When buying a longboard, you’ll want to think about the material of the deck. Generally, longboards and skateboard decks can be made from one of three different materials: maple, bamboo or plastic. Maple is the most common, bamboo is becoming increasingly popular, and you’ll find some boards that are made from acrylic or other types of plastic.
Each of these materials has their benefits in terms of performance and durability, and some of these will lend themselves better to different types of skating. So, what are the benefits of bamboo construction and why would you buy one over a classic maple or a durable plastic deck?
Bamboo is more environmentally friendly
For starters, bamboo longboards are much more environmentally friendly than plastic decks for obvious reasons, but also more sustainable than maple decks. This is because of the growing times of the trees used to make them. Whilst a shoot of bamboo can grow to a mature height in five years, it would take a maple tree 30-40 years to reach maturity.
Furthermore, bamboo can continue to grow after it’s been cut, where maple trees will often die and have to be replanted. Bamboo also requires a lot less maintenance to grow.
The combination of these factors makes the production of bamboo longboards much more sustainable.
Bamboo longboards are more flexible
If you’re looking for a flexible deck and all the benefits that come with them, a bamboo skateboard is the way to go. If you think about handling a shoot of bamboo and the difference between that and a thick maple tree, it’s easy to understand why a bamboo longboard deck would have much more flex.
The added flex of a bamboo deck compared to a maple board is due to the compressive and tensile strength of the material, as well as its construction.
Here at Two Bare Feet, our extensive bamboo longboard range features decks designed with different levels of flex, so you can find one just right for you and the type of skating you want to do.
What are flexible longboards good for?
So why would you want all that extra flex on offer in a bamboo longboard deck? A lot of skaters prefer extra flex in a board as it can provide a much smoother ride. A skateboard’s construction is quite rigid, but a flexible deck can act similarly to suspension on a bike.
The board can flex over bumps and imperfections on the surface you are riding on to help you smooth your ride out. This is great for commuting where you may be riding on uneven pavements or roads. It can also be a big benefit for carving and longboard dancing as you can really compress the deck as you shift your weight and walk up and down it. This means you can more easily generate and maintain speed without pushing.
One downside of the extra flex is that you may lose a little stability at high speeds. Bamboo isn’t always a popular choice for freeriders and downhill skaters as they are often looking for board with maximum stability and control. Again, this is why we have designed our boards with different levels of flex for different disciplines. You’ll find that most our freeride longboards have medium flex to provide that extra stability when going fast downhill.
Bamboo skateboards are lightweight
Again, thinking about the differences between a bamboo plant and a giant maple tree, it seems obvious that a bamboo board would be much lighter than a maple skateboard. This lack of weight means you’ll find your board much easier to transport if your carrying it on your skateboard rucksack or even just under your arm.
When it comes to actually skating, a lighter board will make tricks easier to perform, especially if you’re popping ollies and attempting flip tricks such as shuv-its. You may also notice that your board is more agile as it will require less force and transfer of your bodyweight to turn and carve. The benefits of a lightweight board are great for all types of skating.
Which skateboard material is the most durable?
In terms of durability there is minimal difference between bamboo and maple longboard decks. Some skaters will tell you one will last longer than the other, and vice versa. This is because different trees and different construction processes all contribute to durability so it really comes down to making sure you buy a quality product from a trustworthy and experienced manufacturer.
We hope that answers all of your questions about bamboo longboards but if there’s anything else you need to know, please contact us and one our experts can point you in the right direction. You may also find the skateboard category on our blog useful for any other queries about choosing a board and other components or maintenance guides.
