The price of a skateboard used to be one of the most reliable constants in the skating world. For years, regardless of brand or graphic, a pro-quality deck in America would typically set you back around $55. However, if you’ve recently purchased a new board, you’ve probably noticed the increase in price. Today, skateboard decks in most shops range from $60 to $85, leaving many skaters questioning why the price of skateboards has suddenly surged.
“That two-year growth is pretty crazy,” says Dave Waite, a buyer for 35th Ave, a skate shop near Seattle. “I think for some brands, and some distributions, we almost came up with a 20% price increase.” This begs the question: what factors are driving up the cost of our beloved skateboards?
The Origins of Skateboard Pricing
Paul Schmitt, the founder of PS Stix, provides a historical perspective, tracing skateboard prices back to the early 1980s. After years of experimentation, the industry standardized on plywood construction. While manufacturing processes were refined, the fundamental product remained largely unchanged throughout the decade. “So prices were pretty consistent in the ’80s,” Schmitt explains, with boards averaging around $45.
According to Schmitt, it was Steve Rocco and his World Industries umbrella of brands who first challenged this pricing structure. “Rocco basically charged more money for stuff to pay for the marketing that he was doing and to pay bigger rider royalties,” Schmitt says. This meant an extra $2 per board for pro skaters, double the earnings of riders from other companies. Around the same time, Santa Cruz introduced Ever-Slick boards, which quickly led to other companies developing their own versions of the plastic bottom, driving prices up a few dollars more.
A skateboard deck with a plastic bottom, showcasing the Ever-Slick technology
For much of the 1990s, prices plateaued, even as manufacturing and shipping costs rose. By the early 2000s, companies increasingly moved towards Chinese manufacturing and heat-transfer graphics, replacing more expensive screen-printing. However, these lower costs didn’t translate to lower prices at your local shop. As Schmitt notes, companies simply “had a better margin now, or had a margin they could survive on.”
The Pandemic’s Impact on Skateboard Prices
After three decades of relatively stable prices, the cost of skateboard decks began to slowly rise prior to the pandemic. However, it was COVID-19 that truly disrupted the market. The pandemic triggered a surge in demand for skateboards while simultaneously straining the supply chains, leading to what Schmitt describes as a “healthy price adjustment.” “Basically, COVID almost gave permission for a normal cycle to happen. And then you saw some brands really jump on it and raise their retail price.”
Raj Mehra, from Mehrathon Trading in Canada, witnessed these changes firsthand. Mehrathon distributes brands like Baker, Primitive, WKND, and April. The suggested retail price for Baker boards—$71 for boards under 8.25 inches and $73 for boards over 8.3 inches—reflects their operational costs, Mehra explains. “The reason why people want Baker is because of all the marketing efforts they make. Well, there’s a cost to that,” suggesting that legacy brands need to invest heavily in marketing to maintain their position.
Fucking Awesome: A Catalyst for Change
Many in the industry point to Fucking Awesome (FA) as the catalyst for higher prices. Jason Dill and Anthony Van Engelen’s company was among the first wave of boutique brands in the early 2010s, drawing comparisons to World Industries in terms of team and ethos. FA’s products immediately stood out. “It kind of was the first brand that was, like, a premium brand and their boards looked a little different,” Waite observes. “And I almost feel like their prices on their website seemed to go up, and we all kind of followed suit, the whole industry.”
Schmitt, who manufactured FA’s boards until 2019, recalls the requests for embossed and foil-wrapped graphics that became their signature. “Dill loved to challenge the norm, right?” Schmitt says. “Creatively, he wasn’t gonna be constrained—‘I’m not gonna be told that it costs too much money with my vision to come out.” While Schmitt no longer produces boards for FA, a Jason Dill portrait model featuring a lenticular graphic and embossing currently sells for $90 on the FA website. Other models are priced at $70.
A close-up of a Fucking Awesome skateboard deck, highlighting the embossed and foil-wrap graphics
This tiered pricing model is similar to the one used in the sneaker industry. A Team Jordan shoe might cost the same to produce as a Jordan 4 retro and might have the same Jumpman logo, but the Jordan 4, with its exclusivity and nostalgia, sells for much more. It seems that skateboard companies are now adopting this approach.
“It’s like that shoe collector culture, right?” Schmitt notes. “But it permeates across all kinds of things. It permeates across decks, and especially releases for old pros and historical things. There’s a certain person in culture that’s like, ‘Oh, can I get it now, before I can’t get it?’ And the reality is, when you ride an eight-and-a-quarter popsicle, and you’re riding it anyways, does it really matter that much?”
For some skaters, it does matter. As Mehra explains, “They got a board that’s expensive,” and they want to show it off. However, he also notes that skaters who ride daily and frequently need new decks will often choose local brands or more affordable options.
Waite confirms this trend at 35th Ave. “People just stopped buying FA and Hockey boards when that price went over $70,” he says. “It was just too much.” The pandemic-era stimulus checks also played a role, but “Once those went away, it was just back to 35th boards or shopping the sale bin—that kind of stuff.” An East Coast shop owner contacted for this article keeps prices low because kids in his area shouldn’t have to pay $70 for a board.
Many in the industry share this view. Bod Boyle, president of Sidewalk Distribution, argues that the skaters behind small independent brands can justify higher prices due to their hands-on approach, handling everything from design to shipping. However, he also feels that a price point between $60 and $70 is optimal for skating overall. “We want to keep skateboarding reasonably cheap and affordable for everybody.”
Despite these concerns, some brands maintain lower prices. Studio, a Canadian company, sells boards for $85 in Canada, where prices can reach $115, and $65 in the US. “I just try to be competitive with the other brands,” says Jai Ball, Studio’s owner. However, he acknowledges that companies like his will have to increase their margins, indicating that the price of a Studio board in Canada will “probably be $90 next year.”
A graphic illustrating the rise in skateboard prices
The Future of Skateboard Prices
The current situation is somewhat ironic, as some companies are selling boards at half-price to clear out old inventory from pandemic-era orders. This means you might find a board for $80, but you could also find one for $40. The surge in demand during COVID-19, coupled with production and shipping delays, resulted in “a perfect storm of overstock,” according to Boyle. Now, companies, distributors, and shops are grappling with how to balance the market.
Another pressing question is whether board prices will eventually hit a ceiling. “We felt like the ceiling was where we were at,” Mehra says. However, boards are still selling, “and I think some people have gotten used to this price.” Waite believes that while some skaters might pay more for reissues or new technologies like Powell Peralta’s Flight Decks, the threshold for most remains around $65. And, few consider a higher price tag a mark of a superior brand.
Ultimately, “skateboarders will decide that by what’s under their feet, right?” Boyle states. “If they like the way it feels, then it’s perceived in a higher category than something that feels shit under their feet.” The quality and feel of a board, it seems, will always be the ultimate deciding factor for skaters.
In conclusion, the rise in skateboard prices is a complex issue with multiple contributing factors, including increased marketing costs, supply chain disruptions, and the emergence of premium brands. While prices have risen significantly, the market is dynamic, and the value placed on a board ultimately comes down to the skater’s personal experience.
