Not sure which truck brands are the best? Struggling to figure out what size trucks you need?
No problem.
This guide isn’t just going to cover what you need to consider when buying trucks for your skateboard – we’ll offer up some recommendations too.
Quick Answer: The 4 Best Skateboard Trucks In 2021
Now let’s dive into the full reviews of this year’s best skateboard trucks.
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Skateboard Truck Reviews
Below we’ve covered a range of the best trucks available online.
This includes those that are lightweight, designed for beginners, great for grinding and even those that are specifically designed for street skating rather than park.
Ready?
1. Tensor Magnesium
Our pick for: The Best Lightweight Skateboard Trucks
There’s one thing that Tensor focuses on with their magnesium trucks; weight. 
If you’re looking for a lightweight truck for your custom build, there’s literally no better option than Tensor.
But, why bother with lightweight skateboard trucks in the first place?
The answer is simple. Any reduction in weight on your board is going to mean landing tricks is much easier.
With the Tensor Magnesium, you’re looking at around a 25% reduction in truck weight in comparison to standard trucks – that’s a big deal by the way.
The thing about magnesium is that it’s not just lightweight, but it’s durable too.
Many other lightweight trucks get ruined by grinding, as they don’t have the durability that Tensor’s have.
It’s worth noting that Tensor offer a great deal on a Truck + ABEC 9 bearing package. For the minimal additional cost, it’s a cheap upgrade that’s worth considering.
2. Venture Superlite Low
Our pick for: The Best Skateboard Trucks For Beginners
They’re superlight, but they are also super cheap. At under $50, the Superlights are an absolute bargain. 
Weighing in at around 2lb, you’ll have no problem doing tricks, but they also feel stable too. And, that’s what makes them a perfect all-rounder for beginners.
The low profile is where the stability comes from. Being lower to the ground gives the skater a better center of gravity when compared with other trucks.
There’s a slightly sacrifice when it comes to technical tricks, but again, these are perfect for any beginner looking to street skate, do tricks, or even go cruising.
3. Thunder Polished Hi
Our pick for: The Best Skateboard Trucks For Grinding
There isn’t a set of trucks on our list that isn’t lightweight, so the same applies with the Thunder Polished Hi trucks. 
They’re one of the best skateboard trucks in our line-up, but if you’re a beginner, you’ll prefer the Venture Superlite’s mentioned above.
The Thunder’s designed for the slightly more technical skater, and all-round grinding junkies.
The higher profile that the Thunder Polished Hi trucks get, means that they are perfect for grinding when you compare them with every other set of trucks on this list.
That higher profile gives better clearance on curbs and rails, making grinding much easier, even for beginners.
The downfall is, you’ll lose stability at higher speeds. So, if you use your board for cruising too, you’ll notice it getting twitchy.
If you can deal with that sacrifice, or just ride park and rarely hit high speeds, these are the best skateboard trucks for you.
4. Independent Stage 11
Our pick for: The Best Skateboard Trucks For Street Skating>
OK, so the Independent stage 11 are at the higher end of the price range. They weigh in slightly more expensive in comparison to their nearest competitors.
In our opinion, they’re worth the extra cash. Realistically, your trucks will last a year or more, so a few extra dollars to get the best of the best, is really not a big deal.
What you’ll notice with any Independent trucks, is the amount of positive reviews online. That’s because pretty-much every skater knows they’re a brand that’s worth their weight, and the online reviews definitely reflect that.
If you’re looking for the all-round best skateboard trucks for street skating, then you’ve got them right here.
What Independent have done, is built both the hanger and baseplate from aluminum.
When you combine that with a steel axle, you’ve got a set of trucks that are going to be responsive when doing tricks. But, at the same time, the steel axle puts up with a heck of a lot of abuse when it comes to grinding.
If you’ve got a deck sitting in the 7.5”-8”, these trucks are going to accommodate anything up to a 56mm wheel.
That assumes that you are not using risers. If you are using risers, you’ll be able to add a couple of mm to your wheel size.
This is our overall pick for the best skateboard trucks. Unlike the other trucks on this list, the Independent trucks are just a great all-rounder.
Whether you use your board to cruise, grind, ride park or street skate – these have got you covered.
The Best Skateboard Truck Brands
When you’re buying trucks for your custom build, there are specific models that are suited to different riding styles.
Flick back to our buyer’s guide to understand truck sizes if you’re still confused.
But, we’d consider any trucks from a reputable manufacturer, a good buy.
We know, there’s a ton of cheap skateboard truck brands. Problem? Their trucks just don’t last.
Below is a list of the best skateboard truck brands. Stick with these brands for your custom build and you’re not going to go far wrong.
Ask any skater you know, and I’m sure they’ll agree with this list:
Best Skateboard Truck Brands in 2021
- Phantom
- Thunder
- Fury
- Tensor
- Independent
- Navigator
- Grindking
- Vintage
- Destructo
- Krux
Choosing Skateboard Trucks
If you’ve already read our guide covering how to skateboard, you’ll know your trucks are an incredibly important part of any custom board build.
Some trucks are specifically designed for tricks, for grinding and others simply to be lightweight.
Buy that are the wrong size (i.e. don’t give your board’s wheels enough clearance) and you could end up with wheel rub on your deck.
On the flipside, you could end up with a set of trucks that are almost impossible to do tricks on.
Skateboard Truck Sizes
The truck’s size is directly related to the axle width.
So, a truck advertised as 8″, has a 8″ axle width.
I know what your first question is…
What Size Skateboard Trucks Do I Need?
Aim for trucks that are similar in width to your board. And, don’t buy trucks that are more than ¼” smaller, or bigger, than your deck. 
As a literal example, you can see here, there’s a 7.75” set of trucks. If you have a 7.75” deck, they’ll be perfect.
Although they’d be fine on a 7.5”-8” deck, it’s better to buy trucks that are sized specifically for your deck (i.e. 8” truck size, for a 8” deck).
If you buy trucks that are too big, you’ll have extra stability. That’s going to mean your board isn’t going to be choppy at high speeds.
The problem? You’ll have sacrificed a ton of maneuverability, and that’s going make perfecting tricks ridiculously hard.
On the flip-side, buy trucks that are too small? You’ll have no problem landing low-speed tricks. But pick up any kind of pace and you’ll have no stability coming from your deck.
That’s going to make tricks harder, and the chances of bailing hard – high!
What Size Truck Height Is Best?
In general, the truck’s height (or profile) will roughly match the wheel size.
In our example of the Independent trucks, they have a 55mm ride height, and are suitable for 56mm wheels (or smaller), assuming you don’t use risers.
Like the width of skate trucks, the height is going to have a similar bearing on stability and maneuverability (tricks are easier).
A higher truck size will reduce stability and increase maneuverability. A lower truck height will increase stability but reduce maneuverability (tricks are harder).
Like I said, the sweet spot for your skateboard trucks’ height, is one that’s similar to your wheel size.
What’s Next?
Thanks for reading our 5-minute guide to the best skateboard trucks.
If you’re still sourcing parts for your custom board, check out our guide to the 10 best decks here.
Like what you see? Jump on our email list and we’ll fire over our next skating article.
Now, go build that board.
