The Best Skateboard Wheels (Bought & Tested!)

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It’s been a long time coming but after a few years of testing out gear and trying new stuff, it’s time to present the best skateboard wheels for every style.

This list will grow and evolve as more wheels need testing but I’m now at a point I can get you the right wheels for cruising, street, transition, parks, or whatever floats your board.

At SkateboardersHQ we actually buy and test most of the products to give you a fair opinion. We don’t get sponsored and if we get free stuff to review, we will mention it. There’s always bias, often it comes down to personal preference but great skateboard wheels do make a difference.

I limited the choices to the absolute best wheels and divided them into different styles. I picked premium wheels but also added a couple of suggestions for those on a budget and beginners. Keep in mind that cheap wheels flat spot and wear fast!

In the long run, premium wheels are a better investment but you can always upgrade when you’re ready. Let’s kick off with street wheels.

Note: I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

Best Skateboard Wheels for Street Skating

Street skating  is the most popular style of skateboarding. Obviously there’s not one wheel that rules them all and it really depends on the surface you ride. For rough asphalt, you need softer wheels that are more forgiving and for smooth concrete, you want something hard and grippy.

Spitfire Formula Four 101A

Top of the line wheels and Spitfire offers the best quality skateboard wheels you can buy (don’t rule out Bones). Spitfire Classics are very popular wheels for street skateboarding but are expensive. In the long run, they will be cheaper as you will go through a couple of sets of mini logos sooner than one set of Spitfire wheels.

These wheels are for dedicated skateboarders who eat, sleep, and dream skateboarding. Very technical wheels and a must-have for anyone that loves gnarly street skating.

They can feel a bit slippery at first depending on the surface you skate, but they get grippy quite fast once broken in. Once you break them in, they provide enough grip to prevent you from slipping, but also deliver when it comes to slides.

And flat spots? Even doing powerslides won’t do anything, you’ll probably more likely to scrape the surface you ride than flat-spotting these wheels. The 99A Classics are more likely to flat spot if you try hard enough but they allow you to ride crusty asphalt. the 101A will be less forgiving.

For grinds get the lockin wheels, it’s has a deeper cut in the inside for longer and more stable grinds. Get the standard shaped wheels if you want more speed and agility. The radials have a thinner cut but a larger contact patch and a sidecut. Great for smooth stable grinds and more balance when riding because of the larger surface area.

Spitfire Formula Four Full Conical 99A

Another Spitfire wheel? Well yeah, these are about the best wheels you can get and they aren’t cheap, but will last longer and perform much better than budget wheels. The Spitfire F4 conicals are a bit softer compared to the 101’s mentioned above and great for street, parks, bowls, and transition skateboarding.

If you’re used to smaller wheels you might be put off by their size at first but you get used to it in no time, they are also rather yellow but that doesn’t really mean anything. They have a larger contact patch than average and offer lots of grip and stability. They can handle powerslides and you’ll have a really hard time flat spotting them.

The Spitfire Formula Four Conicals are great at locking in grinds and don’t offer much resistance when tail or nose sliding ledges. These wheels are surprisingly great for rougher asphalt despite being 99A and will still give you enough speed when riding your local park or your occasional mini ramp.

From all the wheels we tested these are a very safe choice and probably the best. They are expensive though but you’ll go through a couple of sets of Mini Logos before these babies need to be replaced.

Spitfire Formula Four Classics 99A

Compared to the Spitfire Formula Four 101A wheels, these are a bit more forgiving on asphalt. Even though they can handle slides, the slightly softer wheels are a bit more grippy so you really have to put your weight in there. A bit of wax should help you slide those ledges.

The Classics seem to wear down faster than a conical or lockin shape because of the smaller contact patch. As they go down in size the contact patch will actually grow because of its shape. This will make the wheel a bit stickier but you’ll probably won’t notice because they wear down gradually.

The Spitfires aren’t just great for street, you’ll also have a good time riding parks and bowls if you get the 54 mm wheels. I was surprised how fast they are when I skated them in my Local mini ramp, even at 52 mm you go fast and hardly have to pump.

The only downside I experienced was that it’s hard to lock them in when grinding a coping. I personally would recommend the 54 mm version if you like to skate transition and street, the smaller wheels really make it more difficult to lock-in.

Check for Amazon for availability

Bones Street Tech Formula V1 to V6

Bones are about the best wheels you can get. Bones wheels are of extreme quality and can last for years, lower quality wheels will wear, and before you know it you are down a few millimeters. Not Bones though, they don’t flat spot, offer a firm grip, and still allow you to slide.

