Kryptonics Skateboard Review – Are They Good For Beginners?
Kryptonics skateboards are sometimes referred to as “Walmart boards.” This is because they are not professional-grade skateboards. They are good enough for absolute beginners. However, once the skater gets a feel for this board, they will most likely want to upgrade to a pro model skateboard.
These boards are sold as entry-level products, comfortable enough for those that are just learning to skateboard for the first time. They are ideal for children and beginners.
If you’re concerned about it being poor quality but it’s your first skateboard, that’s okay. It’s sometimes better to learn how to skate on a cheaper board, and if you still like skating, then invest in a professional quality complete.
Overall, Kryptonics is a great starter board.
Kryptonics Skateboard Review
Kryptonics skateboards are a good, solid deck made with 9 plies of maple wood. This causes them to be slightly on the heavier side, making them harder to learn flip tricks. However, it will make you look even better when you upgrade to a pro deck.
The wheels and bearings take time to break in, but they spin very nicely once they have broken in. The wheels are extremely hard, which is great for skateboarding on the road, and the bearings are rated ABEC 3.
The only cons to these skateboards are the truck bushings and wheels. The bushings are tough and unresponsive, and the wheels have been said to be too hard by many riders. The wheels ride really well on smoother concrete, not so much on rougher roads.
Overall, this is a perfect starter board or a great skateboard to leave in your trunk. You never know when you’ll run into a good skate spot and wish you had a board.
Skateboard Features:
- 9-ply maple deck with professional concave and a double kicktail.
- 80ab standard grip tape.
- 5″ heavy-duty aluminum Krypto Beast trucks, designed with a stone finish.
- 54mm polyurethane wheels with traction grooves.
- Carbon steel ABEC 3 bearings.
Pros & Cons Of Kryptonics Boards
Let’s take a deeper dive into the advantages and disadvantages of Kryptonics skateboards. Hopefully, this will give you a better idea of whether or not you’d like to invest in one.
Pros
The biggest advantages of Kryptonics skateboards happen to be their excellent prices and ease of availability. They can easily be found on Amazon, same with their wheels and replacement parts. They have flexible 9-ply decks that ride smoothly, and they are easy to tune. They also have some high-end vintage skateboards and wheels with a few extra advantages over their regular boards.
Cons
There are a few disadvantages to riding Kryptonics skateboards, but the main one is that they are just not as good as they once were. When the board comes stock, it does have some subpar components such as their trucks and wheels. They’re not so great at riding on rougher surfaces and tend to skid out on extremely smooth, polished surfaces.
History Of Kryptonics Skateboards
Once upon a time, Kryptonics was one of the biggest brands in boarding equipment. To today, most of the gear is good quality, but especially their vintage wheels and boards. Nowadays, Kryptonics has paved its way into affordable boards by selling through huge retailers like Amazon and Walmart.
Kryptonics is one of the oldest skateboard brands in the industry and still thriving in today’s market. Back in the 1960’s they were known for designing high-quality boards and earned a world-class reputation. But after half a century of producing top-of-the-line wheels and complete (pre-assembled) skateboards, they’ve taken quite a bit of flak from the skate community.
With the increase and ease of access to Kryptonics products, many people within the community believe that the quality has declined compared to previous models.
Why Aren’t They As Sought After As Previously?
Truth be told, with the market share increasing, Kryptonics has expanded to producing lower quality complete skateboards for absolute beginners. These are their entry-level skateboards that cost between $30 and $50 on Amazon and Walmart. But that being said, they still make the same high-quality wheels and skateboard components; they just don’t come with their entry-level boards.
The Kryptonics skateboard company was founded in the 1960s and has been around for as long as most companies in the industry. In the 1970s, they were known for making massive improvements to skateboard wheels when they released their Star Trac wheels.
The wheels were the first color-coded line of wheels and improved the functionality of skateboards forever. Kryptonics single-handedly dominated the wheel industry for years. To this day, they still provide some of the highest quality wheels on the market.
With such a dominant product, Kryptonics had more and more skaters winning competitions with their superior wheels. Skaters were able to perform better on all sorts of terrain and often repped the wheels.
Some pro skaters that Kryptonics have sponsored include Tony Alva, Stacy Peralta, Steven Alba, David Hackett, and Tommy Ryan.
In 1997, Kryptonics merged with Bravo Sports, and Kryptane Systems L.L.C. was born. The company continues to this day, manufacturing a versatile range of urethane products.
Are Kryptonics Skateboards Good?
When it comes to Kryptonics skateboards, there’s a bit of a mixed opinion in the skateboarding community. Some refer to them as “Walmart boards” because they are not considered professional-grade skateboards. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t have their merits, especially for beginners and those just starting out in skateboarding.
Kryptonics skateboards are often seen as entry-level products, perfect for absolute beginners who are learning to skateboard for the first time. They are comfortable and easy to ride, making them ideal for children and those who are new to the sport. If you’re concerned about the quality of a Kryptonics skateboard but it’s your first board, don’t worry. Learning how to skate on a more affordable board can actually be beneficial, as it allows you to get a feel for the sport before investing in a higher-quality professional skateboard.
Kryptonics skateboards serve as perfect starter boards. They offer good value for the price and are widely available through retailers like Amazon and Walmart. They have flexible 9-ply decks that ride smoothly and are easy to tune. While some skateboarders may have reservations about the quality of their complete skateboards, Kryptonics still produces high-quality wheels and skateboard components that are highly regarded in the industry.
What’s The Final Verdict?
Even though Kryptonics is now known for producing cheap, entry-level boards, they are still a heavy-hitter in the skateboard industry and community. Most of their gear is made with exceptional quality, barring their complete skateboards. However, even those are great for noob skaters.
They have paved the way with affordable completes through affiliations with Amazon and Walmart. Although it has tarnished their image with a few sour skaters, a lot of people also take this with open arms.