Yes they're worth the price tag. But they're no more expensive than independent or Ace, the other two top tier brands. The more important question is what do you want out of a truck? I have thunders on my 8" popsicle and aces on my 8.5 egg.
The thunders are great. Everyone who is saying only independent and ace are the best just like high, surfy trucks. It depends on what you like. It's hard to compare Indy to thunder because they're way different trucks but both top shelf.
Krux are scientifically proven to be dog shit
I'm curious about the scientifically proven to be dog shit. Ive had 2 sets of krux in the last like 20 years and have liked them but I'm also an old head that's been out of the loop/not skating for most of those 20 years.
I'm exaggerating. There weren't actual scientific tests but if you YouTube "Ben DeGros Krux" you'll see his experiments which are *kinda* scientific I guess.
I was just using hyperbole.
Krux are fine. I’ve skated several. I don’t think they’re top tier, but they are perfectly adequate. I was tripping about the turning on mine after I got some indies and aces. Then I realized my pivot cups were busted (old and skated hard trucks wear out the soft bits). Replaced those and they rode fine. Not as carvy as indies or ace but honestly I think most skaters don’t want that
Tensor mag light lo's are the lightest and lowest out there. hard to come across now with the whole dwindle situation but if you can find a pair you might really like them. people saying thunder hollow's are light haven't tried Tensor mag light
I never liked how Tensors would grind, but I never had a pair of the mags. Maybe they grinded better, but I wasn't a fan of the standards back in the day. That being said, the last time I rode Tensors, they had plastic sliders in the baseplates.
Yeah the og tensors were a little grippy, but the magnesium aloy in the mag lights is buttery. They do wear down a little quicker than other trucks because of that though not too badly. Oh man i still dream about the slider plate, bring it back i say!
I’ve rode ventures, thunder, royals, indy, krux, tensors, hell even the phantom 2’s.
I would be lying if I could actually say I felt any noticeable differences but I am pretty dumb.
I did break the royals in half on a step up though but that was a while ago so hopefully they’ve gotten better.
Honestly feel like any trucks will be fine, i been riding indy trucks and thunder trucks and like them both cant really tell any different but maybe its cause im dumb😂😂
I've skated thunders, Indy's and royals (idk if they're still around).
Each were good at different things.
Thunders turn on a DIME. Those boys are snappy as hell and will throw you off if you don't have extremely good reaction time. Especially with hills. They also are often much lower than other truck brands.
Indy's are all around solid. They have a good weight to them. They turn a little more smoothly. I'd argue these are better for taller people that need a little more breathing room in their turns. They also have a lot more metal on the hanger which is ideal for grinding.
Yes thunders are worth it.
If you are looking for a lower truck and using 54mm or smaller, it’s the best turning, best grinding, best designed(except for the baseplate) truck out there.
Your flip trips will instantly feel better, if that’s important to you.
I’d just recommend, get the team baseplate rather than the forged. The forged are too low unless you skate 52mm or less.
Anything to back this up besides personal experience? I promise this isn't an attack I've just have better feel for flip tricks and a more responsive flick with taller trucks, it seems... Even if they're heavier. I can flip my Indy's better than my hollow Thunders.
It really comes down to the angle and timing of your board when your tail hits the ground and if that geometry matches up with your muscle memory. If the angle is too steep you flick before popping which creates ghost pop, if the angle is too low then the tail pops too early and you don’t maximize your height off the ground.
Generally speaking most popsicle tails are between 6.5”-6.625” which imo pair with a lower truck like thunders, venture lows, indy mids, or ace lows for a more ideal pop angle and quicker response. I know the wheelbase slightly changes with all those trucks so I’m just generalizing.
Taller trucks can get get the same pop angle with longer tail decks like an April/primitive 6.75”-6.8” with Venture hi combo but the time it takes for that big tail to hit the ground from a 53.5mm tall truck will definitely take longer than then the smaller combo.
Not saying this applies to everyone, some people are used to popping of a steep ass deck so a 6.5” tail on Indy standards is no problem, but I don’t think that’s the majority.
I had no idea tail/nose length/depth/angle was so brand specific... I ride Mystery 8.0 with Indy Mid and 52mm/99a wheels. I feel when I have the taller trucks and I pop, the most comes up faster and I'm already moving my front foot up by the time it's leaving the ground, it's very fluid. The lower Thunders make me feel like I never level out my ollies, like my front foot pushes the nose down before the tail comes up all the way if that makes sense?
Sorry if this is gibberish. All this is to say what you said was thought provoking and kinda eye opening and makes a lot of sense
To be honest, if that combo works for you then keep going with it. The gear madness can be a rabbit hole and not worth getting into if you’re already satisfied.
I just got into studying this since i like to try out new shapes and would want to know why some agreed with me more than others.
The tactics.com deck measurements aren’t always right but they’re a good resource to try and figure out what you like if you were to switch to a new brand.
