Garuda Kratom Review: What You Need to Know Before Buying

Garuda Kratom, also known as Hudson Valley Botanicals, has been a trusted name in the kratom industry since 2017. It has an outstanding product selection and puts its products through third-party lab testing, which is a great sign that the company cares about the quality of its products and the safety of its customers. How does it fare in other areas?

In this review, we’ll look at the pros and cons of ordering from Garuda Kratom, including the potency of its kratom, its return policies, and more.

Vendor Rating: 3

About the Company

Garuda Kratom is located in upstate New York and was founded in 2017 after kratom started to gain traction as a supplement in the U.S. It’s unclear when the company changed its name. Still, it rebranded to Hudson Valley Botanicals and now sells “Garuda Kratom” as a brand.

Hudson Valley Botanicals has a mission statement on its website that explains the company believes in kratom as an herb that can provide natural healing for various issues. It seems clear that it’s focused on providing a valuable solution for pain and anxiety, among other ailments, rather than simply turning a profit. This is good news for the kratom community.

Hudson Valley Botanicals also mentions on its site that it puts all of its products through rigorous third-party lab testing to confirm that they are pure and safe for consumption. The results are available upon request, although they aren’t posted anywhere online.

The company isn’t accredited by the American Kratom Association (AKA) and has no satisfaction guarantee or return policy. Many customers have noted that the products are still worth a try, but you should be aware of these downsides before purchasing.

Pros & Cons

Top Alternatives

Garuda Kratom Product Reviews

Garuda Kratom sells kratom powders only. You’ll have to choose another vendor if you want kratom capsules, tinctures, extract powders, or other delivery methods.

Kratom Leaf Powder

Kratom powder is finely-ground kratom leaves. It’s easy to get precise doses since you can weigh precisely how much you want. It’s the most affordable way to buy kratom but also the least convenient. The powder is bitter and unpleasant, so some users pay a little more for a different delivery method.

Garuda Kratom White Bali Kratom Powder

White Bali kratom is known to be one of the best strains for improving one’s mood and outlook on life. Most users report strong uplifting effects and suppression of anxiety and stress after taking a dose of this strain. It also provides a surge of energy for most people, much like most other white-vein strains.

Many people also take this strain for daytime pain relief. While most white strains aren’t great for relieving pain since they have lower alkaloid 7-hydroxymitragynine, this one provides decent relief for moderate and even severe pain. For those looking to maintain a semblance of comfort and not get the sedative effects of red strains, White Bali might be an ideal strain option.

Price: $8.50 for 28 grams, $36.00 for 250 grams, $59.00 for 500 grams, or $83.00 for 1,000 grams/1 kilogram

Garuda Kratom Red Bentuangie Kratom Powder

Red Bentuangie is a popular red-vein strain for relieving anxiety and pain and relaxation. Most users find that this strain brings a calm mind that can help deal with stress, particularly in social situations. It reportedly helps improve the user’s mood as well.

Red Bentuangie is perhaps best known for its sedating and pain-relieving effects. Many users take this strain as a night-time solution for muscle aches, joint pain, and even nerve pain. It can help some users fall and stay asleep as well, especially if the pain is what is keeping them up.

Price: $8.50 for 28 g, $36.00 for 250 g, $59.00 for 500 g, or $83.00 for 1,000 g/1 kilo

Garuda Kratom Green Hulu Kratom Powder

Green Hulu is a great option for beginners and users sensitive to kratom, as its effects are prominent but rarely overwhelming. Most users report that its most potent effects include pain relief and mood enhancement. The strain tends to be more energizing than sedative, so it’s a popular option for those looking to relieve pain during the day.

Green Hulu can be mildly sedative in larger doses, making it a decent option for reducing pain at night. It’s also said to be a good option for quelling anxious thoughts, so it can be a good option for easing issues with the mind or body.

Price: $8.50 for 28 g, $36.00 for 250 g, $59.00 for 500 g, or $83.00 for 1,000 g/1 kilo

Other Strains Offered By Garuda Kratom

Although Garuda kratom only offers kratom powders, the company carries a fairly impressive selection of strains. We’ll include a complete list of this company’s strain options below.

