Shock pads and riser pads for skateboards, cruisers and longboards

Shock pads and riser pads are often underestimated by many skaters, but they can completely change the feeling of a setup, the stability of the board and the way a skateboard reacts during real sessions.

Most riders initially focus almost entirely on the deck, trucks, wheels or bearings, while riser pads and shock pads are usually considered secondary accessories. In reality, as soon as you start skating street, bowl, cruiser or transition seriously, you quickly understand how much these components can influence comfort, control and overall performance.

Since 1999, Pleasures Milano has selected shock pads and riser pads for real street skateboarding, bowl sessions, cruiser setups, surf skate systems and longboards. Every setup reacts differently, and choosing the right pads can completely change the way your board feels under your feet.

The difference between shock pads and riser pads

The main difference between shock pads and riser pads is the material and the specific function they have during riding.

Riser pads are usually made from hard plastic or rigid polyurethane and are mainly used to increase the height between the truck and the deck. This helps reduce wheel bite and allows skaters to use bigger wheels without the wheels touching the board during turns or landings.

Shock pads, on the other hand, are softer and designed mainly to absorb impacts and vibrations. They are especially popular among street skaters who skate gaps, stairs and heavy drops because they help soften landings and reduce the stress transferred to the deck.

Many skaters use riser pads to modify truck geometry and board height, while shock pads are generally chosen to improve comfort and vibration absorption.

In longboarding and cruiser skateboarding, both solutions are often combined to create a smoother, more stable and more comfortable ride, especially on rough asphalt and uneven surfaces.

Riser pads for street skateboarding

In street skateboarding, many riders use riser pads to slightly increase the height of the skateboard and create a more aggressive or technical setup.

Raising the trucks reduces wheel bite during tight turns, sketchy landings or tricks performed with very tight wheelbases. This becomes especially useful when using slightly bigger wheels or lower trucks.

Many street skaters prefer thin 1/8” riser pads because they preserve the technical feeling of the setup without changing the pop and control of the board too much. Even a very small difference in height can noticeably change how a skateboard reacts during a session.

Some riders also use riser pads to gain more clearance during flip tricks or to slightly modify pop timing. On technical setups, even small details can affect the overall board feel.

When using low trucks and wheels bigger than the classic 52 mm or 53 mm sizes, riser pads can become almost necessary to avoid wheel bite during aggressive skating.

Shock pads for gaps and heavy landings

Shock pads are extremely popular among skaters who skate big gaps, stair sets, handrails and heavy street spots.

During hard landings, the pressure transferred to the deck and trucks can become extremely intense. Shock pads help absorb part of that impact, creating softer landings and reducing both vibration and mechanical stress.

Many riders use softer shock pads specifically to protect their setups during heavy street sessions. Besides improving comfort, they can also help reduce micro fractures in the deck and lower the risk of premature board breakage.

Shock pads are also used by skaters who prefer smoother and less rigid setups under their feet. On rough asphalt or uneven surfaces, the overall feeling can improve dramatically compared to a completely rigid skateboard.

Even during long street or skatepark sessions, reducing constant impacts and vibrations helps decrease leg fatigue and makes riding feel much smoother overall.

Riser pads for bowl, vert and transition skating

In bowl skating and vert, many skaters use riser pads to increase stability and improve flow during transitions.

Higher setups make it easier to ride bigger wheels without wheel bite while maintaining speed and smooth lines inside bowls. Many old school and transition riders specifically prefer slightly taller setups because they create more fluid carving, slash grinds and coping tricks.

Learning tricks like rock to fakie, axle stalls or disasters can also feel easier with the right setup. More distance between the wheels and the deck reduces the risk of the truck suddenly locking during tighter turns.

Many bowl skaters combine high trucks, larger wheels and riser pads to create faster and more stable transition setups.

In deep bowls or fast ramps, the feeling of the setup changes completely compared to technical street skateboarding. That is why choosing the correct riser pads becomes very important.

Riser pads for cruisers and surf skates

In cruiser skateboarding, riser pads become almost essential. Cruisers usually use very large and soft wheels designed to absorb vibrations and handle rough asphalt. Without riser pads, wheel bite would become a serious issue, especially during tighter turns or pumping.

Using wheels larger than 58 mm almost always requires riser pads, especially on compact cruiser boards or surf skate setups.

Riser pads are also frequently used on surf skates to modify truck geometry and increase clearance. Some surf skate systems have extremely deep turning ranges and need additional space to function properly.

With the right setup, pumping becomes smoother, turns feel deeper and the overall ride becomes much more surf-oriented. Many riders also use softer shock pads on cruisers to reduce vibrations even further and create a smoother feeling during urban commuting or longer rides.

Shock pads and riser pads for longboards

Both shock pads and riser pads are widely used in longboarding. Riser pads are mainly used to increase truck height and modify truck angle, directly affecting how the longboard behaves during carving, pumping or downhill riding.

By raising the center of gravity, turns usually become more reactive and deeper. Many longboarders use angled risers specifically to change truck geometry and fine tune the board feeling.

Shock pads are instead used to reduce vibrations and absorb impacts during cruising, carving or downhill riding on rough roads. Comfort is often one of the biggest priorities in longboarding, and softer shock pads can dramatically improve the overall riding experience.

Many longboard setups combine shock pads, angled risers and specific truck geometry to create either more high-speed stability or more responsive pumping setups.

How to choose the right riser pads and shock pads

Choosing the correct shock pads or riser pads mainly depends on the type of skateboarding you do and the setup you ride. If you mainly skate technical street with smaller wheels, you will probably need very thin riser pads or no risers at all.

If you use bigger wheels, cruiser setups, surf skates or longboards, riser pads often become necessary to avoid wheel bite and improve overall control.

Shock pads are highly recommended for skaters who skate gaps, stairs or rough street spots, but they are also useful for riders who want a smoother and less rigid setup during cruising or longboard riding.

Material hardness also changes the final feeling of the setup significantly. Softer pads absorb impacts and vibrations more effectively, while harder pads maintain more precision and faster response.

Correct hardware length for riser pads and shock pads

One of the most common mistakes when installing riser pads or shock pads is using hardware that is too short. As soon as you increase the distance between the truck and the deck, you also need longer skateboard bolts to complete the setup safely.

The thicker the riser pad, the longer the hardware needs to be.

Many skaters underestimate this detail and end up with hardware that does not properly thread into the lock nuts. That is why checking hardware compatibility and bolt length before assembling the setup is extremely important.

Setups using 1/8”, 1/4” or 1/2” riser pads generally require different hardware lengths compared to standard setups without pads.

Find your shock pads and riser pads at Pleasures Milano

At Pleasures Milano you can find shock pads, riser pads and skateboard risers selected from some of the best skate brands in the world. Our catalog includes hard riser pads, soft shock pads, cruiser risers, bowl risers, surf skate pads, angled risers for longboards and compatible hardware for every type of setup.

Since 1999, we have selected only products that actually work during real street skateboarding, bowl riding, cruising, longboarding and surf skate sessions.

If you have doubts about sizing, compatibility between trucks and wheels or the correct hardware length for your setup, our customer support team can help you choose the best solution for your riding style.

We also offer free skateboard assembly and fast shipping within 24/48 hours. Your setup will arrive ready to skate with the correct configuration for your riding style.