Skating on smooth surfaces is a breeze. But unfortunately, not all roads and boardwalks are smooth. If you know you’re going to be skating over rough terrain, then you’re going to need skateboard wheels that are up to the job. That’s where we come in…
We’ve been checking out some of the best skateboard wheels out on the market today, and, after much deliberation, we handpicked our top 9 favorite wheels, and we’ll be reviewing them right here for you.
Then we’re going to supply you with a handy buying guide. You can use it as a quick checklist when you’re looking at what wheels to buy.
Let’s get straight to it…
9 Best Skateboard Wheels for Rough Roads
OUR TOP PICK
On the face of it, these skateboard wheels might not look like anything special. However, they’re fantastic for going over rough terrain.
They’ve very large, with a 60 mm diameter, and you just don’t get skateboard wheels for much bigger than that. And they’re very wide too, with a width of 45 mm. This means that they have a large contact patch with the ground’s surface, and have a better grip, and can easily glide over any cracks in paving.
But that’s not all. They’re also very soft, with a durometer rating of 78a, which is much softer than our recommended upper limit for skating on rough roads, which is 87a. This also helps with their rough road performance. But they’re not too soft either and are hard enough to slide.
They’re available in 4 different color options, black, white, red, and blue. And they come pre-lubricated with ABEC-9 bearings already installed.
They’re available at a fantastic price, but despite that it’s clear they are built to last, made with a highly resilient polyurethane infused formula built for durability and wear resistance.
Pros:
- Large 60 mm diameter
- Large 45 mm contact patch
- Soft durometer rating at 78a
- Bearings already installed
- Durable and wear-resistant
- Amazing value for money
Cons:
- A little plain to look at
EDITORS CHOICE
Now, these are smart-looking wheels, all black and shiny, with white details. They would look good on so many skateboards. But if black is not for you, there are other colors to choose from besides.
They are very large, with a diameter of 60 mm, which is about as large as you can get in skateboard wheels.
And, they’re also very wide at 45 mm, so you get a really good contact patch with the road, and riding over rough terrain is a breeze.
And this ability to handle rough terrain is also boosted by the softness of the wheels. With a durometer rating of 83a, it’s several points down from the upper limit we recommend for wheels for rough terrain. More on that in our buying guide later.
They also come with top-quality bearings and spacers already installed - ABEC-7 bearings no less.
We also love the affordability of these wheels. You get a full pack of four wheels for a fraction of the price of some of the other brands.
And we’re not the only ones who love these skateboard wheels. These are best sellers with online retailers, and there have been hundreds of customer ratings and reviews on Amazon alone.
Moreover, after about 700 individual customer ratings, the average still comes out at four and a half stars out of 5.
Pros:
- A huge bestseller
- Wheels look great
- Large 60mm diameter
- Large 45mm contact patch
- Great durometer rating, 83a
- ABEC-7 bearings & spacers
- Great customer ratings
Cons:
- Customers advise caution when skating in sandy and dusty areas
BEST VALUE
Now, these skateboard wheels are built for going off-road!
They come as a pack of four and are available in 4 different color options. We like the black and the blue options.
They’re very different from typical skateboard wheels in that rather than having a smooth round surface, they feature an ingrained pattern, designed to better grip the road beneath.
They’re also remarkably large, with a diameter of a whopping 100 mm. Not to mention a width of an impressive 65 mm. So you get a very large contact patch with the road and can skate over rough surfaces with much more ease than with regular skateboard wheels.
Then there’s the durometer rating. At 78a, it’s much softer than many of the other skateboard wheels we’re showing you here today, and that really helps its performance on rough terrain too.
As always, however, there is a downside. These are longboard wheels rather than skateboard wheels, and unless you have cutouts in your deck for your wheels, you’re going to get wheel bite.
And the other drawback of course is the expensive price tag. However, if you have the budget and the right kind of board, it’s a fantastic buy.