If you try hard enough you’re able flatspot them but in general, they are pretty flat spot resistant. Hardly any wheel comes out clean when you powerslide rough or crusty spots. These wheels also perform excellent on rough asphalt and offer enough stability to pull off your flip tricks.

Overall Bones STF wheels are a great choice and worth the premium, sure you can get cheaper wheels but they don’t come even close Bones STF.

Bones STF wheels come in 6 versions and the main difference is the shape. Some shapes are great for slide tricks, others are more responsive, and some offer more balance. Let’s see what you can pick from:

• Bones STF V1 Standard: All-around wheel, great lock-in, and excellent for street skating.
• Bones STF V2 Locks: Great or sliding and grinding rails and curbs.
• Bones STF V3 Slims: Great for flipping, grinding, sliding, and popping. Safe choice if you don’t know what to pick.
• Bones STF V4 Wide: A bit like the V1 but they are wider and have a bigger contact patch. Less friction when grinding.
• Bones STF V5 Sidecut: Designed for longer and slides and grind and also perform well in bowl and vert
• Bones STF V6 Widecut: The biggest wheels that perform great on rough asphalt, the large contact patch makes the ride stable and more forgiving.

Check Amazon for current prices

Best Skateboard Wheels for Skateparks

So let’s move on to the best skatepark wheels. It’s a difficult one because skateparks often consist of both street and transition obstacles. The surface is often flat and smooth which makes the choice a bit easier. You need a wheel that’s fast, hard and offers enough grip to prevent them from sliding when you don’t expect to.

Bigger and harder wheels will make flips a bit more difficult but will perform great when riding transition. Let’s have a look at a couple of wheels and see if there is something that is more all-around.

Again, it’s Bones and Spitfire wheels that come out on top.

Bones Skatepark Formula

Bones offer the best wheels for skateparks. They offer grip on smooth surfaces like skateLite, concrete, and slick asphalt but also perform well on wood. Not only do they perform well in parks, if you skate mini ramp, bowls, or vert Bones are a great choice.

Bones are my favorite wheels, to be honest, though I do like to ride Spitfires as well. I just feel like I have more grip when riding Bones even though they slide great (they do tend to lose grip when I’m skating my local bowl). They don’t come with flat spot guarantee, but are very flat spot resistant. I haven’t been able to flat spot these even after hundreds of slides. 

Depending on your preference you can pick from the following sizes:

• 54 mm for park skaters that like to pop flips but also need the speed and stability skating transition
• 56 mm if you like to ride mini ramps/bowls or need something to lock-in your grinds

Bones also offers different shapes, just like the STF’s:

• Bones SPF P1 wheels are perfect for technical skateboarders that like to skate parks. The wheels are narrow which makes them very responsive.
• Bones SPF P2 wheels feature a wide contact patch that is perfect for bowl, mini ramp and vert skaters out there. The larger contact patch surface allows for more stability.
• Bones SPF P3 wheels are a bit wider than the P2. This allows for maximum stability (as for as wheels can provide). If you skate at high speeds and looking for something to keep you stable you could consider these wheels.
• Bones SPF P4 wheels are like the P1’s designed for technical park skaters. They also provide excellent support for bowl and vert skating so a great all-around transition wheel.
• Bones SPF P5 wheels are specifically designed for the hardcore bowl and vert skaters. Great for locking your grinds and slides.
• Bones SPF P6: Comparable to the P%’s but a slightly wider cut.

Compare prices on Amazon

Spitfire Lock-in

What’s interesting about this wheel is the asymmetrical shape. The inside will allow for better lock-ins while the outside is conical shaped.  These are very stable wheels because of the huge contact patch. This is great for beginners that need lots of stability but the trade-off is that experienced technical skaters will have a harder time flipping their boards.

Because of the flat shape on the inside, you’ll experience a bit more friction when griding rails and ledges. They are excellent carving wheels so if you like to ride bowls, this wheel is an option. There are better wheels for that though, the size, shape, and hardness will slow down your 50-50’s.

As for durability, Spitfire always offers great quality wheels and because of their size, they will last a very long time. They won’t flat spot and you can ride them for years. For those that ride skate parks with rough asphalt, this is a good choice. The size and hardness of these wheels make them very forgiving.

Best Skateboard Wheels for Transition

If you love transition skateboarding (tranny) you might want to get some wheels that fit that style. This is a tough one, in general, you want some hard and fast wheels that are grippy but still allow you to slide. You also want to pick wheels that aren’t too big or too small.

You can go for both Bones SPF and Bones STF, just make sure to make an informed decision

To be honest, this comes really close to wheels for skateparks and any I listed there are probably great for transition. Make sure you check those out but I’ll add a few more suggestions here.

