fbpx

Ultimate Review of the Best Skate Trucks in 2023

Ultimate Review of the Best Skate Truck

The deck is often the point of focus when selecting a skateboard.

But other defining components affect your overall riding experience.

One such component is the skateboard truck.

While seemingly trivial, a perfectly worn-in set of skateboard trucks turns as uniquely as the user riding them.

This is the reason you can’t simply jump on a friend’s board and immediately feel comfortable as you would on your board.

Of course, you can always go for the completes or pre-assembled skateboards-they’re cheaper anyways.

But the completes are only fine for the beginners and skaters simply looking for an average skating experience. You won’t feel any difference between the expensive and cheaper components.

Also, over time, the pre-assembled skateboard trucks may give out. And even if yours are still in tip-top shape, you may want to swap them with a set better suited to your preferred riding style.

Enter the custom skateboard trucks/ third-party skateboard trucks.

Generally, these skateboard trucks conform to your personal riding experience and are quality options, better suited to skaters who can ride with confidence since they know what they need.

While some of these options are a bit pricey, they provide you with a personalized experience that the pre-assembled trucks lack.

And depending on the choice of materials and quality, these trucks are durable, and more reliable than the typical trucks.

Now, if you’re unsure of what options to go for, we’ve handpicked the best skateboard trucks in the market, each filling their specific niche within the multi-faceted skateboarding world.

And if you’ve time, you can go through our crash course on how to select the best skate trucks in the bottom section.

But for now, let’s see our top six picks.

Quick Comparison Table!

Independent 149 Stage 11

4.8

4.8/5
Venture Trucks All Polished Low Skateboard Trucks

4.6

4.6/5
Thunder Hi

4.5

4.5/5
Tensor Magnesium

4.3

4.3/5
Ace High Raw Skateboard

4.0

4/5
Havoc 5.0 Skateboard Trucks

4.0

4/5

The Best Skate Trucks For The Money

The Best Skate Trucks For The Money

#1 Independent 149 Stage 11 - Best All-Around Skateboard Trucks

4.7/5
4.2/5
4.8/5

Independent can rightfully claim the title of the “most iconic brands” in skateboarding. This is because their trucks are always seen as the industry standard against which all others are judged.

The brand is know for their quality craftsmanship and reliability of their products.

Additionally, Independent’s truck range covers an entire variety of board trucks for every skateboard model, ranging from the freestyle 109 models to the massive 215 models with 10 inches axle width.

And today, we shall look at one of Independent’s newest entrants, the Independent 149 trucks.

While Stage 11 is at the higher end of the price range and slightly more expensive than the competition, we feel they’re worth the extra cash.

Indeed, these Independent trucks are durable and will put up with a heck of a lot of abuse when it comes to grinding.

The steel axle, along with the aluminum baseplate is as solid as it can get and will serve you for a long time without breaking down.

While being durable, the Stage 11 Skateboard Trucks are perfect for nearly all types of skateboarding. Whether you need to use your board for carving and cruising, grinding, riding in the park, or street riding, these are great all-rounders.

Because stability is what’s expected from a truck, the Stage 11 Skateboard trucks are no exception. The reworked and tighter-turning geometry provides the balance on the sharp turns while performing different tricks with ease.

I’m a big fan of Independent’s axles because of their great steering behavior and grinding abilities. Likewise, I find the included axle rubbers incredible, but I think this is a personal preference (Locker Vs. Hard). I prefer to ride the trucks loose.

I also love the truck’s versatility, and if you’ve a board with a deck width of 7.5 to 8 inches, these trucks can accommodate anything up to 56mm wheels. For the 7 inches deck width, I’d go with the 129mm version.

Regarding the wheel truck size, 56mm isn’t the limit. If you’re to use risers, it’s possible to add a couple of mm to your wheel size.

Generally, Stage 11 is an incredible truck, coming with everything you would need for a reliable and performance-oriented truck.

My only quibble with this pair of trucks is it doesn’t come with equipment for assembly. It’s not a deal-breaker, but for the price, I expected more than the basics, at least.

