Paxson Lim, Author at Electric Skateboard HQ

March 19, 2023March 22, 2023 by Paxson Lim

Wowgo Pioneer 4 Review – Can It Beat Exway Flex ER?

It’s been almost a year since we reviewed the Wowgo 2s Max, which we considered the best budget electric skateboard at $500.

Now, meet the Wowgo Pioneer 4—a new and better Wowgo with a $700 price tag. The name might be new but the Pioneer 4 hub and Pioneer X4 belt are actually successors of the wildly popular Wowgo 3 and 3x.

However, Wowgo Pioneer 4’s $699 retail price will be going head to head against the very popular Exway Flex ER. Direct comparisons are unavoidable, so that’s what we will do throughout this review.

Before we get into real-world riding experience, let’s run through the specs real quick!

Wowgo Pioneer 4 Build and Specs

Deck: Canadian maple, bamboo, and fiberglass; mild flex, wide and subtle concave
Electronic Speed Controller: 12s Hobbywing ESC
Battery: 12S2P 345Wh 8.0Ah Samsung 21700 40T
Marketed Range: 22 miles (35 km)
Motors: Hobbywing 2*680W HUB Motors(5230)
Marketed Top Speed: 28 mph (46 kp/h)
Trucks: 45° Reverse KingPin
Wheels: 78A soft 90 mm PU wheels (with 105mm Cloudwheels option)

The WowGo Pioneer 4 deck was made with a combination of Canadian Maple, bamboo, and fiberglass. It has a mild but respectable flex to it. The concave is wide but subtle with a flat profile. There’s no camber or rocker.

As always, Wowgo put on a foam grip tape to improve vibration absorption, which helps when riding on rough roads. The design on the grip tape is alright, but we really like the graphic design on the bottom of the deck. The stealthy black and gray color theme gave the board a premium look. As you can see, the board’s overall polish and build quality are also tip-top.

The Wowgo Pioneer 4 also uses a 12s Hobbywing ESC. The brand claims to be a newer 5.0 version, not that we notice any difference. Of course, it also comes with a smart power-on feature.

There are 4-speed modes, with the highest speed mode named Turbo. As usual, it uses the familiar remote that comes with telemetry.

Now, let’s look at the trucks. Wowgo Pioneer 4 uses a 45-degree reverse kingpin truck. Compared to the Wowgo 2s Max 50-degree trucks, these trucks felt more satisfying to carve and easier to turn.

As for the motors, Wowgo Pioneer 4 uses 680W dual hub motors. These should be powerful enough. For context, the very strong Meepo V4s were rocking dual 540W motors, and the Wowgo 2s Max dual motors also gave more power than anyone would need.

To check out our Meepo V4S review, click here.

On the other hand, the similarly priced Exway Flex ER does have a much higher wattage on its hub motors. On paper, the Exway Flex ER rocks dual 1000w hub motors. Then again, motor wattage is a poor judgment of a board’s actual torque and power. Fortunately, we have reviewed both of these boards and will compare them later.

This 680W motor on the Pioneer 4 does have a healthy marketed top speed of 28 mph or 46 kph, and we managed to hit 44 km/h during our top-speed test. This is the same result we got from the Exway Flex ER.

When it comes to power, Wowgo Pioneer 4 uses a 12S2P 8.0 AH battery with good Samsung 40T cells. This gave a battery pack of 345wh in size and had a marketed range of 22 miles or 35km. Exway Flex ER also has the same battery configuration and size.

Riding the Pioneer 4 aggressively in the highest speed mode, our 155 lbs or 70 kg test rider managed to get 15.5 miles or 25 km. If you ride conservatively, you probably can achieve the 22 miles or 35 km as advertised.

Now, let us look away from the electronics and move on to the wheels. Wowgo Pioneer 4’s standard wheels are 78A soft 90 mm PU wheels. These wheels perform pretty well on tarmac roads.

There are also 105mm Cloudwheels available as an added option. We will talk about how they perform later.

The board weighs 18 lbs or 8.2kg and comes with a 6-month warranty. The board was put together really well, certainly as good as the Exway Flex ER or any premium brand.

Interested to learn more about Exway Flex ER? Click here.

Wowgo Pioneer 4 Ride Experience

Now that we know the build and specs, it’s time to ride!

First, let’s talk about speed control. Wowgo Pioneer’s speed control is perfect, as can be expected from the 12s Hobbywing ESC.

