Blank skateboard decks
Blank decks are a much discussed topic in skateboarding. In this article we explain what a blank deck is and why we at Freedom Skateshop do not sell blank skateboards and advise against buying one.
A blank deck is a skateboard deck without any imprint or branding. Blank decks can have the classic wood color, but also stained wood layers in all possible colors, so-called "veneers".
Blank decks might seem like the best option to save some money, but this often doesn't add up, and here's why:
A blank deck is always a no-name product. It is almost impossible to find out who the manufacturer is here, which makes it difficult to guess the quality. Basically, one would assume that a manufacturer who produces a qualitative product would brand it with his branding. Just the lack of that in a blank deck should make you think.
Material:
High-quality decks are made with a lot of know-how from maple wood, so-called "Hard Rock Maple", which mainly grows in the northern region of the USA and Canada. The wood from this region grows very slowly, which makes it very dense in structure and therefore resistant. The manufacturers of blank decks usually use inferior wood, such as Chinese maple, to save costs. Visually, this can hardly be distinguished from higher-quality maple, but at the latest when you drive the deck you notice the difference quite quickly, at the latest when the deck breaks even under relatively lower loads.
Shape and Concave:
Even if modern skateboards look relatively the same at first glance, even small differences often make a big difference. Skateboard companies that support professional teams and get feedback from their riders have this information and use it to further develop their products. The manufacturers of blank decks are very often just wood factories trying to imitate a product without really knowing what is important. Over time we have seen a large number of blank decks whose shapes, concaves, etc. were far from functional.
Community:
The maker of a blank deck has only one thing in mind: to make money. Skateboard brands are the backbone of our scene, supporting skaters, producing videos, hosting events, developing products and contributing to a lot of what constitutes skateboarding.
Our conclusion:
With blank decks, the old "if you buy cheap, you buy expensive" principle often becomes a reality, so we advise against buying blank decks. With us you will always find a good selection of sale decks where not only the quality is guaranteed, but you also support the skateboard community.