• Gold Bali Kratom Powder
• Green Aceh Kratom Powder
• Green Jongkong Kratom Powder
• Green Ketapang Kratom Powder
• Green Maeng Da Kratom Powder
• Green Ov Kratom Powder
• Red Bali Kratom Powder
• Red Banjar Kratom Powder
• Red Hulu Kratom Powder
• Red Jongkong Kratom Powder
• Red Maeng Da Kratom Powder
• Red Sunda Kratom Powder
• Super Green Kratom Powder
• Super Maeng Da Kratom Powder
• Super Wild Green Kratom Powder
• White Bali Kratom Powder
• White Jongkong Kratom Powder
• White Maeng Da Kratom Powder
• Wild Green Kratom Powder
• White Hulu Kratom Powder
• Wild Red Kratom Powder
• Wild White Kratom Powder
• Wild Yellow Kratom Powder
• Yellow Maeng Da Kratom Powder
• Sirin Kratom Powder Blend
• Typhon Kratom Powder Blend

Is Garuda Kratom Legit?

Yes, Garuda Kratom is legitimate. While the company has a history of not responding to some emails, it has good customer service outcomes, which most customers find most crucial.

More importantly, Garuda Kratom has a good reputation for potent kratom and conducts lab testing to confirm its products’ purity and safety. The lab results include information on heavy metals in the powders, contaminants like adulterants, and the presence of bacteria. You can request the lab result tests for any of Garuda’s products via email or on the company’s contact page.

While the lab results should put most users’ minds at ease, there are some downsides to ordering from Hudson Valley Botanicals. First, the American Kratom Association (AKA) does not certify the company. Second, the company doesn’t have a return policy or satisfaction guarantee, which means you won’t get your money back if the product is not up to your standards.

In general, you shouldn’t have to worry too much about poor quality. Most of the customer reviews online are positive and suggest that the powders from Garuda are worth the money.

What You Can Expect To Pay

Hudson Valley Botanicals sells all of its kratom powders at the same price for simplicity.

The pricing for all kratom powders is as follows:

• $8.50 for 28 g
• $36.00 for 250 g
• $59.00 for 500 g
• $83.00 for 1,000 g/1 kilo

These fall below average for the industry, so you can stock up without worrying too much about breaking the bank.

You can save a bit by ordering your kratom powder in larger quantities, although the company doesn’t offer any bulk pricing. If you like the company’s products, the best way to save is to choose one of the two subscription plans.

The 1 kilogram per month subscription plan is available according to the following pricing structure:

• Three months for $230.00
• Six months for $440.00
• Eight months for $539.00
• Twelve months for $770.00

Compared to buying individual kilograms, this plan at 12 months would save you around $226 per year.

You can also choose the bi-weekly subscription plan. This provides a kilogram of kratom every two weeks for heavy users.

The pricing structure for this plan is detailed below:

• Three months for $450.00
• Six months for $846.00
• Eight months for $1,053.00

Compared to buying individual kilograms, this eight-month plan would save you around $275.

Accepted Payment Options

Garuda Kratom accepts several convenient payment methods, including:

• Major credit cards via the Waave payment app
• USPS money orders
• Western Union money orders
• Cash on delivery (COD)
• Payment via Bitcoin
• Zelle payment app
• Cash App payment app
• Checks or cash in the mail

Many kratom vendors struggle to maintain convenient payment options for customers, so it’s great to see a kratom supplier who accepts all of these that offer convenience and anonymity, depending on what you’re looking for.

Garuda Kratom Coupon Codes

Hudson Valley Botanicals often has coupon codes available for customers, which it posts on a banner at the bottom of its homepage. For example, at the time of writing, the company has a 30% off coupon code — cm2022 — for first-time orders. We recommend checking back for updated coupon codes if you want a deal.

What Other Customers Say About This Brand

Having been around since 2017, Garuda Kratom/Hudson Valley Botanicals has amassed plenty of customer reviews online. Thankfully, most of them are positive. They typically mention generally good quality and reliable customer service.

With that said, some customers complain about long wait times for resolutions to issues brought up to the company. Others mention that the product is often old and shows signs of drying and losing potency due to long periods of sitting on the shelf.

Below, we’ll include some of the most telling positive and negative reviews we found for Hudson Valley Botanicals on Reddit.

“I have tried their product and found it up to par with the more known vendors. Overall it is good quality leaf.”

“White Mang Da is very energetic. That and Super Green are my go to for work from them. The Wild Green is no slouch either.”

