Six months on Element's mid-range complete. What broke (not much), what bent (the wheels), and what we'd buy again (everything except the wheels).
PP
Panos Psaras
Editor · Living the Board Life
Published 02 Apr 20267 min readAffiliate disclosure+
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We handed the Element Section 8.25 to one rider, a returning skater at 88kg, for six months. Here's what we learned about the most recommended complete of 2026.
01The verdict, first
The Element Section is the board you'd hand to a friend asking for a recommendation, full stop. It's not the most refined complete we've tested — that's the Santa Cruz Classic Dot — but it's the best at €115, and the difference between it and the €30-cheaper budget options is enormous.
Element Section 8.25· 2026
From
€115
Street · Plaza · All-round
If you want one complete that'll last a real year and won't embarrass you at the park, this is it. Our most-recommended first board in 2026 — 500 kilometres logged on our review sample and the deck is still flat.
Deck size
8.25"
Wheelbase
14.25"
Wheels
52mm 99A
Bearings
Element ABEC-7
Concave
Medium
Skill level
Beginner, Intermediate
Pros
Best build quality at this price — Element completes don't feel budget
Medium concave is the right starting point for almost every rider
Trucks (Element Thriftwood) are genuinely decent — not upgrade-bait
Cons
Wheels are functional but soft — you'll replace them within six months of real riding
8.25" might be too wide for under-14s; size down to the 7.75" Section for smaller feet
Out of the box, the bearings spin but are factory-dry. We cleaned and oiled on day two (see our guide). Immediate 25% improvement. Do it.
The deck has a medium concave that feels natural. The wheels are 52mm 99A — perfect for street but noisy on rough pavement. If you're commuting, swap to 56mm 83A cruisers.
Rolled it into La Vega feeling self-conscious. Left thinking the Element was genuinely fine. Nobody cared what I was riding. That's what a good first complete does.
03After 200 kilometres
Grip tape — still fully adhered, some wear at the nose.
Deck — one small chip from a bad ollie. Still flat.
Wheels — rotated to even out flat spots. Life: 60% remaining.
Wheels bald, replaced with Bones STF. Bearings re-packed, still the originals. Grip tape re-placed at month four after a nose-grind wore it through. Deck is showing two cracks at the truck mounts (normal for this much use) but still rides straight.
The Thriftwood trucks, surprisingly, still feel tight. Element cheaped out on a few things but the trucks were not one of them.
05What we upgraded, and what we didn't
Upgraded
Wheels — to Bones STF 53mm at month four (€35).
Grip tape — to MOB at month five (€5).
Bushings — to Bones Hardcore medium at month six (€7).
Kept stock
Deck (until it finally cracks).
Trucks (Thriftwood, still going).
Bearings (Element ABEC-7, cleaned quarterly).
06Who this complete is for
A first-time adult buyer who wants one purchase to last a real year.
Someone returning to skateboarding after 10+ years.
A gift for a teenager who's serious about learning.
Who it's not for: pure pool/bowl skaters (size up a wheel), pure commuters (the wheels are too hard), hardcore street skaters who already know exactly what they want.
Frequently asked questions
04 questions
For most adults, no — 8.25" is the safe middle ground. For younger or smaller riders (EU 38-), consider the 7.75" Section instead. Element publishes the same model in multiple widths.
Yes. Wheels on, trucks on, grip tape on, bearings spinning. Out of the box, ready to ride. We didn't touch ours for the first two weeks.
The SC is €35 more and you feel it in the bearings and wheels. If budget stretches, the Classic Dot is the upgrade. If not, the Element is 90% of the board for 80% of the price.
Surprisingly yes. We kept them on the review board the full 500 km and never felt the need to swap to Indies. They're not Thunders but they're honest, serviceable, decently light.
Street · Plaza · All-round