Pros:
- built for going off-road
- Has a patterned tread
- Large 100 mm diameter
- Large 65 mm contact patch
- Very low durometer rating at 78a
Cons:
- Premium product at a premium price
- Designed for longboards rather than skateboards
RUNNER UP
Now, these wheels were built for rolling over anything, whether it’s gravel, cracks, or twigs.
This is thanks to their very large diameter which comes in at 80 mm. And they’re very wide too, providing you with a large contact patch on the road surface to give you all that necessary grip and traction you need for rougher terrain.
And they’re super smooth too, thanks to their urethane formula. And better yet is the wheel softness. It’s available in 3 different levels of softness, and all three of them fall under the upper limit we recommend for skating on rough roads.
The softest has a durometer rating of 77a, which is blue, then there’s the 80a, which is orange, and finally there’s the 83a which is purple.
It has a large supportive core for quick acceleration, and has sharp square lips to further increase the contact patch, for maximum grip as you roll.
Pros:
- Large 80 mm diameter
- Large contact patch
- Large supportive core
- Sharp square lips
- 3 options of hardness/softness
- Softest durometer rating of 77a
Cons:
- Strong risk of wheel bite
- Premium product at a premium price
RUNNER UP
Now, these are the wheels to get if you want to be the talk of the skateboarding clique. They don’t look like round wheels, but they have been scientifically proven to perform better than other wheels on rough and difficult terrain.
We admit, we were dubious about them when they first hit the market, but there’s no doubt of their efficiency when it comes to their performance on rough terrain.
They’re very big, with a diameter of 60 mm, which is in part why they perform so well on rough roads, but then there’s also the unique contact patch it makes with the road surface that really gives it an edge over other brands. It can literally push gravel out of the way so you can skate freely along dirt roads and paths.
The diameter is about as big as you can get without putting yourself at risk of wheel bite. And they’re faster and more durable than their counterparts too.
Pros:
- Large 60 mm diameter
- Unique contact patch
- Proven to perform better on rough terrain
Cons:
- Premium product at a premium price
RUNNER UP
When we saw the customer ratings on these beauties we just had to see what all the fuss was about - and we weren’t disappointed.
These would suit anyone looking for a funky wheel, rather than a plain black or white one.
Although they’re designed for use with longboards, they can also be used with electric skateboards, which is why they made our shortlist.
They’re very large with a diameter of 85 mm. And they have a large contact patch too, coming in at 56 mm. So you get a good grip on the road surface beneath you and you can glide over paving cracks with ease.
As for the softness, you get 3 options to choose from. The softest has a durometer rating of 77a, which is amongst the best you can get for gliding through rough terrain.
Then there’s an 80a version and an 83a version. All three of these options meet our criteria for use on rough roads, coming under our upper recommended limit of 87a.
They also feature a large supportive core, which provides quick acceleration and plenty of momentum, which is also handy for skating on rough terrain. They also come with bearings already installed.
Unfortunately, although the product page shows this wheel available in 3 different colors, not all of these colors are available at each level of durometer rating.
The softest one is pale blue, the middle one is orange, and the hardest one is purple. But all three of them should perform well on rough terrain.
Pros:
- Funky stand-out appearance
- Large diameter of 85 mm
- Large contact patch of 56 mm
- 3 options of hardness/softness
- Softest durometer rating of 77a
Cons:
- Premium product at a premium price
- Designed for longboards and electric skateboards only
RUNNER UP
Now, these skateboard wheels are very funky and kitsch. The polyurethane formula that makes up the outer part of the wheel is entirely clear and see-through, and through it you can see the wheel’s colored core.
They’re available in a range of different colours including black, two blue ones, pink, red, and yellow. Some of them even feature lights!
They are very large, with a diameter of 60 mm, which is about as large as you can get in skateboard wheels. And, they’re also very wide at 45 mm, so you get a really good contact patch with the road, and riding over rough terrain is a breeze.