For vert and bowl you want wheels that are at least 56 mm, grippy, and hard. You need speed and minimize pumping and you also don’t want to lose grip at full speed. If you only want to carve and not grind copings or pop front side ollies, you could also go with a more stable and carvy wheel.

As for mini ramp skateboarding, I personally love to ride 56 mm. I went from 54 mm to 58 mm, but now I feel like 56 mm is the best size. It just takes time and trying different wheels to learn what you like best.

Bones SPF P1

Since I already suggested these for parks I won’t take a deep dive. Bones SkatePark Formula is great for transition but size matters in this case. In my opinion, a safe choice is the SPF P1’s (narrow) at 54mm or the P5’s if you ride more transition than flat. This will allow you to do tricks on the flat and they offer a smooth ride when you run into transition obstacles.

The P1’s have the smallest contact patch with is great for tricks on the flat, fortunately, they also provide lots of grip on concrete and skatelite. They are hard and fast so you won’t have to push as much as cheaper wheels.

Bones SPF P5

I’ve been riding these for a couple of years now and I love the Bones SPF P5’s. They are fast, great for sliding, lock-in like no other and overall make you feel very comfortable on your board. I recently switched from 58 mm to 56 mm and think that size hits the sweet spot for skating ramps.

I think the Bones p5’s perform best on wider setups, you have the stability of a wider board and these wheels make it a lot easier to lock in tricks axle stalls, smith grinds, and 50-50’s.

They are fast! I really had to get used to the speed at first. I was used to pumping hard in bowls and mini ramps but I actually had to learn to slow down and stop pumping like a madman.

They are rather hard (84B) but even on asphalt, they feel reasonably comfortable riding concrete is even better. They slide like no other but somehow don’t lose grip when their not supposed to.

If you ride a lot of bowls, mini ramps, verts or just transition in general, these are your wheels!If you also like to skate street this could be a safe choice. If you want the best you can pick these or. It’s Either Bones or Spitfire Conicals, it’s up to you.

Spitfire Wheels Conical Full

Spitfire Conicals perform great on the street but also are a solid choice for transition skateboarding. I won’t go into much detail as I already cover these wheels but I thought they are worth mentioning again especially if you want a wheel that performs well under many circumstances.

Best Skateboard Wheels for Cruising (And Tricks)

I tested quite a few cruiser wheels and there are differences. From what I learned is that other than the quality of the wheel, the width of the wheel matters a lot. Huge wheels on a small popsicle don’t really skate well. Sure you get that cruising feeling but once you swap wheels around you’ll notice a big difference.

I’ll mention the wheels I like best and will also add a few suggestions for those who also like to do tricks like hopping curbs are ollie small objects. It’s kind of a trade-off though, softer and bigger wheels are bouncy so landing tricks is more of a challenge. You’ll end up with a hybrid of cruiser and trick wheels, don’t worry, there are some great wheels just for that.

Just remember that there is a big difference between hard and soft wheels. You’ll have to find wheels that can handle the terrain you personally often ride.

Fireball Tinder 60mm – 81A

Let’s kick off with the Fireball Tinder wheels, just soft enough for cruising and hard enough for a couple of basic tricks. The fiberglass core helps to prevent coning and will wear more evenly over time.

You might think 81A is perhaps a bit too hard for smooth cruising but they feel quite soft when riding on rough surfaces. They roll fast, absorb vibrations, and are great for sliding on slick surfaces. great for cruising, freeride, dancing, and a couple of tricks if you’re skilled enough. I do recommend harder wheels for tricks though.

Slides will wear down the wheels faster obviously but that goes for any soft wheel. I noticed they accelerate quickly and maintain rolling speed for quite some time. In general, there is no need to add risers but that depends on your weight and how soft your bushings are.

Pretty decent wheels for a fair price and you get a Fireball candy which my son was eyeballing. According to him, the candy was good! Available in many colors at Amazon.

• Diameter: 61mm (also available in 65 mm and 70 mm)
• Width: 44mm
• Contact Patch: 35mm
• Durometer: 81a

Ricta Clouds – Cruising and/or Tricks

Like most wheels, Ricta Clouds come in different sizes and hardness. These wheels will do fine for someone who wants to ride comfortably and still do technical tricks but they don’t excel at any.

I personally ride the 56mm/92A wheels to do a bit of both but I don’t think these are great for long-distance cruising. They do provide a smooth ride and you can pull off some kickflips, board slides, and ollies but you still have to push regularly.

Go for at least 56mm/92A if you want to ride comfortably and do tricks. Go for 58MM+ and 86A (and below) for a better cruising experience. Ricta’s at 60mm, 78A durometer and a contact patch of 32mm should provide a smooth ride. Still, if you only want to cruise go with Fatty Hawgs, Orangatangs or OJ Juice.

