Rule of thumb: bigger = smoother and faster… until you get wheelbite (when the wheel kisses your deck mid-turn and throws you off).

Durometer (Hardness)

• 75a–78a (soft): Smooth, grippy, perfect for cruising.
• 80a–85a (medium): Versatile, freeride-friendly.
• 86a+ (hard): Slides easy, less grip, more technical.

Shape & Lips

• Square lips: Lock into the road. Great for downhill.
• Round lips: Easier to slide. More playful.

Contact Patch (Width)

• Wide: Stable, grippy.
• Narrow: Faster slides, less resistance.

Core Placement

• Centerset: Even wear, symmetrical slides.
• Offset: Balance between grip and slide.
• Sideset: Easy to slide, but wears fast.

Types of best longboard wheels (Pick Your Flavor)

• Cruising/Carving: Softer, mid-size, square lips. (Orangatang Love Handles).
• Downhill: Big, sticky, square lips. (Seismic Speed Vents).
• Freeride: Medium size, harder, round lips. (Powell Peralta Snakes).
• Dancing/Freestyle: Small, light, round lips. (Orangatang Fat Free).
• Off-Road: Huge with tread. (Cloud Ride Stormchasers).

Best Longboard Wheels in 2025

Here’s the short list—the winners:

🏆 Best Overall: Orangatang Kegel (80mm, 80a)

• Smooth, fast, grippy.
• Downside: they cost a kidney.

💸 Best Budget: Cloud Ride Cruiser 69mm

• Cheap, smooth.
• Downside: won’t last forever.

🌆 Best for Cruising: Orangatang Love Handles (65mm)

• Eats cracks alive. Small enough for most decks.

⛰ Best for Downhill: Seismic Speed Vents (85mm)

• Grip monsters. Insane speed.

🌀 Best for Freeride: Powell Peralta Snakes (66mm, 75a–82a)

• Slide like butter, last forever.

🎯 Best for Beginners: Sector 9 Butterballs (70mm, 80a)

• Easy to control, fun to learn sliding.

🔥 Most Innovative: Shark Wheels

• Wavy design. Good on rough terrain. Weird but cool.

How to Choose (Quick Cheat Sheet)

• Cruising/commuting: 70mm, 78a.
• Downhill: 75–85mm, 77a–80a.
• Freeride: 70mm, 80a–84a.
• Dancing: 65–70mm, light.
• Off-road: 80mm+, chunky tread.

Rookie Mistakes to Avoid

• Going too big → wheelbite.
• Ignoring durometer → hard wheels on rough streets = misery.
• Buying cheap plastic → don’t. Just don’t.
• Not matching wheels with deck/trucks → balance matters.

Pro Tips to Get the Most Out of Your best longboard wheels

• Break them in. New wheels feel stiff at first.
• Rotate them. Keeps wear even.
• Clean your bearings. Dirty bearings make even the best wheels feel like trash.

Longboard vs Skateboard Wheels

• Size: Longboard 60–100mm vs Skateboard 48–60mm.
• Hardness: Longboard wheels = softer.
• Purpose: Skate tricks vs longboard speed and comfort.

FAQs

Best wheels for beginners? 70mm, 78a–80a.
Do soft wheels wear faster? Yep. But they’re smoother.
Can I put longboard wheels on a skateboard? Only if you add risers (or you’ll discover wheelbite the hard way).
Best durometer for cruising? 78a–80a.
How do I avoid wheelbite? Riser pads, smaller wheels, or a board with cutouts.
Are Shark Wheels worth it? Fun gimmick. Not essential.

Final Word

Stop hunting for the “perfect” wheels. They don’t exist. What matters is finding the right set for how you actually ride.

Cruising mellow streets? Get soft mids.
Flying downhill at 60km/h? Big grippy monsters.
Dancing on your deck? Smaller, lighter wheels.

Pick your style, grab the wheels, and ride. The pavement isn’t waiting for you.

👉 Want more? Check out the other guides on Longboard Bible: Best Longboard Decks for Beginners and How to Choose the Right Trucks.