Both the acceleration and braking of the Pioneer are buttery smooth and intuitive. The motors feel powerful, and the braking is very strong too.

Pioneer 4’s dual 680W motors perform just about as well as Exway Flex ER’s dual 1000W motors. In fact, if you did not use Exway’s mobile app to max out the power configuration, the stock Wowgo Pioneer 4 is actually the more muscular ride out of the two.

With that being said, both boards are powerful enough for even the heaviest rider.

When it comes to turning and carving, we’re pretty impressed with how Pioneer 4’s trucks perform. The board is fun to carve and responsive to control. Sharp turns are not a problem.

Right out of the box, the Flex ER is much more nimble and carves harder compared to Exway Flex ER. The Pioneer, on the other hand, is more stable and allows a relaxed ride even at top speed.

Like all hub-driven boards, Wowgo Pioneer 4 rides the best on a well-paved road. You can feel the strong road vibrations on poorly paved roads, but it’s tolerable. Unlike the Backfire Era 2, the Wowgo Pioneer 4 performs much-much better on the poorly paved tarmac. At the end of the day, having a flexible deck and using foam grip tape will help.

In case you don’t know yet, Backfire Era 2 is the most portable eskate we reviewed! Learn more here.

Install the 105mm Cloudwheels and it improves further. Just keep in mind that you will sacrifice some range and some of that ‘sticking to ground ride feel’.

To round up the riding experience, Wowgo Pioneer 4 is an all-around great board that both beginners and veterans will like. It has great torque, good range, and is a comfortable ride. It has good specs for $699. It is very well-built, and it looks nice.

The VERDICT – All-Around Board for Beginner and Veteran Eskaters

However, is it the best board in the $400-$800 range? Or perhaps, we should just cut to the chase and ask ourselves, is the Wowgo Pioneer 4 a better buy than the Exway Flex ER which has the same battery size, same 12s Hobbywing ESC, similar ride profile, and similar built quality, and post-sale service?

Well, it is a close call, but I guess it comes down to things like ongoing promotion, waiting time, and stock availability.

When factoring in the shipping fee, Exway Flex ER can be $150 pricier than the Wowgo Pioneer. With that higher price, you do get a smartphone app, a waterproof rating, and a fast charger out of the box.

If those features aren’t important to you, or you are the frugal type, go with Wowgo Pioneer 4 instead; it is a similar board for less money.

If you are interested in buying the Wowgo, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive 5% off during checkout.
It will help you get a small monetary discount and help us out too. On top of that, you’ll be tagged as an Electric Skateboard HQ customer and probably be treated better. Cheers!

February 9, 2023February 9, 2023 by Paxson Lim

Backfire Era 2 Review – Most portable

Backfire, one of the most reputable electric skateboard brands, had been struggling to stand out in the entry-level eskate market for a few years now. The Backfire G2 Black, though competent, was overshadowed by the likes of Wowgo 2s Max and Meepo V4s in both ride experience and performance.

So, at the end of 2022, Backfire tried again and released the Backfire Era 2—a $399 entry-level eskate that plays a different game. Instead of trying to compete in power and range, Era 2 was designed to focus on portability, making it a better fit for the urban commute or as a last-mile option.

Backfire Era 2 Build and Specs

Deck: Premium Canadian Maple and Fiberglass
Electronic Speed Controller: 10s Hobbywing ESC
Battery: 42V 180Wh Li-Polymer Battery
Marketed Range: 9 miles / 15 km
Motors: Dual 400W In-Hub Motors
Marketed Top Speed: 23 mph / 38 km/h
Trucks: 50° 8-inch Backfire Proprietary Trucks
Wheels: 90 mm Urethane Wheels

As usual, let’s start with the build and specs. The highlight of the board is undoubtedly the slim and thin build. The deck looks high quality with a stealthy design. It really looks good and going without an electronic enclosure at the bottom of the deck allows maximum ground clearance.

However, this design also comes with a tradeoff which is a very stiff deck. In fact, the 38” maple and fiberglass deck has zero flex in it which impacts the ride experience. Let’s talk about that later!

Lighter Than a Shortboard

On another note, the Backfire Era 2 deck does have a mild concave which secures your feet in place. We also noticed that instead of the usual 9.5-inch width, Backfire slimmed down the deck to make it 8.85 inches wide, further reducing its footprint.

Thanks partly to that, the board is very lightweight at 16 lbs or 7.25kg. This is even lighter compared to some shortboards like the Tynee Mini 2.

