Commentary

Venture P-Rod V-Hollow Light trucks

P-Rod's signature Venture truck is Venture's first with hollow axles

Updated: February 8, 2012, 1:29 PM ET
By Keith Hamm | ESPN.com

VentureVenture P-Rods are available in a chrome-and-black color combo, in high or low sizes of 5.0 and 5.2.

Used to be that there were only half a handful of truck companies to choose from. These days, though, the list is long, and all of them are competing to have their product bolted to the underside of your skateboard deck. To get there, they need to offer up a number of incentives, and we skateboarders can get pretty demanding: Your trucks better turn good, grind great, never break or slip an axle, and if we can get them for free, even better. Except for that last part, most truck companies have lived up to our expectations, including Venture. Starting out way back in 1984, Venture has weathered a few industry storms. Part of its staying power rests in the fact that it sits under the Deluxe distribution umbrella. And now, Venture has something else going for it: on January 6, the team welcomed Paul Rodriguez. You might have heard of him. To signal his arrival, Venture unveiled the P-Rod V-Hollow Light.

VentureHollow axles allow for a lighter overall weight without losing durability.

WHAT IT IS:
Rodriguez's signature truck is Venture's first with hollow axles. Also featuring hollow kingpins and stronger baseplates, a set of P-Rods comes in a chrome-and-black color combo in a high or low sizes of 5.0 and 5.2.

"In the past, Venture has had a full line of V-lights with hollow kingpins, but with the addition of Paul Rodriguez to the team we wanted to make his pro truck something we had never done before," says Venture's Damon Thorley. "After working with Paul on a few different designs, we developed all new [trucks] with hollow kingpins, reinforced forged baseplates, and the first-ever Venture hollow axles."

WHY IT RULES:
In this day and age when technical trick precision can make or break a pro skater's career, every piece of his or her setup must be light, responsive, and able to handle a pretty heavy daily beating. That's what these trucks claim to deliver, backed by P-Rod's stamp of approval. That's no small endorsement.

"The thing that makes my truck different is it's the first Venture to ever have a hollow kingpin and a hollow axle," Rodriguez told ESPN. "This makes it lighter without losing durability."

WHERE TO FIND IT:
Search the DLX Store online, or hit up your local skate shop.

Keith Hamm

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