Top 17 Best Longboard Bearings Reviews

There’s a fact, I find that many beginner riders tend to underestimate the power of bearings in longboarding. It’s an improper cognizance as in fact, these modest things take an undeniable effect on precision, speed, and flexible of maneuvers while riding. Remember this, without bearings, the wheels can’t turn and your longboard will never move despite how the hell you push it. That’s why I advise you to take a look at this ultimate buying guide of longboard bearings. See Also:

• Top 18 Best Longboard For Beginners In 2020 Review – Comprehensive Buyer’s Guide
• Top 24 Best Skateboards For Beginners Reviews In 2020: Selected By Me
• Top 13 Best Longboards for Cruising – 2020 Edition (UPDATED)

Top 17 Longboard Bearings Reviews In 2020

Bones Bearings Reds Longboard Bearing

It’s hard to believe there’s such this affordable price of bearings from Bones – a USA brand that’s considerably the head and shoulder in skate bearing industry. On this line, there are 5 sets for you to choose with a rather affordable price. My pick is the most basic set that just includes 8 bearings, logo stickers, and instruction as I already have washers, spacers, and skate tool coming with my longboard. (But you, you should consider which longboard parts you’re in lack of before choosing the most suitable pack.) The biggest bonus about these bearings is pre-lubed so that they can be ready to use right out of the box. Also, very easy to install. If you’re a lazy rider like me who always look for bearings with low maintenance, might their single, non-contact rubber shields be your most favorite part. They are removable for easier cleaning when you need to. Plus, deliver less friction to keep the bearings last longer. Moreover, their construction is very sturdy whilst the maneuvers can’t be more precise. I’m very satisfied with this purchase!

Yellow Jacket Premium Longboard Bearing

Aside from Bones Redz, these Yellow Jacket’s might be the best bearings that you can get without spending a fortune. The product description is quite impressive with the highlight of German manufacturing techniques that are considered as the highest precision of spin in the world. Along with that, are the high-quality steel balls with emphasis on smoothness. Actually, I was expecting them to be good. But only when popping these bearings in and giving a test run, their decent performance totally exceeded my initial thought. Guys, it’s even better than “good”. I’m here to prove that! The ride is as smooth as a hot knife cutting on butter and the wheels feel like never want to stop spinning. After a push, they can roll at least 15-25 seconds, even on rocky pavement scattered with cracks and stitches. For less than $18, with 7 different color options to choose from, and plus, a 100% satisfied guarantee from the manufacturer, I can’t ask for more!

Bones Super Swiss 6 Longboard Bearing

One thing that I nearly forget to tell you about Bones – They don’t mess around with ABEC scale. For what reason? Well, Bones already give their own persuasive thesis on their official website, you can take a look here to know more. Here, I want to focus more on these masterpieces – a perfect choice for any professionals who are in need of greater strength, faster acceleration, and higher speed of bearings. My guess is, the decisive feature lies in their unique construction of 6 larger stainless-steel balls (unlike the ordinary bearings with 7 ones). In terms of the materials of the shield as well as ball retainer, they are the same as the previous Bones counterpart. Nail up the striking lightness with ease of cleaning and less friction. On the other hand, is the better strength that when installing these to my gummy wheels on a $120 skateboard, it feels like I don’t need to push ever again. It’s a whole world of difference! However, if you’re a novice rider, planning to cruise your longboard around town only, this option might be a bit pricy. (You can consider the next option from esKape instead.)

esKape Abec-9 608-RS Longboard Bearing

These bearings hand down the cheapest option in this list. A set of 4 pairs costs under 7 bucks. Truth to say, I was skeptical a little bit because of their low price. But as long as allowing them to break in (might be 1 hour of riding), they ride surprisingly smooth, durable and quiet. Besides, is very long lasting. Just by themselves, these bearings can spin for 20-30 seconds. Compared to other counterparts, these seem to spin a bit more slowly. However, I find it is a good idea for training younger riders to use their very first longboard. For adult ones with a demand for higher speed, try changing its internal oil. All in all, these esKape bearings are the best choice for those riders who are strapped for cash. Trust me, this is truly a good gamble!

