Where to buy used skate gear in Belgium? | BINDY

A full new skate setup (deck + trucks + bearings + wheels + grip) runs 150-250 €. Not the end of the world, but when you’re starting, you snap stuff, you wear it down, you pick the wrong concave for your style. Used gear is the smart way to kit up without burning your budget — especially for solid parts like trucks or wheels that last for years.

Skate is also the board sport where used gear is most accessible: no life-or-death risk like in kite or surf, and the gear ages gently. Here’s how to go about it in Belgium.

Why buy used skate gear?

The price: a second-hand setup in good condition runs 60-100 € for a complete (vs 150-250 € new).
Solid parts don’t wear out: trucks (Indy, Thunder, Venture, Ace) → 5-10 years of useful life. Bearings (Bones, Bronson) → same. Wheels (Spitfire, Bones, OJ) → hundreds of sessions.
Test a setup before committing: torn between an 8.0”, 8.25”, 8.5”? Buy used, ride a season, see what works.
The eco angle: a skate is wood, aluminium and urethane — not catastrophic but why buy new if used does the job?

The 5 used-gear sources in Belgium

1. Belgian skateshops

A lot of Belgian skateshops take boards on consignment, especially pro boards resold by their ambassadors or demo setups. It’s the safest option: gear checked, advice on the right shape for your style.

Pros:

Setup checked technically (concave OK, trucks aligned, etc.)
Advice on size for your style (street vs vert vs cruise)
Custom rebuilds (they’ll build a used setup to your spec)

Con: slightly higher price than P2P, but often justified by the technical check.

2. Facebook Marketplace

The n°1 channel for used skate in Belgium. Search “skate”, “skateboard”, “longboard”, “cruiser”, “surfskate” on Facebook Marketplace with a 30-100 km radius. You’ll find 50-150 active listings in season.

Seasonality: less marked than in water sports, but the best deals are in autumn-winter (people sell off setups they’re less attached to after summer).

3. 2dehands.be / 2ememain.be

“Sport en fitness” > “Skateboarden” category. More polished and tidier than Marketplace. Particularly useful for longboard and cruiser (often sold by serious riders).

4. Specialised Facebook groups

Several Belgian and Benelux groups dedicated to used skate:

Skate Belgique - Vente / Achat / Échange
Skateboard tweedehands België
Belgian Skate Marketplace
Longboard Belgium - Buy Sell Trade
Surfskate / Carver Belgique

For longboard and surfskate specifically, the Belgian scene is smaller but very active on dedicated groups.

5. Vinted

Surprise: Vinted has a skate category that works well for streetwear brands (Thrasher, Vans, Element, Hélas, Polar) and sometimes complete boards. Not the first source for technical gear, but useful for clothing and accessories (helmet, pads, bags).

The pre-purchase checklist

Skate wears visibly, so it’s easier to assess than a kite or a surfboard.

For a deck

Pop: take the deck in hand, gently flex the tail. A soft deck (overflexed) has lost its pop. You’ll feel it instantly.
Concave: visually, the curve should be clean and symmetrical.
Pressure cracks: look for small cracks on the topside, especially around the trucks. A few = OK. Many = weakened deck.
Razor tail: tail eaten away from tic-tacs and flips. Not a drama but check if it bothers your style.
Wood layers: no delamination, no big chunks of missing wood.
Grip: if trashed, factor in a fresh grip (5-10 €).

For trucks

Brand: Indy, Thunder, Venture, Ace, Royal, Tensor — go for a known brand. Skip the no-names.
Hangers: not bent, not over-filed by rails (visually check it sits flat).
Kingpin: good condition, threads not stripped.
Bushings: not crushed or cracked. Otherwise, it’s 5-15 € to replace.
Pivot cup: not worn down to the metal (the hanger should rest on polyurethane, not metal).
Axle: straight, threads not stripped, nuts turn freely.

For wheels

Diameter still usable: a new wheel is 52-55 mm on average. At 48 mm, it’s done (replace it).
Shape: even wear across the 4 wheels = OK. An oval or flat wheel = replace.
Hardness: no cracks, no crumbly zones (sign of urethane that’s aged badly).

For bearings

Spin freely: pull them out of the wheel, spin by hand. Should spin a long time without suspect noise.
No play: hold them, check they don’t grind and there’s no slop.
Shields intact: the plastic shields should be present and not deformed.

For 15-25 € you can buy decent new bearings (Bones Reds, Bronson G2). If in doubt, buy new.

Which setup for which style?

Before buying used, know what you’re after:

Style	Deck	Trucks	Wheels
Technical street	7.75” – 8.25”	Mid (139-149)	50-54 mm, 99A-101A
Versatile street	8.0” – 8.5”	Mid-high (149-159)	52-56 mm, 99A
Park / Bowl	8.25” – 8.75”	High (159-169)	56-58 mm, 97A-99A
Cruise / transport	8.0” – 8.5” wide deck or cruiser	Soft trucks	60-65 mm, 78A-85A
Surfskate	Specific (Carver, YOW)	CX/C7 (front pivot)	Soft 65-70 mm
Longboard	38”-46”	Reverse kingpin 180	70-75 mm, 78A-83A

Shoe-size rule: 8.0”-8.25” decks fit most sizes from EU 38 to 45. Below 38, go narrower (7.75”). Above 45, go wider (8.5”+).

Classic skate traps

1. The “new” complete for a beginner. Often it’s low-cost (Walmart skate, Decathlon entry brands). Heavy trucks, low-end ABEC bearings, soft wood deck. Better a good used deck + branded trucks than a low-end new complete.

2. The “80s-90s vintage” at premium prices. Collector hype. Unless you’re an old-school fan, buy modern, it’s more versatile.

3. The “like new, never used” deck. A deck that hasn’t been used but stored 5 years in a damp cellar is dead. Wood doesn’t like humidity.

4. The pack with Chinese bearings. Skip the no-name “ABEC 11” bearings. It’s marketing, they’re worthless. If the pack includes Bones, Bronson, Spitfire — OK. Otherwise, negotiate without.

5. Bent trucks. Bent = replace. Check on a flat surface that the hanger sits parallel to the ground.

Cruiser, longboard, surfskate — particulars

Cruiser

Soft wheels (78A-85A): if hardened, replace (15-30 €).
Trucks: usually wider, check they match the deck width.

Longboard

Drop / camber: the flex and shape are critical. A board cracked around the truck inserts = walk away.
RKP trucks (Reverse King Pin): longboard-specific, not interchangeable with skate trucks.
Fins: present and straight if downhill.

Surfskate

Front pivoting truck: should pivot freely 360° without catching. If it’s stiff, the internal spring is dead, walk away.
Brand: Carver, YOW, Smoothstar, Slide. Skip the no-names (the pivot quality is everything).

If you’re starting — go through a skateshop

For a first skate purchase, the smartest move is a setup built at a skateshop. You walk out with a setup tuned to your shoe size, your weight, your style — and you don’t learn the hard way by buying something unsuitable.

The Belgian skateshops BINDY lists almost all (or close to it) deal in used gear, and most will build a new or used setup à la carte to your budget.

BINDY useful links

All skateshops in Belgium
Skateparks in Belgium
The wetsuit guide (for winter coastal sessions)
Best smartwatch for skate

Selling your setup? Post on the channels above and tag @bindy.world on Insta — we relay the good deals.