Longboard (skateboard)

A longboard is a type of skateboard typified by longer decks and wheelbases, larger-diameter and softer (lower-durometer) wheels, and often lower riding height compared to street skateboards, though there is wide variation in the geometry and construction of longboards. Among the earliest types of skateboards, longboards were inspired by surfing, with early longboards drawing from the design of surfboards, resembling and mimicking the motion of riding a surfboard, but adapted to riding on streets in a practice known as sidewalk surfing.

Available in a wide variety of shapes, longboards are typically designed and optimized for cruising (covering distances at moderate speeds), commuting (as a practical means of personal transport), and downhill (racing). The act of riding on a longboard in general is known as longboarding, which can also include more specialized forms such as longboard dancing, which involves stepping up and down a board and other movements and motions performed on the board while riding, and freestyle, which can encompass trick skating and executing tricks often associated with street skateboards.