I noticed these turn yellow pretty quickly which has to do with the urethane formula used and exposure to UV light. Compared to dedicated street wheels they feel a bit bouncy when doing ollies and flips, but at 92A they should perform better. Figure out what you want from your wheels before you decide to buy.

The print color varies but they fade away quickly. Don’t forget to add risers if you want to get the 60mm version to add risers. 1/8″ or 1/4″ riser should be enough, make sure the hardware is compatible.  Check evo.com for prices. 

Note: Doing tricks on softer wheels is more difficult compared to harder wheels. Softer wheels make your board bounce and landing will squash the wheels which can lead to wheel bite. 

• Diameter: 52 to 60mm
• Contact Patch: 19.4mm to 32mm
• Durometer: 78A to 92A

OJ Super Juice 60mm/78A (My Favorite)

Buttery soft, silent and even doing a couple of tricks? It seems too good to be true but OJ delivers. Not everyone can pull this off, it requires you to be an experienced rider. Sure, hopping a few curbs shouldn’t be an issue but I would leave the gnarly stuff to the pros.

OJ makes solid wheels and their cruiser wheels come in various sizes. The smaller 55mm wheels allow for some cruising and tricks and the larger ones are great for longer distances.  I don’t recommend doing ledge tricks as chunks might break off, this goes for about every soft cruiser wheel but I thought it would be worth mentioning. 

If you decide to go for the smaller ones remember that they will wear out quickly. In the end, 60mm wheels will become 55mm if you ride them long enough. 

If you’re on a budget these are probably the best choice. You get quality wheels for a solid price, if you go for the 60mm, add risers (1/8″ – 1/4″). These wheels are very sticky, small rocks, cracks, and gravel will bother you no more.

• Diameter: 55 to 6omm
• Contact Patch: 35.75 to 37mm
• Durometer: 77A  to 86A.

Orangatang – Fat Free 65mm 77A

A bit of a larger wheel but they are still suitable to attach to your trucks without worrying about wheel bite (as long as you add risers). These are also a bit more expensive, but you get what you pay for. These wheels feel super soft and love the bright color.

Orangatang wheels are great for cruising and provide a very smooth ride, perhaps the most silent wheels but I didn’t bother to record the sound. You hardly notice any cracks or rocks, and you don’t have to push like a madman to maintain momentum. You can just ride on angled curbs without even having to ollie a little.

One of the best cruiser wheels you can get and despite their softness, these wheels are very durable it will take a long time before you need to replace them. I tested them on my Dinghy and they seem like a perfect fit, they outmatch the Fatty Hawgs by far.

They are really sticky and grippy and make a weird squishy sound then you ride them for the first time if you listen closely. I tested them with standard Bones Red, Bones Swiss 6, and Bronson Raw bearings and I can from what I experienced, these wheels do fine with the worst bearings. 

If you can afford it go with Bones Swiss 6 or Bronson Raw bearings. Even though they do well on standard bearings, quality bearings make quite a difference.

Check Amazon for availability.

Go with the 77A/80A wheels, these are the best cruiser wheels you can possibly get. If the Orangatangs are just above your budget, the Fatty Hawgs, or the Arbor EasyRiders are solid options. 65mm wheels require riser pads (1/4″ – 1/4″ or bigger) depending on your current setup, just make sure there’s enough clearance. Check for prices on Amazon.

• Diameter: 65mm
• Contact Patch: 37mm
• Durometer: 77A  to 86A

Bones Rough Riders

Perfect for cruising and tricks and friend of mine likes to ride them in his local park. The reason for that is because this park has some rough asphalt and they seem to be very forgiving.

This guy has been skating for over 20 years so I will take his word for it. He also rides them in his local concrete bowl and when I look at him riding he doesn’t even have to pump that hard. Sure harder wheels would go faster but the Rough Riders are perfect for cruising and tricks.

As always they won’t excel at anything but are a great all-around wheel if you ride various kinds of surfaces. Check Amazon for current prices.

Cloud Ride

Beefy bulky wheels that are perhaps more suitable for larger boards with larger trucks though I didn’t really experience any issues when testing them on my Arbor Pilsner and Landyachtz Dinghy. I was able to get these wheels at a discount because they showed some decolorization, but who cares it won’t affect their performance.

Super soft wheels that stick to the surface and you hardly notice pebbles. Easy to ride up angled curbs without even having to adjust your stance. A solid choice, but if you want to spend this much make sure to consider the Powell Peralta Snakes. Check for prices on Amazon.

