My love for longboarding dancing began with a viral video a few years ago. I was absolutely captivated by some display of Hans, Doyoung, and Moon effortlessly gliding around in Belgium.
While everyone knew they could work stunts and tricks with a longboard, nobody expected that you could dance at it at full speeds!
Back to the video, the second thought that came into my mind was, “Hey, that looks cool, and it’s what I wanna do.”
So, I set out looking for a longboard for dancing and ordered something I thought would be ok for dancing.
Long story short, our first few attempts were a complete disaster. Of course, I was still a little insecure, but I quickly learned that longboard dancing isn’t a sport you get into blindly.
See, to the untrained eye, dancing on a longboard might seem like simply walking up and down the length of a board.
However, old hands at the sport understand the delicacy of shifting your weight on the deck and its consequences. More importantly, the need for a perfect longboard to help you do it.
While longboard dancing is among the best longboard tricks you can do, it takes some elbow grease. It requires impressive skills and a light touch to learn this mesmerizing form of longboarding, but don’t underestimate the importance of board selection for successful dancing on a moving longboard.
Dancing longboards are slightly different from the traditional boards as they offer more comfort, maneuverability, and agility.
Sure, it’s possible to use any longboard for dancing, but the dedicated dancer boards have the added benefit of EFP (Effective foot platform) that helps to have more freestyle tricks for beginners.
Now, if you need a longboard, which you can move your weight around to allow you to dance, all while keeping your board under a carving motion, keep on reading.
Below, we shall review the top five longboards for dancing.
Table of Contents
- 1 Table of Contents
- 2 Quick Comparison Table!
- 3 The Best Longboards for Dancing For The Money
- 4 #1 Loaded Bhangra V2 - EDITOR'S CHOICE
- 5 #2 Loaded Tarab Bamboo - True Sway Board
- 6 #3 Volador 46inch Maple Dancing Longboard - Most Versatile
- 7 #4 DINBIN 41″ Drop Through - Best for Speed Spin
- 8 #5 Playshion Drop-Through - Budget Option
- 9 Best Longboards for Dancing Buying Guide
- 10 Wrap Up: Our Choice
Table of Contents
Quick Comparison Table!
The Best Longboards for Dancing For The Money
#1 Loaded Bhangra V2 - EDITOR'S CHOICE
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
The Bhangra by Loaded Longboards has been an all-time favorite among longboarding dancing fans.
For many reasons, it seems to be a peculiar board designed for the fanciest of footwork.
It offers a generous platform with plenty of space for your dance routines, and yet it’s agile for the advanced freestyle tricks.
But does it have what it takes to be your ideal dancing longboard?
Features and Benefits
Design and Construction
One of the observations I made on the Bhangra is the exceptional workmanship.
Bhangra’s quality is outstanding from the second you jump on. Very sturdy, but with enough flex so you can move and glide effortlessly.
The deck consists of dual vertically laminated bamboo cores and a thin layer of cork between them.
I find the combination perfect for beginner dancers because it offers plenty of “forgiveness” -it’s good at absorbing cracks and bumps without the rider being thrown off.
It’s a bit “springy,” though, but unless you’re dancing at high speeds, you’re less likely to experience “death wobbles.”
I also find the flex useful, especially when going through the rough patches on the road, as I don’t have to experience the menacing rattling of my teeth because of the jarring of the road imperfections.
Shape
I’m a big fan of the rocked profile, great for comfortable dancing and freestyling.
The mild concave provides room for effective balancing and coordination by allowing you to control the edges without interfering with the foot.
Dancers are less likely to lose their footing when performing different tricks and moves, and the design will allow them to hop, spin and land comfortably without missing a beat.
Large Deck
Riders agree the Bhangra is a sweet board.
At 48.5” long and 9.5” wide, it has the right dimensions for dancers to perform their tricks comfortably without slipping or risking getting wiped out.
Despite the size, it has a fantastic nimbleness to allow for freestyle tricks such as manuals and pivots.
The large platform offers an outstanding dancing experience and makes it even easier to progress.
Beginner dancers might feel the size of the board a bit overwhelming initially, but as soon as you step on it, you’ll feel confident to ride and dance on it.
Weight
Though the V2 is lighter than its predecessor, the V1, it remains fairly weighty.
It has a weight of 5.5 pounds and an additional 3.7 pounds for the trucks and wheels.
The bulkiness will make it harder for dancers to carry the board for long distances. On the plus side, however, the weight together with the wheels helps the board to pick up speed with ease, which is great for carving.
Freestyling may not be Bhangra’s greatest suit because of the size. Performing tricks such as swings, kick tricks, and popping may require more strength.
Wheels and Trucks
The Orangatang 70mm wheels and the 180mm Paris V2 trucks are what you would need for a smooth and grippy ride, perfect for dancing and carving.