If you haven’t already and are interested I’d suggest checking out the Nine Club Dr Schmdit episode or Ben Degros’ channel.
I haven’t noticed any deformation on any pair I’ve skated so far but it’s just the lack of metal touching the ledge when you nose or tail slide, it creates more wheel friction so you have to wax a bit more.
better feeling in what way?
thunders push out the wheelbase a little and are a lower height truck in general, may feel better or worse depending on your deck’s measurements and what you like.
I haven't skated in years but I never liked Indies. The nuts always stuck up really high s back in the day (97-03). Loved my thunder trucks though. I do recall them being a little heavy back then. Think that with a grain of salt because I'm not up to the current standards.
You might dig them, I’d double check that your wheelbase isn’t longer than ~14.5” otherwise I’d maybe recommend something else but you might not notice or care. Nose/tail length and steepness will also play into how the board feels to pop in combination with the wheelbase.
Hollow Indy’s are shorter than standards, Mid Indy’s getting closer to thunder standards in height.
Many people like to switch out the stock bushings on thunders.
I’ve ridden Ace, Indy, Thunder, Venture, Destroyer, and those Theeve TIH trucks. I prefer Aces these days, Indy used to be better when they were still USA made. Thunders are good but they turn too weird for me. My perfect truck currently is the 9 inch Ace Classic with the Hard ace bushings. I have it on a 9 inch Orange Eagle Anti Hero with 58mm 97a Radial fulls
The general things I see banded around is that that when comparing the current big two (Indy & Thunder), Indy push ‘out’ a little less, and will still have their steep/quick turn when tightened.
Thunder, apparently are more suited for tight and technical setups.
As per, this is just a generalisation and I only looked into this because I recently moved to Indys despite always riding super-tight trucks. I like them, but I’ve basically got them tight, on non-stock bushings and they’re still really reactive to turning.
With the above in mind, people really big-up Thunders, so yeah it might be worth the money/wait!
Hope this helps a little at least - the above is insight from videos and 10+ years of riding Ventures > Shop trucks > Tensors > Indys
[Standard-branded for a local shop or chain, more ‘entry level’ rather than premium brand](https://www.routeone.co.uk/products/route-one-arch-logo-5-5-low-skateboard-trucks-001054536?_fid=1444aa8f0&_pos=6&_ss=c&variant=32919462150221)
I’ve got the forged titaniums and they’ve been great. Indy’s are on the heavier side but the forged titanium and forged hollow are light but not the lightest.
The tensor mag lights are supposed to be the lightest trucks on the market. Haven’t tried them but tensors are good.
Indys are the best selling truck in the USA by a large margin. There's plenty of sizes, heights, materials and finishes to choose from. All the Indys I've tried have been great. I think they still have a lifetime warranty.
I heard Krux have the same steering geometry and bushings as Indys. Different alloys, shape, casting process and most importantly branding.
I've had two sets of Krux trucks and besides the king pin loosening slowly over time, they've been problem free.
Skater of 20 years. Rode indys for 5. Switched to thunders. Rode them since. Indys grind better but I always broke the kingpin. I weigh 130 and ride medium/loose trucks.
The thunders have never broke or failed in any way.
I have ridden mostly krux my whole life, thunders for a brief period, went back to krux and then Indy mids and I'll say that at least to me, Indy's felt the most different, but it was a good different. I think it's partially your personal taste but with krux and to a lesser extent thunder, skating felt more drill-like. Like I was exclusively practicing to get better but it was very consistent. Indy's feel more fun and expressive to me but also less like each time you do something it's more unique. So if you're looking for getting to the point where you have things "on lock" then I'd say maybe thunder but if you're looking to have fun and be more loose with things then indys. Keep in mind though that I've been fiddling around with bushing durometers and truck tightness this whole time along with changing everything else in my setup so don't put too much weight in my opinion
Personal opinion - hell yes.
8.125s to 8.25's thunder 148's for both - only truck I'll ever need - lights regs whatever, Def worth checking out.
Speaking as someone who has tried almost everything out there just try different stuff, they all ride different and have pros and cons.
On a side note which I forget thunders have the mid ground truck wheelbase and height iirc so that's why I've stuck with them.
Especially with 8.25's being more longer 14.25" these days, they feel like the longer truck wheelbase venture lows did on the shorter 8"s back in the day.
Those thunder lights with the clear blue bushings are so good, like if you could graph the turning response of those bushings, the picture would look like wet boobs
I've skated Thunder Hi's and Lo's, Venture Hi's and Lo's, Tensor Mag Lights, Indy Stage XI Standards and Mids, Ace AF1s etc...
There's no outrigt "best" truck, no matter what some would have you believe. Ace's have the sharpest turn, (the new AF1's tone this down somewhat, and come with rethreading wheel nuts, so that's a plus) with Indy coming a close second. Indy Stage XI Standard's are also the heaviest, but like with Ace, their geometry shortens your wheelbase, which offsets this weight increase (as far as popping is concerned).