Pros

Cons

#2 Venture Trucks All Polished Low Skateboard Trucks - Best Skateboard Trucks for Beginners

4.6/5
4.3/5
4.6/5

These Venture trucks are everything beginners would wish to see in their ideal skateboarding trucks.

First, they’re crazily inexpensive, and at under $50, I feel they’re an absolute bargain.

They’re also lightweight and coming in at less than 2 pounds; beginners should have no problem performing tricks.

These skateboard trucks are stable, too, and this is what makes them a perfect all-rounder pick for beginners.

The Ventures Polished derive their stability from their low shape. Being lower to the ground gives the skater a lower center of gravity compared to other skateboard trucks.

But there’s a catch!

The low-profile Venture skateboard trucks have a slight sacrifice when it comes to technical tricks. But not a big problem for beginners interested in street riding or simple carving and cruising.

Another thing I love with these Venture skateboard trucks is the durability. The Trucks Venture Polished’s baseplate is ultra-strong and solid.

Over the several months, I’ve used these trucks, there’s hardly any deformation, and I love how they hold up well; never bending and giving my board support.

Of course, there’re slight dents here and there, but the aluminum construction holds up well and will serve you for a long time.

Performance-wise, the Ventures don’t fail either and are designed to provide you with the experience.

The grinds on the Venture feel buttery and nice. But after a while, you might find yourself waxing rails and ledges more often, which isn’t necessarily bad, but just inconvenient.

Venture’s turnability is also on point, and I like to set them about medium/tight. They turn smoothly, with no jitters or squeaking. But you’ll have to apply a little speed cream occasionally in case you experience some squeaking.

Overall, the Venture Polished is an incredible truck, especially for beginners.

My only quibble with the truck is the construction. You can’t reach the back bolts with a regular unit tool, so you’ve to disassemble the entire hanger and tighten or loosen the bolts as you desire.

Also, the kingpin seems to have a smaller thread count or something because it takes a longer time tightening them than other trucks.

Pros

Cons

#3 Thunder Hi - Best Skateboard Trucks for Grinding

4.4/5
4.5/5
4.5/5

The Thunder Hi is one of the best skateboard trucks in our line-up, but they’re not designed for beginners.

Instead, these deck trucks are best suited for the slightly more technical skater and all-around grinding junkies.

While any truck can grind when you lean back far enough and go fast enough, Thunder Hi breaks into the grind with absolute minimum effort. You’ll definitely love how these board trucks sound sweet and turn in razor-sharp.

But the grinding agility comes at a cost!

The Thunder will only get so tight with their stock bushings. This means some skaters may find that they require stiffer bushings for stability, especially if they’re chasing speed.

For my case, for instance, I felt the bushing was a bit loose, and I experienced some speed wobbles and wheel bite.

But the good news is, there’s an easy fix to that- just tighten the kingpin nut, and you’ll be good to go.

The other thing I loved with the Thunder is the lightweight yet durable construction.

An aluminum baseplate and axle handles all the abuses, including the hard landing, hard street riding, and tricks without breaking down.

At the same time, it doesn’t compromise on the lightness and smoothness. Thunder Hi turns super smoothly, and in fact, too smoothly at first!

But in my opinion, Thunder’s higher profile is one of its key selling points.

The higher profile means these skateboard trucks are perfect for grinding compared with every other competition on our list of the best skateboard trucks.

A higher profile is helpful in several ways, including providing a better ground clearance on street curbs and rail, ultimately making grinding much more effortless.

The downfall with the raised profile is the loss of stability at a higher speed. If you’ll be using the Hi trucks on skateboards for carving and cruising and bombing hills, you notice it getting twitchy.

But if you can put up with the wobbliness or just ride in the park, the Thunder Hi might just be the best skateboard trucks for you.

Overall, there’s a lot to love about the Thunder Hi. The only issue with these truck sets is the bushings.

The Thunder bushings are utilitarian and mushy. While they will get the basics ride, an upgrade in clouds brings a set of Thunders to life.