Interested to learn more about Tynee Mini 2? Check out our review here.

Inside the deck is a 5.0ah, 180 wh LiPo battery pack that’s hidden underneath the grip tape. This provides the board with a moderate range claim of 9 miles or 15km. During our test, our 150 lbs rider managed to get 7 miles or 12 km when riding fast. This is nowhere impressive and is considered low range on today’s standard but hey, let’s not forget that this is a $399 board with a sleek design.

Better With 10s Hobbywing ESC

As for the ESC, Backfire Era 2 uses a 10s Hobbywing ESC with a smart turn-on feature which we really appreciate. Perhaps, Backfire decided to go for 10s ESC and battery to save some cost since the motor they went with wasn’t going to be able to capitalize on the 12s system anyways. The remote offers only 2-speed modes which are ECO and SPEED. It also comes with one turbo mode.

Speaking of motors, Backfire ERA 2 uses dual 400w hub motors which are good enough for daily rides but don’t scream power. Even the ‘turbo mode’, is honestly just a fancy name for 4th and highest-speed mode. Overall, the power is just modest.

Want to explore other eskates under $500? We got you! Check out our list here.

During our top speed test, we managed to hit exactly what Backfire advertised, which is 23 mph and 38 km/h. As we all know, that’s about the standard top speed for entry-level eskates.

The board also comes with standard 90MM Urethane wheels which aren’t particularly interesting. Although, they’re still a decent pair of wheels made of good quality and high rebound Urethane.

Last but not the least, Backfire ERA 2 went with the brand’s proprietary 50-degree trucks which are 8 inches in length.

So, that pretty much wraps up the specs of the board.

As you can see, the Backfire ERA 2 did not try to outperform any board in specs. Does this also mean the board rides poorly? Let’s get on the road and put Era 2 to the test!

Backfire Era 2 Riding Experience

As is the case with all Backfire boards, the acceleration of the Backfire ERA 2 is very smooth. Going with 10s instead of 12s Hobbywing ESC also goes to show that power is not a priority here. The acceleration and braking are equally gentle and smooth.

For context, most really strong hub boards use 500w motors. So, while wattage alone doesn’t tell a full story, the ERA 2 felt a little bit underwhelming in terms of power when compared to other boards that we tested like Meepo V4s and Wowgo 2s Max.

Great for Beginners and Urban Commuters

With that said, I can imagine beginners and casual riders preferring Backfire Era 2 exactly for its tameness and reduced risk of hurting themselves on a board that’s too strong for them.

The next important thing to consider is the ride feel, which brings us back to the deck. The concave is nice and it secures our feet in place. But as expected, the stiff deck suffers when we ride through rough road conditions. Since the deck is thinner in width than normal eskates, we felt very strong vibrations when cruising through poorly paved roads.

Cloudwheel Donuts for Extra Cushion

As we have guessed, this is the kind of board made for a sidewalk. So, if you have to ride on a poorly paved road, we highly recommend upgrading the wheels to 105MM Cloudwheel Donuts. It’s the only way the ride can be bearable.

To check if Cloudwheel Donuts are more your style, read our review here.

On smooth roads, however, Backfire ERA 2 not only rides smoothly but is also pretty fun to carve. Personally, if you’re not upgrading to Cloudwheels, we won’t recommend riding the board any more than 5 miles (8km) as your feet will probably be burning by that time.

The trucks are stable enough to support 23 mph of top speed and are pretty responsive when it comes to doing turns. Obviously, swapping to branded trucks like the Paris or Caliber II will make the board both more responsive and fun to carve. At $399, we really have no complaints about the board’s trucks.

Backfire Era 2 VERDICT – The Best for Urban Commute

To summarize, the Backfire Era 2 gave a decent riding experience on top of the sleek and polished look. Compared to other entry-level electric skateboards, the Era 2 is certainly not better in performance or even in ride feel.

It does have the advantage of being easier to carry around. Backfire will even give you a free carrying bag to emphasize portability. And, it’s prettier, at least in our eyes.

It’s not often that we see Backfire sacrifice specs for looks but the tradeoff makes perfect sense to us. If you are looking for a last-mile commute to and from bus or train stations, portability and looks trump power and top speed.

Power and top speed are useless anyway when riding on city sidewalks or inside the campus. Why let yourself be burdened by the extra weight of a bigger battery when you don’t need the range, right?

