For $799 Meepo Aurora has all the same parts as the $649 Meepo NLS 3, but adds the green deck lights and comes with a fast charger. Maybe Meepo was envious of all the eyeballs Backfire got for the Zealot series and decided to follow suit.
The Meepo Aurora’s built-in lights are also very bright, and an added bonus is that they blink when you press the brake. For those who want to turn off the lights, you can do so by double-tapping the power button on the remote.
Meepo Aurora Specifications
| Price | $799 |
| Battery | 12s2p Molicel P42A 362Wh |
| Controller | 12s Hobbywing ESC |
| Top Speed | 32 Mph / 52 Kph |
| Range | 24 Miles / 38Km |
| Deck | Bamboo and fibreglass with side inlaid COB light |
| Motor | 2519 W x 2 Belt Drive Motors |
| Net Weight | 22.1 lbs/ 10 kg |
Deck: Bamboo and Fibreglass
The deck is the exact same one as the Meepo NLS 3, AKA Meepo Envy. The deck is made of bamboo and fibreglass, and it has a good concave and is extremely flexible. It’s a very good deck. It also features a gorgeous Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis print, hence its name. The mix of greens really compliments its wheels and LED light feature, making for a really cohesive design overall. It also has a clear silicone tail guard, which is great for two reasons: one, it prevents scratches on the nose and tail, and two, since it’s clear instead of black like on the Meepo Envy, the LED lights go around the entire deck.
ESC: 12s Hobbywing ESC
Meepo Aurora, Envy, and Flow are the three boards in Meepo’s current lineup that uses 12S Hobbywing ESC. These are the boards that prioritised smoothness of control and ease of use over thrilling and aggressive accelerations, though having reviewed the Vader, which uses LingYi ESC, the difference in smoothness has almost completely closed.
The 12S Hobbywing ESC comes with four-speed modes and the “smart turn-on” feature, which means the board powers on automatically when the remote is turned on. This ESC pairs with the Meepo M5S remote control, which has a screen for telemetry display.
Battery: 12s2p Molicel P42A 362Wh
Meepo Aurora and Envy came with a Molicel P42A in a 12s2p setup. That’s 362.8 Wh.
Both have a marketed range of 24 miles (38 km), but our testing resulted in a range of 16.5 miles (26.5 km) with a 155 lbs (70 kg) rider riding fast.
While we really wish the Meepo Aurora had more range, it’s quite hard to complain. After all, the current benchmark for boards around $700 is a 12s2p arrangement with 21700 cells. Since the Aurora doesn’t have an extended model, Meepo was basically urging you to upgrade to the $999 Voyager X and its 12s3p 544Wh battery if you need additional range.
The fast charger of the Meepo Aurora is Gan 50.4V 6A, while the one on the Meepo NLS 3 was 4A. You can fully charge the Meepo Aurora in about 1.5 hours, 30 minutes quicker now.
It’s also worth noting that Meepo sealed both the ESC and battery very well. Both the ESC and battery enclosures are in their own sealed boxes, so while the Aurora has no official waterproof rating, it should be very water-resistant.
Motor: 2519 Watts x 2 Belt Drive
Aurora uses the same motors as the Meepo Envy. They are 2519 Watts each, larger than most boards at this price. They have an outstanding top speed. The marketed top speed is 32 mph (52 kph), which we had no problem reaching.
Truck and Wheels: Reverse Kingpin Trucks
Meepo uses unbranded 8” 50° reverse kingpin trucks. For heavier riders who like harder bushings, Meepo also included a set of 100A bushings in the box along with the standard 96A double barrel bushings. The wheels are 90MM and 78A with a 65mm contact patch. Compared to other brands, we notice these stock wheels are pretty soft.
Riding Experience on the Meepo Aurora
The riding experience on the Aurora is, obviously, the exact same as the one on NLS 3.
Ditching LingYi ESC and going with Hobbywing ESC is a sign that Meepo Aurora and the NLS 3 were made to be as comfortable of a ride as possible. And the board is indeed buttery smooth in all aspects. The board accelerates and brakes very smoothly thanks to the 12s Hobbywing ESC. The 12s system combined with two powerful motors means the board is also powerful. Not quite at the level of the high-end powerhouses like the $999 Voyager X or the $1200 Zealot X, but it’s definitely on par with some more expensive boards, such as the Zealot S2, which costs $200 more.
And, unlike Zealot S2, the Aurora deck is really comfortable. It has a really good concave, which helps with controlling the board and gauging where our feet are, and the flex of the deck and the soft grippy wheels make carving on the Aurora a very, very enjoyable experience.
And the trucks that Meepo Aurora uses helped, too. The trucks on the Aurora are Meepo’s Shredder trucks, and they ride pretty well, too. They feel like tightened Paris trucks, a bit more stable with good responsiveness. When first testing top speed, there was a bit of a wobble at 27 mph. After a little tightening, we were able to reach top speed without any wobble.
The Aurora also does a good job of damping road vibration. It should come as no surprise that the belt drive, soft wheels, and flexible deck work well together to reduce road vibration.
Verdict – Meepo Aurora
The Meepo Aurora, just like the NLS 3, is a very well-rounded board. It’s built well, has perfect speed control, and has a buttery smooth ride profile thanks to its amazing deck. While it did not have over-the-top power, its power, and top speed is still top-tier for board at this price. It also did not overdeliver on battery size and range as some other less premium budget brands do.
We noticed that the Meepo NLS 3 wasn’t as talked about as the Backfire Zealot S2 despite being a very similar board in the same price categories. Compared to the NLS 3, the Zealot S2 is $200 pricier, a tad bit more powerful, and has a slightly bigger battery, while the NLS 3 and the have better decks. And we think the extra buzz Zealot S2 made came from having the lights; it just looks better on the Facebook feed. So, with Meepo Aurora getting the inlaid LED lights, maybe the NLS 3 will finally, too, get the attention it deserves.
All in all, Meepo Aurora and its green light get a green light from us. It is $150 pricier than the $649 Meepo NLS 3, and that extra $150 went into a fast charger and the lights. Considering faster chargers are expensive, and aftermarket solutions for board lights can also be expensive, Paying $150 extra for them is a reasonable deal if you like the lights.
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