• Diameter: 70mm
• Contact Patch: 56mm
• Durometer: 77A 

Powell Peralta Snakes

Oh man, these wheels are just amazing. I picked the neon green because they just look so rad but these babies rock but also have the neon orange wheels that came with my Comet Cruiser.

Powell Peralta snakes are expensive but if you want something durable, reliable, and wheels that slide like no other, this is your pick. There’s a reason the best complete cruiser (Comet) you can buy picked these wheels for the ultimate cruising experience.

I wish I was able to get the 66mm version but they weren’t available so I had to go with the 69mm instead. I don’t regret buying these wheels because they offer everything you want. Just a small push and your board will keep going on and on, it’s amazing how much quality makes a difference.

Here’s an image of how they look fresh out of the box, I just love the color and even cleaned them after riding them which is rather ridiculous. The graphic is a mess to be honest, just after one ride it starts to come off but that’s not important anyway. Just place the wheels with the graphic on the other side.

I’m still in the process of testing their limits and actually injured myself from just pushing around. Update: all better and yes the wheels still hold up to their reputation! Check Amazon for availability.

• Diameter: 69mm (other sizes available)
• Contact Patch: 56mm
• Durometer: 75A

Easyrider Bogart Wheels

I thought I should mention the Easyrider Bogart Wheels from Arbor which came with my Arbor Pilsner cruiser. I was pleasantly surprised by their performance but have no idea how durable they are. I think Arbor did such a great job in making these and they are perfect for a small nimble cruiser.

They’re not that expensive and I think these are the best cruiser wheels on a budget. You can easily fit them on a regular skateboard with riser pads and you’ll have the cruising experience of a lifetime.

I noticed someone complain about cracks in them after a few rides but I haven’t experienced this myself at all.

• Diameter: 61mm
• Contact Patch: 37mm
• Durometer: 78A

Skateboard Wheels for Rough roads

Sometimes the roads, sidewalks, and parking lots are covered with sand, gravel, and grime.  In other cases, your area has some gritty asphalt which is uncomfortable to ride.

Basically you are going to want a wheel that is a bit softer, somewhere in the 78a-92a durometer range, and a bit bigger, between 53mm and 56mm in diameter.

A wheel with these characteristics will be better on rough surfaces than the wheel you ride on a ramp or in a skatepark.  Your standard park/transition wheel will have a durometer rating between 97a-101a, and are usually between 50mm and 56mm.

The larger diameter of rough terrain wheels allows them to roll over small pebbles and cracks much easier than a smaller wheel.  The softer the more grip you have, and it reduces the vibration through the board to your feet.

Softer skateboard wheels roll slower than hard wheels, but larger diameter wheels, while they take longer to accelerate than small wheels, roll at faster top speeds for longer.  So that kind of balances out, and a large soft wheel can roll at speeds similar to your park wheels.

However, with a larger wheel comes a much higher potential for wheel bite, so you may want to get higher trucks, or riser pads.  Softer wheels will also wear out faster and will lose diameter faster than a hard wheel.

They are also more prone to flat spotting if you do power-slides and reverts.  Larger wheels are also heavier, and softer wheels feel more bouncy when you land on them.  Softer wheels will also stick more when sliding ledges or rails.  This can require some adjustment and takes some time to get used to when you are doing technical tricks and street skating.

Spitfire Chargers

Chargers have a hardness of 80a and are made of high-density urethane.  They are available in 2 sizes: 54mm or 56mm, and 2 shapes: Classic, and Conical.  The wheel width is about 34mm or 36mm depending on the diameter you choose.

The shape and size options available with the Spitfire Chargers should feel a bit more like your street/park wheels, so there shouldn’t be too much of an adjustment.  And if you don’t use low trucks, you may not need to add riser pads to avoid wheel bite.

The HD formula is supposed to provide less flex than the urethane used in other soft wheels, so this could also help the wheels to feel more like the hard wheels you are used too.  They should feel less bouncy than other soft wheels, and are supposed to slide fairly well too.

Bones ATF (All-Terrain Formula)

Bones ATF are rated 80a and available in 2 flavors:

ATF Rough Riders- available in 56mm – 59mm diameters.  They are a bit wider at 40mm-44mm depending on the diameter. They are also available in very bold colors and have more of a “boxy” cruiser shape.

ATF Mini DV’s- Available in 52mm – 60mm.  The Mini DV’s have widths of 32mm-37mm depending on the diameter.

Both wheels will offer a smooth and comfortable ride.  The Rough Riders will be a bit more stable, as they are wider, so there would be less side to side sliding if you roll through a gravelly patch.  The Mini DV’s will also offer a smooth ride, but look more like a normal skateboard wheel, as opposed to a cruiser wheel.  Also the Mini DV’s will be lighter given the narrower profile.

