Best Blank Skateboard Decks in 2023 – Honest Review

The first time I used blank skateboards was not a good experience. It is not that I did not enjoy them but because they were a bit too plain jane for me. On top of that, they also screwed my order delivery, so I had to go through pains to get those blanks shipped to me.

Trust me, by the time I had the boards. I felt like it was not worth the added headache I had to endure. But in the end, after a couple of weeks of riding, I changed my mind about the blank skate decks.

There is a problem with how the blank skateboard market works. Most skateboards are unmarked, generic decks with no brand or seal of the craftsman.

Best Blank Decks

The only way is to go through reviews before buying the blank. But this is not a foolproof method to gauge the quality of your purchase. It is a problem many will face, and they will get frustrated before going for a more expensive option. But there are some advantages as well to buying a blank deck.

First, pro skateboard models sell for around $65 on average. Blanks would cost you half of that money. Moreover, the quality difference between a pro-brand and a blank deck is not too different.

In my experience, it is just the brand name and the graphics that give a deck its inflated price. However, blanks might have a different material procurement than a branded deck.

The one thing I like the most about blank decks is that they are highly customizable. I have a lot of friends who happen to be fine artists. I tell them to go crazy with whatever comes to their mind for my blank.

I am never disappointed by the results, so much so that I have had an impressive collection of wall hangers for the past few years.

Apart from the apparent advantages, the concave variety in the offering is vast. Be it a mellow ride or a steep one.

Despite this, there are some brands I have tried which sell blanks and do not cost much as well. They are cheaper and come with the guarantee of a company face and not just some generic source with shady material or manufacturing practices.

These brands deliver what they market and do not lie about the material used to make the deck you are eyeing. Pro-brands are as susceptible to splitting, faulty quality control, warping, or irregular storing temperatures as those that provide blank options.

[CCS] Blank and Graphic Skateboard Deck – Good for Cruising

I found its classic shape to be best for cruising and other tricks. Its maple wood is top-quality and has a balanced stiffness and flex.

I am a seasoned skater, but I have also seen newbies skating on it.

It’s 7-ply Canadian maple wood with various solid colors and stains, but the grip hides it so it won’t affect the riding. In the list of best blank skateboard decks, this one is at the top of my list.

PROS

The pros of this board are that it’s maple wood which does not cost much. I have been riding it for three months now, and apart from some pressure cracks, which are part of the skating experience, I have not seen any issues with this deck. However, I have just tested it with some light use only.

CONS

The cons are not from personal experience but from what I observed. A guy I know from my local wood shop bought this after mine and skated for about an hour before it completely broke/cracked. I could not understand that he was not putting the board through abuse, yet it cracked while mine did not.

I believe it was due to the manufacturing fault or something along the handling went wrong. I am not sure, but both of us had varied experiences. Mine was amazing, and his experience was not that great.

Apart from that, I think the paint coat of the solid was a bit too thick, and it took some struggle to sand it down. But again, this can be a variation of manufacturing.

The good thing about the brand is that they replaced my friend’s deck and paid for the shipment as well. However, it is not pro approved deck, so make an informed purchase.

All in all, it’s a great product for the intended use, and the best this is that cheap skateboard deck.

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Stoked Ride Blank Skateboard Deck – Good for Pop

Next on the list of best blank skateboard decks is a premium quality 7-ply Canadian maple wood deck I rode a month ago. It has one of the best flex and stiffness balances I have experienced.

The maple wood is locally sourced, so you know your money is going into the community and the right hands. It is a medium concave deck available in four or five-color options, but colors did not matter to me as I planned for a custom job on it.

It is an ideal product for newbies and more experienced skaters. All in all, it is a nice all-rounder. The board of this brand provides an economical way to skate while keeping the quality high.

This company also makes boards for professional skaters, and they bring that knowledge to the rest of their product line. Be it a high-end top, the best blank skateboard decks, or beginner boards.

PROS

This deck is as good as any professional deck, in my opinion, for half the price tag. It has a lot of pop and is a little short on flex, but it goes well with how they have balanced the attributes. The good thing about this one is that they shipped free stickers with it.

The graphics of the stickers were good enough for me not to opt for a custom design job on the deck. So I guess I saved some more bucks in this regard. It was as good for my 8-year-old daughter as it was for me, maybe a little bit large for her, but she had little to no problem handling it.

Mine had an 8mm concave which was good for control in numerous tricks. Also, the woodshop is located in North America, so I am happy to contribute to the industry in my little way.

