9 Best Longboard Wheels for Sliding and Cruising in 2023

Sliding and cruising; both the longboarding styles are very popular among the mass longboard riders. Every day I see many people doing sliding tricks on the road, cruising their longboards to go to work or shop, which amazes me. And the longboard wheels play a game-changing role in this regard, whether it is sliding, cruising or any other styles.

But the main problem occurs when people mistakenly buy wrong wheels for sliding and cruising, and they don’t even know much about the differences. Hence, they end up doing regret. No longboard wheel is perfect until you know the wheel properly.

As I’m longboarding for years and have some major experiences in this arena, I thought to help you guys to pick the best longboard wheels for sliding and cruising.

For your convenience, I’ve enlisted the wheels in the chart so that you can have a glance.

Here Are the Reviews of Best Longboard Wheels for Sliding- 2022

There is not a single longboard wheelset which performs any particular function like sliding. The features and formulas used by the manufactures make the wheels fall into the sliding category. Besides that, the rider’s height and weight make an impact on performance.

So after researching numbers of wheels, I’ve found out some of the best longboard wheels suitable for sliding. In terms of performance, they’re not only praiseworthy but also worth the money.

You get to hear about Fireball very often if you are longboarding for some time. Every time they come up with some extra-ordinary and good looking longboard wheels. Fireball Tinder is no different.

You’ll love every sliding date with ‘Tinder’. No matter how many slides you do, it’ll remain loyal till the last breath.

The Tinder wheels have SHR 81A hardness. For performing stand up slides and other stuff, it’s a decent level. Not up to the mark for power slides though. Power sliding requires the wheels having maximum hardness.

The 70mm diameter is good to go for any mid-size longboards. If I make it specific, then any board above 34 inches is perfect for attaching these Fireball gears.

The manufacturer has given the wheels a rounded lip shape. The rounded lip profile will make your every sliding attempt successful. Plus, the narrow stone ground contact patch is a helping factor for doing slides.

Fireball has used its own ‘Slideprepped’ technology here. That means the wheels have been made especially for sliding.

You’ll get predictable slides while riding due to the centerset core. The core placement makes the wheels easier to flip and get even wear, positively.

You’ll see the use of Polyurethane as a material. But the distinctive fact is the ‘Dump Thane’ formula. You’ll leave chalky thane line after every little slide. But the wheels don’t get coned quickly.

All in all, you can go a long way with Tinder as the wheels are fast and durable.

Bonus: If you are a big tall guy who prefers bigger wheels, then you may check Fireball Beast Wheels out. It’s a pretty similar one with 76mm size.

Blood Orange is one of the few names that you can rely on upon without thinking twice. People love Blood Orange for their excellent quality longboard wheels.

While I was researching for best longboard wheels for sliding, one of the Blood Orange wheels caught my eye. And that is Blood Orange Morgan Pro Series Longboard Wheels.

It is one of the most standard wheelsets in the market. Whether you like to do downhill riding or freeriding, no doubt it’s a top pick. And it has beaten many wheels by its performance.

As you are looking for some slides, the 70mm one will be the perfect choice for your longboard.

The wheels come with having the hardness level of 84A. Thus makes the wheels more slippery than grippy. As a result, you’ll have a butter smooth, slippery ride with lots of hookups and slides.

You’ll love the rounded lip shape Morgan wheels for its narrow contact patch and stone ground surface.

If you love to leave large chalky thick thane line back, then the Morgan Pro Series wheels are for you. With every successful slide, you will paint thane on the road. Due to the famous ‘Liam Morgan Formula,’ the slides will be sugary-smooth, predictable and controllable.

But the good thing is, the wheels don’t wear down quickly. After a specific time of ride, the wheels start to wear down unevenly. So, you’ll have to rotate the wheels because the cores used in the wheels are super supportive offset core.

All in all, it’s a beast sliding performer on the road and one of the best longboard wheels for heavy riders.

Is there any longboard rider who haven’t used any Orangatang wheels yet? If you haven’t, then you should hurry up and grab one. Because this manufacturer from South California always comes with a light of hope and never disappoint with its products.

