“Concave” is the word used to explain how much a skateboard deck curves width-wise, along with the steepness of the nose and tail. Everyone has a different preference for the concave they prefer skating, but as a beginner, it’s hard to tell which concave might be better suited for you.
I started skateboarding on a board that was completely flat with no concave as a kid and have since worked my way through every style of concave mold out there. There are pros and cons to mellow and steep concave, but I’ve gradually become a bigger fan of steep concave over the years.
To find out why that is, along with tips to find which concave is right for you, let’s dive in.
What Is Concave On A Skateboard?
If you look at a skateboard deck from the side, you can see how the edges curve upwards while the nose and tail lift upwards at a slightly steeper angle. These curves are known as concave, and it’s used to help increase board feel, make certain tricks easier to flick, along with helping change the feel of a deck’s pop.
Every board manufacturer uses different molds to form the concave of their decks, and some only change the molds on a quarterly or yearly basis. Most well-known deck brands will have a style of concave that stays relatively consistent across all their decks. For example, Baker decks are traditionally quite mellow, while Almost decks tend to have some of the steepest concave and kicks.
Steep VS Medium VS Mellow Concave
– Steep Concave
Steep concave will have the most noticeable curves in the deck, and the kicktails of the board will feel noticeably steeper. The advantage is that you can better feel your deck even with thicker soles (like cupsole skate shoes) while having better maneuverability overall. Since there is a steeper angle that your feet are on, you can generally lean into turns and powerslides with a bit more authority than a mellow concave.
If you want the most responsive board possible with tons of pop, a steeper concave should be your choice. Just remember that steeper concave can be a little less comfortable for cruising around if tricks aren’t your focus. Likewise, steeper kicks take more effort to pop since they’re further from the ground.
Deck Brands With Steep Concave: Almost, Creature, Zero, Darkstar, Blind, Santa Cruz
– Medium Concave
Medium concave is the balanced middle between steep and mellow decks. These decks don’t have aggressively steep kicktails, and the horizontal concave is more subtle. However, unlike a mellow concave, you still notice the concave under your feet, and it will still have a precise feeling flick. This is the most common concave and a widely preferred option among skaters.
Deck Brands With Medium Concave: Anti-Hero, Enjoi, REAL
– Mellow Concave
Mellow concave is an acquired taste with a horizontal concave that’s far less noticeable underfoot and a nose and tail that are less steep. These decks are great flat-ground decks since they are pretty easy to flick, even if you don’t hit the perfect flick point on the deck.
These decks feel less inspiring in the bowl, for powerslides, or getting onto large features, but you’ll ultimately need to try one for yourself. It all comes down to personal preference.
Deck Brands With Mellow Concave: Girl, Chocolate, Toy Machine
How Does Concave Affect A Skateboard Deck?
The main way that concave affects your skateboard deck is in terms of board feel. With steep concave, it’s generally easier to get the right flick since you can feel the different angles of the deck easier through your shoes. Likewise, when riding transition, steeper concave makes it easier to maneuver and lean into corners while carving.
The downside to steeper concave, though, is the fact it requires a more precise flick for certain tricks.
Mellow concave makes the board feels flatter beneath the foot but is more flexible if your foot positioning isn’t spot on when flicking kickflips or heelflips, for example. Many skaters who prefer skating flat ground opt for a more mellow concave deck since it stays more consistent over the deck’s lifespan. Steeper concave can feel as though it wears out after a lot of sessions and changes the feel of certain tricks.
Besides the horizontal concave in the middle of the deck, mellow and steep concaves drastically affect how the kicks (nose and tail) of your board feel. A steeper kick is more snappy and aggressive to pop, while mellow kicks are more predictable when popping onto a ledge or rail.
With that said, whatever type of board you skate, you get used to the concave style after a couple of sessions.
Do All Skateboards Have Concave?
All popsicle decks (the standard skateboard shape) will have concave, but other board shapes, such as cruiser boards and longboards, may not.
Any deck without concave is typically meant exclusively for cruising and isn’t ideal for doing tricks. The easiest way to tell if a deck has little to no concave is by looking at the nose and tail. If they don’t have a kicktail or are a single kicktail deck, that deck likely has very little horizontal concave.
The other way to check is to look at the deck’s surface at eye level to see the concave before you buy anything.
Is Mellow Or Steep Concave Better For You?
If you’ve never tried different concaves, try to switch up the deck brand you choose on your next setup. Even with all the explaining in the world, concave preference is totally subjective. You need to feel a mellow and steep concave yourself to settle on which one is right for you.
In my case, I started with a mellow concave Girl deck, but eventually tried the steeper concave on a Zero deck. As someone who is quite tall, I find steep kicktails to feel more natural, and I like the feeling of steeper concave when flicking tricks. However, I would have never known that without going between different deck brands.
It’s a good idea to try a new brand every time you get a deck until you find something that feels “perfect.” Just like finding a set of wheels, skate shoes, or trucks you like, concave preference is something you can only figure out by trying new skateboards. I guess that’s the fun of it all!
Happy Shredding!