CONS

Their manufacturing speed is slow. However, this is generally the case with woodshops everywhere since skateboards take time to be constructed. Still, I had to wait at least six weeks to get my order delivered because they were soon out of stock and took their sweet time to manufacture more in the size I wanted.

I ordered a purple color for my daughter, but it came with a slightly off purple. I guess it is because regardless of the solid colors, due to natural variations of the wood, the color will be slightly different, which is a bit off-putting, to be honest.

That is the case with color availability. I ordered the purple because they were out of stock with blue, which my daughter initially wanted for her first stake board deck.

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Skateboard Collective Blank Shaped Deck – Premium Deck

Next on the list of best blank skateboard decks is the highly customizable collective-shaped black skateboard deck. This one is designed to be customized; if you don’t, something is wrong with you. I was joking!

It is an entry-level premium deck. It’s made of 7-ply maple wood layers and a sturdy base. It is a cold-pressed deck with a random color top veneer as default.

It is a low-cost performance deck and weighs around 3 pounds. It has a 9″ shovel nose and goes well with 149mm trucks. I have put 8.75″ on the front and 8.5″ at the back.

Regarding the concave, if you are used to riding on many narrow decks, this concave might seem a bit too deep. In my opinion, the concave of this deck is more towards the regular shallow concave than the cookie-cutter popsicles.

Besides, the kickup and the nose length are as steep as the tail, so nose tricks and switches are easy on this deck.

PROS

This skateboard deck is amazing. It has a fun shape and a blunt nose and tail. Somewhat wider and longer than the regular popsicle decks. I drilled the front truck holes further forward to get a longer wheelbase. It is a great cruiser but more apt for pools and skateparks.

However, it is a solid deck that can be used as a daily commuter if you prefer it. I would still say it is a great park board that is not too wide but has good shape.

CONS

The thing I did not like about this board was that the wheelbase was too short for a wide board like this one. I experienced a wheel bite on the rails with 55mm wheels.

Initially, I tried 1/8 risers and then switched to 1/4 to ditch any further wheel bite. 13.75 feels a bit cramped, in my opinion. But that is because I wouldn’t say I like short wheelbases, many even like the short wheelbase, so I guess it is about personal preference. Also, the tail is a little shorter than I like.

They also screwed up with what I ordered. I had to sit out on a competition I was looking forward to, although they replaced it without any hassle. But I was not happy with how they handled the order. I hope they work on it because it is a good board, and bad service can hurt this brand.

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Moose Blank Skateboard Deck – Comes with Different Sizes

Another 7-play construction. It has been tried and tested for decades, so you cannot go wrong with maple wood. The maple wood veneers of this deck are pressed with a strong adhesive and glue.

This deck, I observed, is more of a modern shape. It has a lot of pop and mellows concave. The kicks are steep, and it is flexible yet sturdy but lightweight as well.

It is a high-quality skateboard deck and can be compared with any average pro deck on the market in terms of durability, performance, and quality. It is half the price you`ll pay for an entry-level pro deck.

The company consciously excludes the graphics to provide a low-cost premium quality deck since it is much easier to manufacture.

This cost-saving at the making process is what customers like me take advantage of a high-quality pro-deck on a budget price. I also like blanks because it supports the artistic community of my friends.

PROS:

It is a good quality board in the price range they are offering. It has decent pop, and I have tried many tricks on it. It did not break or chipped so far in three months, or maybe the chipping is too minimal.

Keep it away from high moisture, or you`ll notice some difference while doing tricks. I liked the curve around the bolt area, which is designed to prevent wheel bites.

Cons:

It warps easily, especially in a warm climate. So be careful about leaving it in a hot car, or else it`ll warp easily, and you`ll blame yourself for not being careful enough.

Also, there`s this delamination problem, but I am not sure why it happened, but it happened real quick. This board also does not come with a warranty.

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Cal 7 Blank Skateboard Deck – Best For Price

It is a 7-ply Chinese maple wood that is supposed to be much more tolerant to wear and tear than Canadian maple wood. The color that came with it still had the natural patterns of wood somewhat visible, and I like that even though I customize my boards most of the time.

It has a medium concave and symmetrical concave popsicle shape. The company marketed it as a canvas or backup deck. They are honest because this deck is exactly for the uses above.

I used it as a canvas, but a friend put some completes on it, and I have given it a try in the skatepark. It is not the best blank skateboard deck on the list, but I`ll share some nuances I observed during my ride.