Many dancers can allude that the V2 is pretty responsive and solid and will deliver a fantastic riding performance, regardless of the conditions.
Pros
- No-wheel bite
- Spacious/Large deck
- Quality build
Cons
- Bulky
#2 Loaded Tarab Bamboo - True Sway Board
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
Our second pick, a successor to the popular Bhangra, carries the legacy of the first Longboard Dancer of 2008 and the Bhangra with a twist of its own.
This true-dancing board was developed to meet the needs of an increasingly technical and “freestylish” longboard dancing community.
Besides that, the Tarab doubles as a comfy and versatile commuting, personal vehicle.
Features and Benefits
Design
There’s no point in getting a longboard that will require a replacement after every six months.
Fortunately, Loaded loves bamboo, and most of the boards in its lineup use a hybrid bamboo + composite mix.
The Tarab is not any different.
It flaunts a bamboo composite, with basalt layers in between the core.
I love the combination because it can take a beating and is less likely to chip as the cheap models do.
See, longboard dancing can be hard on decks and rails and tail sections and is likely to cause deformation after strong impact. But Loaded has installed nose and tail bumpers to help the board last much longer if you’re a frequent dancer.
More importantly, the material combination has awesome strength and flex properties.
Once you hop on the Tarab, you’ll immediately feel the difference from other dancing boards through the damper flex, durable build, and comfort.
Shape
While Tarab’s building quality is amazing, the deck’s shape is unlike anything else I’ve seen.
Tarab’s deck is completely symmetrical, with massive kicks representing its dancing and freestyle orientation.
It also incorporates a simple rocker with a mild concave that steepens as you move from the deck towards the corner.
The subtle rocker lowers the board a little closer to the ground, providing more stability even for the wobbly legs.
Additionally, it makes it easier to push the board through the long journeys.
The deck’s shape greatest benefit, though, is dancers are less likely to lose their footing or even risk slipping when performing their dancing tricks.
Size and Weight
Tarab, with a length of 47 inches and 9.5″ width, is a bit modest than the Bhangra.
Nonetheless, it’s still within the acceptable ranges of dancing longboards.
The deck is large, offering dancers a platform to rest their feet and perform tricks with confidence.
It’s lightweight too, and at 5 pounds, I find it simple to manage, even over long distances.
Wheels and Trucks
As with the Bhangra, Tarab features Paris 180mm trucks and Orangatang Stimulus Wheels.
Combined, the drivetrain offers a perfect mix of grip and slide for dancing.
We also observed how the large and deep CNC wheel aligns with the board’s cutout shape to ensure sufficient wheel clearance while dancing for tight carving.
Pros
- Reliable
- Two flex options
- Spacious aesthetic
Cons
- Pricey
#3 Volador 46inch Maple Dancing Longboard - Most Versatile
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
Volador is one of the reputable brands and is known for creating no-nonsense boards.
Today, we shall look at one of their offerings, the Volador Maple Dancing Longboard.
I choose this option because, while most of the boards were perfect for dancing, they performed underwhelmingly when it came to other disciplines.
I needed a longboard that would perform great when used for dancing, yet comfortable enough for use as a cruiser, exactly what Volador offers.
Features and Benefits
Stable Deck
Whenever I check a longboard, the first thing I do is to inspect the deck.
I consider it the most critical part of a longboard, and fortunately, with the Volador, I got an 8-inch cold-pressed hard rock maple.
Though pretty thick, I was surprised by the flexibility of the board. Of course, it’s not as springy as the Bhangra’s bamboo deck, but it yields a bit when riding.
It’s a great pick for longboard dancers who may want a stiff and unyielding board when performing tricks.
I don’t mind the extra flex as I find the board useful for other tasks such as cruising. I don’t have to worry even when I accidentally hit a rough patch on the road, as the flex absorbs much of the vibration and shock.
Shape
A longboard’s deck dictates a lot in terms of comfort and performance.
Fortunately, our pick has a slightly curved deck, which helps you roll through the wind with little resistance.
The subtle curve allows for a more stable ride, a useful feature for beginners. Yet, it’s not pronounced enough to the extent of hindering agility.
While the deck is forgiving enough for different tricks, it won’t allow you to perform any flips.
In addition to the curved shape, its almost pointy tail and nose help dancers catch speed faster by cutting through the wind.
Size and Weight
The Volador Freeride longboard’s deck’s length makes it more qualified for dancing, especially on the downhill.
The 42 inches of length and 34 inches wheelbase offer unmatched stability, which is something you want if you’ll be moving your legs a lot.
The 9-inch width, on the other hand, offers enough room for your feet, so you’re less likely to get wiped off when performing your tricks.
Wheel and Trucks
The adjustable 7” reverse kingpin trucks provide users with great maneuverability, especially when cruising at high speed on a steep road.
