Does it ever feel like some longboarders are speaking another language? Have you ever heard a longboarding term and had no clue what it meant? We put together a helpful guide that defines some words and phrases you may hear within the community. Our longboarding terms dictionary is always evolving, so be sure to let us know in the comment section if we missed anything and we may consider adding it.
There are currently 81 names in this directory
ABEC scale
noun
1. A numbered scale rating that measures the tolerance margin in a bearing. The scale only goes from 1 to 9 skipping even numbers.
1. A numbered scale rating that measures the tolerance margin in a bearing. The scale only goes from 1 to 9 skipping even numbers.
Anodized
verb
1. A corrosion resistant anodic oxide layer on aluminum. It’s often used with precision trucks to give them color and a durable finish.
1. A corrosion resistant anodic oxide layer on aluminum. It’s often used with precision trucks to give them color and a durable finish.
Axle
noun
1. The rod (or rods in most precision trucks) passing through the hanger and the center of each wheel.
1. The rod (or rods in most precision trucks) passing through the hanger and the center of each wheel.
Brick
noun
1. A trendy board type that allows the rider to stand comfortably on all of the deck. The shape is usually rectangular and not very intricate, hence the name brick.
verb
2. Destroying something, rendering it useless, usually referring to a rider or a board. “I got bricked at Burke last year”
1. A trendy board type that allows the rider to stand comfortably on all of the deck. The shape is usually rectangular and not very intricate, hence the name brick.
verb
2. Destroying something, rendering it useless, usually referring to a rider or a board. “I got bricked at Burke last year”
Bushing
noun
1. Piece of urethane used to provide turn resistance for a truck. Check our our best longboard bushings post.
1. Piece of urethane used to provide turn resistance for a truck. Check our our best longboard bushings post.
Bushing seat
noun
1. The spot where the bushings meet the hanger. Can sometimes be completely flat, in this case it’ll be called a bushing floor.
1. The spot where the bushings meet the hanger. Can sometimes be completely flat, in this case it’ll be called a bushing floor.
Cast (trucks)
Cheat wheel
noun
1. Wheels that are ridiculously easy to slide. They’re buttery and controllable for low speed slides, but absolutely worthless for faster runs.
1. Wheels that are ridiculously easy to slide. They’re buttery and controllable for low speed slides, but absolutely worthless for faster runs.
Chunder
noun
1. Bad pavement. Can mean loose gravel, pot holes, cracks through the rounds, very uneven pavement or the combination.
1. Bad pavement. Can mean loose gravel, pot holes, cracks through the rounds, very uneven pavement or the combination.
Chunk
noun
1. A part of a wheel that got ripped off
verb
1. The most terrible thing that can happen to a wheel, having chunks of it falling off or deep cracks on them.
1. A part of a wheel that got ripped off
verb
1. The most terrible thing that can happen to a wheel, having chunks of it falling off or deep cracks on them.
Cold press
noun
1. A method for board making where the boards are pressed at ambient temperature, this reduces the chances of a board coming out warped. The glue is slowly assimilated into the wood, resulting in a much studier build.
verb 1. To cold press a board
1. A method for board making where the boards are pressed at ambient temperature, this reduces the chances of a board coming out warped. The glue is slowly assimilated into the wood, resulting in a much studier build.
verb 1. To cold press a board
Colorado splits
noun
1. Very wide baseplate angle split popularized by the Venom team. It consists in running a 51° baseplate in the front and a 15° baseplate in the back.
1. Very wide baseplate angle split popularized by the Venom team. It consists in running a 51° baseplate in the front and a 15° baseplate in the back.
Core
noun
1. A supportive piece of plastic (sometimes aluminum or some composite) designed to distribute weight on the urethane of a wheel. Where the bearings go in a wheel.
1. A supportive piece of plastic (sometimes aluminum or some composite) designed to distribute weight on the urethane of a wheel. Where the bearings go in a wheel.
Durometer
noun
1. A measurement of the hardness of a material. In the context of skating, it refers to how hard the urethane is.
1. A measurement of the hardness of a material. In the context of skating, it refers to how hard the urethane is.
Flatspot
noun
1. The second worst thing that can happen to a wheel. A flatspot is what happens when you slide perpendicular to the direction of travel and your wheels don’t rotate while sliding, leaving a part of the wheel flat.
2. When your wheels sound like helicopters you have a flatspot.
Past participle: a flatspotted wheel.
