Venom is the #1 trusted bushing brand. Hand-poured by the team themselves in the USA.
Legend has it, Zak Maytum used to pour these bushings in his garage and peddle them at races back when the scene was mostly Euro dudes on stock Randals and footbraking heavily. He worked tirelessly to make a bushing with tight tolerances and a solid center without sacrificing turn and lean.
Years later, the bushings are made en mass and are the top choice for pros. Don't believe me? Go to a race. Check out a few set ups. Venom bushings. All around. Cannibals, everywhere. More than occasionally Rouges. It isn't because Zak is super cool and everyone wants to skate like him (though that's kinda true), it's because it's the best urethane formula in the game. They lean as much as you need and then return to center without bouncing you off. It feels like how trucks are supposed to feel. It seems obvious, and like you can't go wrong making the little thane donuts, but you'd be surprised. Since Venom took over, all the other options are suddenly much less appealing.
If you're not riding Venom you very well could be doing it wrong.
Eliminators feature a wide, stepped design that has a serious center point and more progressive lean characteristics.
Elims' stepped part nestles nicely into your truck's bushing seat and the wider part provides extra support for a ring around the seat not usually touched by urethane. The result is a stronger center point, with the ability to turn a small amount quickly but add resistance as you gradual shift to a full lean. I'm always tempted to describe it as "surfy" because they allow you to feel more comfortable sitting lower in turns and feel divey but still gradual. They're excellent for downhill- inspiring confidence to tuck the straights and making you smile as you dive into a tight turn.
Venom says:
This bushing is our way of paying homage to what is, if we’re honest, one of the greatest bushings of all time: The Tracker Stimulator. The stepped out design lets you put a lot more urethane under your feet. The result of this, is you can run a softer duro and still maintain the same stability. In short, more turn, less wob, and more rebound from all the extra bushing. The Eliminator is also specifically designed to accommodate precision trucks with spherical bearings. One side of the bushing has an indented “dish” to prevent contact with the bearing that causes twitch.
A little about Duro:
These suggestions are a bit on the softer side, but hey, we like to turn. Some skaters don't. And Venom tends to run just slightly harder than other brands. A wise man once said, "loose trucks save lives." But basically, play around with it. Everyone likes a different feel. What you definitely want is a harder durometer boardside and something softer or even a cone shape roadside. And if you're riding splits or doing DH or freeride really fast, put harder bushings in the back to keep from wobbing. For regular freeride and going switch, stay symmetrical.