Pros: 

The shape is good. I landed many tricks normally, and to my surprise, it did not snap because I was testing some mildly intense tricks. The best part about this was the smell of fresh wood which came out of the package when opened.

It is a good board considering the price, but do not expect it to be able to fulfill the same expectations associated with pro-decks, or you`ll be the fool here.

CONS:

It Feels cheap and easily breakable. There are a lot of chips, and it might not last more than a few rides, but it is a nice first board to gift to your kids, nephews, or nieces.

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NPET Blank Skateboard Deck – Comes With Many Colors

This deck is designed for kids to train themselves in the DIYs of a skateboard. It has a double kick with a concave shape. It is great for kids as their first, and I cannot recommend this enough if you plan to gift it to a little one in the future.

It is made of 7-ply Canadian Maple wood, so you are guaranteed that this will last for years in a kid’s hands as they learn and perfect their tricks, balance, and develop a style.

It is sturdy and can hold up to 200 kg, which is overkill because most kids are well under the 40kg mark.

PROS:

These are easy to paint in any color your kid might like or scribble on the deck. It is a beautifully constructed board that is also symmetrical. It has a slight dip followed by an up flange at the head and tail, and the edges have minor concave. The package was nicely packed and well-padded to tolerate the shipment abuse.

Overall, I was really happy with the table’s quality and price. My nephew loved it and now rides it every day. I recently saw him doing some tricks resulting in the deck falling on its edges, but I have not seen any chipping.

CONS:

While checking for the chipping, I noticed some minor imperfections here and there. It might be a manufacturing fault. Still, it is not visibly noticeable and did not affect the riding. However, I also noticed that the plies were thinner than the regular boards. I am not sure how it will affect the riding, if it does any at all.

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Bamboo Blank Skateboard Deck – Best for Pop

This deck is marketed as the one with the most pop. They have a team of testers who have tested this product vigorously before launching it.

I find it to be a pro-grade bamboo deck that absorbed a lot of shocks and was too sturdy to impress me. I was hitting the rails and flew around a halfpipe, which held itself well.

This deck’s selling USP is based on strength. I think this because bamboo fibers’ strength comes from their flexibility. The resulting high tolerance for pressure is somewhat of a flaw with decks that are too brittle and cannot transfer force across the board.

It has a deep concave, and it is perfect for both pros and newbies. It is a 6-ply bamboo/maple hybrid construction with a blank canvas.

PROS: It’s an environmentally friendly product. Bamboo skateboards are made from bamboo grass, a sustainable material compared to maple wood, which is only harvested after sixty years. Bamboo can reach its maximum height in five years. So this brand is contributing to the anti-deforestation trends.

Regarding the performance of the board, I liked it a lot. It is lightweight and a good shape. I also liked that little more concave on it. I also loved the contour of it.

CONS: The pop was not as crisp as the maple wood. It was more clunking than popping. I am fine with it since it has other features, such as good force distribution, but it would be great if there were a nice crisp pop.

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Blank Warning Skateboard Deck – Comes With Many Colors

It is a made-in-China blank deck warning skateboard deck. It weighs around 3 pounds, but I think it`s slightly less than that. It is a cheap deck that you can use for graphics.

I took this board to an artist who did some acrylic artwork. She believed it was a good surface to work on, so I thought I should try it before placing it as a wall hanger.

The board has a natural varnish beneath, and the top was painted over. This rad deck allows you to be as creative as your imagination allows.

PROS: Best for artwork. The size was accurate, and the surface was smooth. I did not find any blemishes on it. I think it is an alright deck but a great artwork deck.

CONS: I don`t think it is meant for heavy riding, and if you expect it to be so, you are delusional. It is a great deck to paint and draw upon, and the price factor puts it on my positive side.

I painted a replica of some Banksy artwork on it, it was stencil work, and it looks great on my wall. I am planning to buy four more to start decorating my wall more and more because these are cheap, and I can afford them this way.

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Conclusion

So this was my list of the best blank skateboard decks I experienced or bought. It is a great concept if you are into original paint jobs and are not fan of brand graphics. They are cheaper and have the same quality, at least most of them, as those marketed as pro-grade skateboards.

The best blank skateboard deck list is for individualists who prefer to destroy every brand they buy just to put a personal signature on their property.

So if you are someone like the individualist mentioned above, why not do it properly? Buy a blank and get an original artwork done on it that only you own. Happy riding!