They may look small, but skateboard bearings are extremely complex and important. Sold in sets of eight, bearings are round metal pieces that fit inside the wheels of the skateboard to mount the wheels to the axel. But with so many different skateboard bearings out there, which should you choose from?
In this piece, we will look at eight of the best skateboard bearings on the market to give you an idea of what might best work for you.
How We Choose Our Ratings
We take our product ratings very seriously and put a lot of time and effort into ensuring their accuracy, which is why we took a host of things into account when it came to rating the best skateboard bearings.
To get the best idea about the popularity of a set of bearings, we waded through dozens and dozens of customer reviews. We also looked at the particular brand of a selfie stick, as brand reliability tended to play an important part in determining ultimate customer satisfaction.
We also looked at a bearing set’s ABEC rating, which is an industry standard for ball bearings established by the American Bearing Manufacturers Association and measures the tolerance of the bearings. The ABEC rating scale is divided into five classes: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9. The higher the number, the greater the precision, efficiency, and speed capabilities the bearings tend to have.
Now, the ABEC rating does not spell out everything about the performance of a ball bearing, as it does not specify such things as materials, lubricant, vibration, noise, load handling capabilities, degree of ball and raceway polishing, and material Rockwell hardness, so we tried examining some of these important facets as well when rating a bearing set.
Finally, we took the cost of the skateboard bearings into consideration.
Comparison Table
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Top 8 Skateboard Bearings
There are a number of different skateboard bearings out there, each of varying styles and brands, but here are eight of the best overall selfie sticks on the market. As an important note, all of the design and function specifications detailed below are provided by the manufacturers and have not each been individually tested or verified by us.
Bones Swiss Ceramics Skate Bearings (7mm, 16 Packs)
- Bones Swiss Ceramics are in a class by themselves. If you want the best there is, this is it. The ceramic balls are much lighter, harder, stronger, waterproof, and longer lasting than the finest steel balls. Made in Switzerland.
- Bones Swiss Ceramics accelerate faster, roll faster & farther, and resist dirt and moisture better
- Help to repair injuries to your races caused by dirt.
- 1 non-contact, removable rubber shields allow easy cleaning.
- High speed nylon ball retainer for greater strength and speed.
With a premium grade of ABEC 7, these Cerbec ceramic bearings have been pre-lubricated, which saves you time and hassle and helps to deliver a faster and smoother ride. Designed for top-of-the-line performance and speed and with a high-speed nylon ball retainer that also provides increased strength, the bearings are also virtually noiseless.
Costing around $152, this bearings pack also comes with spacers, instructions, and a sticker, though some customers may experience some sticker shock when it comes to the prices. That being said, these bearings received glowing customer reviews, as Bones Bearings are very highly respected in the bearings industry.
Yellow Jacket Premium Skateboard Bearings, Pro Longboard Bearings, 608, ABEC 9, Yellow Jacket (Pack of 8)
- HIGH PRECISION HIGH SPEED BEARINGS: Used with Skateboards, Longboards, Inline Skates, Electric Skateboards, and has the highest precision in the market.
- HIGH PRECISION HIGH SPEED BEARINGS: Used with Skateboards, Longboards, Inline Skates, Electric Skateboards, and has the highest precision in the market.
- PRE-LUBRICATED WITH HIGH SPEED RACING LUBE: Ultra-Fast Lube for Guaranteed High Speeds and minimal friction. Yellow shield seals lubricant inside bearing and wheel
- ENGRAVED COLOR SEALS FOR PROTECTION: Cool engraved colored seals for bright colors and protection from dirt, rocks, dust, to lengthen the life of the bearing and maintain precision
- TOP QUALITY AT LOW END PRICES: Yellow Jacket Bearings are built for racing and durability at a fraction of the cost. Hand inspected before packaging to ensure highest quality for customers
Available in such eye-popping colors as Black Mamba, Bomber Blue, Jungle Green, and Racer Red, these bearings are about as high-precision as any on the market, with an ABEC rating of 9. They are also not just compatible with skateboards, but also with longboards, rollerblades, and even electric skateboards.
They are pre-lubricated with high-speed racing lube, and their bright color seals aren’t just great to look at, but also help to protect the bearings from dust, dirt, and rocks to maintain precision and increase the life of the bearings.
Though these bearings do make noise, they received extremely positive reviews because of their price (only $15), effectiveness, and attention-grabbing design.
Bronson Speed Co. G3 Bearings (Set of 8) (Bronson G3 + CCS Skateboard Tool)
- Deep Groove raceways balls roll deep in raceway channels reduces side impact damage & breakage
- Straight edge frictionless shields pop off resistant holds oil in, dirt and moisture out easy to clean
- Micro Groove raceway surfaces linear microgroove surfaces improve bearing lubrication, speed and spin
- Max impact cage design non distortion custom cage keeps the balls precision spaced & oil circulating
- Balls out technology eliminates shield and cage contact on impact for a go fast, stay fast bearing
Pre-lubricated and with an ABEC 7 rating, Bronson’s skateboard bearings have deep-groove raceways that help to minimize side impact breakage and damage. Their straight-edge frictionless shields are also pop-off resistant, which keeps oil in and moisture and dirt out, while also making the bearings easier to clean.