1. The second worst thing that can happen to a wheel. A flatspot is what happens when you slide perpendicular to the direction of travel and your wheels don’t rotate while sliding, leaving a part of the wheel flat.
2. When your wheels sound like helicopters you have a flatspot.
Past participle: a flatspotted wheel.
Forged (trucks)
noun
1. Forged trucks are made by repeatedly hitting a block of aluminum with a hydraulic hammer. Much stronger than cast trucks.
1. Forged trucks are made by repeatedly hitting a block of aluminum with a hydraulic hammer. Much stronger than cast trucks.
Hanger
noun
1. The part of the truck that “hangs” from the baseplate. It’s where the wheels are screwed on.
1. The part of the truck that “hangs” from the baseplate. It’s where the wheels are screwed on.
Hot press
noun
1. A method for board making where the boards are pressed at higher temperatures. The glue takes a shorter time to heal and the wood assimilates it faster, the main drawback is the possibility of warping.
verb
2. To hot press a board
1. A method for board making where the boards are pressed at higher temperatures. The glue takes a shorter time to heal and the wood assimilates it faster, the main drawback is the possibility of warping.
verb
2. To hot press a board
Insert bushing
noun
1. A urethane replacement for spherical bearings in the hanger. It eliminates slop without adding the restrictiveness of a spherical bearing.
1. A urethane replacement for spherical bearings in the hanger. It eliminates slop without adding the restrictiveness of a spherical bearing.
Kook
noun
1. A person who thinks to skate much better than he/she actually does.
“All he does is brag about his gear but he can barely skate” “What a kook”
1. A person who thinks to skate much better than he/she actually does.
“All he does is brag about his gear but he can barely skate” “What a kook”
LBDR
noun
1. Laguna Beach Danger Riders, a longboard team from California. It’s not short for longboard.
1. Laguna Beach Danger Riders, a longboard team from California. It’s not short for longboard.
Mids
noun
1. Wheels of questionable quality.
2. A popular longboard team.
Also similar: M4L, Midsvan.
adjective
1. Bad quality gear.
“Those trucks are kind of midsy”
1. Wheels of questionable quality.
2. A popular longboard team.
Also similar: M4L, Midsvan.
adjective
1. Bad quality gear.
“Those trucks are kind of midsy”
Mold realease
noun
1. A substance that gets sprayed in a wheel mold before the urethane is poured. Before wheels are broken in it will still have mold release, it’s the grippiest part of the wheel.
1. A substance that gets sprayed in a wheel mold before the urethane is poured. Before wheels are broken in it will still have mold release, it’s the grippiest part of the wheel.
Mongo
adjective
1. Pushing mongo. Using the front foot to push the deck, leaving only the back foot on the deck while pushing.
1. Pushing mongo. Using the front foot to push the deck, leaving only the back foot on the deck while pushing.
Oval
noun
1. The third most terrible thing that can happen to a wheel. Uneven wear cause a wheel to acquire the shape of an “oval” instead of its regular circular profile, this makes wheels less grippy, the slide more uneven and the ride a lot more bumpy.
1. The third most terrible thing that can happen to a wheel. Uneven wear cause a wheel to acquire the shape of an “oval” instead of its regular circular profile, this makes wheels less grippy, the slide more uneven and the ride a lot more bumpy.
Precision (trucks)
noun
1. A precision truck is made by cutting a block of solid aluminum with a cnc. Precision trucks are much stronger and precise than regular cast trucks.
1. A precision truck is made by cutting a block of solid aluminum with a cnc. Precision trucks are much stronger and precise than regular cast trucks.
Press
noun
1. A machine used for board making.
verb
1. The act of putting a board in a press and well, pressing it.
1. A machine used for board making.
verb
1. The act of putting a board in a press and well, pressing it.
Rail
noun
1. The top outlining edge of the board, normally where the griptape ends.
verb
1. To rail a turn. Getting through a turn without having to shed off speed sliding.
1. The top outlining edge of the board, normally where the griptape ends.
verb
1. To rail a turn. Getting through a turn without having to shed off speed sliding.
Rake
noun
1. Truck rake
Axles are not aligned with the turning axis, gives the trucks a divier feeling.
2. Board rake
A deck where the front of back pocket are not aligned, one of them sits lower than the other.
1. Truck rake
Axles are not aligned with the turning axis, gives the trucks a divier feeling.
2. Board rake
A deck where the front of back pocket are not aligned, one of them sits lower than the other.