“Product arrived dry and with a dusty smell. Prices are affordable; however, the product is definitely not well kept. A look at their site shows product sitting since 2018.”

“Update on my Garuda customer service issue…. they chose to send me the correct 500 g bag out of the blue. I received it yesterday without warning. A little weird they don’t answer emails but they did make good on the order in the long run and that’s all that matters. Also a really good super maeng da, highly recommend trying it.”

Shipping & Returns

Hudson Valley Botanicals only uses USPS Flat Rate Priority shipping, so you’ll have minimal options to expedite your shipping if needed. The company notes that orders take one to two business days to process, and then you’ll wait for two to three business days for the products to arrive. If you pay for express, that shipping time will drop to one to two business days.

All told, your order should arrive between two and five business days, depending on when you order and the shipping speed you choose. Shipping for Priority Flat Rate costs $8.45, while expedited shipping costs $26.75.

Remember that Hudson Valley Botanicals offers free shipping on all orders over $65.

Unfortunately, this company doesn’t accept returns of opened or unopened products. You cannot try the kratom to see if you like it before deciding to keep it, and you can only return unused products if they were damaged during shipping. This is a significant downside, although you can always order a smaller quantity to see if you like the company’s products.

Lastly, Hudson Valley Botanicals only ships to the United States and excludes all municipalities where kratom is banned or illegalized.

Best Alternative Kratom Vendors

In our opinion, Hudson Valley Botanicals can be a good option for sourcing kratom. However, some customers will look for a company with AKA accreditation, a solid return policy, and a satisfaction guarantee, all of which Garuda Kratom lacks. Below, we’ll include three company recommendations that might suit you better if Garuda seems like a bad fit.

1. VIP Kratom

VIP Kratom provides outstanding quality and customer service, although its products come at a slightly higher price than the industry average. Most customers note that the cost is well worth the investment, though.

The company provides third-party lab results for all its products, offers a satisfaction guarantee on every order, and maintains AKA accreditation. That means VIP goes above and beyond what Garuda offers to bring you the best service and products available on the market.

Pros:

• Outstanding quality
• Lab test results available
• AKA certification
• Satisfaction guarantee
• Highly potent kratom
• Powders and capsules available

Cons:

• Expensive

2. Kona Kratom

Kona Kratom is a popular option for customers looking for excellent quality at affordable prices. Like VIP and Garuda, Kona offers lab results for all of its products, although it posts them online for customers to review before purchasing. Unlike Hudson Valley Botanicals, it provides a satisfaction guarantee on all products, so you can try them before you commit to buying them.

Kona also maintains AKA accreditation and has a robust return policy even outside of the satisfaction guarantee. The potency is high, and the price is around average, meaning this company offers exceptional value.

Pros:

• AKA certification
• Lab results posted online for all products
• High-quality kratom powders and capsules
• Great selection of strains
• Relatively affordable
• 100% money-back guarantee

Cons:

• Slower shipping speeds than some vendors

3. Star Kratom

Star Kratom first made a name for itself by providing fast shipping speeds — usually just a day or two — for all customers. This makes it a great option for restocking when you’re running low, especially if you’re looking for an affordable place to purchase your kratom powders and capsules.

However, the company provides more than just fast shipping. It also posts lab results online to confirm the high potency and safety of its products, it is AKA-accredited, and it provides a satisfaction guarantee to instill confidence in new and returning users alike.

Pros:

• Lab results posted for all products
• Satisfaction guarantee offered
• Powders and capsules available
• Very affordable
• AKA-certified

Cons:

• Smaller strain selection than many competitors

Final Thoughts: Decent Kratom At A Decent Price

Generally speaking, Garuda Kratom is a decent place to source kratom, and we recommend it to most users. It does quite a few things right, including providing lab results to confirm the potency and purity of its products, and it has a history of good customer service, despite slow response times in some cases.

If you want to try Hudson Valley Botanicals, we recommend the White Bali kratom powder, the Red Bentuangie kratom powder, or the Green Hulu kratom powder. These are highly potent and pleasurable options for most users, making them great choices for new customers to get a sense of the quality and consistency provided by the company.

If you’re looking for more reassurance from your kratom company — like a satisfaction guarantee and AKA accreditation — we suggest checking out products from VIP Kratom, Kona Kratom, and Star Kratom. These companies provide quality and consistency but go above and beyond to ensure you’re satisfied with your kratom.