If you’re a skateboarder and can’t able to do tricks, then you’re missing out on a lot of fun! Tricks can make skateboarding more interesting and enjoyable.
But to do tricks, you must have the proper equipment. That includes having the right skateboard trucks and wheels.
This article will cover some of the best skateboard trucks for tricks, including flip tricks. We’ll also provide a complete buyer’s guide to help you choose the right trucks for your needs.
Table of Contents
4 Best Skateboard Trucks for Tricks
The trucks listed below are some of the best trucks you can use for doing all sorts of tricks, such as Ollies, Flip tricks, Manuals, Powerslides, and more.
However, we would still like to guide you on choosing the right size skateboard trucks for tricks before you make any decision. We will make a complete buying guide at the end of this article, but for now, you should know at least the size of trucks you need.
Even if you choose the best skateboard trucks for tricks, getting the right size is still important. That’s because the wrong size trucks can make it difficult or even impossible to do certain tricks.
The perfect size trucks for tricks are just big enough to provide stability but not so big that they make the board difficult to maneuver.
Hence, choose the skateboard truck size according to your skateboard deck width to tackle this.
It’s easy to measure skateboard deck width, but for trucks, you’ve two options: either to measure from axle to axle or from hanger to hanger.
No matter what you choose to identify truck size requirements, below are the size recommendations table according to deck width.
Hence, all you’ve to do now is identify your skateboard deck width and choose the truck size using the table below.
| Deck Width | Truck Hanger Width |
|---|---|
| 7.4 inch to 7.75 inch | 5 inch / 129MM |
| 7.75 inch to 8.125 inch | 5.25 inch / 139MM |
| 8.125 inch to 8.75 inch | 5.5 inch / 149MM |
| 8.75 inch to 9.0 inch | 5.75 inch / 159MM |
| 9.0 inch to 9.75 inch | 6.0 inch / 169MM |
| Deck Width | Truck Axle Width |
|---|---|
| 6.5 inch to 7.25 inch | 6 inch – 7.25 inch |
| 7.25 inch to 7.5 inch | 7.5 inch |
| 7.5 inch to 8 inch | 7.75 inch |
| 8 inch to 8.5 inch | 8.0 inch |
| 8.5 inch to 9 inch | 8.5 inch |
| 9 inch to 10 inch | 9.0 inch |
| 10 inch | 10.0 inch |
Let’s now see the Best Skateboard Trucks for Tricks with their pros and cons.
1. Thunder Polished Hollow Lights 2 Trucks
The first skateboard truck we’ve is from Thunder, one of the most popular brands in skateboarding. The Thunder Polished Hollow Lights 2 trucks are designed to be lightweight and durable with a polished finish.
Thunder trucks are also known for their responsive turning, which makes them great for street and park skateboarding. Although these trucks are good for all types of skateboarding and also available in all sizes but they work best on boards with a 7.75″ to 8.25″ deck for various tricks, skatepark, sliding, and grinding.
The Hollow Lights 2 trucks have a hollow kingpin and axle, which makes them even lighter without sacrificing strength and durability. The hanger is made from aircraft-grade aluminum, and the baseplate is made from nylon. This makes them the best trucks for beginners and experienced skaters alike.
Furthermore, the trucks are available in different size options from 145mm to 161mm. These available sizes are suited for decks 7.75″ to 9.0″. You can prefer the above given table and choose the best-sized trucks according to your skateboard.
Conclusion: Being pro skateboarders, we also use these Thunder trucks in our tricks or skatepark board. We continuously skate for hours and never feel any issue with these trucks. After using these trucks, we must say that they are one of the trucks available for all types of skateboarding and mostly for tricks. Till now, we’ve tested several other high-quality, and even costly trucks but these Thunder trucks are still our top pick for their performance.
2. INDEPENDENT Stage 11 Polished Standard Skateboard Trucks
If you’ve been skateboarding for a while, then you’re probably familiar with Independent trucks. The Stage 11 Polished Standard Skateboard Trucks are one of the most popular trucks on the market, and for a good reason.
Independent trucks are made from high-quality materials and are known for their durability and strength. The Stage 11 trucks are no different and are made from cast 356 aluminum.
They are also good at turning, stability, and speed. The only reason for listing them as the second best trucks is that they are not suitable for all types of skateboarding. However, these trucks are a great option if you’re only interested in street or park skateboarding.
Also, they have no size options and are only available in the standard size of 139mm. This is good for decks that are 7.75″ in width, but if you own a wider or narrower deck, then you might have to look elsewhere.
Similar to the above thunder trucks, these trucks are also not available in different color options. However, they do have attractive orange color bushings.
Conclusion: If you’re just looking for tricks or skatepark trucks, these are the trucks you want, but if you’re looking for all-around performance, this might disappoint you.
3. Thunder Team Edition Skateboard Trucks
Spot three, we’ve again listed the Thunder trucks, but it’s the Team Edition Skateboard Trucks this time. These trucks are designed for all types of technical tricks and skating styles.
What makes the trucks perfect for tricks is their lightweight and responsiveness. The trucks are also low to the ground, which makes them great for grinding.
