Two of our writers jumped on Krux trucks at roughly the same time. The two had different reasonings and expectations for their new trucks. Julio bought them out of curiosity. He never had Krux before and wanted to give them a try. On the other hand, Brian got an entirely new setup and bought said trucks because they visually appealed to him. Interestingly enough, the two had different experiences and opinions as a result. 

Julio: Krux has been around for a minute. They have an interesting team and just as interesting concepts for trucks themselves. I’m not just talking about the hole in the hanger. They have some “out there,” to say the least, graphics. This is something polarizing and not for everyone. Just like how trucks turn differently, you may want something with a fast turn like Thunder or a slower, smoother turn like Indy. Krux has its own arc, and it’s interesting to explain. 

Brian: Krux has always been one of those secondary truck brands. Usually, when people talk about skateboarding trucks, they mean Indy or Thunder. And Indy is generally my go-to. However, I wanted a new setup, and the skate shop shelves weren’t stacked to the brim with goods due to the global pandemic. That’s why I had few options on trucks. I saw one that had Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on them, and as a fan, I wanted those. Unfortunately for me, that was the last truck with a TMNT graphic. My other Krux truck now has the Simpsons donuts on them. At least it makes it easier to differentiate front and back trucks on further setups. 

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REVIEW

Julio: I bought the Krux K5s, having never experienced the K4 and previous models. I did indeed hear about the truck’s turn, and apparently, everyone I have met in person that is a fan has them very, very loose. This is why I suggest you take this with a grain of salt and suggest reading this through, or the summary, you lazy bum! Per the Krux site, “newly re-designed hanger and sexy-ass baseplate, quicker turning geometry, a new pivot shape & more durable injection-molded pivot cup.” Again having not experienced the earlier geometries, the turn was weird. I would lean and put my weight to one side, and it would take a second for the truck to turn. This caught me off guard, and I tried loosening my trucks to compensate. The trucks eventually got very squeaky. It wasn’t an issue until someone called it out, and I got hyper-focused. I ultimately gave in and decided to add wax. When I disassembled my trucks, the pivot cup came off. I have never had this in my life, and I emailed the NHS warranty and never heard back. Thanks, NHS! I removed the pivot cup from my hanger and waxed the inside and the pivot itself. The turning vastly increased and became much faster. I no longer had to lean in all the way and weight. It was a turn similar to that of a Thunder but higher at 55mm (similar to an Indy). From here on out, the trucks were a joy. I had initially bought Ace bushings and some Bones bushings ready to swap. They weren’t necessary since the trucks felt great. They’re light and turn smoothly. They were a pleasant ride. 

Brian: My first ride with the Krux trucks and the new setup happened in December. Needless to say, trucks are hard to break in in cold temperatures. They still didn’t feel off or even wrong; they felt okay. The temperatures got warmer as the year went by, and I skated the trucks a little more. I never felt like I had any issues with them. They always turned good. I had no idea what Julio was talking about when he told me about his turning issues. My grinds are basic and skatepark only, so I definitely don’t push these metal things to the edge of their capabilities but grinding feels good. They don’t feel too high or too low. I have no reason to complain because they are everything I could ask for in a skateboard truck.

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SUMMARY

Julio: The Krux K5 is a cheap truck alternative. They have a delay in their turn but grind smoothly. They will get squeaky, and your pivot cups may come off, but after waxing them, you will get rid of the delay in turn. If you’re into graphics on your trucks and little paper cats on your trucks, these are the trucks for you. Personally, I’m glad to move on from these trucks and skate something else. 

Brian: As always, with reviews, the experiences that you and I will have with the same products will differ vastly on how we use them. I’m your average skater at a park. I sometimes hit the quarter pipe, tackle the ledge frequently, but mostly bail fancy tricks on flat. To me, the Krux trucks were a perfect fit. They never felt like I was asking too much (unlike Mini-Logo trucks I’ve skated in the past). The Krux skated well enough essentially right from the get-go but got even better with every passing session and an extra degree in the sunshine. If you consider them and see yourself somewhere in my shoes skating-wise, I don’t think you’ll regret your purchase.