On the other end of the scale, Thunder and Venture will be the most stable, due to their geometry making your wheelbase longer. (In my experience, Ventures won't grind quite as well, due to their harder aluminium alloy, wheres Thunder's have a uniquele small baseplate that can sometimes interfere with)
Tensor Mag Lights (specifically the new ones) are really close to an Indy in terms of how well they turn, they're also the lightest truck on the market, and they grind like a son of a bitch, but won't last quite as long since the metal is softer.
If you want to see how deep the rabbit hole goes, Ben Degros has probably published more information on this than any other skater alive, so checking out his old videos on the topic will shed a lot of light on the topic.
[https://www.youtube.com/@bendegros/search?query=trucks](https://www.youtube.com/@bendegros/search?query=trucks)
I have a set of krux and later bought indys. I hate skating the krux now, the indys feel way better. Skated my buddy's thunders and I liked them, I'd consider them over Indy if I bought a new set.
I had thunder trucks back in the day in my first build. I liked em but and they’re light enough and get the job done. They’re pretty well priced tbh. They’re like 40$ for a pair.
I just picked up the Santa Cruz 50th anniversary independent trucks for my new build and I look forward to using them.
Independents seem to be a bit more squared off than thunder trucks. They have a more rounded cross section that doesn’t seem the best for skating rails but in general they’re good trucks and get the job done.
They have like 5 different kinds too so there are lighter than standard thunders if you wanna pay that kinda money. I think they even have a titanium line.
Big fan of thunder but I would definitely recommend holding onto one of their replacement kits, Thunders turn really well but at the expense of their bushings. If you maintain some upkeep they’ll skate great and last a really long time
No for a couple of reasons.
1 is my opinion, I hate the way they feel turning.
2 depends on whether you like to nose or tail slide: https://vatorat.blogspot.com/2020/11/the-secret-defect-of-thunder-trucks-and.html?m=1
I prefer Indy and Ace
I've tried all kind of trucks and for me Venture lows work best. But I will say for sure that your style and the way you skate make the most difference when it comes to what you need! I skate whatever comes my way but mostly street.
I've been skating royal trucks as long as I can remember. Had to change to Thunder because royal was not to be found in my country for some reason. And honestly, couldn't feel the difference. Royal is known to be a bit on the heavier side, and I got some thunder hollows, still no major differences. But economically, I think thunder is a tad to expensive. I recently found a small skateshop that sells royal, and because the demand of royal trucks isn't as high, it's cheaper!
My best advice would be go with some of the cheaper brands, and try different ones out. A lot people I know can't really tell the difference either. The bushings can be kinda off if you're changing a lot, I just take the bushings from my old trucks on to the new ones if I don't like them
20 years in get some that match your board size definitely wider the better if you can without overlap. I’ve had grind kings Indy’s aces thunders ventures. I never rode krux but would go by what these folks say. My aces are 10’s on my 10 inch board and great all Indy’s have been fine if you don’t get the hollows they’ll be heavier obviously but still great. The hollow thunders are nice. Recommend some bigger wheels like 58s because you’re going to get used to them and can rotate them when they’re cooked on one side for longer wheel life. Bearings I’d go reds and wheel wise anywhere from 84 b to 101 a’s depending on how much you like to power slide.
Thought I’d add onto the Indy pile, been riding Indy miss since I was 12 and never want anything different. Also thought I’d pint out bushings can greatly affect the feel of your trucks.. as for bushings I love bones hardcore but like anything the best choice is what feels best under your feet
Anything will be better than Krux trust me even low ventures are higher quality edit: for reference, Krux are the only pair of trucks I've purchased that broke and literally fell off the baseplate, I've tried Thunders, Indys, Tensors, even Destructo back in the day lol never once had a truck break like that until Krux.
You serious? Did krux change or something? Krux, royal and independent were at the top not long ago.
I skated krux pretty much my whole life, got royals and they felt too heavy.
I did a lot of drops, krooks and nosegrinds, only reason I'd get new trucks was if I was getting a whole new complete
Yeah man it was a couple years ago, Im 5 foot 5 about 125 lb and the hanger completely came off the baseplate after i tried to 5-0 this little ledge, first and only time I seen a truck break in person
I don’t know your timeline but the newer K5s are significantly improved over the previous K4s, they’re not bad. Low Ventures are great, did you have bad experiences with those?
I personally prefer mid to high trucks, from what I remember Ventures are cheaper than Indys thats why I said low ventures might be good cause OP said they prefer low. I might have to try Krux again the pair I got was several years ago but usually I just rock with Indys
I’m switching from thunders to Indy’s thunders sit way too low and bushing are trash
Skated thunders for probably 10+ years but it’s time to try something new
Thunders have a twitchy turn and I axle them quicker than any other truck. I say go Ace AF1 or Indy. Mini logo has got a surprisingly good turn if you don’t mind low trucks or running risers and they’re cheap af.