Zealous Longboard Bearing

My next recommendation is the Zealous Bearings with steel balls. Bought these to replace the old original ones of my $50 board that had just worn out after 3 months of use with annoying sound. Initially, I just wanted to look for moderately good bearings for smoother and quieter sliding from home to work but these have exceeded my expectation. They turn my basic longboard into something utterly special. I would say now I just need to slide about half effort as I used to. Actually, I’ve done some research about the products and found out that they were considered the lowest friction in the field of Tribology – only at 0.003% (whilst the ordinary bearings are at least at 0.010%). That’s an impressive number for durability and speed of bearings, don’t you think? And for the price, it’s less than $16 for 8 bearings – enough for a normal longboard, not saying that they can stick with you for years. Thus, I find this set truly bangs for my bucks.

Bones Swiss Ceramic Longboard Bearing

Have heard about the expensiveness of those bearings made from ceramic but I, like many others riders, still considered that $140 for a pack of 8 bearings was too costly. Though exactly, the full set also includes 1 sticker, 4 bearing spacers, and instructions, its price was still shocking. But until got them in hands, and, as soon as putting these precious bearings on, I could feel the difference right then. For the very first push, my wheels rolled much longer whilst requiring less effort than when I used the crappy stock bearings. Not saying that they made no noise at all. I definitely recommend these for longboarding and skateboarding enthusiasts with high requirement of better performance than other ABEC rated bearings. And, truly, you get what you paid for. With that price, there’s an included lifetime warranty against factory detects that you can feel ease in mind whenever your bearings are unluckily in trouble. That’s just in case of bad luck, in reality, these are considered the most durable bearings with the best performance that I’ve tried. Believe me, they are literally a good investment for those who are in a loose budget!

Bones Ceramic Super Reds Longboard Bearing

Bones are killer bearings. With more than 25 years of establishment, plus, my 4 years as a loyal fan of them, one thing for sure is that you can’t go wrong with any Bones products. The best thing about this set, as well as other bearings, are they don’t depend on the ABEC rating system and true to all skaters. Moreover, you just need to spend roughly 30 minutes of rolling around with these to feel how smooth and speedy they are. This might be the killing part of this product as other regular Bones bearings usually take nearly up to a week to break in completely. Besides, I also feel this set comes in much harder, lighter, stronger and longer performance with an extra highlight of waterproof ability. So, absolutely feel worth every penny!

Heady Shake Pro Longboard Bearing

In mid-range price, the Heady Shake pro skateboard bearings are like “van como la seda” and also the most versatile option. Versatile how? First up, they are designed to fit a wide range of skates. I’m not just mentioning to longboard, or skateboard, but also the kick scooters, and inline & roller skates. Yeah, they can easily assemble to any of them and roll fast right then. Thanks to the special lubricant that’s used for pre-lubricating these bearings, they are not only ultra-fast but also phenomenally smooth. Size is the next bonus. It’s a special design for extreme loads, which means even a big and tall rider can ride on them without fear of cracking or interrupting anymore. On the other hand, they are amazingly quiet while rotating in high speed or roll stably in long distance with lots of efficient support. For nearly 23 bucks, you have got not only 4 pairs of bearings but also 4 skateboard spacers, 1 extra water-resistant sticker and importantly, a 100% satisfaction guarantee from Heady Shake. So happy purchase!

Fireball Dragon Precision Longboard Bearing

Lubricants are what I appreciate the most in these Fireball Dragon bearings. And, I guess that only riders using dual labyrinth style shields can understand how important of them. As the labyrinth shields are super easy to get dust or debris that you need to regularly clean and lube them. However, the stocking lubricants are usually either too suck to satisfy the maintenance requirement or crystalize when contacting with cleaners to bring a feeling like there are tons of sand inside the bearings. With this one, you’ve got 2 different lubricants to serve particularly one purpose: race or endure. If you are in need of high speed of wheels, pick the race for the best performance. Otherwise, choose the endure to keep your precious $18 bearings stay longer. In terms of performance, I give all my trust on these, honestly because they are created by expert bearings designers. If you’re skeptical about what I’ve just said, just try them once. There’s a warranty from Fireball Dragon so, just buy them with confidence. The bearings feature many outstanding specs, such as the fully detachable cages and shields, the precise steel machining, and the true bearing technology. Make a world of difference that even a noob can realize.