Pros

Cons

#4 Tensor Magnesium - Lightest Trucks

4.3/5
4.5/5
4.3/5

If there’s one thing Tensor focuses on their Magnesium skateboard trucks, it’s the weight.

If you’re looking for a lightweight yet performance-oriented truck for your custom skateboard deck, you can’t go wrong with the Tensor Magnesium.

These trucks are said to be the lightest trucks available in the market. Weighing at only 264g at an axle width of 8.372 inches, this truck is extraordinarily light.

With the Tensor, you’re looking at around a 25% reduction in weight compared to the standard skateboard truck.

To spare some weight, Tensor hollow trucks come in a minimalist design. For example, the baseplate is milled from the bottom, and the hanger is slim. Hollow kingpins and hollow axle are also part of the featherlight diet plan.

More importantly, the truck’s composition isn’t made from the typical aluminum but cast magnesium.

But why bother with the lightweight trucks in the first place?

The answer is simple.

A reduction in weight translates to better handling and makes it easier to land tricks.

While it’s easy to think the lightweight magnesium comes at the expense of performance and strength, it’s farther from the truth.

The thing about magnesium is that beyond lightness, it is durable and sturdy.

Magnesium stands up to all the abuses of street skating. Unlike the lightweight trucks that get ruined by grinding, Tensor stands up to anything like a champ.

It doesn’t bend or twist, but you may get a few scratches here and there.

When it comes to performance, particularly the agility, Tensor has a smooth performance. It takes time to get used to the fast reaction of the trucks, and you’ll have to adjust the hollow kingpins several times to reach a smooth feeling.

Also, when you step your feet on the board, you might feel like some wheels lost ground contact, but you’ll get the hang of it over time.

Overall, many skaters love the wow-effect, especially regarding the lightness of the trucks,

While the steering and grinding performance may take second fiddle to some of the models on our list of the best skateboard trucks, it’s still reasonable.

Keep in mind Tensor offers a great deal on a Truck + ABEC 0 bearing package. For a small extra cost, I think it’s worth considering the upgrade.

Pros

Cons

#5 Ace High Raw Skateboard - Minimalistic Skateboard Trucks

4.2/5
4.6/5
4/5

Ace’s plain, almost minimalistic design is an eye-catcher.

And in more than one way, it resembles the Independent truck we had reviewed earlier, only that the pivot is repositioned more to the inside.

It’s a sturdy truck, and the characteristic round hanger provides lots of materials, and the aluminum construction guarantees durability.

The truck can take a beating and won’t bend or even break.  It’s a great option for landing and performing the less-forgiving street tricks.

Another thing we love with the Ace is the low-profile design.

With the kingpins sitting low to the ground, riders profit from wheel bite, and more importantly, are cushioned against hang-ups.

Plus, the 52mm height makes these boards perfect for technical street skating and flowing turns on-ramps and transitions.

The low-profile design consisting of a low bushing seat along the stock bushings is also responsible for an exact steering performance, but we shall see that later.

For the time being, let’s look at the dimensions.

The Ace is on the smaller-to-medium end of the sizing spectrum, coming in at 8 inches in width. Generally, these trucks are designed to accommodate a skateboard deck width of 7.75” to 8.25”.

Performance-wise, it’s crystal clear how precise the maneuverability of these trucks is.

Known for their signature “deep” turning radius, the extreme turns are no problem.

Ace’s performance, alongside its modest height, also makes the trucks quite versatile and suitable on various terrains, from vert ramps, parking block, handrails to downhill.

They’re stable at all times, and a reliable ally, even with sketchy landings.

But some users complained of a little bumpy ride of the smooth surface like marble curb, but after a few grinds, the hanger becomes smooth and grinds nearly everything.

Overall, there’s plenty to love with the Ace.

The Ace is priced for a moderate budget, and even better, no shortcuts are taken in material construction or quality.

And when used on a properly sized skateboard, these trucks are among the most versatile trucks in the market.