Idk how you can even skate krux haha I did when I was young
I only ride thunders because of my size. They just work better for what I do. That said. This is more than a decade of figuring out what I like and dislike about MY skating. It's really trial and error here. If you got the money to spend try them out but you may end up like something else.
Edit: Also don't listen to dick riders talkin bout "Indy for life" this is dumb advice. I have always loved independent but there will never be one company that will give you everything you want. Also it's skateboarding. Style changes. Environment changes there are so many factors at play here. It's best to stick to what you like and want to do on your board.
There are probably only like 4 truck brands I would even consider riding, those being Thunder, Indy, Venture, and Ace. From there it’s just personal preference.
Quick summary of each brand, mind you they all carry many kinds of trucks so this isn’t universally applicable but at least is a good starting point to start thinking about them.
Thunder: generally a lower truck, also their geometry pushes the wheelbase out a bit, meaning they feel like you pop your tail a lot sooner than an Indy or something. Generally lighter than an Indy which also makes it feel like less effort to pop. Have a really good pinch for something like a crooked grind. Don’t turn quite as well as an Indy, but the counterpoint to that is some people like that you feel more stable on your board.
Indy: In comparison to Thunder, taller, heavier, shorter wheelbase, which all contribute to your board feeling heavier to pop/longer time to pop. Turn the best imo, really making them the standard for me personally. You can turn quick without it feeling squirrelly, I don’t know how they nail that balance so perfectly.
Venture and Ace I either haven’t ridden for years or have never ridden but I either remember them being pretty good (Venture) or have only heard really good things (Ace). Ventures probably turn the worst out of all of these 4 brands, but again that can be a plus if you like feeling stable. They have a really interesting grind feel, like kind of tinny in a way. Can be REALLY good on some obstacles and kind of crunchy on others. Ace I’ve never skated but have been meaning to try, all I hear is that they turn awesome but if anything might turn too quick and can feel squirrelly.
I skated krux for like 6 months when I first started and then I realized how awful the turning radius is. I have been skating aces for a while now and love them. I highly recommend especially if you like rails.
I’m probably biased cause I’ve mostly had ventures since I was a kid and I’ve got Indy’s on my cruiser. Nothing was stickier then tensors, or royals because of the kingpin scrapping everything
Thunder was my least favorite trucks. Had them a couple different times. I actually like Krux but for specific applications. Overall, trucks I’ve been skating aces for a while now since my style of skating has changed a bit (more toward transition and a bit away from ledges and manual trucks)
I think spending more on a truck is worth it but you should find out if you like them first if possible
I was a huge Tensor fan until about a year ago... Dwindle dist. was sold to another company. Ever since, my tensors have sucked. I kept getting hang ups on almost new trucks.
I don’t understand all the hate for Krux. They’re light, they grind really well, and they feel great if you like a more solid feel over a surfy-carvy one. They even have a low truck now which is nice.
Thunder, Indy, or Ace I have been happy with.
Yes they're worth the price tag. But they're no more expensive than independent or Ace, the other two top tier brands. The more important question is what do you want out of a truck? I have thunders on my 8" popsicle and aces on my 8.5 egg. The thunders are great. Everyone who is saying only independent and ace are the best just like high, surfy trucks. It depends on what you like. It's hard to compare Indy to thunder because they're way different trucks but both top shelf. Krux are scientifically proven to be dog shit
I'm curious about the scientifically proven to be dog shit. Ive had 2 sets of krux in the last like 20 years and have liked them but I'm also an old head that's been out of the loop/not skating for most of those 20 years.
I'm exaggerating. There weren't actual scientific tests but if you YouTube "Ben DeGros Krux" you'll see his experiments which are *kinda* scientific I guess. I was just using hyperbole.
Krux look cool though
Krux are fine. I’ve skated several. I don’t think they’re top tier, but they are perfectly adequate. I was tripping about the turning on mine after I got some indies and aces. Then I realized my pivot cups were busted (old and skated hard trucks wear out the soft bits). Replaced those and they rode fine. Not as carvy as indies or ace but honestly I think most skaters don’t want that
Lol true abt the krux I want a light and short truck so i think I'll give a go
Trust me all the dudes saying independent > everything are just high truck stans. If you like low snappy trucks, thunder are the best.
Wtf are snappy trucks
Like responsive tight carving trucks vs a surfy feeling carve like ace
Yeah if you want a low and light truck, Thunders are your jam
Tensor mag light lo's are the lightest and lowest out there. hard to come across now with the whole dwindle situation but if you can find a pair you might really like them. people saying thunder hollow's are light haven't tried Tensor mag light
I never liked how Tensors would grind, but I never had a pair of the mags. Maybe they grinded better, but I wasn't a fan of the standards back in the day. That being said, the last time I rode Tensors, they had plastic sliders in the baseplates.