On the other hand, the large 70mm x 51 mm hard wheels will provide you with the confidence you need when tackling the rocky grounds.
The high-rebound PU wheels may not be critical for dancers, but if you love cruising in the rocky terrain, you’ll find them useful.
Pros
- Ideal for downhill cruising
- Can handle a variety of applications
- Great balance
Cons
- Bearings aren’t the best
#4 DINBIN 41″ Drop Through - Best for Speed Spin
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
Drop-through longboards are admired among riders for their reliability and high-speed performance.
They also maintain a low center of gravity to improve the overall stability, which is essential for downhill riding.
The Dinbin is also a drop-through longboard, perfect for downhill performance.
It was built to satisfy the needs of dancers who knack for storming downhill at high speed.
The board also doubles up as a decent option for dancing and freestyling.
Features and Benefits
Design
We weren’t surprised by the maple construction on the Dinbin- after all, maple boards are common on boards made for speed.
The high-density 8-ply hardwood maple deck itself is decent and looks like it can hold up well due to its flexibility.
The big users, those above 200 pounds, will not have any problem using the board as it can comfortably support weights of up to 220 pounds.
Furthermore, dancers will not have to fear slipping and falling even in wet conditions, thanks to non-slip sandpaper on top of the deck that makes the surface non-slippery.
Overall, the deck’s quality is decent, but it’s of lower quality than our first two models. Not a dealbreaker, though, especially considering the price you pay for the board.
Shape
We couldn’t be more happy with Dinbin’s concave deck.
It feels sturdy on your underfoot and offers a clear indication of your legs’ placement even without looking, which is essential when dancing. You never have to risk losing balance again.
The subtle concave design expands the longboard uses, and besides dancing, longboarding enthusiasts can also use it for cruising and long-distance journeys.
It feels well balanced, even under extreme conditions, so whether you’re planning for a dancing session on a parking lot or basketball pitch, you can count on this option.
The board is also easy to ride and will let you ride comfortably, even for long distances.
Size and Weight
Dinbon’s dimensions are slightly on the lower side, especially compared to our two previously-reviewed items.
However, at 41” long and 9” wide, the board still offers a generous platform to place your legs and achieve a strong balance and control.
Additionally, riders will find it easier to push and break at any moment.
Wheels and Trucks
I like Dinbin’s wheels, though Chinese-made.
The 70 x 51 mm PU wheels with a hardness level of 85A feel soft but not so soft that they’re hard to spin or with compromised durability.
They’re on the all-around performing side and will gracefully slide over any pebbles, cracks, and other small debris that usually obstruct a conventional board.
On the other hand, the lightweight yet durable 7″ aluminum trucks will handle heavy-duty tasks, including accommodating users of up to 200 pounds.
They maintain a stable ride even at high speeds, and even better, they are adjustable to suit your dancing needs.
For instance, loose trucks are ideal for curves, while tight trucks are great for maintaining stability at high speeds.
Pros
- Budget option
- Best for speed and downhill performance
- Large deck
Cons
- Not the best quality
#5 Playshion Drop-Through - Budget Option
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
Our final pick on the list of the best dancing longboards may intrigue those on a budget.
The Playshion Drop-Through Longboard is an inexpensive purchase tailored to meet the demands of those looking for something inexpensive.
Despite the budget tag, this longboard doesn’t skimp on performance.
It comes with everything you would need to achieve a fulfilling dancing experience.
But is it the right option for you?
Features and Benefits
Design
Playshion is crafted from a combination of rock maple and bamboo.
The composite is robust and flexible, despite its thickness.
Of course, it’s not the springy type and has just the right amount of lex that won’t be a problem for beginners.
Additionally, it has a generous capacity of 250 pounds, so the big guys shouldn’t have any problem using the longboard.
Shape
Playshion is a drop-through longboard, a quite popular design among the longboarding community as it offers a lot to the rider.
It’s useful to longboard dancers as it lowers the center of gravity, increasing the stability, so they’re less likely to fall when carving out rough turns.
I’m also a big fan of the symmetrical design and subtle concave in the middle. It serves to safeguard a dancer’s wheel while facilitating effortless turning.
When you pair up all these benefits with a sturdy deck, you see why the Playshion might just be the dream longboard for many enthusiasts.
Size and Weight
Playshion features a 39” long and 9.1” wide deck, offering a generous platform for dancers to stand comfortably.
While the small width might compromise on the stability, it’s a benefit for the beginner as it allows them to manage the board easily.
Additionally, the drop-through design implies the board is nearer to the ground, and at only 4” high, it’s easier for riders to push and brake when riding.
Playshion only weighs a measly 7 pounds to bring more to your convenience, so it’s easy to manage it.
Wheels and Trucks
Dancers will enjoy the 70×50 mm polyurethane wheels as they offer a pleasant and stable ride.
