Best Skateboard Bearings of 2023

JUMP TO: BONES SWISS / BONES REDS / BONES SUPER SWISS / BRONSON SPEED CO. G2 / BONES SWISS CERAMICS / BRONSON SPEED CO. G3 / SPITFIRE CHEAPSHOTS / BONES BIG BALLS / BUYING ADVICE

Author: Brent Herman

The Short Version

The Long Version

While these small, metal circles are often overlooked when you think of a skateboard, the sport would be nowhere near where it is today without them

Bearings are responsible for the smooth ride associated with a pleasurable skating experience.

They are also responsible for generating speed on vert ramps, riding down hills, or just pushing around town.

Of course, if you purchase a pre-built complete then you may not need to worry about your choice of bearings at all - and it may be a while before they need replacing.

But if you are putting together your board from scratch - or you find your most recent trick ending with ball bearings scattered on the floor - then you might be shopping for a new set of bearings.

In this article we look at the best skateboard bearings on the market, to help get you rolling again.

If you love reading this review of the best skateboard bearings, then you'll likely love reading some of our other skateboarding content:

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Need To Know What To Look Out For?

Not sure how bearings work, when to replace them, or how to maintain them? If so, be sure to check out our buying advice at the bottom of the article.

Best Overall: BONES SWISS

MATERIAL: Metal

USES: Skate/Cruiser/Longboard

COST: High

You will notice several products from Bones on this list. The reason for that is that Bones have been making skateboard bearings since 1981 and are the leader in the industry as well as the brand that is trusted by skaters the world over.

Bones Swiss bearings are engineered to be fast and durable. They come pre-lubricated with Speed Cream Racing Lubricant. According to many users, Bones Swiss bearings are capable of lasting for years when properly maintained. And according to the company itself, Bones Swiss bearings are the best selling high-end skate bearings in the U.S.

For over 30 years, Bones Swiss have been the bar that other skateboard bearing brands have tried to reach or surpass. While there are new bearing companies that are finding success, for a tried-and-true skateboarding experience, you can’t miss with Bones Swiss.

Best Value: BONES REDS

MATERIAL: Metal

USES: Skate/Cruiser/Longboard

COST: Low

Another product from Bones are their Bones Reds skateboard bearings. Bones Reds are their best-selling skateboard bearing. These are significantly lower cost than other Bones products, but are a favorite among skaters for their performance for the price point.

Instead of being manufactured in Switzerland like the Bones Swiss bearings, these bearings are made in China where labor cost is lower. Bones passes these savings onto the customer while still retaining a high standard.

Bones Reds are inspected twice for quality before they reach the customer. They come pre-lubricated with Speed Cream Racing Lubricant and have a removable outer shield that makes cleaning your bearings easier.

These bearings are good for all skateboarding applications from longboard cruising to street skateboarding. At their low price point and wide range of availability, it makes sense why these are the best-selling bearings.

Best for Speed: BONES SUPER SWISS 6

MATERIAL: Metal

USES: Skate/Cruiser/Longboard

COST: High

The Bones Super Swiss 6 skateboard bearings are an improved version of the classic Bones Swiss. The key difference between the two is that the Super Swiss 6 bearings come with six larger ball bearings instead of the classic seven. 

The main benefits that result from these fewer but larger balls are more speed, better durability, and higher strength. These all lead to getting longer life out of your bearings, especially when properly cared for.

These bearings are ideal for larger skaters, as well as skaters who want a fast smooth ride that can stand up to more force.

Best for Street: BRONSON SPEED CO. G2

MATERIAL: Metal 

USES: Skate/Cruiser/Longboard

COST: Low

Bronson Speed Co. is a fairly new arrival to the skateboarding industry, but that hasn’t stopped them from quickly establishing themselves as a true contender in the bearings department.

Featuring a slew of talented pros on their team, Bronson has delivered quality products that are shown to be top tier. They were founded in 2013 and have become one of the biggest bearing brands.

The Bronson Speed Co. G2 bearings feature deep groove raceways helping reduce damage to the bearing from side impact and therefore reducing the likelihood of the bearings breaking when jumping down stairs or other street gaps. These bearings also come pre-lubricated with Bronson’s high speed ceramic oil that helps reduce wear and increase speed.

These bearings are an affordable option for those who are avid street skaters. Bronson’s attention to detail in their design makes them stand up to the challenges of  street skateboarding.

Best for Longevity: BONES SWISS CERAMIC

MATERIAL: Ceramic

USES: Skate/Cruiser/Longboard

COST: Very high

These Bones Swiss Ceramic bearings are at the very top of the skateboard bearing industry and come with a price tag that would suggest as much. Although these bearings are much pricier than the other bearings on this list, they are made with the highest quality raw materials and thoughtful engineering.

The main difference is that instead of steel balls, these bearings come equipped with ceramic balls that are stronger, lighter, harder, and longer lasting than steel balls. The ceramic balls are also waterproof!

These bearings are the top of the line and are great for speed, smoothness, and longevity. These bearings will improve any ride from longboards to cruisers and even street setups.

Best for Impact: BRONSON SPEED CO. G3

MATERIAL: Metal

USES: Skate/Cruiser/Longboard

COST: Moderate

Another offering from the relatively young Bronson Speed Co., The Bronson Speed Co. G3 skate bearings have the same great features as the G2, but with the addition of extra speed and durability. 