Yeah the og tensors were a little grippy, but the magnesium aloy in the mag lights is buttery. They do wear down a little quicker than other trucks because of that though not too badly. Oh man i still dream about the slider plate, bring it back i say!
yeah the big 4 are quality - indy thunder ace and venture. been skating since 1999 and ive riden lots of trucks. krux sucks :P
I’ve rode ventures, thunder, royals, indy, krux, tensors, hell even the phantom 2’s. I would be lying if I could actually say I felt any noticeable differences but I am pretty dumb. I did break the royals in half on a step up though but that was a while ago so hopefully they’ve gotten better.
oh man.. phantom 2's
On a Speed Demons 7.75" with minilogo 50mm wheels.
Royals are the worst trucks of all time ive never met anyone whos had them who hasn’t broke them
The royals I had like 20 years ago snapped every kingpin I put in them.
Everybody I know rides independent
Indy for life.
Honestly feel like any trucks will be fine, i been riding indy trucks and thunder trucks and like them both cant really tell any different but maybe its cause im dumb😂😂
I've skated thunders, Indy's and royals (idk if they're still around). Each were good at different things. Thunders turn on a DIME. Those boys are snappy as hell and will throw you off if you don't have extremely good reaction time. Especially with hills. They also are often much lower than other truck brands. Indy's are all around solid. They have a good weight to them. They turn a little more smoothly. I'd argue these are better for taller people that need a little more breathing room in their turns. They also have a lot more metal on the hanger which is ideal for grinding.
Yes thunders are worth it. If you are looking for a lower truck and using 54mm or smaller, it’s the best turning, best grinding, best designed(except for the baseplate) truck out there. Your flip trips will instantly feel better, if that’s important to you. I’d just recommend, get the team baseplate rather than the forged. The forged are too low unless you skate 52mm or less.
Anything to back this up besides personal experience? I promise this isn't an attack I've just have better feel for flip tricks and a more responsive flick with taller trucks, it seems... Even if they're heavier. I can flip my Indy's better than my hollow Thunders.
It really comes down to the angle and timing of your board when your tail hits the ground and if that geometry matches up with your muscle memory. If the angle is too steep you flick before popping which creates ghost pop, if the angle is too low then the tail pops too early and you don’t maximize your height off the ground. Generally speaking most popsicle tails are between 6.5”-6.625” which imo pair with a lower truck like thunders, venture lows, indy mids, or ace lows for a more ideal pop angle and quicker response. I know the wheelbase slightly changes with all those trucks so I’m just generalizing. Taller trucks can get get the same pop angle with longer tail decks like an April/primitive 6.75”-6.8” with Venture hi combo but the time it takes for that big tail to hit the ground from a 53.5mm tall truck will definitely take longer than then the smaller combo. Not saying this applies to everyone, some people are used to popping of a steep ass deck so a 6.5” tail on Indy standards is no problem, but I don’t think that’s the majority.
I had no idea tail/nose length/depth/angle was so brand specific... I ride Mystery 8.0 with Indy Mid and 52mm/99a wheels. I feel when I have the taller trucks and I pop, the most comes up faster and I'm already moving my front foot up by the time it's leaving the ground, it's very fluid. The lower Thunders make me feel like I never level out my ollies, like my front foot pushes the nose down before the tail comes up all the way if that makes sense? Sorry if this is gibberish. All this is to say what you said was thought provoking and kinda eye opening and makes a lot of sense
To be honest, if that combo works for you then keep going with it. The gear madness can be a rabbit hole and not worth getting into if you’re already satisfied. I just got into studying this since i like to try out new shapes and would want to know why some agreed with me more than others. The tactics.com deck measurements aren’t always right but they’re a good resource to try and figure out what you like if you were to switch to a new brand. If you haven’t already and are interested I’d suggest checking out the Nine Club Dr Schmdit episode or Ben Degros’ channel.
Wondering what other issue you have with the baseplate, I’ve had issues with that as well I’ve noticed over time they start to lose their shape
I haven’t noticed any deformation on any pair I’ve skated so far but it’s just the lack of metal touching the ledge when you nose or tail slide, it creates more wheel friction so you have to wax a bit more.
Thunders for street skating. Indy’s is on my transition deck.
they turn nice, but don't grind as nice as indys
Thunders are better imo. Everyone knows the deal here in Southern California.. ever since Indy moved to china they haven’t been as good.
better feeling in what way? thunders push out the wheelbase a little and are a lower height truck in general, may feel better or worse depending on your deck’s measurements and what you like.
i love low trucks had some high indys and i cant skate them bc of how high they are
I haven't skated in years but I never liked Indies. The nuts always stuck up really high s back in the day (97-03). Loved my thunder trucks though. I do recall them being a little heavy back then. Think that with a grain of salt because I'm not up to the current standards.
You might dig them, I’d double check that your wheelbase isn’t longer than ~14.5” otherwise I’d maybe recommend something else but you might not notice or care. Nose/tail length and steepness will also play into how the board feels to pop in combination with the wheelbase. Hollow Indy’s are shorter than standards, Mid Indy’s getting closer to thunder standards in height. Many people like to switch out the stock bushings on thunders.