In short, if you are looking for a simple, portable, nice-looking board from a reputable brand at a very good price, Backfire Era 2 is a very very good deal. Just don’t expect to win any drag race or keep up in group rides.

If you are interested in buying the Backfire, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive 5% off during checkout.
It will help you get a small monetary discount and help us out too. On top of that, you’ll be tagged as an Electric Skateboard HQ customer and probably be treated better. Cheers!

January 19, 2023January 19, 2023 by Paxson Lim

Acedeck Ares X1 4WD Review – Insane Power and Stability!

Acedeck is a brand new electric skateboard founded in 2022, and they’re not playing around. It entered the market with an all-terrain beast with top-tier specs and looks ready to go head-to-head with the likes of Meepo Hurricane, Exway Atlas, and Ownboard Zeus. It’s pretty funny to us that Acedeck even went along with the Greek God naming trend and named its board after the Greek God of War (not Kratos) – Ares X1.

In this review, we’re going to take a look at the $2049 Acedeck Ares X1 4WD version. Before we challenge the board with real-world scenarios, let’s run through the build and specs real quick!

Acedeck Ares X1 Build and Specs

Deck: Carbon fiber, wide concave
Electronic Speed Controller: 12s customized Hobbywing ESC
Batteries: 14s4p 870wh 16.8 AH Molicel
Marketed Range: 22 miles (35 km) in 4WD; 40 miles (65km) in 2WD
Motors: 6348 3500w Belt
Marketed Top Speed: 37 mph (60 km/h)
Trucks: 11-inch traditional kingpin
Wheels: 8-inch pneumatic

First thing first, let’s talk about the deck. Ares X1 uses a wide concave carbon fiber deck with a beautiful marble finish at the bottom. Carbon fiber decks don’t flex and Acedeck worked this out by installing huge 8-inch pneumatic wheels.

These all-terrain-friendly wheels make sure the board can handle rough terrains. The rims of the wheels are CNC aluminum which should help the board remain stable at speeds.

There are two 12s customized Hobbywing ESC for this board, each of them supporting the powerful belt drive motors. The ESCs have a smart turn-on feature with 4-speed modes.

Powering the board is a huge pack of Molicel 14s4p 870wh 16.8 AH battery pack that gives the board a marketed range of 22 miles (35 km) when using 4WD or 40 miles (65 km) when using 2WD.

Another eskate board that uses Molicel batteries is the Tynee Board Explorer. Read its full review here.

Great range, especially for a 4WD

During our test, our 155 lbs rider managed to get 24 miles or 38 km riding the board aggressively. Kudos to Acedeck for keeping it real with the range.

Although the range wasn’t mindblowing, we’re still pretty satisfied with its stamina considering that it’s a powerful 4WD board with power-hungry motors.

Insane Top Speed

Speaking of motors, the Ares X1 is using big 6348 3500w belt-driven motors so that’s a total of 14,000w of power which is insane. The board is marketed to go up to 37 mph or 60 km/h but we only have the guts to push it to 31 mph or 50km/h.

Ares X1 reaches 31 mph with ease, so we think the board could probably hit the 37 mph it promised, but to be honest, 31 mph is enough for most of us. On a side note, the board also handles that speed with good stability.

Another board with a 35 mph top speed is the Meepo Hurricane. Check out our review here!

Great Stability with Traditional Kingpin Trucks

The secret to that stability comes from the 11-inch wide CNC’d traditional kingpin trucks. Most all-terrain boards copied the Evolve formula and used double kingpin trucks for their all-terrain board. Double Kingpin trucks allow easier turning for the board and serve fun carving.

While this is great when you are riding slowly, riding above 30 mph on double kingpin trucks can be dangerous if you don’t have the necessary skills. With that said, we totally agree with Acedeck’s choice of sacrificing a little bit of carve-y-ness for a lot more stability here.

Acedeck Ares X1 Ride Experience

Now that we have an overview of the specs, let’s ride this monster!

As expected, this board has insane power with super punchy and smooth acceleration. You will still need to be careful not to be thrown off the board when you hit that acceleration.

The same goes for braking, the braking is smooth but because it’s 4WD, it’s insanely strong. So, keep in mind to lean back when you brake hard.

Looking for an AT board that’s cheaper than Acedeck Ares, Exway Atlas, and Meepo Hurricane? Check out our Wowgo AT2 Plus Review here.