Oldboy Premium Ceramic Longboard Bearing

For those who think these $45 bearings are expensive, exactly, you pay for better performance and extra convenience. It’s shown clearly through the smoother ride after installing them to the wheels, the faster speed, the less break-in time and the durability. Not saying that ceramic bearings don’t heat up when rolling in high speed or, getting rust in moisture conditions. And plus, they last longer to take you less effort for pushing. There’s only one thing you should keep in mind is regular lubricating. It’s a must on whichever material of bearings, but for the ceramic, take it more frequently with heavy lubrication to keep wears and tears at bay. Besides, good lubricating will allow your bearings to perform as decently as a pro. So, why not?

Bronson Speed Co Longboard Bearing

Purchased a basic beginner longboard for my little son who prefers to use it daily for commuting, carving and bombing hills. Since he intended to utilize it frequently, I decided to gift him these new, super-strong bearings from Bronson Speed Co as an upgrading. Take note that there are two style options: the G2 and the G3. G3 bearings are much more expensive than the G2. In turns, they provide a lot of extra functional features such as Deep Groove Raceways, Max Impact Cage Design, High-Speed Ceramic Oil, and so on. At that time, my decision was the G2 bearings due to my initial expectation of moderately smooth, fast riding to help my son with a shorter time when riding from home to school. Turn out they were so far more phenomenal than – last for nearly 2 years under harsh conditions, have shields on both sides, ride quietly, and come in nice packaging. From that point, I guess the G3s will have a much more insane performance to perfectly fit any professionals. For beginners, if you’re looking for a solid set of bearings with good price, this is the best go-to. At least, I and my son can assure that!

Oust Longboard Bearing

For those who are afraid of wasting money on Chinese junks, these USA-made might be what you’re looking for. It’s not just about where these are made, but also the better quality of balls with finer polished raceways and high Rockwell hardness. Cleanliness and speed are two other things I found out from my 8-month experience on them. My guess is, the distinctive seal system, as well as the U-channel design, are the key cores for such decent performance. But I bet you will be amazed to know that aside from keeping outer particles out of the ball areas, they also can prevent oil leakage as well to excel the best durability. And one last bonus is their versatility to fit nicely many skating styles, from cruisers, skateboards, inline skates, roller skates, longboards, and Penny.

Sector 9 Ceramic Longboard Bearing

If you have no idea that changing bearings can result in a whole difference of effect, I’ve got these Sector 9 ceramic bearings here to prove that. Unlike the steel models that are hot as hell after 2-3 times gliding downhills, the ceramic material is phenomenal at displacing heat generated to keep the bearings themselves intact, slightly warm and durable. For sure, no deforming at all. Other than that, smooth riding is another big bonus. No matter it’s a pavement, a rocky road or skate park, these bearings take its best role of spinning quietly, quickly and smoothly. Like when you’re slipping through a bowling lane with your stomach with baby oil as a lubricant. With novice riders, you can check my words by holding your longboard and spinning their wheels. If you barely hear its sound, that’s a sign of smooth bearings. For sure, these great products will improve your skateboarding skills.

Black Panther Ceramic Longboard Bearing

or those who usually use secondhand longboards like me, I highly recommend putting a new set of these Black Panther Ceramic Bearings prior to doing anything else. No matter which types of skating you’re in, this will turn a so-so, basic board into brand new. Can’t beat for the price/quality because, for nearly $33, you have got not only 4 pairs of bearings, but also 8 washers and 4 spacers. That’s almost a third the price of other competitors, but with the same quality. I guess, might be they made from China, the cost for ingredients and workers are much cheaper than those are on Western countries. Okay, I understand that many people don’t like the items from China. But before skipping to the next products, at least you should know some of their highlights, don’t you think? Two most worth-mentioning things about this product are first, the rubber-coated shield and secondly, the Teflon rust inhibitor. No matter how long you soak them in water or moisture conditions, they are endless. The biggest advance that I can feel is their smooth rolling, no annoying sound anymore. And, they spin forever whilst lasting a long time (if compared to any random steel bearings). Might be 30-40 seconds on average. Overall, highly recommend!

Lucky Abec-7 Longboard Bearing

These bearings from Lucky are great to have. They are so affordable with removable, closure shields to worry free of getting dust or debris all the time. When you need to, just take apart their removable shields and clean. Despite its so frequent requirement of maintenance, they roll really fast, smooth and easy. So, for the price and for such phenomenal performance, I feel my given effort is definitely well-worth. If your longboard is 47” or above, they rock pretty well. Just take note of their long breaking in period of time. You might hear some riders complain about its slow break-in that takes up to a couple of weeks. However, it, in reality, more depends on how many miles each time you ride. The more you ride, the shorter time for breaking in.