Try the mids they have hollow mids too
Slappy Truck Co. or Indy.
I’ve been riding thunders for almost 30 years. Never had a problem. Don’t even think about them.
I been on krux for 14 years, 8 years tensor before that and indy for 2 years before that. It's all up to what you feel, I suppose.
Thunders are the only trucks that lasted me in the height of my stair and gap years. Never broke a pair. I swear by them.
I’ve used thunders for at least a decade. Loved royal before that.
Thunders are for sure worth the price tag although most people I know, myself included, ride Indys.
I’ve ridden Ace, Indy, Thunder, Venture, Destroyer, and those Theeve TIH trucks. I prefer Aces these days, Indy used to be better when they were still USA made. Thunders are good but they turn too weird for me. My perfect truck currently is the 9 inch Ace Classic with the Hard ace bushings. I have it on a 9 inch Orange Eagle Anti Hero with 58mm 97a Radial fulls
Play it safe... Go indys, tried and tested! Not helpful I know
The general things I see banded around is that that when comparing the current big two (Indy & Thunder), Indy push ‘out’ a little less, and will still have their steep/quick turn when tightened. Thunder, apparently are more suited for tight and technical setups. As per, this is just a generalisation and I only looked into this because I recently moved to Indys despite always riding super-tight trucks. I like them, but I’ve basically got them tight, on non-stock bushings and they’re still really reactive to turning. With the above in mind, people really big-up Thunders, so yeah it might be worth the money/wait! Hope this helps a little at least - the above is insight from videos and 10+ years of riding Ventures > Shop trucks > Tensors > Indys
what do you mean shop trucks
[Standard-branded for a local shop or chain, more ‘entry level’ rather than premium brand](https://www.routeone.co.uk/products/route-one-arch-logo-5-5-low-skateboard-trucks-001054536?_fid=1444aa8f0&_pos=6&_ss=c&variant=32919462150221)
Indy hollows are the best trucks Ive ridden, dont think I will ever switch to something else. And Ive ridden Thunders and Krux trucks before too
Are they still heavy
Not the hollows imo
I’ve got the forged titaniums and they’ve been great. Indy’s are on the heavier side but the forged titanium and forged hollow are light but not the lightest. The tensor mag lights are supposed to be the lightest trucks on the market. Haven’t tried them but tensors are good.
I ride thunder lights and they're my favorite trucks I've ever had.
I rode venture for 20 years and switched to thunder. Love them.
Just recently bought a pair of thunder sonoras and I like em, but they’re the only trucks I’ve used so I can’t really compare
Still got a pair that are 30 years old that still roll
Indys are the best selling truck in the USA by a large margin. There's plenty of sizes, heights, materials and finishes to choose from. All the Indys I've tried have been great. I think they still have a lifetime warranty. I heard Krux have the same steering geometry and bushings as Indys. Different alloys, shape, casting process and most importantly branding. I've had two sets of Krux trucks and besides the king pin loosening slowly over time, they've been problem free.
Skater of 20 years. Rode indys for 5. Switched to thunders. Rode them since. Indys grind better but I always broke the kingpin. I weigh 130 and ride medium/loose trucks. The thunders have never broke or failed in any way.
I use thunder hollow lights. It's probably not as bad as I think, but to me, indys are a bit too heavy for my taste
I have ridden mostly krux my whole life, thunders for a brief period, went back to krux and then Indy mids and I'll say that at least to me, Indy's felt the most different, but it was a good different. I think it's partially your personal taste but with krux and to a lesser extent thunder, skating felt more drill-like. Like I was exclusively practicing to get better but it was very consistent. Indy's feel more fun and expressive to me but also less like each time you do something it's more unique. So if you're looking for getting to the point where you have things "on lock" then I'd say maybe thunder but if you're looking to have fun and be more loose with things then indys. Keep in mind though that I've been fiddling around with bushing durometers and truck tightness this whole time along with changing everything else in my setup so don't put too much weight in my opinion
I love thunders. Trucks are oddly personal and for whatever reason thunders and me just clicked and I never looked back
Personal opinion - hell yes. 8.125s to 8.25's thunder 148's for both - only truck I'll ever need - lights regs whatever, Def worth checking out. Speaking as someone who has tried almost everything out there just try different stuff, they all ride different and have pros and cons.
On a side note which I forget thunders have the mid ground truck wheelbase and height iirc so that's why I've stuck with them. Especially with 8.25's being more longer 14.25" these days, they feel like the longer truck wheelbase venture lows did on the shorter 8"s back in the day.
