Author: Aiman Abd Rahman

Posted on by Aiman Abd Rahman

Enskate R3 Mini Review – Wrong number but nice to meet you.

Introduction

Do you know what people say about Enskate? They don’t. Enskate is not a brand that usually comes to mind when it comes to Eskate companies. We know they are a good sport though, even after we made fun of their Enskate Woboard S in our previous review, they still came back for more and we respect that. They also addressed some of the complaints that we had with the Woboard S, by upgrading its ESC to a standard Hobbywing, and using a better, non-sex-toy-looking, standard Bobbywing remote.

This time, they want us to test out the Enskate R3 Mini, a practical portable, well-polished shortboard that’s intended for sidewalk commute. And here we are, trying to answer 2 questions with this review:

  1. Is R3 Mini amongst the top choices for sidewalk commute and
  2. is it time for everyone to start paying attention to Enskate?

Enskate R3 Mini Review

As usual, lets run through the specs real quick.

  • Top Speed: 20mph/35kmh ( Our test: 23mph/38kmh )
  • Range: 12.5miles/20km ( Our test: 6miles/9.5km)
  • Battery Pack: 2.5AH pack from Samsung in 10s1p configuration
  • Weight: 13lbs/6.0kg
  • Features: 450w dual hub motors, Hobbywing ESC remote controller,wide concaved deck, big and functional kick tail
  • Price: 399 USD

Riding Experience

i. Acceleration & Breaking

The board has pretty smooth acceleration and braking as expected from hobbywing ESC. Acceleration felt quite powerful and strong. This came as a small surprise as this, after all, is a 10s1p board, performance is not supposed to be its strong suit. Enskate did put a stronger than average 450W hubs on it, so I guess that explains why.

ii. Stability and Maneuverability

R3 Mini has a kicktail that’s useful for sharp turns in tight space and dodging pedestrians, however beginners should pay extra attention when accelerating as it might resulted in an accidental manual and fall on their back. Honestly, same can be said about most shortboard with kicktails, always gotta be careful about them if you are not use to it.

iii. Vibration

The R3 Mini performs great on smooth roads. It has wide concaved deck that makes riding felt stable. It is very nimble and responsive as well. Carving with it is very enjoyable and fun.

But as always for a mini board, when it come to rough roads, the board will suffer. The combination of stiff and short deck make the road vibration felt intense.

iv. Range & Top Speed

I bet you notice something doesn’t add up here. Unless Enskate has it’s battery magic imbued, there is no way that a 10s1p 90wh get us to 12.5 miles or 20km in range.

Our range test gave us 6miles (9.5km) Riding fast on mode 2 and 3 which is expected from a small battery. On the 5.5miles (9km) mark, the voltage sag is noticeable as it starts to slow down significantly.

In other words, Enskate didn’t break the law of physics, but it might’ve broken the heart of some buyers who actually believes 12.5 miles (20km) is possible. Unless, you weigh 88lbs (40kg) and you ride conservatively, there is no way you will get 12.5 miles (20km) with it.

Our tested top speed however is slightly higher than the marketed top speed. During our test, we get 23mph (38kmh). The R3 Mini is pretty stable at high speed but still for a mini-board, 23mph (38kmh) felt faster than usual.

A closer look at the parts

i. Deck

The deck is 8 layers maple with close to zero flex. It has a very wide concave which makes riding feels very comfortable. It has a functional kicktail that is wide making it easy to kick turn.

ii. Components

The board uses a standard 90mm 78A wheels.

There is not much to say about the 90mm 78A wheels that Enskate uses other than there isn’t much to say about them.

Let’s just say, they are good wheels but they aren’t Orangatangs.

iii. Truck

Generic trucks that are nimble and responsive enough

iv. Remote

The R3 Mini uses generic Hobbywing and it came with the first-gen Hobbywing remote that has no telemetry screen.

For two of you who are not familiar with Hobbywing remote, this remote is comfortable in hand, it has no drop connection, and it fits pretty comfortably in the pockets.

Verdict

So, what is our final verdict on the Enskate R3 Mini?

I hope that by this point it’s plenty obvious that the R3 Mini isn’t made for punishing terrain or group rides. It’s made for a very specific purpose, last mile commutes on a sidewalk. So, is it good for that? Yes. It’s a polished short board that rides comfortably and isn’t a chore to lug around.

Is it the best campus board for $399? It really depends on your situation, other budget shortboards like the Meepo Mini 2 are every bit as good and have 2 times the battery size, but like Uncle Ben says, with great power comes… greater weight. There is a reason we DIY-ed a 10s1p crappy shortboard after all.