Power Made for Conquering Mountain Trails

At first, we feel that this kind of power is a waste because it’s simply too much for most people to handle. But, we completely changed our mind when we took the Acedeck Ares X1 up on a super steep mountain trail. While boards like Meepo Hurricane struggle with overcoming hills, we managed to just blast through the same steep inclines without breaking a sweat on Ares X1.

And, comparing Ares X1 to the non-pro version of Atlas 4WD, we feel the Ares X1 has double the Atlas power. It makes a lot of sense since the God of War should be more powerful than the Titan that holds up the sky.

4WD also means you have a better grip. This will come in handy when carving or when riding through wet roads as you have less chance of skidding. So, if you don’t ride aggressively, you can consider the 2WD version instead and get a much better range with it.

Riding experience on the Ares X1

The wide carbon fiber deck felt pretty comfortable to stand on and does a good job of securing our feet on the board. The traditional kingpin trucks, on the other hand, keep the board’s profile more stable rather than carve-y. When we compare the carving experience to the double kingpin trucks on Exway Atlas, we feel that the Ares X1 is less fun to carve. But, when comparing the stability, Ares X1 wins—hands down.

We tried to change into 115 mm rubber wheels just to check if this will boost Ares X1’s carving ability. Lo and behold, the Ares X1 instantly became a carving machine. The traditional kingpin trucks carve nicely with a good return to the center.

The combination of 4WD, lower center of gravity, and rubber wheels allows reckless carving without worrying about skidding. We recommend the 115 mm rubber wheels if you don’t usually venture off-road and want maximum carving experience with the board.

Off the road, the 8-inch wheels are comfortable enough. It also absorbs most of the road vibrations well. But, when riding on rough rocks, you can still feel the bumpiness of the ride as the board lacks any kind of suspension. Obviously, a bamboo deck would be better in this case but hey, you can’t have it all.

Acedeck Ares X1 VERDICT – Best AT Specs for the Price

Now, to summarize:

The Ares X1 4WD is a powerful all-terrain electric skateboard that focuses on having the best specs you can have with your money. However, since Acedeck is a new brand, we do have reservations about the durability and post-sales service.

Our review unit, like some prototype boards, did come in with battery and remote issues. Nevertheless, Acedeck was proactive in helping us troubleshoot and fix these issues. So far, words on the street are that the company seems to be doing rather well in after-sales care, but only time can tell if they can keep that up.

With that said, if you don’t mind taking the risk to go with a new brand and want a carbon fiber board with insane power, good range, and stability, the Ares X1 should be on your list to consider. After all, it has the performance and the ride quality to justify the price.

If you are interested in buying the Acedeck, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive $40 off during checkout.
It will help you get a small monetary discount and help us out too. On top of that, you’ll be tagged as an Electric Skateboard HQ customer and probably be treated better. Cheers!

December 29, 2022December 29, 2022 by Paxson Lim

Ecomobl Telum Review – Electric Mountainboard!

Hardcore eskaters will probably tell you that a high-performance electric skateboard should be a Trampa build. These are boards made of flexible carbon fiber with a high camber deck, big pneumatic wheels, and runs with super powerful belt or gear drive motors. More often than not, there is also an electronic box on the top side of the deck.

While a Trampa build may not be the sleek and polished look that appeals to casuals, it is an iconic design that promises super-high performance.

Now, Ecomobl, a brand known for specializing in making affordable all-terrain electric skateboards, just made its very own electric mountainboard with this iconic look. This is the Ecomobl Telum, a $1799 electric mountainboard.

And yes, $1799 is considered affordable for an electric mountainboard with this build and specs. Let’s run through them real quick!

Ecomobl Telum Build and Specs

Deck: carbon fiber deck; flexible with high camber; comes with detachable foot bindings
Electronic Speed Controller: 12s LingYi ESC; 4-speed modes, 4 braking modes
Battery: 768-watt hours battery pack; Samsung 40T cells, 12s4p configuration
Marketed Range: 23 miles or 37 km
Motors: 7000w 170 kV 6382 motors; Ecomobl signature planetary gear drive
Top Speed: 30 mph or 48 km/h
Trucks: Super wide 20-inch trucks
Wheels: 8-inch airless wheels

First, let’s talk about the carbon fiber deck. As we mentioned in the intro, Trampa is responsible for all the hype on this kind of deck. It is flexible with an exaggerated camber arch to absorb road vibration. The board comes with foot bindings that can be installed on the deck. The footbinding is worn with an easy and simple locking mechanism, just strap them on or off the board and voila, it’s done.