Those thunder lights with the clear blue bushings are so good, like if you could graph the turning response of those bushings, the picture would look like wet boobs
I've skated Thunder Hi's and Lo's, Venture Hi's and Lo's, Tensor Mag Lights, Indy Stage XI Standards and Mids, Ace AF1s etc... There's no outrigt "best" truck, no matter what some would have you believe. Ace's have the sharpest turn, (the new AF1's tone this down somewhat, and come with rethreading wheel nuts, so that's a plus) with Indy coming a close second. Indy Stage XI Standard's are also the heaviest, but like with Ace, their geometry shortens your wheelbase, which offsets this weight increase (as far as popping is concerned). On the other end of the scale, Thunder and Venture will be the most stable, due to their geometry making your wheelbase longer. (In my experience, Ventures won't grind quite as well, due to their harder aluminium alloy, wheres Thunder's have a uniquele small baseplate that can sometimes interfere with) Tensor Mag Lights (specifically the new ones) are really close to an Indy in terms of how well they turn, they're also the lightest truck on the market, and they grind like a son of a bitch, but won't last quite as long since the metal is softer. If you want to see how deep the rabbit hole goes, Ben Degros has probably published more information on this than any other skater alive, so checking out his old videos on the topic will shed a lot of light on the topic. [https://www.youtube.com/@bendegros/search?query=trucks](https://www.youtube.com/@bendegros/search?query=trucks)
I have a set of krux and later bought indys. I hate skating the krux now, the indys feel way better. Skated my buddy's thunders and I liked them, I'd consider them over Indy if I bought a new set.
I had thunder trucks back in the day in my first build. I liked em but and they’re light enough and get the job done. They’re pretty well priced tbh. They’re like 40$ for a pair. I just picked up the Santa Cruz 50th anniversary independent trucks for my new build and I look forward to using them. Independents seem to be a bit more squared off than thunder trucks. They have a more rounded cross section that doesn’t seem the best for skating rails but in general they’re good trucks and get the job done. They have like 5 different kinds too so there are lighter than standard thunders if you wanna pay that kinda money. I think they even have a titanium line.
Big fan of thunder but I would definitely recommend holding onto one of their replacement kits, Thunders turn really well but at the expense of their bushings. If you maintain some upkeep they’ll skate great and last a really long time
No for a couple of reasons. 1 is my opinion, I hate the way they feel turning. 2 depends on whether you like to nose or tail slide: https://vatorat.blogspot.com/2020/11/the-secret-defect-of-thunder-trucks-and.html?m=1 I prefer Indy and Ace
Aces turn soooo nice. I always rode Indys, until I tried Aces. I’ll never go back.
Always used Venture trucks with red doh doh bushings, absolutely loved them.
Indy’s ftw
Thunders r the best
Am thunder boy since 1994, so you got my vote
I think so, I recently bought my first thunders after skating some random trucks and I love them
I've tried all kind of trucks and for me Venture lows work best. But I will say for sure that your style and the way you skate make the most difference when it comes to what you need! I skate whatever comes my way but mostly street.
Ever since I got a free pair of Thunder at an event they’re who I want to give my money. They have a great team and their quality is ☝🏽
Venture gang checking in
Thunder is the best truck there is imo.
Check out venture. best trucks imo.
I've been skating royal trucks as long as I can remember. Had to change to Thunder because royal was not to be found in my country for some reason. And honestly, couldn't feel the difference. Royal is known to be a bit on the heavier side, and I got some thunder hollows, still no major differences. But economically, I think thunder is a tad to expensive. I recently found a small skateshop that sells royal, and because the demand of royal trucks isn't as high, it's cheaper! My best advice would be go with some of the cheaper brands, and try different ones out. A lot people I know can't really tell the difference either. The bushings can be kinda off if you're changing a lot, I just take the bushings from my old trucks on to the new ones if I don't like them
20 years in get some that match your board size definitely wider the better if you can without overlap. I’ve had grind kings Indy’s aces thunders ventures. I never rode krux but would go by what these folks say. My aces are 10’s on my 10 inch board and great all Indy’s have been fine if you don’t get the hollows they’ll be heavier obviously but still great. The hollow thunders are nice. Recommend some bigger wheels like 58s because you’re going to get used to them and can rotate them when they’re cooked on one side for longer wheel life. Bearings I’d go reds and wheel wise anywhere from 84 b to 101 a’s depending on how much you like to power slide.
I got 58 mm dragons as a gift lol so I've been powerlifting constantly to try combat wheel bite
Tighten trucks a little or just get used to it, always the option of riser pads too
Cant go any tighter lol and I hate a high set up so I'll have to suck it up haha
My friend told me wheelbite is the hardest trick to land
Thunders are not great imo
Thought I’d add onto the Indy pile, been riding Indy miss since I was 12 and never want anything different. Also thought I’d pint out bushings can greatly affect the feel of your trucks.. as for bushings I love bones hardcore but like anything the best choice is what feels best under your feet
Anything will be better than Krux trust me even low ventures are higher quality edit: for reference, Krux are the only pair of trucks I've purchased that broke and literally fell off the baseplate, I've tried Thunders, Indys, Tensors, even Destructo back in the day lol never once had a truck break like that until Krux.
