While bicycles and cars are a primary source of transportation for most Americans, many choose alternative forms such as skates or a skateboard. This is especially common among children and teenagers. Although both skateboards and skates have wheels, it's important to look at the many differences between the two modes of transportation and recreation before choosing one.
Balance
The center of balance is one of the main differences between a skateboard and skates. This is largely because with skates you are standing on two separate sets of wheel -- a skate shoe on each foot -- and with a skateboard you are standing on a single, more secure board or "deck," typically equipment with grip tape for additional support. Having the deck allows the skateboarder to widen his stance to gain better balance, while balancing on skates might take more practice.
Stance
Stance also varies between skating and skateboarding. Although both sports require slightly bending your knees to stay upright, regular skates require gliding motions similar to walking, while a skateboard requires you to stay more stationary, using your foot periodically to push the ground and propel the skateboard forward. Skateboards also have two different stances, "regular," in which the left foot is placed toward the front, and "goofy," in which the right foot is placed in front.
Wheels
The wheel layout also sets apart skates from skateboards. Traditional skating wheels are made from polyurethane and placed on the bottom of hard boot or shoes. There are two wheels toward the front of the skate and two toward the back. Inline skates place all four wheels down the center length of the boot. Skateboards are not secured to your body through shoes. The wheels are placed in similar fashion to traditional skates, with two toward the front and two toward the back, but the wheels are placed farther apart and are supported by the board, giving better balance.
Movement
Movement also can differ between skates and skateboards. Skateboards rely on the action of one foot pushing off the ground to propel you forward while skates rely on a walking or sliding motion to create momentum. Your ability to move left or right also varies between the two, with skateboards relying on leaning the body to turn left or right and skates relying on the way you pivot the skate trucks by pointing your feet toward the direction you want to go.
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