Longboards are becoming an engaging sport among youngsters nowadays. The hunt for the best quality board is the top priority when buying a longboard. As the need for a better longboarding experience has grown, various manufacturers have begun to design longboards using various materials.
However, among the various materials used to construct a longboard, bamboo and maple have shown to be the best performers in the market for providing a thrilling longboarding experience.
In this article, I will discuss the comparison of Bamboo Longboard vs Maple. After reading this article, you will have a thorough understanding of the qualities and capabilities of both types of longboards, and you will be able to choose the best one for you wisely.
Before diving into the differences between Bamboo vs. Maple Longboard, let us quickly talk about some bamboo and maple wood properties specifically.
Bamboo
Bamboo, as we all know, is much lighter than any other wood. It is fibrous grass and not wood. A longboard made of bamboo is more flexible, stronger, and sustainable than one made of maple. Bamboo matures between 4 and 7 years, after which it begins to degrade.
Maple
Maple wood is not as light as bamboo, but it lasts longer and is more durable than bamboo. Brown maple and hard maple are the two varieties of maple. Hard maple sapwood is found in the outer rings, as you can see. This is the maple that longboards and skateboards are made of. Maple trees mature around 30-40 years, at which point they may be chopped down to manufacture longboards.
A Detailed Comparison of bamboo longboard vs maple Longboard
In the preceding part, we reviewed wood characteristics, but it isn’t enough. I’m sure you’re interested in learning more about the main differences between the bamboo and maple longboard. As a result, we’ll go through the primary qualities of these longboards in greater detail.
1. Weight of the longboard:
- Believe me, this is the most important feature you need to check on a longboard. If you are planning to buy one, keep this factor at the top of your mind.
- The interior section of the bamboo is hollow, which makes them lighter and more flexible than the maple longboards. So, this quality makes the bamboo board win in this feature. A bamboo board is an ideal option for cruising on rough terrains.
- The maple boards are not that light; they are one of the strongest hardwood. You need to put in a lot of effort and power to ride it. The average weight of both the longboard is between 6 – and 8 pounds.
2. Strength of the longboard:
- The strength of the longboard is the second most critical factor to consider. It is not an exaggeration to say that longboarding is a dangerous sport, and no one wants their board to split in half while riding it.
- According to research conducted by the International Center for Bamboo and Rattan (ICBR), bamboo has 15 to 30% more flexural and impact strength than maple wood. Bamboo has a flexural strength of 132 megapascals (megapascal determines the pressure range) due to which, bamboo does not get cracked easily.
- Hard maple is more durable, long-lasting, and can carry more weight safely. Maple wood is very strong and matures after a very long time. The time it takes to mature makes it strong and durable. However, in ICBR tests, bamboo outperforms maple in terms of impact and flexural strength; hard maple has 114 megapascal strength, which is lower than bamboo.
3. The flexibility of the longboard:
- Bamboo longboards are unquestionably the best in this category. We know that bamboo is lighter. It is full of fiber, due to which it gets extreme flexibility and can bend without breaking.
- Bamboo longboards can survive sharp turns and rough terrain very easily and are good for mellow cruising and pumping. They can run smoothly on rough surfaces because of their shock absorption feature.
- In that case, maple wood is stiffer and is good for straight roads. They are more stable for downhill riding or freeriding but won’t work that well on rough and rugged terrain.
4. Weight capacity of longboards:
- Bamboo longboards can hold a decent amount of weight compared to maple longboards. A bamboo longboard can hold a maximum weight of 300 lbs.
- While 7-9 ply of maple longboard can hold up to 250+ lbs of weight, as we know, maple wood longboards are durable, making them survive for a longer period, but bamboo has high flexural strength, making them feasible for heavy riders.
5. Eco-friendliness of the longboard:
- It is also an essential issue to mention. Bamboo, as previously said, grows and replenishes in a shorter length of time. It is more environmentally beneficial to make or use bamboo longboards rather than maple wood.
- Maple wood is an exotic wood that takes 40 to 60 years to mature and replenish. Many people have seen climate shifts, soil erosion, and other difficulties as a result of persistent maple deforestation in northern America.
6. Cost of the longboard:
- This is the most crucial component in which everyone is interested. Maple is a more affordable option. Maple is a more cost-effective longboard material than bamboo. So you need to spend a little more on bamboo longboards.
Wrapping it up
As you have seen, we went through all of Bamboo Longboard vs Maple characteristics in this article. So now it’s up to you to pick the one that best suits your needs. However, I’d like to quickly point you that maple is a good choice if you want a long-lasting and durable board that can handle greater speeds. While if you want a lightweight, flexible board with excellent shock absorption on rough terrain, you must go with a bamboo board.
If you are also looking for some excellent deals or best budget friendly longboards, you can check our guide on – Best Longboard under 150$.