Pros

Cons

#6 Havoc 5.0 Skateboard Trucks - Best Longboard Trucks

4.2/5
4.6/5
4/5

Rounding up our list of the best skateboard trucks is the Havoc 5.0, one of the best brands in the market.

Havoc comes with a standardized design and will easily fit in almost every type of skateboard while supporting various riding styles at any time.

It’s a lightweight pick, too, thanks to the aluminum design. Havoc’s lightness means skateboarders can enjoy performing a variety of skateboarding tricks with relative ease. The 0.4 pound also means you won’t even notice whether the trucks are right under your skateboard deck.

While it’s easy to think the lightweight material is cheap, you’d be surprised how well these longboard trucks are built. The aluminum material used here is solid and durable, and you shouldn’t be afraid to try new tricks with these trucks,

One of the key selling points with these longboard trucks is they stick well and can be fitted literally to any deck width. However, we recommend using the trucks for the 7.75” deck width.

Even better, this model comes bundled with accessories, including bolts and screws for attaching the trucks to the skateboard.

Installing the trucks on your deck is also pretty easy, and you don’t even need the help of an expert. In fact, all you need is the user manual that comes bundled with the trucks.

Finally, the Havoc 5.0 is available in colors including pink, green, and blue, so you can always find a color that matches your skateboard or one that appeals to your tastes.

Overall, the Havoc 5.0 longboard trucks are a great purchase, and they’ve excellent reviews from customers who bought them.

The Havoc 5.0 is a great pick for kids and beginners as they ride low and have plenty of stability. They also have an extended axle width to accommodate long skateboards.

Pros

Cons

Best Skateboard Trucks Buying Guide

Best Skateboard Trucks Buying Guide

If you’re still undecided on what type of truck to go for, our guide below will help you make a more informed choice.

Here, we list all the important things you should know before making your next skate truck selection.

But before then, it would be prudent that you’ve a rudimentary understanding of the different parts of a truck.

Parts of a Skate Truck

A simple truck comprises numerous parts, but today, we shall only look at the four critical parts.

Kingpin

The kingpin is the large bolt that fits inside the bushing and holds the skateboard truck’s parts together.

It connects the hanger to the baseplate.

The kingpin should be durable to hold everything together.

Hanger

The hanger is a triangular metal piece and is the largest part of the skateboard truck.

It helps with the support of the axle, especially when performing the sharp turns and tricks.

It’s also the area of the truck where you grind.

Axle

The axle is the long pin, running through the hanger and attached to the wheels.

The bearings are mounted on the visible part of the axle.

The axle width determines the truck size of a skateboard a truck can accommodate. Trucks with longer axle width can support longboard skateboards.

Baseplate

The baseplate, also known as the base layer or foundation, is where all the components are fixed.

It’s mounted on the skateboard by screws.

Skateboard Truck Profile

Now that we know the different components of a skate truck let’s look at the different skate truck profiles/shapes.

Generally, a truck’s profile is defined as the distance between the hanger and bottom of the deck.

The three common truck profiles are:

1) Low profile

The low-profile skateboard trucks are best suited for boards with small wheels.

This shape has better stability, especially when performing rigorous moves and tricks.

It’s a great shape for skateboards with 50-53 mm-sized wheels.

2) Medium profile

The medium-profile skateboard trucks are specifically designed for cruising boards, often on parks and streets.

This profile is generally recommended for skates with a wheel size of 53-56mm.

3) High profile

The high-profile skateboard trucks are best suited for skateboards with a wheel size of 56mm+.

They’re also generally used on skateboards extensively used on the streets on those with a pretty longboard.

Width

The truck’s width is pretty complex since the truck’s width should match exactly with the width of the deck.

To get the right width, you can start by measuring the axle’s width and the hanger.

This width must perfectly align with the width of your skateboard.

Getting the wrong width makes it challenging to perform flip tricks on a board.

Risers

Other than the basic components we’ve just mentioned, skateboard trucks also have risers.

As their name suggests, the risers help keep the skate higher off the ground and normally act as shock absorbers.

They help to decrease or even eliminate the vibrations while riding.

