Update: 2006 skateboard testing results were completed Nov. 2006. Only one companies decks were tested in the study. Results were used by the manufacturer to determne how 6 new proto type decks preformed in testing and if they wanted to place them into production.  All boards were tested to the point of failure.

Due to the fact I am attending college at this time, my boardtesting projects have been limited.  I am still studing toward a degree in Material Engineering.  I do not have a boardtesting project planned for this fall (2007) due to school and family obligations.

My mission is to test and evaluate the different skateboard deck constructions available on the market and to determine which boards provide the most rewarding skateboarding experience. This testing will be setup to develop a set of testing criteria that can be used to determine if a deck meets the standard deviation for a round of tests. Based on this testing, decks can be compared to the standards developed thus indicating areas where improvement is needed in a decks construction.

Boardtesting.com is a 100% rider operated project. I have devised a series of tests to determine which decks have the qualities desired in a skateboard.

 My major concern is that because decks "look" so similar, it is really hard for any consumer to grade a deck's strength visually.  Often times the "pretty" one is the worst.

One concern is some low end decks being sold at elevated prices. Being poorly manufactured, often result in early deck failures. These poorly manufactured decks can hurt skateboarding and no matter how good they look, the boards are still poor and kids will discard it quickly and think skating is lame because they did not have fun.  What I am attempting to do is to establish a new bench mark for the beginner boards...sort of a dividing line between "toy" skateboards and real skateboards. I want them to be good skateboards that will function for a very least a first year skater in any environment.   One problem we face is most decks look the same to most skaters and  their parents.  Sort of a "minimum acceptable level" for the first board.  From there kids can upgrade to better, stronger decks.  If a beginner skater has a positive first experience with a skateboard he will more than likely continue skateboarding.

It is not my goal to determine who is best. It is about which decks need improvement and trying to determine areas where improvement is needed.

There are many different properties which are important in a professional caliber skateboard deck. I will be checking for stiffness, resistant to impact, early fatigue and breakage (over a wide temperature range). A skateboard deck must also be light, exhibit good sliding properties, resistance to abrasive wear and humidity changes.

Another of my goals is to develop a ranking system to be put into place in the skateboard industry and stress the importance of using it to rank decks. The system would separate the beginner level , advanced level and expert(pro) level decks which would save us all time and money. This ranking system would increase consumer satisfaction, resulting in skateboarding growing as a sport.

Another goal is to stress the importance of a placing a "date of manufacture" on decks sold in the USA to enable the consumer to know if they are purchasing a deck that has been on a store shelf or in a warehouse for years.

Another goal is once it is determined which skateboard manufacturer's produce the best quality skateboards based on our tests is to make that information available to the public thru this website.

The reason I got into testing skateboards is due to the fact I wanted to prove that there is a difference between the

skateboards sold on the market today to my parents and for science fair purposes.

I set up this website to make this testing information available to all skateboarders.

The website is hosted to post information about the strength of any and all skateboards.

These tests will help board users, parents and companies determine which board would be best for them.

Any and all skateboard companies that want their boards tested and results posted please contact me.

All testing will be preformed in a uniform manner with state of the art testing equipment.

We are aware that no machine can tell every skateboarder which board is best for them but the tests will bring to light the strength's and weaknesses of a board. The results will answer which boards fail and which boards excel when compared to others.

I attend Camden Central High School in Camden, Tennessee.

I am completely independent and receive no funding from the skateboard industry.

The skateboards donated thru this testing that do not break are donated to underprivileged kids in our area. I put trucks and grip tape on as many of the decks as I can for the kids that do not have trucks to get started skating. The trucks are the ones that come on the Wal Mart decks I have to buy for test machine setup

Here are a few questions we hope to be able to answer.

Does ink slide better than heat transfers?

Sliding properties are important in skateboarding. We will examine which boards not only slide the best but which boards the most resistant to wear since wear weakens your deck.

How do the new composite technology decks perform in comparison to 7-ply decks?

Are we trying to reinvent the wheel? Are modern composite decks better?

Are they just stronger or do they also perform better and longer too?

How does a $75 deck compare to a $15 maple blank?

 Is the performance to cost ratio justified?

Is the cost of purchasing of high end decks justified?

Does maple provide the best performance?

Links for companies that have contributed to this project with materials and information,

and other important information about skateboarding.

                                                             Special Thanks to David Nash of the Dana Corperation.

                                         They have allowed me to use their testing equipment for my science projects.

                                                           Without people like this my testing could not be possible.

.                                                Special thanks too: Bill Hatley, Brad Barholomew and Junior Erwin

                                                      Palmers Tool has allowed me to use thier testing equipment

                                                                         for several years. They have also  

                                                          fabricated adapters and brackets needed for my testing.

                                                   Again, without people like this my testing could not be possible.

Articles about this skateboard testing.

http://www.realskate.com/apr05.htm

                                                                 Express Disclaimer of Liability

Skateboarding ia a dangerous sport. Riders assume all risks associated with the sport and information from boardtesting.com shown on these pages. Please wear appropriate safety gear at all times and check your boards before each use for loose hardware. Riders freely agree to assume and accept any and all known and unknown risks and injuries while using information or boards discussed on this site. Riders further recognize and acknowledge that the risks inherent in the sport of skateboarding can be greatly reduced by taking lessons and using common sense.
                                                                                  

 
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