Andale Swiss Blue Longboard Bearing

Out of 4 Andale Bearing versions, these is the most expensive but strike back with many advanced benefits. Detailly, they are better in grade balls, higher quality in steel races, and more superior in surface finish. To cut the long story short, they are much more durable and scratch-resistant against dirt, dust, and debris to deliver low maintenance yet decent performance. However, what truly makes my jaws drop down more and more is their length of time these bearings can last – 45-55 seconds. That’s nearly a new record in this collection and also my No.1 recommendation for those who love cruising with more stability and less effort.

Bones Super Reds Longboard Bearing

Last but not least is another 8-pack set of bearings from Bones. They are exactly an improvement version over the initial ones listed in this collection, in my point of view. What Super Reds are, with a higher price tag, doesn’t just lie on their better super finishing, but really in the performance and quality. Clearly, from my experience, the roll is much smoother, and faster. Try it and you can feel a clear difference in better precision, speed, and acceleration. Just take a few hours riding on them to break in, I can assure you that they will spin amazingly afterward. With a few nice pushes, you can ride forever. For those who are wondering, such that long-lasting ability mostly lies in the unique 6-ball design. Whilst other models come in 7 small steel balls, these ones are much bigger in construction to deliver more impact to roll longer over time. Personally, I appreciate the ease of assembling these bearings apart as well as maintaining them as I’m that type of skater who can’t wait until the trails are completely sand-free to bring it outside for a ride. In general, found myself smitten with these. And, to those who are serious about longboarding, pick it!

Best bearings for cruising and commuting

My two must-consider features when it comes to choosing the best bearings for cruising and commuting are minimal wear resistance and long-lasting ability. They must take less effort than the ordinary bearings to deliver the same or better stable, long-lasting performance without getting wears too fast. And my picks are:

• Oust Bearings: MOC 9 Air (set of 8)
• Andale Bearings Swiss Blue Skateboard Bearings
• Fireball Dragon Precision Bearings for Skateboards and Inline Skates

Best bearings for speed and going really fast

In terms of the king of speed in bearings world, that title obviously belongs to Bones. Say no to ABEC rating system and start developing their own tolerance measuring unit. It sounded so crazy in the first place but turns out to be a smart way to assert their top quality and unbeatable precision. But to talk about the best of best speedy bearings, here are some typical names:

• Bones Bearings Reds Bearings
• Bones Super Swiss 6 Skateboard Bearings
• Bones Swiss Ceramic Skateboard Bearings

How To Choose Best Longboard Bearings – The Definitive Buyer Guide

For those who want to consider choosing their own longboard bearings without depending blindly on others’ reviews, here is my ultimate buying guide. For the most important features, keep in mind three solid things: ball material, ABEC rating system and Bearings size. The other listed ones are additional – if you have them, you get better performance of bearings. But it’s still okay if you don’t. Ball Material

Now, to start learning about ball materials, scope at this bearing anatomy as I want to ensure you understand clearly why this feature is a must to take into your consideration: Every longboard bearing is shaped like this. And the seven balls inside are always put in retainer cage, held by both outer and inner race to work in unison with the wheel’s inner hub as well as the truck’s axle. They are important to consider in priority because of the significant influence on the rolling ability of bearings. That means poor balls will definitely effect the precision, speed, and flexibility of maneuvers when longboarding. But the good news is, there are just two options of ball material for you to make a choice: Steel and Ceramic. Steel For a budget option, and also for those riders who determine to longboard just for entertainment, steel balls are preferred the most. Aside from the economic reason, steel is popular for ductility and elasticity to enable to keep its original shape under heavy load. Plus, are the outstanding resistance of rust and corrosion. But don’t go for it if your favorite longboard style is downhill riding due to the bearings’ expansion reason under high heat caused by wheels and axel, rendering them useless. Ceramic Ceramic, on the other hand, is the favorite choice of longboarding and skateboarding enthusiasts because of their strikingly harder, smoother, and stronger nature than the steel. Importantly, they are hardly affected by heat as well as require no maintenance or lubrication. There are commonly three ceramics in ball bearings:

• The silicon nitride
• The zirconium dioxide
• The silicon carbide

In hybrid longboard bearings, the silicon nitride is the most popular choice for its extreme hardness and toughness. Sound too good to be true, right? But not quite! Aside from its phenomenal performance, ceramic is also well-known for its astronomical price. So, if your budget is on the table for an investment of about 3 numbers, ceramic is the best go-to. ABEC Rating System

ABEC (aka Annular Bearing Engineering Committee) has been a standard measurement of tolerance in the bearing industry. The higher the ABEC rating, the greater RPM (known as revolution per minute) of the wheels. There are 5 scores of ABEC scale: ABEC 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9. Among them, the ABEC 9 is considered the best. But the higher the score, the costlier the price. So, keep that in mind to consider your budget as well. Besides, make clear that the ABEC scale is NOT a measurement of acceleration or spinning speed. I find this issue is the most misleading. Many people think that the smaller score of ABEC rating, the worse when in fact, they work no differently from each other in a skateboard whatsoever. With that being said, when using the ABEC system, you must be careful. Remember, consult it but don’t entirely depend. Bearing Size

When it comes to bearings sizes, you have got two options: The standard 608 and the non-standard. Remember, the standard 608 bearing size is only considered the standard in skateboarding and longboarding scene. It has a 7-mm thick, 22mm outer diameter and 8mm bore, in which the axle can be found. Two biggest advantages of this option are its affordable price and versatility that can be compatible with almost skating wheels. Now, speaking of the non-standard bearing sizes, though rare, it’s still possible to find out a few smaller ones with more precise axle size. However, you might need an additional sleeve to get a perfect fit with the standard 608 outside diameter. Spacers Here is a piece of sad news, it’s virtually non-existent a standard size for spacers. Still, they are a vital factor to consider choosing the best longboard bearings. Spacers influence on the speed and stability of your skateboarding performance, not saying that they protect the system from getting too lose. However, in the end, it doesn’t mean there’s no tip to choose the most suitable spacers for your bearings. From my years of experience, the ones measuring roughly ½ inch are the best go-to. Pre-lubrication

This is essential because if your longboard bearings are pre-lubricated already, their performance will get no sudden interruption while longboarding. However, choosing the pre-lubricated bearings doesn’t mean there’s no need of eventual lubrication on your own. Keep in mind to pick the easy-to-install ones to ensure that the entire assembling process will be effortless and faster. Based on that, also consider choosing the easy-to-install bearings. Lubricants Speaking of lubricants, my advice is to go for the ones that can minimize as much friction as possible. In detail, there are two popular types: The nano-ceramic grease and the speed cream. Also, keep in mind that some products are versatile to work on a wide range of bearings whereas other lubricants are specialized only on a few certain ones. Thus, pick the one that works best for you.

FAQ

1. What is the fastest bearing?

My recommendations are:

• Heady Shake Pro Skateboard Bearings
• Oldboy Premium Ceramic Bearings for Longboard, Skateboard, Quad Skate, Rollerblades or Scooters
• Oust Bearings: MOC 9 Air (set of 8)
• Bones Swiss Ceramic Skateboard Bearings

2. What is the highest ABEC bearing? ABEC 9. 3. Do longboards use the same bearings as skateboards?

Yes, they do! *Bonus: Actually, there’s no difference between longboard and skateboard bearings. Just one must-consider thing if you intend to use the skateboard bearings for your longboard, it is the bearing spacers’ dimensions (including the axle diameter and the overall spacer width).

• For smaller wheels, pick the 8x8mm spacers.
• For the bigger wheels, pick the 8x10mm spacers.

4. Are ABEC 9 bearings good for longboards? Yes, they are. But I want to make clear that ABEC 9 bearings aren’t solidly the best for longboards. As there are some bearings companies prefer using their own ABEC rating system, it’s not enough to assert that ABEC 9 bearings are the best choice in terms of longboarding.

Conclusion

Despite their small silhouette, bearings will never go out of your must-consider feature list when it comes to the best longboarding performance. They are, in other words, the decision element to the acceleration, speed, and smoothness of your wheels, in particular, saying and the longboard in general. That’s why I hope this ultimate buying guide helped you get a complete view about what to keep in mind while choosing. Happy longboarding!