When talking about Orangatang, the first thing that comes in mind is the juicy orange wheels and with a lot of variety. Whether you like freeriding, downhill riding, cruising or sliding, Orangatang leaves a few options for you.

As our concern here is sliding wheels, you can pick the Orangatang Stimulus. Performance-wise it’s an all-rounder and versatile which means you can do cruising, tricks, freeriding or dancing also along with sliding.

Let’s determine how good it is at sliding.

There are several factors which contribute to good sliding by Stimulus.

Though the wheels have square-ish shape, the lip profiles are round. As a result, sliding is natural and not icy.
The contact patch of the wheels is not much narrow. But the hardness level and the wheel’s surface make it happen for predictable and buttery-smooth slide. Here the hardness level is 83A, and the wheel surface is stone ground. You can go for 86A as well if you want more slippery wheels.

The ‘Happy Thane Formula’ has made the urethane heat resistant. So how many slides you do, it won’t get damaged due to heat produced while riding.

The wheels don’t get even wear after a couple of months due to encapsulated offset core placement.

Overall, it’s a must gettable wheelset; lightweight and quick.

Bonus: You can consider Orangatang Keanu also in this budget; not much different from stimulus other than the size and core.

Sector 9 wheels are of such quality that we can’t ignore, and they always rank at the top according to the performance and consistency.

The last sliding wheelset in my list is Sector 9 Slide Butterballs Longboard Wheels. The fans of Sector 9 call it S9 Butterballs as well.

In terms of construction, design, function, and performance, S9 butterballs don’t lose in the long run. Though many people use butterballs on skateboards for riding on the rough roads, it can perform great slides too. In fact, it is one of the leading sliding wheels available in the market.

Heavyweight riders may face issues in case of sliding. But for the lightweight riders, it’s a fantastic wheelset.

You’ll find a beautiful set of 4 white wheels straight out of the box having rounded lip shape. You already know that the rounded lip profile helps in sliding. As a result, drifting and sliding become easier for S9 Butterballs.

The core placement and type play the most significant role in sliding-zoned the wheels. The wheels feature cosmic core hub at the center. So, the core is centerset that makes the wear pattern consistent and even. Every rotation while riding and sliding is buttery-smooth.

The urethane formula is high rebound and heat resistant. Moreover, the contact patch is narrow enough to glide continuously. The surface texture is stone ground. As a result, the wheels get less resistance and can break traction effortlessly.

Slides are predictable and spontaneous. Heavy riders will feel it a bit grippy, though. My recommendation for them is to get a wheelset with a higher durometer, which I already mentioned above.

Bonus: For the teens, I also suggest to consider S9 Skiddles.

There are a lot of existing longboard wheels which hold the characteristics of being a cruiser. But frankly speaking, not every one of them is up to the mark.

As you wanted to know and my job is to help you in grabbing the best one, I’ve brought the market’s best cruising wheels before you.

When I’m talking about the best cruising wheels, then it would be best to start with the Orangatang wheels. I’ve already informed you about the Orangatang wheels capability. Like sliding, the wheels get high scores in cruising also as they hold the characteristics of versatility.

Imagine! You are cruising around and enjoying the cool summer breeze! Yes, nothing but the Orangatang InHeat would be the great riding companion for you in this regard.

Note that, Orangatang InHeat is not only for cruising but also suitable for downhill riding, carving, and long-distance pushing.

It comes with a set of 4 juicy orange wheels straight out of the box. Due to the square lip shape, the wheels hold maximum grip. As a result, you get a stable cruising.

As the wheels are for longboards, they are 75mm in size. You will get a good rolling speed over any type of surfaces. Whether there are cracks, debris or asphalts on the roads, the wheels get over them easily.

There may raise issues of wheel bites. So, better you attach the wheels in any pintail or drop through longboard because they have anti-wheel biting technology in the decks. For suggestions on the best longboards, you can check our article.

