Root Industries makes five complete scooters, and each one is built for a different size of rider. Get the size right and your kid will find it easier to ride and easier to learn tricks on.
Start with their age to get close, then check their height to be sure. Kids the same age can be very different sizes.
The quick answer
| Age | Scooter | Rider height |
|---|---|---|
| 5 to 8 | Type R Mini | 110cm to 130cm |
| 8 to 13 | Type R Pro | 130cm to 160cm |
| 11 to 16 | Type R GT | 145cm to 175cm |
| 14 and up | Invictus v3 | 160cm to 190cm |
| Tall older teens and adults | Air RS v3 | 175cm and over |
If their age and their height point to different scooters, go with height.
The ten-second check
Stand the scooter next to your kid. The top of the bars should sit around their belly button, or just under. Once they stand on the deck they are 4 or 5cm higher, so the bars end up between their beltline and their belly button, which is where you want them.
So measure from the floor to their belly button and compare it with the scooter's height in the table further down.
If the only thing wrong is the bars being a touch tall, ask us to cut them down after you place your order. We are happy to do it.
Stuck between two sizes?
Plenty of kids fit two scooters at once. The average 12 year old is about 149cm, which fits both the Type R Pro and the Type R GT.
If you can, go with the smaller one. A scooter that fits right now is easier to move around and easier to learn tricks on. That is what gets a kid good at riding, and it is what makes them fall in love with it.
The time to size up is when they are right on the edge of the next size and you don't want to be buying another scooter too soon. Then the slightly bigger one makes sense.
Park scooters and street scooters
Root's completes are park scooters. Park riders like a smaller scooter because it is easier to throw around for tricks, so on the bigger models (Type R GT, Invictus v3, Air RS v3) riders usually run the bars a bit lower, around the hip.
Street riders spend their time grinding rails and jumping stairs, so they want to stand up more comfortably and run a bigger scooter. If your kid rides street, see our NATIVE size guide.
From about 15, riders usually have a good idea of what size they want.
Type R Mini: ages 5 to 8
Fits riders from about 110cm to 130cm. It is the smallest of the five. The bars stand 72cm off the ground, the deck is 4.7" x 17.5" and the whole scooter weighs 3.3kg.
Got a 7 or 8 year old who is already past 130cm? Go up to the Type R Pro.
Root Industries Type R Mini Complete
Type R Pro: ages 8 to 13
Fits riders from about 130cm to 160cm. The bars stand 82cm off the ground, the deck is 4.8" x 19.6" and it weighs 3.4kg.
An 8 year old still under 130cm will be better on the Type R Mini for now. Got a tall 12 year old who is already past 160cm? Go up to the Type R GT.
Root Industries Type R Pro Complete
Type R GT: ages 11 to 16
Fits riders from about 145cm to 175cm. The bars stand 85cm off the ground and the deck is 5" x 19.5". At 3kg it is the lightest scooter in this guide, lighter than the Type R Pro even though it is bigger.
A 9 or 10 year old between 130cm and 145cm can ride it, but the Type R Pro will fit them better. Taller than 175cm? Look at the Invictus v3.
Root Industries Type R GT Complete
Invictus v3: ages 14 and up
Fits riders from about 160cm to 190cm, so it suits most teenagers from 14 right through to adults. The bars stand 90cm off the ground, the deck is 5.2" x 20.5" and it weighs 3.4kg. It rolls on 120mm wheels, where the three Type R scooters use 110mm.
A tall 12 or 13 year old who has already reached 160cm fits it too. Under 160cm? The Type R GT is the better fit.
Root Industries Invictus v3 Complete
Air RS v3: tall older teens and adults
Built for riders 175cm and over. The average boy does not reach 175cm until he is nearly 17, so this one is for tall older teenagers and adults.
It is the biggest scooter in this guide. The bars stand 94cm off the ground, the deck is 6" x 22", and it weighs about 4kg on 120mm wheels. Root built it as a street scooter that can still handle the skatepark.
Between 160cm and 175cm? The Invictus v3 is the better fit.
Root Industries Air RS v3 Complete
The five side by side
| Scooter | Rider height | Ground to top of bars | Deck (width x length) | Weight | Wheels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type R Mini | 110cm to 130cm | 72cm | 4.7" x 17.5" | 3.3kg | 110mm |
| Type R Pro | 130cm to 160cm | 82cm | 4.8" x 19.6" | 3.4kg | 110mm |
| Type R GT | 145cm to 175cm | 85cm | 5" x 19.5" | 3kg | 110mm |
| Invictus v3 | 160cm to 190cm | 90cm | 5.2" x 20.5" | 3.4kg | 120mm |
| Air RS v3 | 175cm and over | 94cm | 6" x 22" | about 4kg | 120mm |
Common questions
What size scooter for a 6 or 7 year old?
The average 6 year old is about 116cm and the average 7 year old is about 122cm. Both sit in the Type R Mini range.
What size scooter for an 8 year old?
The average 8 year old is about 128cm, right at the top of the Type R Mini range. If you want the best fit today, get the Mini. If you would rather not buy again soon, get the Type R Pro.
What size scooter for a 10 year old?
The average 10 year old is about 139cm, which is Type R Pro size.
What size scooter for a 12 year old?
The average 12 year old is about 149cm and fits both the Type R Pro and the Type R GT. The Pro is the smaller scooter and the better fit right now. The GT gives them more room to grow.
What size scooter for a 14 year old?
The average 14 year old boy is about 164cm and fits both the Type R GT and the Invictus v3. The GT is the smaller of the two.
Do these ages work for girls?
Yes, up to about 13. Girls and boys are within a centimetre or two of each other until then. After that most girls level off at around 163cm, so go by height.
Where these ages come from
The height ranges are Root's own, and for the Mini and the Pro they line up with the belly-button check above. We matched them to the growth charts Australian children's hospitals use, which give the average height of boys at every age.
They are averages. The tallest kids are a year or more ahead and the shortest are a year or more behind, so measure your kid before you order.
Still not sure? Send us their age and height and we will tell you which one to get.
