Which skateboard bearings are best?

Whether it’s speeding downhill, hitting vertical ramps or skating the streets, a reliable set of skateboard bearings is crucial. They’re designed to take high impacts and remain solid while keeping small dirt and debris from getting inside. Great bearings can reduce friction, lessening the energy required to gain speed.

There are plenty of options to choose from and they’re made from a variety of different materials. If it’s speed and reliability you’re after, Bones Swiss Ceramics Skateboard Bearings are the best.

What to know before you buy skateboard bearings

Style of skateboarding

There are many different styles of skateboarding in today’s world. If you’re longboarding, speed could be the top factor. If you’re trick skating in the streets or a park, weight might be the main concern. If you prefer vert or pool skating, then reliability is probably most important. 

Brands

Skateboarding has come a very long way in the past few decades, and with that have been a roster of brands that have come and gone. It may be best to look at which brands have survived the tides, such as Bones Swiss, Spitfire and Yellow Jacket. 

What the professionals rely on

Brands that make skateboard bearings sponsor different riders to help promote and market their products. Oftentimes, skateboarders choose to ride for the brand that has been most reliable for them throughout their amateur and professional career. If you skateboard, find out which team your favorite skateboarders ride for and go with that brand.

What to look for in quality skateboard bearings

ABEC rating

Throughout the different variations and styles of skateboarding, one thing remains crucial: speed. The bearings are the determining factor of this because they make the wheels turn. The Annular Bearing Engineering Committee is an industry-accepted standard for the tolerance of a ball bearing. Higher ratings equal higher precision, enabling more revolutions per minute.

Weight

Weight can be a crucial element when deciding on the right set of bearings. The physics of skateboarding rely on forceful pops from the concave tail on the back of the board to lift the entire skateboard up, over and on top of obstacles. As you can imagine, lighter options for this are always better.

Material

Bearings can be constructed from a variety of different materials, with each one having its own set of benefits and drawbacks. Ceramic is light, and although strong, is not as strong as other materials such as alloy or carbon steel, which can increase weight. It’s best to consider which style of skateboarding they’ll be used for when making this decision. 

Durability

When going down big drops like staircases or launching off ramps, the bearings are going to take a lot of impact, so durability is a key factor. If you’re riding a longboard for fun or speed, this may not be as important. Durability factors depend on the ABEC rating and trusted names in the field. 

How much you can expect to spend on skateboard bearings

The price of skateboard bearings typically depends on two factors: their material and their ABEC rating. Packs of eight are required for building a complete skateboard and can range in price anywhere from $7-$150.