The diameter is 80A; perfect for any rider with moderate weight. Due to the softness, the wheels produce sufficient grip to hold the surface and balance the speed. Orangatang’s ‘Happy Thane Formula’ and the encapsulated offset core has a contribution in this regard.

Bonus: If you prefer bigger wheels, then you can go for Orangatang Caguama.

The 2^nd cruising wheels I’ve chosen for you is the Playshion Longboard Cruiser Wheels. This red one from Playshion has been my personal favorite for a long time. Undoubtedly, one of the best cruising wheels in the industry.

Playshion comes with a set of 4 red wheels. The manufacturer left no option to raise a question on the quality and design of the wheels. You’ll understand how premium the wheels feel as soon as you get the first ride.

The cruising wheels measure 70mm in diameter, which is very common for any mid-size longboards. You have the option of choosing 65mm as well. But those wheels are more for sliding than cruising.

According to the Shore ‘A’ scale, the softness level of Playshion wheels is 80A. As I said, the amount of softness determines the amount the grip and hold.

Moreover, the core placement is centerset. The core used in Playshion wheels has the ability of high strength and heat resistant. As a result, the weight distribution is proportionate and balanced. After the mold release, you’ll get even wear.

The wheels are made from polycarbonate. Thus makes the wheels durable, soft, fast and bouncy. So, whatever the road surface is, you can ride without any wobbles and vibration.

They don’t come with bearings. But any standard 608 bearings, other than having ABEC rating is okay for the wheels.

No one said that cruising wheels are not able to do slides. The wheels feature stone ground contact patch and frosted surface. So, whenever you want, you can have some stand-up slides and carving also.

In one sentence, the red beauties are a top pick for you if you consider commuting also.

When there is a discussion on suitable cruising wheelset for your longboard, the Cloud Ride wheels deserve a place in the top five. The wheels from Cloud Ride are capable of fulfilling your demand. And the Cloud Ride Longboard wheels from the cruiser series are no exception to that.

From the very first ride with this wheelset, you’ll feel like floating on the clouds. The reason behind this is the cruising ability. Even the roughest roads become smooth and buttery before the Cloud Ride wheels.

A considerable number of riders also judge the wheels on the look and design. And the Cloud Cruisers come with a variety of colors.

Now coming to the shape, Cloud Cruisers have square lip shape. It’s the ideal shape of a cruising style wheelset. However, the square lip profile primarily makes every rolling smooth, comfy and less slippery.

While the diameter is 69mm, the durometer is 78A; standard for producing grip and resistance.

It comes with wide contact match, not much similar with the sliding wheels. As a result, every cruising will be stable.

If you are a beginner, then the Cloud Ride wheels can be a great cruising attachment to your board. Thus will make your longboard’s performance better than before.

The Cloud Ride Wheel company is well known for their high rebound thane formula used in the wheels. Similarly, the Cloud Ride Cruiser wheels also got construction of high rebound urethane. The better the constructing formula is, the better the longevity of the wheels is. Yes, you just got a wheel for the long race.

Due to the offset core placement, the wheels get semi-consistent wear pattern.

Other than cruising, Cloud Cruisers are useful for downhill riding and daily commuting.

Orangatang 4 President has been one of the most successful launches of Orangatang. The longboarders around the globe love it because the wheels are too lightweight to maneuverable.

The reason behind choosing an Orangatang product again is the cruising performance on the roads.

Like the other Orangatang wheels, it has got the traditional orange color also. Orangatang 4 President comes with color variations. The orange one has the durometer of 80A. If you want softer wheels, then you can go for the blue set which has 77A softness.

But the diameter is conventional 70mm: suitable for any riders with balanced weight and height.

So, what makes the 4 President a cruising one?

The high traction and grip produced by the wheels make the speed in a limit and controllable. Thanks to the square lip shape and the durometer level. You’ll see beveled angle in the inside edge of the wheels. The wheels can roll faster than any other wheels in this budget. Even if the roads are cracked, rugged or bricked, you’ll face no issue while cruising here and there.

