Just about everything site-wide is ON SALE right now!  Find decks, trucks, wheels, and plenty of other skateboard components at year-end, discounted prices.  Plus, our entire selection of skate clothes and shoes for men, women, and kids is ON SALE, too!  That’s right,  tons of products from the biggest brands in skateboarding are being discounted at up to 70% off.  You won’t find this many skateboard items on sale anywhere else.

Now you can get FREE SHIPPING on all orders of just $75 or more! With the holiday season well underway, we’ve decided to give you even more for less by reducing our shipping threshold.  So grab up a few gifts and get quality, fast, FREE shipping to your neck of the woods.

Even with so much going on here, we’ll still give you the same top-quality customer care that you deserve.  You’ll always get the great quality and service that Blackhole Boards is known for nationwide.  We won’t slack off like those other guys just to get a few more orders shipped out the door in order to meet our bottom-line.  That’s wouldn’t be in the holiday spirit, now would it?

There you have it folks.  It’s that time of the year again and we hope these offers help to brighten your season.  These deals won’t be around forever so stop by our site and pick up a few things for the skater in your life (and maybe something for yourself).  You won’t be disappointed!

❅ *❄ HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON  ❄* ❅
❅ *❄ BEST WISHES TO YOU & YOUR LOVED ONES THIS YEAR ❄* ❅

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Before discussing any specifics we should point out that snowboard size is 100% about rider preference.  Snowboard size in relation to a person’s height and weight are in no way set in stone but can be used as a rough guide.  No two people ride in the same way and everyone uses different riding styles and techniques when thrashing the mountain.

That being said, we can offer some general sizing recommendations and give you a starting point before you make a snowboard purchase.  Review these sizing charts and see where you roughly fit into the mix in regard to snowboard length (we’ll discuss width later on):

STEP 1: DETERMINE YOUR HEIGHT & WEIGHT: The rider’s weight is typically the most important factor when choosing a size for your snowboard.  Heavier riders will want to choose longer boards because they offer more surface area than a shorter board.  Greater surface area will allow heavier snowboarders to ‘float’ on the surface of the snow rather than sink into the powder.  This in turn provides greater stability for the snowboarder.  Lighter riders are able to opt for shorter boards because they won’t sink into the snow as easily.

If you fall between weight classes you can then factor in your height to estimate the appropriate snowboard size.  As a general rule your snowboard should come up to about your chin or nose level when standing on its end next to you (see image at left).

Check out the charts again and see where you measure up.

STEP 2: DETERMINE YOUR EXPERIENCE LEVEL: Now that we’ve determined a general starting point, let’s consider your experience level.  Are you a newb or are you an experienced snowboarder?  If you’re relatively new to the slopes, then you likely haven’t totally settled into any particular riding style just yet.

If this is the case then you might want to opt for a slightly shorter length for your snowboard.  A shorter snowboard will offer more maneuverability and slightly slower speeds as you’re cruising down the mountain.  This means you’ll have a lot better control and a much better chance at avoiding gnarly wipeouts with your follow boarders and skiers.

STEP 3: DETERMINE YOUR RIDING STYLE: If you’re an advanced snowboarder than you’ve probably settled into a riding style and might want to consider a few more options.  The most common riding styles are freeride and freestyle so we’ll consider those for the sake of this article.

If you’re a freeride, or all-mountain, boarder you might want to consider a longer length snowboard. The longer length will provide greater stability in any conditions from the freshest powder to hard packed snow.  Longer snowboards also allow for greater control at a higher speed because there is ‘more’ board to absorb impact and vibration.  You should lean toward these types of boards if your looking to cruise all parts of the mountain.

If you’re more of a freestyle or park rider, then we’d definitely recommend picking up a snowboard that’s more on the short side for your weight or height class.  The shorter length will allow you to position and maneuver yourself more easily on jumps, rails, or in the pipe.  The shorter length also means that your board will weigh a bit less which will help you to really torque those spins and flips.

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So let’s say, for example, that I’m a 5’8″, 152 pound, snowboarder.  That means that I’m probably going to want to look for a snowboard somewhere between 149 cm and 157 cm.

If I’m a freeride snowboarder, then I’d probably want to look for a board closer to the 157 cm mark – probably around 155 cm.  If i’m a freestyle snowboarder, then i’d probably go for something closer to the 149 cm mark – probably around 150 cm.

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ONE MORE THING: Finally, you should consider the width of the snowboard.  I’ve left this point for last because it really only affects a small amount of riders out there.  Generally, the average snowboarder should be okay with any typical sized snowboard, but larger riders may need to invest in a wide width board.  If your shoe size is larger than a men’s size 11, then this is you!  You don’t want your toes dragging when you’re trying to cut an edge.

That just about sums it all up.  We know it’s no easy decision to find the perfect snowboard.  It’ll take a few trials before you know what fits your specific build and riding style.  You may want to go out and test some rentals before purchasing a snowboard.

We hope this guide helps when making your next purchase.

We’ll see you on the mountain!