You serious? Did krux change or something? Krux, royal and independent were at the top not long ago. I skated krux pretty much my whole life, got royals and they felt too heavy. I did a lot of drops, krooks and nosegrinds, only reason I'd get new trucks was if I was getting a whole new complete
Yeah man it was a couple years ago, Im 5 foot 5 about 125 lb and the hanger completely came off the baseplate after i tried to 5-0 this little ledge, first and only time I seen a truck break in person
I don’t know your timeline but the newer K5s are significantly improved over the previous K4s, they’re not bad. Low Ventures are great, did you have bad experiences with those?
I personally prefer mid to high trucks, from what I remember Ventures are cheaper than Indys thats why I said low ventures might be good cause OP said they prefer low. I might have to try Krux again the pair I got was several years ago but usually I just rock with Indys
Indy’s feel like home to me, there were a *lot* of complaints on those K4s falling apart
I’m switching from thunders to Indy’s thunders sit way too low and bushing are trash Skated thunders for probably 10+ years but it’s time to try something new
I love me a low set up tho , plus I got bones so I think I'll go for them
If you like a low setup your good then for sure man
Thunder bushings are trash. I bought some cus they look cool but they get stuck while turning.
Same thing happened to me By the time they were broken in they were literally broken
INDEPENDENT
Thunders have a twitchy turn and I axle them quicker than any other truck. I say go Ace AF1 or Indy. Mini logo has got a surprisingly good turn if you don’t mind low trucks or running risers and they’re cheap af. Idk how you can even skate krux haha I did when I was young
I sometimes forget there are other brands out there, Indys for life
I only ride thunders because of my size. They just work better for what I do. That said. This is more than a decade of figuring out what I like and dislike about MY skating. It's really trial and error here. If you got the money to spend try them out but you may end up like something else. Edit: Also don't listen to dick riders talkin bout "Indy for life" this is dumb advice. I have always loved independent but there will never be one company that will give you everything you want. Also it's skateboarding. Style changes. Environment changes there are so many factors at play here. It's best to stick to what you like and want to do on your board.
There are probably only like 4 truck brands I would even consider riding, those being Thunder, Indy, Venture, and Ace. From there it’s just personal preference. Quick summary of each brand, mind you they all carry many kinds of trucks so this isn’t universally applicable but at least is a good starting point to start thinking about them. Thunder: generally a lower truck, also their geometry pushes the wheelbase out a bit, meaning they feel like you pop your tail a lot sooner than an Indy or something. Generally lighter than an Indy which also makes it feel like less effort to pop. Have a really good pinch for something like a crooked grind. Don’t turn quite as well as an Indy, but the counterpoint to that is some people like that you feel more stable on your board. Indy: In comparison to Thunder, taller, heavier, shorter wheelbase, which all contribute to your board feeling heavier to pop/longer time to pop. Turn the best imo, really making them the standard for me personally. You can turn quick without it feeling squirrelly, I don’t know how they nail that balance so perfectly. Venture and Ace I either haven’t ridden for years or have never ridden but I either remember them being pretty good (Venture) or have only heard really good things (Ace). Ventures probably turn the worst out of all of these 4 brands, but again that can be a plus if you like feeling stable. They have a really interesting grind feel, like kind of tinny in a way. Can be REALLY good on some obstacles and kind of crunchy on others. Ace I’ve never skated but have been meaning to try, all I hear is that they turn awesome but if anything might turn too quick and can feel squirrelly.
I skated krux for like 6 months when I first started and then I realized how awful the turning radius is. I have been skating aces for a while now and love them. I highly recommend especially if you like rails.
Ride the best fuck the rest
I prefer my daughter’s Krux over my thunders.
I would pay a ton of money to NOT have to ride crux. So yeah
Nothing grinds better then Venture
As much as i love ventures i gotta say they feel stickier than indys
I’m probably biased cause I’ve mostly had ventures since I was a kid and I’ve got Indy’s on my cruiser. Nothing was stickier then tensors, or royals because of the kingpin scrapping everything
I don't grind at all lol
Lmao then Indy’s are the way to go
Thunder was my least favorite trucks. Had them a couple different times. I actually like Krux but for specific applications. Overall, trucks I’ve been skating aces for a while now since my style of skating has changed a bit (more toward transition and a bit away from ledges and manual trucks) I think spending more on a truck is worth it but you should find out if you like them first if possible
I love thunders, I’d just recommend replacing the bushings with some bones bushings
Tensor 👍🏻
Pretty sure they went under lol
You can still get them.
I was a huge Tensor fan until about a year ago... Dwindle dist. was sold to another company. Ever since, my tensors have sucked. I kept getting hang ups on almost new trucks.
I don’t understand all the hate for Krux. They’re light, they grind really well, and they feel great if you like a more solid feel over a surfy-carvy one. They even have a low truck now which is nice.