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How wide is a skateboard deck, and why? Decks went from 10″ planks in the 1980s to narrow popsicles in the 90s and back out again. Here's how shapes and sizes have changed, from the 23,443 decks in the archive with their width recorded.
The line is the median width of decks made that year; the shaded band covers the middle half. Original decks only, so modern reissues of 80s shapes don't skew it. 1985: 10″ · narrowest 1994: 7.5″ · 2026: 8.375″.
| Year | Typical | Most decks | Decks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 10″ | 10–10″ | 42 |
| 1987 | 10″ | 9.5–10″ | 13 |
| 1988 | 10″ | 9–10″ | 18 |
| 1989 | 10″ | 10–10.125″ | 19 |
| 1990 | 10″ | 9.5–10″ | 84 |
| 1991 | 9.75″ | 9.5–10″ | 99 |
| 1992 | 8.38″ | 8.25–8.63″ | 37 |
| 1993 | 8″ | 7–8″ | 134 |
| 1994 | 7.5″ | 7–7.63″ | 168 |
| 1995 | 7.62″ | 7.5–7.75″ | 214 |
| 1996 | 7.875″ | 7.75–8″ | 384 |
| 1997 | 8″ | 7.87–8.19″ | 471 |
| 1998 | 7.88″ | 7.75–8″ | 474 |
| 1999 | 7.75″ | 7.625–8″ | 305 |
| 2000 | 7.75″ | 7.56–7.88″ | 345 |
| 2001 | 7.7″ | 7.5–7.875″ | 799 |
| 2002 | 7.625″ | 7.5–7.75″ | 685 |
| 2003 | 7.625″ | 7.5–7.75″ | 1013 |
| 2004 | 7.625″ | 7.5–7.75″ | 624 |
| 2005 | 7.68″ | 7.5–7.8″ | 407 |
| 2006 | 7.625″ | 7.5–7.75″ | 674 |
| 2007 | 7.63″ | 7.5–7.8″ | 259 |
| 2008 | 7.75″ | 7.6–7.875″ | 638 |
| 2009 | 8″ | 7.75–8.125″ | 212 |
| 2010 | 8″ | 7.8–8.25″ | 340 |
| 2011 | 8″ | 7.75–8.12″ | 443 |
| 2012 | 8″ | 7.9–8.25″ | 172 |
| 2013 | 8.25″ | 8–8.45″ | 61 |
| 2014 | 8.5″ | 8–9.625″ | 65 |
| 2015 | 8.5″ | 8.25–9.58″ | 224 |
| 2016 | 8.25″ | 8–9″ | 149 |
| 2017 | 8.38″ | 8.125–9″ | 184 |
| 2018 | 8.25″ | 8–8.5″ | 58 |
| 2019 | 8.25″ | 8–8.5″ | 900 |
| 2020 | 8.3″ | 8.25–8.5″ | 790 |
| 2021 | 8.25″ | 8.125–8.5″ | 1171 |
| 2022 | 8.25″ | 8.125–8.5″ | 1322 |
| 2023 | 8.25″ | 8.125–8.5″ | 1336 |
| 2024 | 8.375″ | 8.25–8.51″ | 1763 |
| 2025 | 8.4″ | 8.25–8.75″ | 1982 |
| 2026 | 8.375″ | 8.25–8.625″ | 3163 |
The wide boards of the 1980s, made for pools, ramps and the first street skating: usually 9.5–10.5″ wide, with a big kicktail, little or no nose, mellow concave and room for rails and big graphics. They never really went away, and reissues and new old-school shapes are everywhere again.
Usually 8.25–10.25″ wide, 30–32″ long · mostly 1989–2026.
Narrow, stiff boards from the 1970s racing and slalom scene, built for speed and grip rather than tricks. Many have no kicktail at all.
Usually 8–8″ wide, 28–28″ long · mostly 2019–2025.
The symmetrical double-kick shape that took over in the early 1990s as street skating grew: nose and tail almost the same, so you can skate either way round. Widths shrank to around 7.5″ by the mid-90s for flip tricks, then crept back to the 8–8.5″ most skaters ride today.
Usually 7.5–8.5″ wide, 31.25–32.25″ long · mostly 1997–2026.
Modern decks with a shaped outline: wider tails, pointed or squared-off noses, fish tails and nods to the old-school era. Popular since the 2010s for bowls, transition and skaters who want something different.
Usually 8.3–9.5″ wide, 31.5–32.5″ long · mostly 2019–2026.
Boards built for getting around rather than tricks: usually shorter or wider, often with a kicktail only, and mostly sold as completes with soft wheels.
Usually 7.75–9.5″ wide, 28.125–32.25″ long · mostly 2019–2026.
Smaller decks for younger skaters, usually around 7–7.5″ wide and 28–30″ long, so the board fits their feet and they can control it.
Usually 7–9.875″ wide, 27–31.95″ long · mostly 2001–2026.
There's no wrong answer, and feel matters more than any chart: stand on a few in a shop if you can. As a rule of thumb, width follows what you skate and the size of your feet.
Length and wheelbase (the distance between the inner truck holes) matter too: a longer wheelbase is steadier at speed, a shorter one turns and flips quicker. Find a deck's measurements on its page, or filter the archive by width.
