There are many shoe brands out now and more are coming out constantly trying to improve on what other companies are doing. When buying shoes try to get a pair that are cheap, comfortable and will last a long time, if you buy a pair of vans slip ons then they are cheap but not comfortable or durable. You want shoes that have padded souls leather or suede around the toe and are “poofy”.  Nikes new SB shoes are great for skating, they are super comfortable and last a long time but run around $80, too much for most skaters. Lately Vans has been coming out with some new shoes that are pretty comfortable and durable and still are pretty cheap. Some shoes that I do not recommend are Fallens I had a pair and they lasted about a week, weren’t comfortable, and were $70. However, some of the best shoes I’ve skated in are Circas. They are as comfortable as Nikes and very durable. They cost around $65 and its defiantly worth it. Another great brand is Lakai, they are just like circas but cost almost as much as Nikes and are overall great shoes to skate in. In the end just buy shoes that you can skate well in and can afford, that’s all that matters.  Board Brands / Best Boards Almost everyone that has started skating in the last 2 years has had one. The pink or purple Bam pro model, black and pink Bam trucks and Pink Bam wheels. Kids are buying one of the worst set ups if this is what they’re buying. Overall Elements boards are horrible, they warp and break extremely easily. I don’t know about the heliums though because I don’t trust Element enough to buy a $60 board plus grip. You want to start off with a blank, a shop board, or a board that you know will last long if you are sure your going to stay into skating.  You are going to want to start off with a mini or a micro if you are 3 to 7 years old. After that you can pretty much get any board in a skate shop because they are all about the same length. You defiantly want to make sure you are getting a board that’s the right width though. I would defiantly recommend a 7.5” board for anyone that is starting to skate because they are lighter and easier to flip. Some good boards are Krookeds, reals, anti-heros, bakers, enjois, and girls. Any of these would make a great board for a first time skater.