If you are interested in buying an Enskate, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and uses code: “ESKATEHQ” during check out.
It will help you get a small monetary discount and helps us out too. On top of that, you’ll be tagged as an Electric Skateboard HQ customer and probably be treated better. Cheers!

Posted on by Aiman Abd Rahman

Maxfind Max 2 Pro Dual Review- A good looking board for campus use?

Introduction

To catch up to the rest of the market, Maxfind has released 5 new electric skateboards in relatively short order. We’ve looked at the Maxfind Max 4 Pro, and today, we are looking to review the Maxfind Max 2 Pro Dual – a $569 shortboard.

You never get to make a first impression twice, and the Max 2 pro gets its first impression right.You can see right away how Maxfind puts a lot of effort into making sure the board looks good and feels premium at the same time.

  • Size: 31-inch short board
  • Top Speed: 25mph/40kmh
  • Range: 15miles/25km ( Our test: 12.5miles/20km)
  • Battery Pack: 4.4AH pack in 10s2p configuration, Samsung 22P cells
  • Weight: 14lbs/6.5kg
  • Features: 600w hub motors, 90mm wheels, Hobbywing ESC remote controller,sleek design, polished, and waterproofing
  • Price: 569 USD

Unboxing

Riding Experience

i. Acceleration & Breaking

Despite being a 31-inch short board, it still packs strong performance to rival any regular size electric skateboard out there. The acceleration and breaking is quite nice. You probably will not notice much difference except for the size.

ii. Stability and Maneuverability

The lack of concavity on the deck didn’t help either, as the deck is super flat, so it’s hard to know where my feet are. I needed to check and re-check my feet placement quite often, just to be sure that I didn’t slip off the board.

iii. Vibration

Not surprisingly, you might not be too pleased with the Max 2 pro if you are riding away from its natural habitat into someplace with a rougher surface. As expected, the combo of a stiff plastic deck and hub motors means intense road vibrations. It was so bad that I felt like I was going to skid when turning on bad roads.

iv. Range & Top Speed

The marketed range is 15 miles or 25 km, but during our range test riding at medium to high speed, we got 12.5 miles or 20km, which is still quite impressive.

The top speed is a typical 25 mph (or 40 km/h), but for a mini-board, that’s super fast!

A closer look at the parts

i. Deck

The most noticeable aspect of the board is the short deck with a very nice bottom design. Most electric skateboards tend to focus primarily on the specs alone, but this time they did an astonishing job of balancing between looks and performance. Just look at this sick diamond cutting design! It’s flashy and premium at the same time.

This is not what you usually expect from an electric skateboard. This board looks extremely nice and feels well-polished. It may look like any regular board when you are on it, but when you’re carrying this board around, you will definitely see the true beauty of it.

ii. Components

By the way, did you notice that the Max 2 Pro has no functional kick-tail? If you are new to eskates and wouldn’t know how to use a kicktail anyways, this is great as it maximizes the wheelbase and stability. However, this is also a ballsy choice as it’s going to be a deal-breaker for many skaters living out there.

iii. Wheels

It uses 90 mm wheels, which are standard for many of today’s eskates.

iv. Trucks

Maxfind’s uses non-branded proprietary trucks that are both stable and agile enough to do the job.

v. Remote

The speed control is perfectly smooth, as can be expected from a Hobbywing ESC. I’m going to guess that the max 2 Pro is using the stock version of the Hobbywing ESC, with its typical 3-speed modes; but unlike the weak brakes that come with typical Hobbywing ESC, the braking on the Max 2 Pro is pretty strong – probably due to the stronger 600W hubs that Maxfind is using. For reference, a normal entry-level board has a hub motor of around 500W.

Verdict

When it comes to shortboard for last-mile commuting, we are now spoiled with choices. For those who make purchasing decisions based solely on price vs specs, the Maxfind Max 2 Pro will not be on the top of the list as it’s a $569 board with $400 specs. With the Max 2 Pro, you are paying a premium for the sleek design, the polish, and waterproofing. I think a good head to head comparison might be with the $599 Backfire Mini which is another premium, nimble, powerful shortboard with similar price and specs, plus easy battery access, but minus waterproofing.

In short, the Maxfind Max 2 Pro is a good board, as long as you know what you are paying for.

If you are interested in buying a Maxfind, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” during check out.
It will help you get a small monetary discount and helps us out too. On top of that, you’ll be tagged as an Electric Skateboard HQ customer and probably be treated better. Cheers!