They’re capable of picking speed too and aren’t hampered by the obstacles on the terrain.
As for the truck, the 7” reverse trucks wall the board to slide easily and provide a smooth and pleasant ride.
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Reliable
- Quality wheels and trucks
Cons
- Not the best for pulling tricks
Best Longboards for Dancing Buying Guide
It’s not uncommon for longboarders to get confused while selecting a board for freestyling and dancing.
There’re just too many brands & models nowadays and far too many parameters to consider.
Fortunately, you don’t have to beat yourself about it because we’ve compiled a comprehensive guide outlining everything you need to know about selecting a longboard for dancing.
Factors to Consider When Selecting a Longboard for Dancing
Deck
The deck is one of the essential components to consider on a longboard.
Some of the deck’s features to consider are;
- Size
When choosing a dancing board’s size, the rule here can’t be simpler: the bigger, the better.
Biggers deck delivers more foot space for freedom to perform tricks easily.
Generally, dancer longboards come with an extended size somewhere between 42″ -50″ long and with 9″ + wide.
Dancers can go for more extended deck sizes for greater stability and a wobble-free ride.
- Flex
A specialized board for dancing doesn’t ask too much for stiffness or flex. Instead, you need one in the middle- a good balance of flex and stability.
However, we recommend dancers follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. Additionally, consider your body weight and pick the most suitable board.
- Shape
The best dancing longboards should feature a mild concave design that will lead you to place your feet when dancing.
This way, you don’t have to worry about losing your footing when performing different tricks. The design lets you hop, spin and land comfortably without missing a beat or losing your balance.
Some concaves are also quite low, allowing you to push with a minimal amount of force. This gives you extra support while dancing.
However, it’s always good you experiment with different shapes to find one which is more user-friendly and which one is not.
- Construction
Longboards are available in different forms of construction, from Maple to carbon fiber.
The choice of materials will determine the flex and ride patterns on your board.
For instance, Maple, bamboo, and birch are the most commonly used materials for dancing boards.
Bamboo, in particular, with a composite layer of fiberglass, is preferred because it’s more flexible and robust than other materials.
Wheels
After determining the right deck for your needs, you move to the wheels.
Some wheels are crafted more suitably for dancing than others.
Generally, wheels for dancing are smaller sizes, usually within 65-70mm, to help you accelerate.
The wheel shape, choose the round, not square because the round delivers greater smoothness and consistent speed for performing freeride slides or tricks with ease.
Last up is their hardness. Many dancers don’t prefer to go too hard or too soft on wheels for dancing. My go-to range for the wheel’s durometer is 78A to 86A.
Trucks
For the trucks, the most common choice I 180mm pairs at a 45-to-50-degree angle.
Of course, you can always go with other trucks in different angles and dimensions, provided they meet stability and responsiveness.
Best Dancing Longboards FAQs
Q: What shape and type of deck is suitable for dancing?
A: For longboard dancing, choose an option with a width of 9.5 inches or more. This gives you more space to comfortably perform your moves.
If you need to freestyle, go for a deck that is over 9 inches wide.
Q: What is the best longboard flex for dancing?
A: The level of flex is a personal preference.
However, many dancers prefer a softer flex because it lets them perform deeper carves and stand without losing control.
On the other hand, stiffer boards don’t bounce as much and are less likely to throw you off balance while doing tricks.
Q: Is dancing on a longboard safe?
A: While dancing is a highly-skilled discipline that doesn’t require speed, you may fall while spinning and twisting. So, it’s always a good idea to have your helmets and knee-pads on.
Wrap Up: Our Choice
When it comes to dancing longboards, the size and shape of the deck are crucial for achieving fluid movements and carving effortlessly.
The length of the deck is typically longer than a standard skateboard, ranging from 38 to 48 inches.
The deck width also plays a significant role in providing stability and control during maneuvers, with widths ranging from 8.5 to 10 inches.
Longboard trucks are typically wider and more stable than standard skateboard trucks, providing smooth turning and ample clearance for larger wheels.
Speaking of wheels, longboard wheels are typically softer and larger than skateboard wheels, ranging from 65 to 75mm in diameter.
Choosing the right longboard deck is essential for any dancer looking to improve their flow and style, and investing in a quality board with the right deck length and width, trucks, and wheels will make all the difference.
Our winner for the day is the Loaded Bhangra V2.
The V2 ticks on all the boxes for the best dancing longboards. It offers the perfect platform for dancers to hone and experiment with their skills.
First, it has a generous platform, so dancers are less likely to lose their footing while performing tricks.
It also has a subtle concave design, allowing users to have a sure footing while at the same time promoting greater controllability- perfect for beginners.
The board can take a beating as the bamboo deck is less likely to chip or deform. At the same time, the material offers just enough level of flex for better performance without being too “springy.”
