Which Tech Deck is best?
Tech Deck is a fingerboard brand that’s been around for decades. These miniature toys look and feel like regular skateboards but they’re small enough to be controlled by just two fingers. Tech Deck created a niche in the skateboard industry by introducing these fun toys that you can carry in your pocket. Even popular skateboards brands like Element and Plan B have teamed up with Tech Deck to create fingerboards.
The best Tech Deck is the , which includes four separate packs, each with a different fingerboard brand such as Santa Cruz, Powell Peralta or Antihero.
What to know before you buy a Tech Deck skateboard
Fingerboards
Fingerboards are exact replicas of actual . They include a wooden deck, grip tape, trucks, wheels and even tiny nuts that keep the wheels in place. The boards are around 96 millimeters in length and can comfortably fit in your pocket. The idea is that you take your index and middle finger which mimic your legs on a regular skateboard. Then, you can do tricks like Ollies, Kickflips and more using just your two fingers and a hard surface like a kitchen table. There are even competitive Tech Deck events where skaters will use their fingerboards on miniature ramps and half-pipes to complete tricks and earn points.
Real brands
Tech Deck uses real-life skateboard brands for their boards. While they design the fingerboards themselves, they partner with other brands to use their logos and graphic designs. This gives users the same feeling of supporting their favorite skate brands as actual skaters. Santa Cruz, Blind, Element and Plan B are all examples of high-profile skateboard brands that have fingerboards with Tech Deck.
Fingerboard tricks
It’s no surprise that fingerboards borrow their tricks from skateboards. You can also perform classic tricks like the Ollie and Kickflip, and they take just as much practice. Using just two fingers to complete can even be more difficult than using your whole body. Some advanced fingerboarders can do tricks like 1080 Ollie, which spins the board in three full rotations, or a Triple Kickflip, which spins the board three times in the air.
What to look for in a quality Tech Deck skateboard
Extra wheels
Having extra wheels with your Tech Deck is essential for a couple of reasons. First off, just like skateboard wheels, fingerboard wheels can wear down with long-term use. This is especially true if you’re riding your board outside on concrete. Having a backup set of wheels lets you swap them out when they start to lose their shape. These extra wheel sets can also come in different colors, which adds a customized look to your Tech Deck.
Ramps and rails
Some high-quality Tech Deck sets will come with a series of ramps or rails for you to do tricks on. In skateboarding, hand-built ramps like half-pipes, box jumps and wave ramps are all used in skate parks where people can go to practice their tricks. Tech Deck creates its own sets of ramps, but in miniature versions. Rails are also a big part of skateboard and fingerboard tricks. In Tech Deck’s case, these rails are usually a few inches long and go down a set of stairs.
Stickers
Skateboarders are very much into customization, whether it be the graphics on their decks, colored grip tape or wheel varieties. The same goes for fingerboarders as well, who use similar features to customize their boards. Stickers have always been a significant part of surf and skate culture. Every brand has its own designs which riders will stick on their vehicles, laptops and of course on the decks of their skateboards. Tech Decks often come with sticker sets for similar purposes. These brand stickers are smaller to fit on the miniature fingerboard decks.
How much you can expect to spend on Tech Deck skateboard
Tech Decks cost between $23 and $50.
Tech Deck skateboard FAQ
Are Tech Decks collectible?
A. Tech Decks have been in production since the 1990s. Just like any toy from an older generation, they can be considered collectible if they are still in the original packaging.
How do you Ollie on a Tech Deck?
A. An Ollie is one of the most basic tricks you can do on both a skateboard and a fingerboard. Place your index and middle fingers on the board – both fingertips should be behind the bolts on the top. Press down with your back finger to shoot the front of the board in the air. Once airborne, slide your pointer finger toward the front of the board to level it out. If you make these motions quickly, you will complete an Ollie.
What’s the best Tech Deck skateboard to buy?
Top Tech Deck skateboard
What you need to know: This is the perfect starter pack for anyone interested in diving into the world of Tech Decks.
What you’ll love: There are four Tech Deck sets included in this pack. Each pack has a fingerboard from a different brand and contains four extra wheels and a tool for swapping them out. There’s also one large sticker and four small stickers in each pack.
What you should consider: You are not able to choose which skateboard brands you receive.
Top Tech Deck skateboard for the money
What you need to know: This set of Tech Decks comes from the VS series, which includes playing cards and two full fingerboard decks.
What you’ll love: The VS series works by using a set of playing cards that have different challenges and tricks on them. The goal is to challenge other Tech Deck users to different tricks to see who can complete them. This set uses Blind Skateboards as the partnered brand.
What you should consider: The VS set is best suited for those who already know how to complete certain tricks.
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This pack features six different fingerboards with unique artwork on the decks.
What you’ll love: Six boards are included in this set, each from various brands with unique artwork. There are also five different-colored sets of wheels, plus tools and parts to swap out. The deck graphics come from big skateboard brands, including Almost, Blind, Darkstar and Enjoi.
What you should consider: Only three decks can be fully completed at once due to the limited parts.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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