The G3 bearings have a cage that holds the ball bearings in place whilst simultaneously keeping the balls evenly spaced and keeping oil moving throughout. The result is a smooth roll that is built to last.

Bronson Speed Co. boasts that their bearings are inspected by hand twice and are solvent washed three times before their final lubrication. This process, as well as their shrinkwrap packaging, means that when you get your set of Bronson Speed Co. G3 bearings, they are “Factory Fresh Quality” and ready to go.

Best for Beginners: SPITFIRE CHEAPSHOTS

MATERIAL: Metal

USES: Skate

COST: Very low

Skateboarding can be a bit of an expensive hobby to get started with. After purchasing your board, you still may have to pay for safety equipment and proper footwear before you can even get started.

The good news is that there are some lower-cost options that still provide a real skateboarding experience, without requiring you to spend your life savings trying out your new hobby.

The Spitfire Cheapshots are one of those ideal low-cost options and are the most affordable bearings on this list. They come with a removable shield for easy cleaning and maintaining. Plus, they come pre-lubricated and ready to ride.

Although Spitfire are mostly known for making wheels, they are a trusted brand in the skating industry. And their Cheapshots bearings will get the job done when you are introducing yourself to skateboarding.

Best for Longboards: BONES BIG BALLS REDS

MATERIAL: Metal

USES: Skate/Cruiser/Longboard

COST: Moderate

While bigger doesn’t always mean better, it does when it comes to your bearings rolling faster and lasting longer. So bigger is exactly what many longboard riders are after!

That makes the Bones Big Balls Reds ideal for those with the need for speed.

These bearings feature six balls instead of seven, however the balls themselves are 17% larger than the ones in other Bones bearings. This makes the bearings less susceptible to the havoc that dirt and debris causes for skate bearings. This translates into a longer life for the bearings.

Although these are listed as best for longboards, these bearings are a great option for cruisers and regular skateboards as well. Who doesn’t want the benefits of big, dirt-resistant balls?

BUYING ADVICE FOR SKATEBOARD BEARINGS

Skateboard bearings are a relatively small part of a complete setup, but are crucial to performance. Bad bearings make skateboarding not only less enjoyable, but more difficult as well.

If you are buying your first pair or are just in need of some new bearings, this guide will help you make the best decision for your specific needs.

How do bearings work?

Bearings have been used for countless applications outside of skateboarding for the main purpose of reducing friction on spinning equipment. Bearings also help support weight by transferring a force. Put simply, they help things go more smoothly.

This is especially true for skateboards. If you tried to ride a skateboard without bearings, you would not get very far at all. Skateboard wheels are designed to have two bearings in each wheel for a total of 8 bearings for a skateboard.

Skateboard bearings are usually made up of 7 balls that are inside a track. These balls roll against smooth inner and outer surfaces to reduce the friction of the spinning wheel. This translates into more speed and less pushing necessary to keep cruising.

Performance

THE ABEC CONTROVERSY: For decades, skateboard bearing manufacturers used something called the ABEC Scale to boast the speed of their bearings. While it is true that bearings rated higher on the ABEC scale could be faster, this has very limited application to skateboarding.

ABEC RATINGS ARE FOR PRECISION: Contrary to popular belief, the ABEC rating is not a rating of “speed” per se, but a measurement of how precise the bearing is. This is an important measurement in high RPM machines, but for skateboarding purposes, this is not the most important measurement of bearing performance. 

SKATE RATED? For this reason, major skateboard bearing companies have moved away from the ABEC system. Bones for example says that their products are “skate rated” not ABEC rated. While a higher ABEC rated bearing may be more precise in its design, the bottom line is that measurement doesn’t necessarily make a bearing better or worse for basic skateboarding applications.

Maintenance

HOW LONG DO BEARINGS LAST? There is no set amount of time that a set of bearings will stay working at optimum efficiency. Factors like the overall craftsmanship of the bearing itself, the style of skating you do, and how well you maintain your bearings all contribute to the longevity of your bearings.

COST MATTERS: Generally speaking, you get what you pay for when it comes to skateboard bearings. Cheaper bearings are often less durable than more expensive ones. This is because most higher-priced bearings are made with better raw materials and are designed to take impact and stay clean better than their cheaper alternatives.

WHEN DO THEY NEED REPLACING? It is possible to break skateboard bearings with heavy and/or repetitive impacts. However, many skate bearings are designed to take impact better than other ball bearings. You can tell when a bearing is broken if suddenly a wheel does not spin near as well as the others or starts making a different sound. Sometimes bearing shields will pop off and individual balls will fall out.

CLEANING & LUBRICATION: In order to get the most out of your bearings it is important to properly clean and lubricate your bearings on a regular basis. There are bearing cleaning kits available for this purpose, as well as bearing lubricants.

The right way to clean your bearings is to remove their shields before submerging them in some sort of solvent like isopropyl alcohol and vigorously shaking them to remove any dirt and debris from inside of them. You can repeat this process a couple of times for a more thorough cleaning.

After you have done this and let the bearings dry, add a couple drops of bearing lubricant before replacing the bearing shields. You should notice an improvement in bearing performance during your next session as the lubricant works its way through your freshly cleaned bearings!

MORE INFORMATION

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