ESC Enclosure Above the Deck For Maximum Ground Clearance

Unlike your typical pre-built electric skateboard, mountain boards usually don’t put an electronic enclosure below the deck. This was done to maximize ground clearance. Instead, the electronic box is placed on top of the deck, right in the middle.

There is certainly a lot of juice packed inside this ‘lunch box’. Powering the board is a 768 wh battery pack with good Samsung 40T cells in 12s4p configuration. This battery pack is marketed to provide 23 miles or 37 km of range. During our test, our 155 pounds rider managed to get 30 km when riding aggressively.

For the ESC, Ecomobl Telum uses a customized 12S Lingyi ESC with 4-speed modes and 4 braking modes. We will talk about how they impact the ride later.

Read about another mountainboard – the Propel X4S – here.

Ecomobl Telum’s Signature Planetary Gear Drive at 30MPH

Ecomobl Telum kept its signature planetary gear drive system which can be found on most of their boards. These 7000w 170 kV 6382 motors allow the board to go to 48 km/h or 30 mph which we managed to hit with ease and comfort as the board is very stable.

Speaking of stability, the board uses super-wide 20-inch trucks. This allows the board to be stable at faster speed modes but also means that it’s not going to be easy to turn. So, this is where the footbinding comes in clutch as it allows you to lean aggressively to turn the board.

And, if that’s not enough, you can jump to turn but definitely commit to your leg days since the board weighs 39 lbs or 17.6 kg.

Integrated Front and Tail Lights for Superb Night Rides

Ecomobl Telum also comes with integrated front and taillights. These lights are more useful than you might think, and they are super bright. Look! It’s even brighter than some car’s headlights.

And, having an integrated lighting system is super convenient. For starters, you don’t have to charge them separately. Plus, you don’t have to worry about them dislodging when going off-road. The red tail lights also light up when you apply brakes. The lights can be turned on or off by long pressing the reverse button.

Ecomobl like building their boards with headlights and taillights. Read about Ecomobl ET2 here.

Ecomobl Telum Riding Experience

Now that we have an overview of the specs, let’s ride this monster!

The first topic is about control. The control is punchy with its powerful acceleration but frankly, a bit rough. This often happens when Lingyi ESC is combined with powerful motors.

You can feel the slight jerkiness when the gear drive accelerates. One workaround that can be done is simply staying in a lower acceleration mode, which will be gentle, yet powerful enough for any incline.

Speaking of power, these 7000w planetary gear drives are super strong—strong enough for the steep incline of mountain trails.

The braking is nice and strong, too. As mentioned, its strength can be adjusted independently from the acceleration modes.

Spring Suspensions as the MVP

The wide carbon fiber deck felt pretty comfortable to stand on but the MVP of the ride is actually the spring suspensions. These spring suspensions absorb a lot of shocks which is very important when doing trail runs. On normal roads, you won’t feel anything no matter how bad the pavement is.

The foot bindings also have a major part in the ride. When riding on mountain trails, it provides the necessary stability and also prevents the bouncy deck from throwing you off like a trampoline.

The 20” wide trucks are hard to turn but the foot bindings allow us to put as much of our 165 lbs body weight to force the turn. And, to do some mini-hops if all else fails.

Off the Road Will Always Be Home

Obviously, the natural habitat for Ecomobl Telum belongs off the road. The clearance of the deck makes rolling through rocks a walk in the park. This might be subject to change, but our Ecomobl Telum came with 8-inch airless wheels. These are beefy wheels, but we can still feel the road vibrations when riding through harsh pebbles and small stones.

We changed the wheels into 9” pneumatics and liked them a lot more. The rides are noticeably smoother during off-road rides. Good thing is that the 9” pneumatics wheels are now the default option at the moment.

Ecomobl Telum VERDICT – Affordable and High Quality

Now, to summarize:

The ECOMOBL Telum is an affordable off-road suspension mountain board that doesn’t skim on polish, specs, or performance. It has 2 main weaknesses. First, a powerful but slightly harsh acceleration, which kept some of us at lower speed mode. And second, it’s tough to turn, which is kinda part of the deal when getting an off-road suspension board. The board is not made for tight quarters and certainly not for carving.

With all that said, the Ecomobl Telum did well in what it was designed to do, which is off-road riding. After all, when running up mountain trails, stability is preferred over maneuverability while power takes priority over silky-smooth acceleration.

