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The Complete Guide to Skateboard Completes
Aug 2025 by Harry Stephens

Decks. Trucks. Bolts. Bearings. Risers. Rails. It can all get a bit confusing, can’t it? This is especially true when you’re just starting out on your skateboarding journey.

The world of skateboarding and its hardware can be a tricky one to navigate for beginners, with hundreds of terms, tricks, parts and brands to learn. Sometimes it’s best to just strip it back to basics, and this is exactly what a complete skateboard aims to do.

In this short guide, we’ll give you a thorough overview of complete skateboards, including what to think about when you are purchasing a complete skateboard, what to avoid, and, when the time comes, how to upgrade your setup.

Table Of Contents

  1. What is a complete skateboard?
  2. Benefits of Skateboard Completes
  3. What size complete should I buy?
  4. What brand complete should I buy?
  5. What should I avoid when buying a complete skateboard?
  6. Ready to make the next step?
  7. Final Tips

What is a complete skateboard?

A complete skateboard is exactly what it sounds like. A fully set up skateboard with all the parts required, ready for you to skate. This differs from a custom set-up, where you pick your individual parts depending on preferences you have picked up during your time skating. Basically, a complete skateboard removes all the fuss and gives you a pre-assembled board which is ready to hit the streets or skatepark straight out of the box. The following parts make up a skateboard:

  • Deck: The wooden board itself, measured in width in inches.
  • Trucks: Metal components attaching wheels to the deck. These allow riders to turn.
  • Wheels: Come in various sizes and hardness levels.
  • Bearings: Located inside wheels, allowing smooth spinning.
  • Grip Tape: The adhesive, gritty surface on the deck for foot grip.
  • Hardware: Screws and nuts that secure trucks to the deck. Available in either Phillips Head or Allen Key heads for tightening.

Benefits of Skateboard Completes

There are many reasons as to why a complete skateboard might be better suited to some over a custom setup. We’ve listed some of the things that might make a complete skateboard the choice for you.

  • Convenience: Ready-to-ride without the hassle of assembly.
  • Cost-Efficient: Usually cheaper than purchasing parts separately.
  • Ideal for Beginners: Pre-selected parts ensure compatibility and balanced performance.

What size complete should I buy?

One of the toughest things to decide on when purchasing a complete skateboard is what size to buy. Complete skateboards are measured by the width of the deck, in inches. One of the bonuses of buying a complete skateboard is that all other parts of the board will, by default, fit this deck size, meaning you don’t need to worry about all of that. There are other measurements that you can consider on a deck, namely length and wheelbase, but width is the key one to focus on.

So what width skateboard should you buy if you are after your first board? Okay, there is no hard and fast rule to answer this question, just general guides which generally relate to a skater’s height, shoe size and skating style. Generally, if you are over 5’, a full-size board (as opposed to a kids/junior size board) will be perfect. When you are a little more experienced, you will learn what your preferences are, but for now let’s keep it simple. The most common range of board size is anywhere from 7.75” wide to 8.5” wide. Here is what the sizes are best for:

  • 7.5" - 7.75": Ideal for younger skaters or technical street skating.
  • 7.75" - 8.25": Most common, versatile for street and park skating.
  • 8.25"+: Best for ramps, bowls, and larger riders.

For skaters under the 9 or 10-years old mark or those of shorter height (think 5ft and below), we would recommend a Kids Skateboard. Kids skateboards are made proportionally smaller, especially in the length of the board, making them easier for smaller and younger skaters to control. Generally, these shorter boards come from brands such as Tricks and Tony Hawk which are designed specifically for younger skaters who are just starting out. Some boards also come with rubber and cork tops to give extra protection against falls and scrapes, designed specifically for very young skaters.

What brand complete should I buy?

At Route One, we have done the hard work for you and separated our complete skateboards into different categories to help you find the ideal complete skateboard for you. Whilst all the brands we stock at Route One will be suitable for any beginner skater, some brands focus on certain things for a more bespoke experience. For example, Tricks focus on providing boards ideal for kids, offering cork and rubber tops, for example. Tony Hawk boards come in shorter, making them easier to control.

  • Beginner: Our beginner skateboard completes are ideal for those who are just starting out on their skateboarding journey or someone wanting to get back on board for the first time in a while. All the boards in this category are full-sized, meaning they are ideal for older children and adults. If you are shopping for a younger child on the smaller size, you may want to check out our Kids Completes. The wider end of these boards will also be perfect for those who are looking for a board ideal for street/technical skateboarding.
  • Premium: Our Premium Complete Skateboards are ideal for those who already have some experience of skateboarding and are looking for an upgrade on their current setup, but also perfect for beginners, as the important thing with skateboarding is to just get rolling. All the boards in this category are full-sized, meaning they are perfect for older children and adults. But what makes these boards premium? Often, this just comes down to higher quality trucks, wheels, and hardware sat underneath the deck that have been refined for more precise skateboarding.
  • Kids: Our Kids Complete Skateboards are made proportionally smaller, especially in the length of the board, making them easier for smaller and younger skaters to control. Generally, these shorter boards come from brands such as Tricks and Tony Hawk which are designed specifically for younger skaters who are just starting out. Some boards also come with rubber and cork tops to give extra protection against falls and scrapes, designed for very young skaters.

What should I avoid when buying a complete skateboard?

If you want the best start possible to your skateboarding journey, here are a few things that we would advise you to avoid when picking a skateboard complete.

  • Low-Quality Components: Avoid overly cheap skateboards with poor-quality parts that can break easily and cause accidents. These are usually found at supermarkets or sports stores. Fortunately, you won’t need to worry about this at Route One.
  • Incorrect Sizing: Don't buy a skateboard that's the wrong size for your style or body type, as it negatively impacts performance and can limit progress.
  • Non-Specialised Boards: Steer clear of generic, mass-produced skateboards from non-skateboard brands. Again, usually found at supermarkets, toy stores and sports shops.
  • Plastic Boards: This one should be obvious, but skateboards shouldn’t feature any plastic, aside from urethane wheels (the specific plastic used in skateboard wheels). Decks should be made out of wood and trucks out of metal.

Ready to make the next step?

So you have been skating your first complete for a while and know that skateboarding is for you. What next? Well you have a few options. You can of course opt for a new complete, choosing a more premium setup with higher quality parts.

  • Higher-quality bearings: Improve speed and smoothness.
  • Custom wheels: Adjust to your skating style and terrain. Often made from higher quality urethane formulas than found on completes.
  • Custom trucks: Improve turning, stability, and responsiveness.

Final Tips

  • Identify your requirements and skating ability before purchasing your skateboard complete.
  • Choose reputable brands to ensure quality and reliability.
  • Regularly check and maintain your skateboard components to keep them in optimal condition.
  • Upgrade strategically, focusing on components that will most noticeably enhance your performance and progress. Skateboard parts can be expensive but will often last you years of skating (especially trucks and wheels), so it’s important to do your research and find out which parts are best for you!
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