Regular
adjective
1. Riding left foot dominant
Opposite: goofy rider
2. Pushing with your back foot
Opposite: pushing mongo
1. Riding left foot dominant
Opposite: goofy rider
2. Pushing with your back foot
Opposite: pushing mongo
RKP
noun
1. Reverse kingpin geometry in a truck. On RKP trucks, the kingpin goes through the hanger so that one bushing is in front of it and the other behind it. Looks like a Randal.
1. Reverse kingpin geometry in a truck. On RKP trucks, the kingpin goes through the hanger so that one bushing is in front of it and the other behind it. Looks like a Randal.
Scrub
verb
1. To shed off speed
“He threw a fast predrift to scrub of some speed before that turn”
noun
1. Used downhill wheels, can be usually bought from pros for cheap at events. Also called scrubbies.
1. To shed off speed
“He threw a fast predrift to scrub of some speed before that turn”
noun
1. Used downhill wheels, can be usually bought from pros for cheap at events. Also called scrubbies.
Skatan
noun
1. The lord of gnar, chunder, way too pronounced drops and all things sketch. Channeling Skatan gives you extra steeze when riding.
1. The lord of gnar, chunder, way too pronounced drops and all things sketch. Channeling Skatan gives you extra steeze when riding.
Skate face
noun
1. The face you put on when pure concentration seeps to the surface and leaves nothing but a dumb expression on your face.
1. The face you put on when pure concentration seeps to the surface and leaves nothing but a dumb expression on your face.
Spherical bearing
noun
1. A bearing that can rotate in all directions. It can be installed in the pivot or the hanger. The spherical restricts movements in unwanted directions, eliminating slop.
1. A bearing that can rotate in all directions. It can be installed in the pivot or the hanger. The spherical restricts movements in unwanted directions, eliminating slop.
Splits
noun
1. Not having the same setup on your front truck as your back truck. Could be baseplate angle, hanger width, bushing combination or wheels duro.
1. Not having the same setup on your front truck as your back truck. Could be baseplate angle, hanger width, bushing combination or wheels duro.
Steeze
noun
1. Flow or ease while riding and performing tricks.
adjective1. Cool looking, well performed and/or effortless performance.
“He’s got a pretty good toeside game, his slides are so steezy”
1. Flow or ease while riding and performing tricks.
adjective1. Cool looking, well performed and/or effortless performance.
“He’s got a pretty good toeside game, his slides are so steezy”
TKP
noun
1. Traditional kingpin geometry in a truck. On RKP trucks, both bushings are behind the hanger – if you look at it from the back you will see both bushing one on top of the other. Looks like an Independent.
1. Traditional kingpin geometry in a truck. On RKP trucks, both bushings are behind the hanger – if you look at it from the back you will see both bushing one on top of the other. Looks like an Independent.
Toeside
noun
1. Referring to a slide: a slide done by kicking out the board with your toes so your butt faces down the hill, much harder to learn than heelsides.
“I don’t really know how to do toesides, I just huck ‘em and hope for the best”
1. Referring to a slide: a slide done by kicking out the board with your toes so your butt faces down the hill, much harder to learn than heelsides.
“I don’t really know how to do toesides, I just huck ‘em and hope for the best”
Torsion truck
noun
1. A truck that twists the resistance as opposed to compressing it like regular trucks.
Examples: revenge trucks, original trucks.
1. A truck that twists the resistance as opposed to compressing it like regular trucks.
Examples: revenge trucks, original trucks.
Turn axis
noun
1. The axis around which the hanger rotates. On a regular RKP, the turn axis is defined from the center of the pivot to the center of the part of the kingpin in between both bushings.
1. The axis around which the hanger rotates. On a regular RKP, the turn axis is defined from the center of the pivot to the center of the part of the kingpin in between both bushings.
Venom Christmas tree
noun
1. A very popular bushing combination consisting of a 90a barrel (red) roadside and a 93a barrel (green) boardside.
1. A very popular bushing combination consisting of a 90a barrel (red) roadside and a 93a barrel (green) boardside.
Warp
adjective
1. Having an abnormality in a deck where the concave is off. The deck might be twisted or the concave might be uneven.
“That board is so warped half the wheels don’t even touch the ground”
1. Having an abnormality in a deck where the concave is off. The deck might be twisted or the concave might be uneven.
“That board is so warped half the wheels don’t even touch the ground”
Wrongboarding
noun
1. What some street and park skaters call longboarding.
2. What some downhill skaters used to call cruising and freestyle.
1. What some street and park skaters call longboarding.
2. What some downhill skaters used to call cruising and freestyle.
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