These trucks are very lightweight because of their hollow design. The hanger is made from aircraft-grade aluminum, and the baseplate is made from nylon, making them extremely durable.
Also, note that if you want attractive looking trucks with different bushing colors, then these trucks are not for you because they are only available in one color, i.e., silver. Also, the bushing of these trucks is not as attractive as the above two trucks.
Further, the best part is the trucks are available in different sizes from 143mm to 151mm, making them ideal for tricks on a skateboard. As the tricks skateboards are mostly between 7.75 to 8.0 inches wide, so these trucks will be a great option for you.
Conclusion: If you like doing technical tricks and are looking for lightweight and responsive trucks, then the Thunder Team Edition Skateboard Trucks are a great option. However, they are not suitable for all types of skateboarding and only come in one color, which is also not much attractive.
4. Tensor Alloys Skateboard Trucks (Pair)
If you’re on a low budget and still want a good quality truck, then the Tensor Alloys Skateboard Trucks are a great option.
However, these trucks are not recommended for experts or intermediate skateboarders as they are best for beginners. YOu can easily perform the basics tricks with these trucks, but for advanced tricks, you might want to consider other options.
These trucks are made from cast aluminum, making them durable and long-lasting. Also, they have high rebound bushings which makes them great for beginners.
Furthermore, the trucks are available in all sizes, from 5″ to 6″ or 129mm to 169mm. These sizes options make them ideal for all types of skateboards, from 7.4 inches to 9.75 inches.
Lastly, the trucks are offered in different color combinations like black/white, black/red, and gold/black. So if you’re looking for something different, these trucks offer a great option.
Conclusion: The Tensor Alloys Skateboard Trucks are a great budget option for beginner skateboarders. However, they are not recommended for experts or intermediate skateboarders.
Buying Guide For The Best Skateboard Trucks For Tricks
When it comes to choosing skateboard trucks for tricks, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. In this buying guide, we will go over the factors you need to consider to choose the best skateboard trucks for your needs.
1. Size
The first thing you need to consider is the size of the skateboard trucks. Skateboard trucks come in all different sizes from 5″ to 8″ and you need to make sure you choose the right size for your skateboard.
The width of your skateboard will determine the size of the trucks you need. For example, if you have a 7.5″ wide skateboard, then you will need 5.25 inches/139mm wide trucks.
2. Hanger Material
The hanger is the part of the truck that attaches to the board and holds the wheels. The hanger material is important because it will determine how durable and long lasting the truck is.
The two most common materials used for skateboard truck hangers are aluminum and steel. Aluminum is the lighter of the two materials and is more responsive. Steel is heavier but more durable. However, for tricks prefer aluminum as it is lighter.
3. Baseplate Material
A baseplate attaches to a hanger and mounts the trucks to your skateboard. The baseplate material is important because it will determine how responsive the truck is.
Nylon and polycarbonate are the two most common materials used for skateboard truck baseplates. Nylon is the lighter of the two materials and is more responsive. Polycarbonate is heavier but is more durable. Hence for tricks, nylon is the better option.
4. Bushings
Bushings are the rubber parts that connect the hanger to the baseplate. They are what allow the truck to pivot and turn. The hardness of the bushings will determine how easy it is to turn the trucks.
If you want attractive trucks, make sure the bushings are colorful.
5. Type of Trucks
There are three different types of skateboard trucks: low, mid, and high.
Low trucks are the best skateboard trucks for street skating and doing tricks that require more turning.
Mid trucks are a good all-around trucks and can be used for street skating, tricks, and rough roads.
High trucks are best for ramp skating and vert skating. They provide more stability at high speeds.
6. Trucks Weight
The truck’s weight will also affect how the truck rides. Heavier trucks are more stable but harder to turn. Lighter trucks are easier to turn but less stable.
If you are doing tricks, you will want a lighter truck so you can easily maneuver them. If you are just cruising around, you can go with a heavier truck for more stability. As you’re looking for tricks trucks so, consider trucks with a weight of less than 0.66kg.
Bonus Tips
Even after buying the right skateboard trucks, there are a few things you need to do in order to get the most out of them. Here are some bonus tips:
- Make sure the trucks are tight and not loose. Loose trucks will make it difficult to do tricks. This can be done by tightening the kingpin nut.
- If you’re going to be doing a lot of street skating, consider getting grind plates to protect the trucks from grinding on concrete.
- If you’re going to be doing a lot of vert skating, consider getting risers to raise the trucks up and prevent them from bottoming out.
- Along with the right trucks, make sure you have the right wheels and bearings. The wrong combination can make skating difficult and uncomfortable. For tricks, you need small wheels about 50mm to 53mm.
Now that you know what to look for in skateboard trucks go out and get yourself a good pair utilizing the recommended trucks.
Conclusion
These are some of the best skateboard trucks for tricks available on the market today.
If you feel a headache researching which one to buy, go with any of these products, and you will not regret it as we do all the hard work for you. Just make sure to consider the pros and cons of each before making your final decision.
Happy a fun!
I am James Buckridge, the founder of skateboardidea.com. Skateboarding is my passion, and I have years of teaching experience in this field. Our vision and mission is to provide you with accurate information on everything related to skateboarding. Catch me on Twitter & Pinterest.