Paxson Lim, Author at Electric Skateboard HQ

March 23, 2023March 23, 2023 by Paxson Lim

Meepo V5 Review – The OG affordable electric skateboards

Meepo Board is the OG that kickstarted the affordable electric skateboard era in 2017. From Meepo V1 to V4s, each upgraded version the brand makes is always among the best electric skateboards at $400. In February 2023, Meepo released the Meepo V5.

Will Meepo V5 become a worthy successor to the popular Meepo V4s? Let’s run through the specs!

Meepo V5 Build and Specs

Deck: 8-ply Canadian maple; mild flex, deep concave
Electronic Speed Controller: LingYi ESC; 4-speed modes, push-to-start
Battery: Standard 4AH 144Wh or Extended Range Version 288Wh
Marketed Range: Standard – 11 miles or 18km; Extended Range – 19.8 miles or 32km
Motors: Dual 500W Hub
Marketed Top Speed: 27mph or 44km/h
Trucks: Meepo Signature Shredder Trucks (7-inch 45°)
Wheels: 90mm Urethane

Meepo V5 uses an 8-ply Canadian maple deck with a mild flex and deep concave. The concave is subtle, but enough to make our feet feel comfortable and secure.

The Meepo V5 board handle cut-out also makes a comeback, which unfortunately, makes it look less cool. Still, the handle cut-out is always tremendously helpful when carrying this 18.5 lbs or 8.4kg board.

The overall design of the V5 looks polished and premium by going with a simple blue and black color scheme. The board also shows some of the bare maple deck. We like this design better as it is definitely not toy-ish, unlike some older Meepo boards.

The board also comes with a bash guard for the deck to protect it from collisions. Awesome!

Meepo Designed Controller

As for the electronic speed controller, the V5 uses the LingYi ESC with a push-to-start feature. It has 4-speed modes and 4 braking modes that can be adjusted separately.

What’s new to us is the newly designed controller. Instead of using the typical LingYi ESC remote with a mislabelled reverse button, Meepo created a new LingYi remote. It’s almost identical to the generic Hobbywing ESC remote.

This also means that the Meepo V5 remote does not have a screen showing speed and range. So, if you really want a screen on the remote, you will have to buy the Meepo 5s remote ($69). You can also pair your V5 with another LingYi ESC-compatible remote.

Still The Fastest Board Among Budget Boards

When it comes to the motors, Meepo V5 uses dual 500w hub motors. This is a little surprising since the last generation Meepo V4S used bigger dual 540W hub motors.

We think Meepo designed the V5 for the newcomers, prioritizing battery efficiency instead of over-the-top power. This makes sense as V4 and V4s were crazily powerful. We reviewers love them for that, but it isn’t really ideal for regular users. The V4 and V4S boards are tough for beginner riders to get comfortable with.

Interested in Meepo V4? Read our review on this speed monster here.

Also, Meepo improved the V5 hub motors’ design. It should be better for cooling now and easier to swap up the PU sleeves.

Meepo claims that the motors can deliver us a maximum speed of 28 mph (45 km/h). During our test, we indeed reached a top speed of 27 mph (44 km/h). This means the Meepo V5 is still the fastest board amongst budget boards despite stepping back on motor power.

As for the trucks, Meepo updated their signature Shredder trucks. These are 7-inch trucks angled at 45 degrees made by Meepo. These trucks came out of the box pretty loose and carve-y, which is different from Meepo’s typical style. More on that later.

Range – Well Expected, Nothing Crazy.

Now, let’s go to the batteries. The Meepo V5 has two battery options: a standard 4AH 144Wh battery with a marketed range of 11 miles (18 km) and an extended range version with a 288Wh battery with a marketed range of 19.8 miles (32km).

We received the ER version of the board, and our lightweight 143 lbs (65 kg) rider reached a maximum distance of 18.6 miles (30 km). This hits the marketed range claim.

As we all know, the range is subjective to the rider’s riding speed and weight, so your mileage may vary.

Want to compare this board to Meepo V4S? We got you! Click here to read our review.

Meepo V5 has an IP55 waterproof rating, so riding the board on some puddles wouldn’t be an issue. Do remember to wipe it down as soon as possible. A wet battery will degenerate over a few months.

And, that wraps the specs of the V5! So without further ado, let’s see how all of those turn out in the riding experience.

Meepo V5 Ride Experience

When it comes to speed control, it is unsurprising for the Meepo V5 to retain its signature punchy acceleration and strong brake. The board kicks off aggressively at the highest ride mode. While this is fun for thrill-seekers, beginners should stay within the first 3-speed modes. These modes are much more gentle in acceleration and braking.

With that said, the speed control of the V5 is indeed less aggressive than the V4 and V4s. Again, this may disappoint some riders but will help new riders feel more comfortable while learning how to skate.

The deck is undoubtedly the best part of the V5. It is nice and comfortable to stand on. As we have said, the wide concave deck makes it easy to feel our feet’ position and keeps them secure. Going with a deck that’s on the stiffer side also means that the board feels more stable when riding fast.

The new shredder trucks came out of the box loose, which made the board too easy to turn. While that is fun for carving, it gets a bit sketchy when riding at top speed. So, we tightened it up a little. With the right tightness, the trucks strike a good balance between maneuverability and stability. It carves pretty nicely with good returns to the center and keeps the board steady at high speed. These new Shredder trucks are okay.

When it comes to road vibration, the result should surprise no one. A hub motor board that rolls with thin urethane wheels will always be uncomfortable when riding on rough pavements. It is not worse than any other hub motor board but not better, either. Or, you could get yourself the 105mm Donut wheels from Meepo or Cloudwheels, and that would make riding on rough roads that much better.

Meepo V5 VERDICT – Great For Beginners

So, here comes the final verdict.

If you are in the market for an electric skateboard that offers solid performance without breaking the bank, the Meepo V5 is a great option to consider. Meepo V5 remains a very good entry-level electric skateboard. The board is beginner-friendly and prioritizes range over power. While Meepo cut down on the motor wattage of the board, Meepo V5 is still one of the fastest boards among top-performing budget boards.

Besides the higher-than-typical 28 mph top speed, this 2023 Meepo improved the little things. Better waterproofing, better hub design, truck quality, etc.

So, if you are looking for your first electric skateboard and are not sure what to get, Meepo V5 is a good place to start. We are… just sad that it is no longer a speed monster like the Meepo V4 was.

If you are interested in buying the Meepo, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive 5% off during check out.
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!

If you liked this Meepo V5 review, we’ve got more at Electric Skateboard HQ. Read the latest reviews, news, and discussions on everything about electric skateboards!

RIDE SAFE, GUYS.

March 19, 2023July 27, 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!

You can now get Wowgo Pioneer 4 on Amazon! (Click here)

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!