So, should you buy it?

No, if you are looking for an electric skateboard for the city.

Yes, if you are looking for a board that can bring you to places—or mountains—that you have never been to.

Or perhaps, you are looking for a monster that you can count on to outrun and outlast the pack on group rides. That, Ecomobl Telum can do very well, at a very good price.

If you are interested in buying the Ecomobl, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “100offcode” to receive 5% off during checkout.
It will help you get a small monetary discount and help us out too. On top of that, you’ll be tagged as an Electric Skateboard HQ customer and probably be treated better. Cheers!

December 4, 2022December 18, 2022 by Paxson Lim

Tynee Board Explorer Review — The First Tynee All-Terrain Eskate!

Tynee Board is a brand that focuses on delivering the best value for the price. Granted, this can be said for most Chinese brands, but Tynee had a lot of success in doing so. For one, the Tynee Mini 2, is one of our favorite mini boards for its power and specs.

Interested to know why Tynee Mini 2 is our all-time favorite mini board? Click here.

Mid 2022, Tynee releases their first all-terrain electric skateboard — the Tynee Explorer at $1199. While this is considered an ‘entry-level price’ for an all-terrain electric skateboard, it has a top-notch polish with specs that exceed what most people need. Here’s a rundown of Tynee Board Explorer’s build and specs!

Tynee Board Explorer Build and Specs

Deck: Flexible bamboo and fiberglass; double-drop and subtle wide concave
Electronic Speed Controller: Customizable 12s Hobbywing ESC – smart turn-on, can change speed, torque, and braking power from the remote
Batteries: 21700 Molicel P42A, 12s4p configuration
Marketed Range: 31 miles (50 km)
Motors: 35000W 6374 belt motors
Marketed Top Speed: 31 mph (50 km/h)
Wheels: 150mm pneumatic all-terrain wheels
Trucks: Traditional Kingpin (can add $50 for Double Kingpin Trucks)

Just by looking at the deck, you can already see that its appearance is quote-unquote ‘heavily inspired by Evolve Bamboo GTR.’ The transparent grip tape showcasing the beautiful bamboo deck is classic. The deck has a lot of flex thanks to the bamboo and fiberglass materials.

Dedicated to the ‘Evolve’ formula, Tynee Explorer uses a double-drop deck to reduce the riding height. Combined with the subtle wide concave, this makes riding on the Explorer quite comfortable. It helps us know where our feet are and keep them secure during a ride.

New Hobbywing ESC – Allows Speed Control Customization

While the Hobbywing electronic speed controller is very widely used, Tynee Explorer’s Hobbywing ESC had something special to it. This Tynee Explorer’s Hobbywing ESC allows riders to customize speed control right from the remote. The speed, torque, and braking power can all be adjusted individually in different riding modes.Unlike other Hobbywing ESC that comes with customization function (e.g. Exway), this customization function does not come with an app, which can either be a plus point or a minus point depending on who you ask.

What’s universally loved, however, is the forward and reverse switch on the side of the remote. It makes changing directions easier and less prone to unintentional press.

And, obviously, there is the smart turn on feature, where the board power-on upon turning on the remote.

Competitive Battery Spec Against Middle to High-End Eskates

Next, powering the ESC is a pack of 21700 Molicel P42A cells in a 12s4p configuration. This brings us to a total of 725.8-watt hours and a marketed range of 31 miles or 50 km. This is a competitive battery spec that most middle to high-end electric skateboards share.

For context, Evolve Carbon Hadean, Exway Atlas, and Meepo Hurricane all come with a 12s4p battery pack. And, Molicel is a great battery cell, so this isn’t the case of ‘using cheap cells to pad up the specs’.

With aggressive riding, our 155 lbs test rider managed to get 28 miles (42 km) out of a single charge. We’re really happy with this result, especially considering that we were riding fast. Obviously, changing to Cloudwheels should extend the range further, around 44 miles (70 km).

In a nutshell, the batteries are good. So, let’s talk about the motors!

Powering the board is a set of 3500w 6374 belt motors. These are indeed powerful motors and it does translate to a strong ride. Riding uphill will definitely be easy no matter how heavy the rider may be.

With this setup, the board’s marketed top speed is 31 mph(50 km/h). While we didn’t manage to hit that, we did get pretty close. Our personal best was 29 mp(48 km/h). It’s a respectable top speed, but obviously, nothing to write home about considering there are scarier boards out there.