Bones has been in the wheel game for a long time, and always made good quality, long-lasting products, so you won’t go wrong with either of these selections. Great skateboard wheels for rough roads!

Ricta Clouds

Already covered here but worth mentioning. Ricta Clouds are filmer wheels but great for rough surfaces.

Ricta Clouds 92a 54mm wheels (Amazon link) are great for rough roads. They are just soft enough to glide over cracks and rough asphalt, while still being hard and small enough to do tricks on. You have the option between 52mm, 54mm, and 56mm (you’ll need riser/shock pads for 56mm wheels).

Ricta Clouds are as close as you can get to use for transportation and street skating. I can even push mini ramps using these wheels but it costs a bit more effort. They tend to turn yellow pretty fast which has to do with the quality of the urethane, but that won’t impact performance.

Best All-around Skateboard Wheels

If you like to hit the skate park, street, and do some occasional transition skateboarding you should really get Spitfire Conical Fulls, but there are other cheaper options. The only thing is that these are a jack of all trades, master of none kind of wheels.

Also, think about size, really small wheels are great for street skating but you’ll have a harder time locking in on a coping when you ride a bowl, quarter, or mini ramp. A safe size would be 54 mm, small enough to hit the streets, and still enough speed in parks with decent lock-in capabilities.

The wheels mentioned here aren’t great for rough roads, at least if you’re looking for cruiser wheels.

Shape matters, but since this is about all-around wheels I’m gonna ignore that part here.

Bones 100’s

Bones 100’s work for street, skateparks, bowl, and mini ramp. Though they perform better on the street and in parks, you’ll still be able to hit transitions. They allow you to lock-in on both ledges, rails, and coping and also work well for flip tricks and slides.

Not really great for cruising but you can’t have it all.

Bones All-Terrain Formula

I mentioned the rough riders already and they are part of the Bones ATF series. If you’re looking for quality wheels and like to do tricks, cruise a little, and ride transition these wheels are a solid choice. I’m still testing these wheels so expect an update anytime soon.

Mini Logo A-Cut 90A

Mini Logo wheels are cheap and not the best for more experienced riders but perfect for beginners. The soft 90A wheels increase stability for new riders, you don’t want ridiculous hard wheels when you’re just starting out.

They are cheap and do the job but aren’t top quality wheels. As long as you’re not planning to do any gnarly stuff they’ll hold up fine. They do tend to flatspot so powerslides are out of the question. For basic tricks like ollies, flips, and shuvits it’s a good choice to start with.

Once you get better at skateboarding consider replacing the wheels, by that time you will notice the difference between top quality wheels and mediocre wheels.

Santa Cruz Slime Balls 97A

Slime balls come in many variants but a safe choice is the 97A wheels, I will leave the size up to you. I’m still testing these out so I’ll update this post once I leant more. Safe to say is that they are great for beginners, not too hard or too soft and pretty grippy.

Best Budget Skateboard Wheels  

Since not everybody can afford expensive wheels like Spitfire so I decided to add a few wheels that are a smart choice when you’re on a budget. Note that these wheels are less durable compared to the top skateboard wheel brands and are more likely to flatspot. I’m going to keep this part short because this article is getting way too long.

Mini Logo

One of the most popular budget wheels and often recommended if you don’t want to spend too much on your first setup. Mini Logo wheels are great for beginners that don’t plan on doing anything too technical the first season or two.

They offer decent rebound and grip and are great for street skating. Mini Logo wheels can chunk or flatspot so just take it easy at first. Once you get better you can test them to the max, eventually, you want something better but until that time, Mini Logo is a wise choice and offer great value for the money.

Darkstar VHS Wheels

A bit more expensive compared to mini logo wheels but comparable in performance. These wheels are cheap, great for street and parks, and should last a while. Like any cheap wheel, they will flatspot if you slide often.

CCS

CCS offers cheap wheels for both street skating and cruising though you shouldn’t expect too much of these wheels. They will flatspot and the street variants are quite hard and unforgiving but will do fine in parks. Not for skilled riders but a good choice for beginners who want to ride parks.

Beginner Wheels

Finally something for beginners, about time right? The truth is most of the wheels here are already mentioned but in order the help you to buy wheels with confidence, pick one of the wheels listed here. In general you want a larger contact patch and wheels that aren’t too hard (easier to keep you balance).

Spitfire Full Conicals 54mm/99D

Let’s move on to some quality stuff, which also means they aren’t cheap. I love the Spitfire Conical fulls for their diversity. You can ride these in bowls, skate parks, street, mini ramp, basically anything but vert.

