Help me pick a longboard
 

Okay, the boy wants a longboard for Christmas.

I'm planning to take him to a skate shop and let him pick it out, but wanted to get some tips first. What should we look for? Good brands?

He has a regular board, like a street board. Goes to the local skate park sometimes, but not super into tricks.

I believe he wants the longboard mostly for transportation. Now that it is raining, he tends to take the bus to high school, or mom drives him, then after school he has 30 minutes to get to dance studio about 1.5 miles away. He walks now but that doesn't leave time to eat anything, which he needs to do before four hours of dancing. Then he buses home.

He's figured that a longboard would speed the travel nicely. Why he can't ride his street board, I dunno - anyway it seems a nice present. (Actually I've ridden his street board and it is pretty uncomfortable for just cruising around, noisy and harsh.)

No plans to do crazy helmeted downhill stuff as far as I know.

Hmmmm....well its all about the wheels. I have a mid length board that rides smooth as silk because of the wheels. Not looking at it right now, but I think the wheels are 85 (durometer)

Long boards flex quite a bit, and some are going to better at putting down power as opposed to cushioning the ride.

If he's a dancer, won't pushing a board cause an imbalance in his muscles?

Not sure about the muscles. But I think pushing a board for a couple miles won't be much of a workout for him. Not enough to make a difference.

I love my sector 9 nosewalker. I have a shorter sector 9 drifter as well . I don't ride it as often as my nosewalker though.
Sector 9 Skateboards Nosewalker Longboard - 55 x 11in | Dogfunk.com
Sector9

Arbor is a classic choice.

http://arborcollective.com/skateboards/products/

What is the advantage of a squared off shape versus as tapered shape? Do you want a kicktail?

Long board and kick tail don't typically go together. That said, I have an Arbor that is pretty much that. It is roughly like the Backlash

http://arborcollective.com/skateboards/products/backlash-40/

Ask this guy:

Mike Amor hit with a skateboard - YouTube

I bought a sector 9 used on Craigslist for cruising around the neighborhood. Rides nice and is good board sport practice for me.