And this ability to handle rough terrain is also boosted by the softness of the wheels. With a durometer rating of 83a, it’s several points down from the upper limit we recommend for wheels for rough terrain. More on that in our buying guide later. And they come with bearings already installed.
They come highly recommended and are super affordable - even if you don’t manage to catch one of Amazon’s occasional deals.
Pros:
- A huge bestseller
- Wheels look funky
- Large 60mm diameter
- Large 45mm contact patch
- Great durometer rating, 83a
- Bearings already installed
Cons:
- Not all the color options feature lights
RUNNER UP
These beauties have also made the best seller lists with online retailers. And don’t be fooled by the demure white and blue appearance, these wheels are speed demons on rough roads.
They have a diameter of 54 mm, which is a nice size for a skateboard wheel, and you definitely won’t have to worry about getting any wheel bite. They’re big enough for rolling over difficult surfaces and cracks, and will glide straight over.
But that’s not all. They also have a very low durometer rating, coming in at 78a. This means they are very soft, which also makes them a great choice for tackling rougher terrain.
But unlike other skateboard wheels of similar size, these wheels are not too heavy, and instead are rather quite lightweight.
Customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and after over 150 individual customer ratings on Amazon, the average customer rating still comes out at a whopping 5 stars out of 5.
They are a little expensive, we’ll be the first to admit. But if you have the budget, we think you’ll find they’re worth it.
Pros:
- Bestseller with retailers
- 54 mm wheel diameter
- Not too heavy, lightweight
- Low durometer rating at 78a
- Amazing customer ratings
Cons:
- Premium product at a premium price
RUNNER UP
These are smart little wheels, all white on the outside with red labels and a red core. They would look good on any board.
They have a diameter of 57 mm, which is quite big for a skateboard wheel, which makes it an excellent choice for wheels that regularly need to ride over pavement cracks.
Moreover, the wheel is also very wide, creating a wide contact patch with the road’s surface, to ensure a better grip and less slide.
The wheel hardness comes in at 86a durometers, which falls just under the upper limit of 87a durometers that we recommend in our buying guide for skating on rough roads.
Customer feedback has been incredibly positive, and when this article was written, these wheels had earned a full 5 stars out of 5 on Amazon.
Pros:
- Smart appearance
- Large wheel diameter
- Large contact patch
- Soft, at 86a durometers
- Great customer feedback
Cons:
- Although people are raving about these wheels elsewhere on the net, there haven’t been many peer reviews so far on the Amazon page
9 Best Skateboard Wheels for Rough Roads Buying Guide
Want to know what kind of skateboard wheels you need to handle rough roads? Here’s our guide.
Wheel Size
Skateboarding wheel sizes generally range from as little as 48 mm in diameter to as much as 60 mm or bigger.
But some sizes are better suited to rough roads and terrain than others. Basically the bigger the better. And that goes for both the diameter of the wheel and the width.
Larger wheels have a bigger contact patch with the road’s surface and can roll over cracks in paving or the boardwalk more easily. Moreover, they also give you more grip and better control.
But it’s certainly worth noting at this point that wheel size is not the only factor in helping you to skate over rough terrain. You should also consider wheel hardness, which leads us nicely onto our next section.
Wheel Hardness - The Durometer Rating
Skateboard wheels are given a durometer rating which is a measure of their hardness or softness. There are two durometer scales, the A scale and the B scale. Most manufacturers use the A scale.
Skateboard wheels on the A scale range from about 73a to 101a. The lower the durometer rating, the softer the wheels, and the better the grip on the road surface, and the less they slide. So, the lower the hardness, or the lower the durometer rating, the better equipped the wheel is to handle rough surfaces.
The B scale is very similar to the A scale but measures 20 points fewer than the A scale. For example, an 80b durometer is the same hardness as a 100a durometer.
For handling rough surfaces, you should look for soft skateboard wheels with a durometer of no more than 87a or 67b.