Moreover, the famous ‘Happy Thane Formula’ make the wheels grippy, plush and fast. Although the wheels don’t get quick acceleration, you can enjoy maximum speedy rides.

Let’s focus on the core placement. Though centerset core is preferable for cruising, the offset core is good to go as well. Due to offset core placement, weight distribution is not even, and you may face uneven wear. But the core supports the wheel body well enough to move around.

In my opinion, Orangatang 4 President has all the potentials of becoming the best longboard wheels for commuting.

For the past few years, Shark Wheel is a familiar name in the longboarding scene. The manufacturer of Shark Wheel always keeps trying to improvise and innovate something new for the longboard lovers. As a result of their effort, they have introduced the Shark Wheel Sidewinder wheels for cruising.

It is one of the coolest looking wheels in the industry.

Various scientists have tested the wheels and gave their green signal. According to them, Shark Sidewinder has the potential of becoming the most long-lasting wheels.

The shape of Sidewinder wheels is a bit different than any other conventional cruising wheels in the market. The wheels have got a helical shape and composition of three-dimensional curvy patterns like sine waves on the surface texture. Thus make the wheels to balance and grip while having downhill riding.

Sidewinders look like a square shape wheel while they are rolling. The actual truth is, they look like a hybrid of half cube and half sphere.

The diameter is 70mm. Though it is a longboard wheel, it has less height. The reason behind this is the shape and mechanism. Moreover, the wheels have a different approach angle than other cruising wheels.

So, less height means a lower center of gravity. And the lower center of gravity means steady and buttery-smooth rides. And also you may not have to change your board of leave this choice due to wheel bites.

The manufacturer has created the wheels in such a manner that they produce sufficient grip and friction with every roll. Plus, in case of wear pattern, the Sidewinder wheels have better advantages also.

All these characteristics make the Sidewinder a better, faster cruising wheels.

Choosing the Best Longboard Wheels for Sliding and Cruising: A Thorough Buyer’s Guide

The buyer’s guide is where you get to learn some theoretical knowledge and information about the products. And when you are looking for the best longboard wheels for sliding and cruising, then it’s a must to go through the buyer’s guide. Thus you can differentiate the sliding and cruising wheels, and chances of making mistakes decrease.

For your convenience, I’ve divided the whole buyer’s guide into two parts. The first part will tell you what to look for in a sliding and cruising wheel. And in the second part, I’ll tell you what to consider before choosing the respective wheels.

What to Look for?

Diameter:

While looking for a good longboard wheelset, the first thing you need to notice is the diameter of the wheels. So, what’s the diameter?

A diameter is a number which shows the size of any wheel. Every longboard comes with pre-attached wheels that have a particular diameter. So, when you are thinking of replacing the wheels, you need to keep that in mind. As a result, at the very first stage of searching, you will be able to separate the wheels according to your preference.

Most of the longboard wheels have a diameter in between 65mm-80mm. 70mm is the most common size for a longboard wheel as you can see it on my list.

But when the concern is for any particular performances like sliding and cruising, you need to go a little deep. Because sliding and cruising wheels have different diameters, and if you mistakenly mix up that, then possibly you may waste your penny.

If you want to buy a quality sliding wheelset for your longboard, then the diameter should be in between 65mm-70mm. The reason is bigger wheels are more cumbersome and hard to roll so that sliding may not be possible.

If your preference is cruising wheels, then the wheels should have diameter above 70mm. Due to the big size, the wheels roll over any type of surface easily which does not happen in case of smaller wheels.

Durometer:

After getting confirmed about the diameter, you need to check the durometer of the wheels. Durometer level refers to the hardness or softness level of any wheel.

Though there are a few other scales to measure, durometer is determined mainly by the ‘Shore A’ scale.

According to the ‘Shore A’ scale, 101A is the maximum hardness level for any longboard wheel.

That means the higher the number is, the harder it is and vice-versa.                                                                     

For having efficient slides from a longboard wheelset, the wheels need to be on the harder side. So, the perfect duro level for sliding wheels is above 80A. 84A wheels can be an excellent option for you. The hard wheels roll faster than the soft wheels. As a result, you will get decent speed for sliding.