Spitfire classifies these wheels as 99D and I suspect the D stands for Durometer. Even though 99A seems hard, the polyurethane formula (mix of plastics) is of the best possible quality you can get. They don’t feel like 99A but work very well on both rougher surfaces (to some extent) and slippery concrete.

I picked these wheels because of their grip and large contact patch, and they are very forgiving. These wheels will help you stay on your board because of the 34mm contact patch, which is wider than average.

Another benefit is that once you get into power slides, they will not flat spot. It’s almost impossible to flat spot these wheels unless you power slide onto gritty asphalt for a couple of minutes.

These wheels will last you for a very long time and outlast cheaper wheels 3 times (rough estimate). Sure, it’s an investment, but you’ll enjoy them for years.

If you buy them at 54mm, they will wear down to 50- 52mm by the time you are ready to get into more technical skating. Spitfire Conical fulls are the perfect all around skateboard wheels.

Spitfire Bighead 54mm/99D

Let’s move on to some greet street wheels. These may not be perfect for beginners, but I’m sure there are some of you that already know how to ride properly and are ready to move on to more technical stuff.

Spitfire Bigheads are one of the best street wheels you can get (also check out Spitfire Classics!). Go for the 99D/54mm wheels as they offer more grip and stability than the smaller version you see in the image. They are rather small, which makes flipping and landing your tricks a bit easier.

Spitfire offers the best street wheels and these are no exception. Very high-quality wheels that will last for ages!

• Size: 52mm, 53mm, 54mm
• Width: 35mm at 54mm
• Durometer: 99A, 101A
• Contact patch: 19mm at 54mm
• Purpose: Street and skate park

Orbs Specter Conical Swirls 53mm/99A

I love these wheels for their wide contact patch and grip. Great beginner wheels for the aspiring technical street skater. The wider contact patch gives you extra stability and the small size makes them easy to flip. Might feel a bit slippery at first but that won’t take long.

Less suitable for bowl or mini ramps because of their small size but also great for skate parks!

• Sizes: 52mm, 53mm, 54mm, 56mm
• Width: 34mm at 53mm
• Durometer: 99A
• Contact patch:22mm at 53mm
• Purpose: Street and skate park

Mini Logo 52mm/99A

Sure, mini logo aren’t the best wheels but budget performance wise they are unmatched. If you don’t have much to spend, you should really consider mini logo wheels. By the time you get better and the wheels need to be replaced, you can upgrade and get some fancy Spitfires.

The do flat spot so go easy on the (power)slides. Also great wheels for skateparks if you’re just starting out.

• Size: 52mm, 53mm, 54mm
• Width: 34mm at 53mm
• Durometer: 99A, 101A
• Contact patch: 33mm at 53mm
• Purpose: Street and skate park

Skateboard Wheels Buyers Guide

I divided this into four sections;

1. Street wheels buyers guide
2. Cruising Wheels Buygers Guide
3. Skatepark and transition buyers guide

I’ll keep it short (except for the cruiser wheels) because I already covered most of this in my extensive skateboard wheels buyers guide.

Street Wheels Buyers Guide

Depending on the trick you prefer you might want to look at the shape, some wheels are great for sliding and grinding and others are better for flip tricks. Beginners won’t notice so my advice is to not overthink, standard street wheels from Bones or Spitfire are usually fine.

Anything between 52-54 mm and 99A on the durometer scale is a great all-around choice for street skating. Go down the durometer scale if you ride cracked pavements or rough asphalt, anything under 92A will become bouncy and sticky though.

You’ll notice the best skateboard wheels for street are dominated by Bones and Spitfire and for good reasons. They offer the best possible wheels you can get but are a bit more expensive than other brands. It’s worth the investment, they last a lot longer and you’ll earn it back in no time.

Transition & Skatepark Wheels Buyers Guide

If you love transition skateboarding (tranny) you might want to get some wheels that fit that style. This is a tough one, in general, you want some hard and fast skateboard wheels that are grippy but still allow you to slide. You also want to pick wheels that aren’t too big or too small.

You can go for both Bones SPF and Bones STF, just make sure to make an informed decision

To be honest, this comes really close to wheels for skateparks and any I listed there are probably great for transition. Make sure you check those out but I’ll add a few more suggestions here.

For vert and bowl you want wheels that are at least 58 mm, grippy, and hard. You need speed and minimize pumping and you also don’t want to lose grip at full speed. If you only want to carve and not grind copings or pop front side ollies, you could also go with a more stable and carvy wheel.