Fancy a scary board? Read our Tynee Board Ultra Review here.

Chill Ride With Pneumatic AT Wheels

Tynee Board Explorer comes with 150 mm pneumatic all-terrain wheels. These 6-inch wheels are plenty capable of absorbing road vibrations on poorly paved roads. Big wheels plus the flexible bamboo deck are great combinations to smoothen out bumps on the road.

We have terrible roads where we ride, and the Explorer keeps it comfortable. It’s pretty chill even when going off-road. Granted, it would’ve been better if they went with even bigger wheels at 175 mm, but, this is definitely good enough for most situations.

As for the trucks, the Tynee Explorer comes in default with traditional kingpin trucks. There’s an available option to go with Double Kingpin trucks for an extra $50.

In general, Double Kingpin Trucks are much more turn-ey and allow a tighter turning radius. Although, this pair of traditional kingpin trucks on Tynee Board Explorer is really good. There is little reason to go for double kingpin trucks. We’ll talk more about the riding experience on these trucks later.

All in all, the whole package weighs around 30.4 lbs or 13.8kg. The board is also rated IP67 waterproof. We never took the waterproof claims on electric skateboards seriously, regardless of the brand, and we suggest you don’t go riding in the rain with any eskate.

Here’s an experience of why we have major trust issues with waterproof ratings — check out our Propel Endeavor Pro review.

Tynee Board Explorer Riding Experience

Finally, let’s talk about the riding experience on the Tynee Explorer.

The riding experience is really pleasant. It’s very relaxing, maybe even a tad bit conservative, and it’s easy to see why.

First, the 12s Hobbywing ESC, while strong, is super smooth in both acceleration and braking. On the highest speed mode, the board is plenty powerful but Tynee clearly had configured the board to prioritize smoothness over power.

You see, most of the higher-end boards now come with crazy acceleration when throttled, and we didn’t feel that from the Explorer. This is something that the Explorer clearly should be capable of given the specs. That being said, we enjoy how the speed control was configured. The power is more than enough anyways, and we appreciate the easy ride.

Stable at 25 Mph

Besides the electronics, the skateboard part of the Explorer comes together well, too. Using a double drop deck, the board adds stability with a low riding height. The drop-down deck also gave our feet a place to push against while going up or downhill.

The board felt so stable and we would often find ourselves going 25 mph without realizing it. Seasoned riders would be able to ride at top speed with ease. Opting out of the dual kingpin truck set-up, at least for the default option, certainly made the board much more stable.

Traditional Kingpin Trucks Are Surprisingly Great

Lately, traditional kingpin trucks have become more popular among electric skateboards, particularly all-terrain eskates. Many all-terrain electric skateboards now offer options between double kingpin trucks and traditional kingpin trucks. Initially, we thought that the stock set-up using traditional kingpin trucks is going to be difficult to turn and terrible for carving, but we are happy to say that we were proven wrong!

This pair of traditional kingpin trucks really hits the sweet spot. It’s stable at high speed and still pretty awesome for turning and carving. In our opinion, it’s as good as any double kingpin truck in terms of carving, and we’ve tested a lot of them. However, double kingpin trucks do still allow a much tighter turn with a much smaller turning radius. With that said, we still much prefer the added stability of the traditional kingpin trucks and don’t think there is a need to pay extra for the double kingpin trucks.

Tynee Board Explorer VERDICT — Should Be Named Tynee Board Vacation?!

So, here’s our verdict on the Tynee Board Explorer.

Well, the Tynee Board Explorer is an easy board to ride and an easy board to recommend.

While Tynee Explorer isn’t the cheapest entry-level all-terrain board out there, Tynee Explorer is stronger and more polished than any of its lower-priced competitors.

Ironically, while the name ‘Explorer’ suggests an adrenaline-filled experience, the Tynee Board Explorer is actually more relaxing than thrilling.

Relaxing, smooth, and easy is how we would describe the Explorer. Well, I guess naming it Tynee Board Vacation just wouldn’t have the same ring to it.

So, for beginners in search of good all-terrain boards that are relaxing to ride, Tynee Explorer is one of the better choices. For advanced riders looking for thrills, you guys might want to look elsewhere, as this beast might just be too easy for you to tame.

If you are interested in buying the Tynee, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive $15 off during checkout.
It will help you get a small monetary discount and help us out too. On top of that, you’ll be tagged as an Electric Skateboard HQ customer and probably be treated better. Cheers!