l am a beginner to both skateboarding and long boarding. l just wanna cruise around, no tricks. which is better to learn on? i'm 14, 5''4 if that helps.

well usually the board used for just cruising are longboards but they are really hard to control
for u l would recommend a normal skateboard

It depends on what kind of skateboarding you want to do. Do you want to do pools, bowls, street skating tricks and rails, go with a regular skateboard, but if you're like me, and like the cruising feeling of surfing, then a longboard is the ticket because it goes fast and carves nicely. There are some stylish tricks on a longboard too, like shuv-its and old-school kickflips. It is a preference, but maybe it is better to learn the raw basics on a regular skateboard.

the guy that said a shortboard was easier to control is an idiot. He can take his shortboard up to 20 mph on a ramp in the park, & l will take mine to 45 on a hill. He gets speed wobbles pushing to the park. Enough ranting. You're probably better off learning on what u want to do. If u want to do park or street skating, get a shortboard. If u want to actually go from point a to point b on a skateboard get a longboard with good wheels & good bearings. You can get something in between here: http://stokedskateboards.com/eabigfodrco.html l have the corchia which is similar, & l love it. l would go for tracker sixtrack trucks & ask the guy who owns it, David, if u can switch out the wheels for something a 65mm around 84a. He will do it no problem. With this board, u can get around moderately comfortably without shortboarders giving u sideways looks. It is pretty big so ur feet will be comfortable, & all the kids at the skatepark will want to try it out.

a long board is better because u said u want to cruise around becase u do tricks on a skateboard and long boards u cruise around so u should get a long board good luck!

skateboards are easier to learn how to ride and look better. once you get good on a skateboard l would then try the long board.