As for mini ramp skateboarding, I personally love to ride 56 mm. I went from 54 mm to 58 mm, but now I feel like 56 mm is the best size. It just takes time and trying different wheels to learn what you like best.

Cruiser Wheels Buying Guide

Ask yourself what you want to do. Do you just want to cruise without much effort, or do you also want to be able to do a couple of tricks? If you want to cruise and hope a few curbs, all of the wheels I mentioned will do fine. If you want to get more technical, smaller wheels like the Ricta Clouds are the better option.

There’s more to it, make sure to add riser pads or shock pads when appropriate and check if your bolts still fit. The softness of your bushings and your weight also shouldn’t be ignored.

In order to prevent wheel bite make sure there’s enough clearance between the wheels and the deck of your skateboard. Above 58mm you should add riser pads depending on how soft your bushings are and how tight you like your trucks. 

Another factor is the hardness of your bushings and your weight. Softer bushings are more turny but provide less stability. In general, you should go with bushings that can handle your weight but it’s also a matter of personal preference.

Riser pads provide extra clearance, go for 1/4″ at 60mm wheels and 1/2 above 60mm. This is just a general guideline, not every setup is the same so check what works for you or keep reading.

Riser Pads And Hardware

If you decide to get 58mm wheels or above you really need to add riser pads or 1/8″ shock pads. Commonly, skateboard decks consist of 7 ply’s but there are a few exceptions that may require you to get different bolts. Consult the table below to see if your current hardware is compatible with the risers you have in mind. 

At 58mm a set of shock pads will do but anything above needs some more clearance. You don’t want bolts to stick out too much and too short means you can’t attach your trucks to your board.

Riser size	1/8in	1/4in	1/2in
Hardware Length  (7-Ply Decks)	1 1/8″	1 1/4″ – 1 1/2″	1 1/2″ – 2″
Hardware Length  (8/9-Ply Decks)	1 1/4″ – 1 1/2″	1 1/2 “- 2”	2 “- 2 1/2”

Contact Patch

One of the most important features to look at is the size of the contact patch. This is the flat parts on a wheel that comes into contact with the surface when you ride your board. A larger contact patch provides more stability and soaks up the hard and uneven surface, given the wheels are soft.

Smaller decks benefit from larger contact patches as it provides a more stable ride. Wider boards can get away with smaller contact patches as the size of the deck itself (and the wide trucks) already gives you lots of stability. At least that what I experience.

The size of the contact patch varies for every type of wheel. Some brands offer bigger contact patches but it also depends on the shape and wheel size. I wouldn’t worry about this too much as I’ve selected a couple of wheels that have a large enough contact patch for cruising, with the exception of the Ricta Cloud wheels.

Hardness

The most important factor is picking the right hardness (and size). Soft wheels can handle rough surfaces way better than hard wheels. Anything between 78A and 92A will do. 78A wheels provide the smoothest ride but are less suitable for tricks. Softer wheels are very bouncy which makes your board bounce back up when you land a trick.  

Not everybody has access to smooth roads so 92A is a good choice when you want to cruise and do tricks. You can pull off some technical stuff and still have a relatively comfy ride. They won’t excel at any though so keep that in mind..

Size

Size matters. Larger wheels allow for extended momentum but accelerate a bit slower. Smaller wheels accelerate much faster but you need to push more often to maintain speed.

A decent cruiser wheel size should be between 58 and 65mm, smaller wheels will require you to push more often. Anything larger means you have to attach bigger riser pads to prevent wheel bite. Larger wheels are also wider which makes them stick out, not a big issue as long as there is enough clearance.

If you have extremely low trucks, you might need riser pads if you’re new cruise wheels are 59mm+. I can’t look at your setup so you need to figure this out yourself. Cruise and carve a little and check if your deck doesn’t block your wheels. Riser pads are cheap anyway.

This setup for example has 60mm OJ’s and so far this setup performs really well. A bit bouncy for tricks but it’s a perfect and cheap cruiser setup.

Conclusion

Oh boy, this was a long post and I always dread writing them. It’s just difficult to say what wheels are the best and the more choices I offer, the harder it is to pick the best skateboard wheel.

I hope dividing them into styles will make it easier for you but honestly all the wheels here are fine. Just remember that cheap can be more expensive in the long run and beginners shouldn’t ride super hard wheels.

I’m still testing some of these wheels with the help of a few local skaters and will update this post when needed. I’m also going to add more wheels in time but buying all this stuff is expensive. If you know of any that should be on this list, let me know!

Further reading:

1. Hard vs soft wheels explained
2. Longboard wheels on a skateboard?
3. Bones vs Spitfire wheels
4. Ultimate skateboard wheel buyers guide
5. When to replace your wheels

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