For the best cruiser style longboard wheelset, the wheels need to be a bit softer than the sliding wheels. That means you need to have a wheelset with lower duro level. Due to the softness and big size, the cruiser wheels get the needed grip to make the pavement buttery-smooth.

Contact Patch:                                     

The next thing on the checklist is the contact patch. Contact patch means the amount of direct contact of the wheel’s surface texture with the ground. You may have noticed already that some wheel have much wider contact patch, while some other wheels feature narrow contact patch.

The wheels having narrow contact patch makes less contact with the riding surface. The lesser the contact is, the lesser the grip is. Thus makes a wheel ideal for sliding. So, if your priority is sliding wheels, you should not choose any wheels having contact patch above 38mm. Although in some exceptional cases you can go above 38mm.

If you want to spend money on cruising wheels, you need to choose wheels with wider contact patch having maximum contact with the ground. For the cruising wheels, the number is 45mm. In some cases, you can go below 45mm.

Due to the wider contact patch, the weight distribution will even, and it will help in having grip and traction.

Shape:

In this section, you need to have a check on the shape of the wheels as well. The wheel shape is related to the contact patch.

The wide the wheel is, the wider the contact patch.

Again, the less wide the wheel is, the narrower the contact patch.

According to the shape, there are three types of longboard wheels. To define the shape, we’ll focus on the wheel’s lip profile mainly.

• Square lip
• Rounded lip
• Narrow lip

The Shark Wheel shape is an exception here. 😀

So, if you are into sliding, then the wheels having a rounded lip and narrow lip will be good to go option. Round lip wheels are good for performing slides as they have less wide contact patch.

For the cruiser lovers, the square lip is the preferable shape. Square lip shape features a wider contact patch. Thus help to have peaceful cruising ride around the town.

Wheel Surface Texture:

The surface texture of any longboard wheel plays a vital role in terms of sliding and cruising. So, you should not skip checking it before adding to the cart.

There are mainly two types of surface texture of the wheels-

• Smooth surface
• Stone ground

Smooth surface differs from the stone ground surface in terms of the number of contact points.

If you’re in search of a set of sliding wheels, then you should go for the stone ground surface. The stone ground surface has similar contact points with the ground, but they are not so many in numbers. As a result, the wheels become slippery and get less resistance.

Smooth surface is the best for cruising wheels. As the smooth surface has more contact points not similar to the ground, the wheels become grippy while riding.

Core Placement:

The core of a longboard wheel is like the skeleton of the human body. So, you can’t ignore the core placement in the longboard wheels.

The right core placement not only makes a difference in performance but also make the wheels durable and long-lasting.

Among the longboard wheels, we can see three types of core placement styles-

• Centerset
• Sideset
• Offset

In case of centerset wheels, cores are placed at the center of the wheels. And on both side of the cores, there is an equal distance between the cores and the lips. This type of core placement is good for getting a maximum grip, and weight distribution is even. So, the riders who want to cruise should get wheels with centerset core. Centerset core is suitable for sliding as well.

In case of sideset wheels, cores are placed by aligning with the inner lips. So, the weight distribution is uneven and produce less amount of grip. You can do predictable slides with sideset wheels.

Offset wheels have core placement between the center and the inner lip. Due to such placement, the wheels can work for sliding and cruising both. All you have to do is, to flip the wheel inside out for having cruising performance.

Material

You know longboards and skateboards use Polyurethane as a material for constructing the wheels. Polyurethane is the combination of good quality plastic and rubbers. In a few longboards, Polycarbonate and Polypropylene have been used.

It’s the thane formula which differs the performance and quality of the wheels. Different manufacturers use a different formula. For example, Orangatang wheels use ‘Happy Thane Formula.’

Budget:

The budget should be a big concern always. Longboard wheels are not that pricy, but you surely don’ buy wheels frequently.

Again, no matter how durable the wheels are, no wheels are for a lifetime. After a particular time, you have to replace the wheels. But replacing depends on the condition.