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If you dig blood-and-guts, fire-and-flames, or gore galore, then look no further.  These decks sport some of the gnarliest, nastiest artwork from our entire collection of decks for sale right now.  You’ll find the usual brand names known worldwide for their ultra-devilish deck depictions, like Zero, Creature, Deathwish, Toy Machine, and TONS more.

Don’t be scared.  Check out these skate decks and more now:

There are even more demonic decks in-stock at Blackhole Boards.  Browse our huge selection of skateboards now and find even more from your favorite brands.

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Update your feeds, bookmarks, and all that jazz to make sure that you’re still getting the same content you know and love, like buying guides, details on what’s happening at Blackhole Boards, news and events from the world of skate, updates on the latest skateboard gear, and MORE.

We’ll see you back here soon to get more of your favorite skateboard blog.

Cheers!

Now that we have that out of the way let’s discuss what you should be looking for.  This is sort of a no-brainer, but you should really be looking for the lightest and most durable trucks that are within your budget.  You want the lightest trucks to help get the most pop, durable trucks to ensure that your axle doesn’t bend or break on your first big-air, or a happy combo of these two elements.

If lightweight is the direction that you’re looking to go in, then you’ll want to grab a set of trucks made from one of two metals – titanium or magnesium.  These are the lightest metals used in skateboard trucks and will help reduce the overall weight of your board giving you a lot more pop on your ollies.  Specifically, Theeve TiH Axleless titanium skateboard trucks (pictured below), Tensor magnesium skateboard trucks, or Thunder titanium trucks are among the lightest models currently on the market today.

Theeve TiH Axleless titanium skateboard trucks

For those of you in need of durable trucks built to handle the impact of those hard grinds and huge stair drops we would recommend trucks cast from steel.  Though it is heavier than titanium or magnesium, steel is less willing to bend or break while riding and is often times more affordable than its lighter counterparts.  We’ve found that the most durable trucks out there tend to be from the Independent or Venture brand line-ups.

If you’re still having trouble deciding on a pair of trucks don’t be discouraged.  More often than not, the trucks you choose to ride are purely a matter of personal preference and finding what best suits your riding style will be your biggest obstacle. Differences in weight and durability, though they exist, are often times minuscule.

Blackhole Boards experts recommend skateboard trucks from Independent, Thunder, or Venture to riders of all experience levels. These brands have consistently produced some of the most reliable and long-lasting trucks of any brand throughout our years of riding experience.  You really can’t go wrong with any of these!

Browse Trucks by Brand Now:

We hope this bit of shopping advice helps in your next skateboard trucks purchase.  Good luck out there, ladies and gents.  Keep on thrashin’.

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They are inspired by the characters imagined by Lewis Carroll and illustrated by Sir John Tenniel in the Alice In Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass stories. Deathwish’s artists added their own insane twists to each of the characters for these latest decks. Check out the gnarly interpretations of the Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat, White Rabbit, Caterpillar, and Jabberwocky below as compared to the original illustrations from the classic books.

Lizard King aka The Mad Hatter

Ramiro Salcero aka The Cheshire Cat

Jim Greco aka The White Rabbit
Jim Greco aka The White Rabbit

Brian Hansen aka The Caterpillar
Brian Hansen aka The Caterpillar

Erik Ellington aka The Jabberwocky
Erik Ellington aka The Jabberwocky

After reviewing several different designs we decided to leave the decision in your hands, our Fans, to choose the final product via voting on Facebook.

This new deck is of great construction and has excellent concave for some serious pop. And, what’s the best part? It’s only $29.99! So, you could pick up a blank deck or, for the same price, grab our exclusive deck made with better quality wood and that killer Blackhole Boards logo you know and love.

We feel that this is the best we have to offer. So try it out! You’ll definitely enjoy the ride (and the price-cut).

Follow us on Facebook to have your say on our next Blackhole Boards exclusive deck logo.

Based in the war-torn town of Kabul, Afghanistan, Skateistan was founded on the belief that a combination of skateboarding and education could be used as a platform to break down social boundaries and engage with the struggling community.

The program aims to benefit Afghan youth by striving for equality among its participants. Boys and girls alike, from all ethnicities, abilities, and social classes, are provided the opportunity to develop skills in cross-cultural interaction, education, and personal empowerment.

Students are able develop a curriculum based around skills which they deem most important, with the help of a dedicated group of teachers and volunteers. Past lessons have been based around topics such as healthy habits, civic responsibility, information technology, the arts, and languages.

Skateistan is evidence of the positive effects that skateboarding can have if properly incorporated within a troubled community. Through the help of the program many of the social biases which have stood in the way of Afghan progress are beginning to weaken their hold on the local people. We can only hope for future success for the program and that others will someday follow in their footsteps.

The idea for Skateistan was spurred by Oliver Percovich who first visited Kabul in 2007. Quickly realizing that the local boys and girls were eager to skate, he stretched out the use of just 3 skateboards among the children. He started by giving skateboard lessons in an empty fountain in town. The program now reaches out to more than 350 students.

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