The micro groove raceway surfaces also help to improve spin, speed, and lubrication, while the max-impact custom cage keeps the oil circulating and helps keep the balls’ precision spaced out. Perfect for wear protection, the high-speed ceramic oil is corrosion, rust, and moisture resistant.
Additionally, the max-impact, non-distortion cage design makes sure that oil is circulating and that the balls are precision spaced. Not to mention, the balls-out technology takes away cage and shield contact on impact to ensure that when you reach top speed on a skateboard, you stay at that speed.
Customer reviews were generally positive, though some reviewers complained about the bearings being more low quality than others on the market. Though, at a price of only $26, many customers appreciate getting the added bang for their buck.
Spitfire Burner Pack of 8 Wheels
- Designed specifically for skateboarding
- Impact resistant removable nylon cages
- Heat resistant high carbon chromium steel rings
- Super polished honed races.
- Exclusive high speed spitfire lubricant.
With a name like Spitfire Burner, the signature flame-covered packaging, and the very affordable $14.50 price tag, these bearings were made for skaters on a budget who are looking for slick-looking bearings.
Though they may not offer the highest quality on the market, these bearings are made to give you a smooth skating experience, and customers seemed to be relatively pleased with their experience with the product.
Spruce Skateboard Bearing, ABEC-9/ABEC-11 High Speed Wearproof Skating Steel Wheel Roller, Precision Skate Bearings for Longboard, Kick Scooter, Inline and Roller Skates (abec-11 (Colorful)- 16 Pack)
Perfect for either skateboards or longboards, these ABEC 9 rated bearings are made out of carbon steel for resistance to deformity under heavy loads as well as added durability. With a red dust cover for protection, these bearings are either available in a plainer design for $9 or in a more colorful design for $11.
Spruce equips these bearings with first-grade lubricating grease, and they also come with a cooling steel ball.
These are fairly under-the-radar bearings (despite Spruce being a rather popular manufacturer), so while there are not many reviews for them on the Internet, those people who did purchase the bearings were fairly satisfied.
Rollerbones Bearings 8mm 16 Pack
- 16 Pack of 8mm Bearings - Enough for One Pair of Skates
- Precision ground skate bearings with removable high speed nylon ball cages
- Removable non-contact, frictionless rubber shields
- Fast, long lasting, and easy to clean
- Pre-lubricated with Speed Cream racing lubricant.
Another lesser known brand, these bearings have an ABEC 7 rating and are perfect for everything from skateboards to longboards to cruisers to mini cruisers to mini skateboards to rollerblades. With 608 RS and known for their high speed and durability, these bearings come pre-lubricated, making them great for eliminating hassle and increasing performance. At only $13, these bearings are an incredible deal and customers generally seemed to enjoy their experience with them.
Despite not being from the most prolific brand on the market, these bearings tout that they are skater tested and a good number of customers claimed that they outlasted some of the more well-known brands in the business.
Mini Skater 16 PCS Black Generic ABEC 9 Precision 608 RS Skate Ball Bearing Deck Longboard Bearings(Black)
- 16 PCS bearings of Blank Skateboard and Longboard bearings
- Inner Diameter : 8mm,outer Diameter : 22mm
- Pre-Lubricated Speed Lubricant
- Lube Provide the Best Performance and Durability
- High quality skate bearing, work with all types of skateboards and longboards.
With a rating of ABEC 9 and equipped with 608-RS, these bearings are ideal for both longboards and skateboards. With a simple red and silver design, the bearings come with lubricant for added speed, and they also come with plastic steel shield.
They are incredibly affordable at $6, but if you are looking for bearings that will last you a long time and are good for tricks, these probably aren’t the bearings for you. While some customers did enjoy the product, there were many who were hoping for more durable and high-quality bearings.
Buyer’s Guide
When deciding on the best skateboard bearings for you, there are a number of things that you should take into consideration. For one, you need to pay attention to the ABEC rating, though as mentioned before, this will not tell you all you need to know about a set of bearings. That’s why it’s also important to consider lubrication, the load handling capabilities, raceway polishing, whether or not the bearings make noise, and other similar factors. It’s also a good idea to keep the brand of the particular bearings set in mind as this will help to determine product reliability, what sort of warranty is provided, and other related elements.
Finally, you need to think about your budget. While you can get a good set of bearings for relatively cheap, some skaters prefer the more expensive bearings, as they to have the most functions and are longer lasting. It really all depends on how much you’re willing to spend.
If you deliberate on budget and all of the other aforementioned facets before making that ultimate skateboard bearings purchase, you will be able to better ensure that you are getting the most ideal bearings for you.