Generally, they’re made out of plastic or rubber materials. The riser’s thickness tells how effectively they can absorb the impacts. The thicker, the better.

Each riser is firmly pinched with six screws held, and it can fit both small and longboards.

This way, it’s always easy to secure them between the base plate and the main deck.

*Risers Tips

Always select screws an inch longer than the riser you choose to add. For example, if your risers are ¼”, your screws should be 1 ¼.

But keep in mind they are optional and dependent on the wheel truck size.

But if your board has large wheels, 56mm+, you’ll need risers to enhance a smooth clearance on the sharp turns.

Also, when riding a longboard or bigger wheels, you’re likely to experience wheel bite in sharp turns. Having them installed abruptly absorbs the impact, giving you a smooth skating experience.

While they don’t eliminate the wheel bite, they help reduce the vibrations while skating.

Materials

Material plays an integral role, especially in the overall durability of a truck.

Generally, we recommend choosing quality deck trucks made from special materials.

While these materials may increase the overall cost, they offer better quality and performance.

For example, titanium alloy skateboard trucks are lightweight and will considerably extend your skateboard trucks’ longevity.

Similarly, the magnesium-made skateboard trucks will afford you 25% less weight than other manufacturers in the market.

Though not as rare or special as the other materials, aluminum is also a great choice as it’s lighter and more durable.

While at it, it’s also a good idea to check your truck’s warranty against any manufacturing defect.

Best Skateboard Truck Brands

Skate trucks can be expensive, and this is why we suggest picking trucks from reliable skateboard truck brands only.

Of course, not all trucks from reputable skateboard truck brands will satiate your needs, but more often than not, you’ll find the trucks from these brands fulfilling.

Generally, if you pick a pair of trucks from our list of the best skateboard truck brands, you should be good to go.

Keep in mind there’re other brands with good quality trucks, but each of these brands has something that helps it to stand out.

The skate trucks brands are:

  •         Independent Trucks
  •         Thunder Trucks
  •         Tensor Trucks
  •         Roya
  •         Silver Trucks
  •         Theeve Trucks
  •         Destructo Trucks
  •         Kruks Trucks
  •         Iron
  •         Anchor

Best Skateboard Trucks Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the best skateboard trucks?

A: There’s not any best skateboard trucks; it all depends on your riding style and preference. But generally, the best trucks are durable, reliable, have great turning abilities, and from reputable skate brands. Almost most of our listed trucks will make it in the list of the best skate trucks in the market.

Q: What are the best trucks for street skating?

A: The high trucks are quite standard and have better turning abilities, more responsive, and with a little more wheel clearance.

These trucks are best suited for street skating.

On the other hand, the low trucks are best suited for tech skating as their wheels sit closer to the board, creating a tighter center of gravity. They make flip tricks easier and best suited to the ledge grinds and general “tech” skate park skating.

Q: What trucks do pro skaters use?

A: Generally, the professionals use the low trucks because they’re more responsive and make it easier to perform the challenging tricks with relative ease.

Wrap Up: Our Choice

Best Skate Trucks Wrap Up Our Choice

Our winner for the best state trucks is the Independent 149.

Also, known as the Indys, we choose these trucks for several reasons.

First, they’re a product of one of the iconic brands in the market, and as with all Independent trucks, you can always expect quality and high performance.

The second reason we choose this pick is because of the features.

Independent 149 has an array of incredible features that will work as hard as you do to support your skating experience.

For example, Indy sports durable aluminum alloy construction, a nice combination that enhances durability while keeping the weight down.

The truck’s dimensions are also well-suited to fit many skateboards in the market, while its configuration will support various riding styles in different terrains.

Sharing is caring!

Lisa Hayden-Matthews

Lisa Hayden-Matthews

An avid Skier, bike rider, triathlon enthusiast, amateurish beach volleyball player and nature lover who has never lost a dare! I manage the overall Editorial section for the magazine here and occasionally chip in with my own nature photographs, when required.

Related Posts

Subscribe To Our NewsLetter!

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x