So, fix a convenient budget before choosing longboard wheels.

Q1. What skateboard wheels are best for cruising?

A: First of all, you’ve to understand the criteria for a wheel to be perfect for cruising.

Generally, the cruising wheels are not so high in durometer; that means they are soft enough to give a sufficient amount of grip and to control the speed moderately. Besides that, shape, core, contact patch etc. also contribute to making the wheels cruiser.

Considering all the facts, you have to choose the right one for you. See, there a lot of quality skateboard wheels which are best for cruising. I can mention some of them here as follows:

• Ricta Clouds Skateboard wheels
• Orangatang Stimulus Skateboard Wheels
• Everland Skateboard Wheels

Q2. What are some of the best longboard wheel brands?

A: There are many renowned longboard wheel brands which are making top-notch wheels for decades.

As longboarding is getting popular gradually, many talented new manufacturers are coming in the industry also. They are trying to make qualitative wheels.

Again, there are wheels from some brands which are not up to the mark. You can waste your money there.

So, figuring out the best longboard wheel brands is not that easy. But I’ve already made it easier for you guys. Cloud Ride, S9, Orangatang, Fireball, Blood Orange, Playshion, Shark Wheels are some of the names upon which you can rely on upon.

Q3. What do you think of the new skateboard wheels called shark wheels?

A:  In my opinion, Shark Wheels is one of the best inventions of the skateboard industry till today. The wheels have a high potential to take the skateboarding into a new level. Though there are a lot of things to improve, Shark Wheels are the first to try something new by not following the traditional theories.

That’s why I always counted on them and added them in my articles.

The traditional wheels get a circular shape with some variations. But if you see, the Shark Wheels get a helical shape composed with three-dimensional sine curve patterns, which is good for cruising and carving at the same time.

Besides this, they have improvised their thane formulas. And the result is in front of you. The scientists around the world appreciate the Shark Wheels.

Q4. Can you Ollie with cruiser wheels?

A: No, but yes! 😀

Let me clear you.

Ollie is such an intense skateboard trick which requires an enormous amount of pressure and reflex so that you can kick-tail and push the board up in the air. For that, you need to attach smaller wheels which are lightweight and hard.

On the other side, cruiser wheels are heavier and wider than the sliding wheels. Plus, they are soft too. So, when you are trying to do Ollie, the landing will be quite tough and not balanced. The reaction in the entire process will slow down and may cause unsuccessful Ollie.

If you can manage to do Ollie with mini cruisers, then it is okay. Otherwise, my suggestion is for any hard wheels.

Q5. Are harder wheels faster?

A: Yes. Harder wheels are way faster than the softer wheels. The reason is, the harder wheels have pretty similar contact patch with the surface and break the traction easily.

On the contrary, the softer wheels can’t get out of the traction and keeps producing grip. That’s the reason which slows down the speed of the softer wheels.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

So, who’s got the ‘winner winner chicken dinner’ today?

Imagine! If it were a PUBG match between all these recommended wheels, then there would be a massive clash in the last circle. Right now, I’m in between that clash. 😀

Actually, it’s a tough call to announce one because every wheel is very much brilliant in terms of specific performance. However, I’ve to pick the best ones for you.

Best longboard wheels for sliding- Among all the top pick sliding wheels, Blood Orange Morgan Pro is the most deserving due to its narrowest contact patch and higher durometer. Plus, the sugary sliding performance with LMF formula has made it distinctive.

Best longboard wheels for cruising- I guess you already know the winner in this category. Yes, the Orangatang InHeat gets the best cruising wheel announcement. It is an equally versatile and top-performing cruiser. The example of perfect shape with perfect construction.

Last Words                 

Only you can make the call, whether a wheel is suitable for you or not. Because at the end of the day, it’s all about your comfort and preference. I’ve just tried to add my inputs on sliding and cruising wheels to help you reach there.

Read my article thoroughly, grab your wheels and give me feedback.

Stay safe!

Happy riding!