Let me guess, you were probably looking for a budget electric skateboard when you found the Backfire G2 Galaxy, 2020 version (the one with the Sony VCT6 Battery). If so, you might have wondered: what’s the difference between this Backfire G2 Galaxy, with a promotional price of $469, and the $60 cheaper Backfire G2 Black? And how does this compare to what we consider the defacto best budget board of 2020 – the Wowgo Knight, which also is priced at $469?
Well, to be clear about the comparison, let’s first look at the specs of the Backfire G2 Galaxy 2020.
Backfire G2 Galaxy 2020 review
Deck
The Backfire G2 Galaxy uses an 8-Layer Canadian Maple deck, identical to the one on the G2 Black. It only has a mild flex and a mild concave, again similar to the G2 Black.
Trucks, motors and wheels
The trucks are the same Backfire proprietary trucks; the motors are the same 400W dual hub motors, and the wheels are the same big 96mm wheels with 78A durometer. Even the weight of the board is the same, at 17lbs (7.8kg).
What’s different for the Backfire G2 Galaxy is the battery and the ESC.
Batteries & Range
The G2 Galaxy uses a Sony VTC6 battery in the 10s2p configuration. This gives a size of 6Ah and 216wh, which also means that the G2 Galaxy has one of the largest batteries you can find amongst entry-level boards selling below $500. Backfire gives the G2 Galaxy a marketed range of 15miles (24km), and we managed to hit that with our range test.
Electronic Speed Controller & Top Speed
Besides having a bigger battery, the only other difference is that the G2 Galaxy has a better, Customized, Hobbywing Electronic Speed Controller. This allows the G2 Galaxy to have a turbo mode and a higher top speed of 26mph (42kmh). We were able to hit this too, barely.
Now, that we have gone through the ingredients, let’s talk about how the food tasted.
Riding Experience of Backfire G2 Galaxy 2020
Riding the G2 Galaxy is very similar to riding the G2 Black. This means smooth acceleration and smooth braking, thanks to the Hobbywing ESC.
The G2 Galaxy has a 3rd Turbo mode which can be activated by pressing the Turbo button. With the turbo mode, you get an even stronger acceleration that’s still as smooth as it can be. This turbo mode has no time-out or cooldown period so it’s essentially just the third mode for the board.
Besides the upgrade in torque and the extra turbo mode, the other aspects of the G2 Galaxy are exactly the same as the G2 Black; so those who have already seen our review of the G2 Black will find me repeating myself here.
Maneuvrebility
Unlike their premium line-up, the G2 Galaxy and G2 Black are both NOT using Caliber II trucks, but instead, they feature Backfire’s own proprietary trucks. They pale in comparison to branded trucks and came in on the tighter side. After loosening them up a bit, we would still say this truck veers towards being more stable than carve-y. It’s not extraordinary for carving, but great for cruising at high speed.
Combining these trucks with the stiff deck, these two are more geared towards stability, something that I suppose would be a priority for newcomers to this hobby.
Road vibration
With that said, combining the stiff deck with the dual hubs can also be a recipe for an uncomfortable ride on rough roads. Thank goodness it has big, 96mm, wheels or it could’ve been worse.
Verdict:
So, what do we think about the Backfire Galaxy G2 2020, especially when compared to the G2 Black and the Wowgo Knight?
Well… This is what we think:
The Wowgo Knight has better trucks and an important, awesome feature in smart-power-on – where the board turns on automatically when you power on the remote. This makes us like the Wowgo Knight more.
The Backfire G2 Galaxy has a bigger battery, and this gives you 3 extra miles (5km) of range compared to the Wowgo Knight. Also, when it comes to post-sales service, I would say Backfire has a slight edge in that aspect.
So, when should you consider Backfire G2 Black? Well, if the extra range, speed, and torque of the G2 Galaxy is of no use to you, why pay extra for it?
There’s your answer, hope this helps!
If you are interested in buying a Backfire, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and uses code: “ESKATEHQ” during checkout. 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!
So, you are looking for lights for your rides. A few years ago, Shredlights is the only company that’s making dedicated skateboard lights. Today, however, a few Chinese brands have developed their own lighting solution and today we are going to look at them too.
You may wonder, why not just get a regular bicycle light and maybe double-sided tape it onto the board? Well, if that works for you, great! But the lights may fell off in the middle of a ride, the vibration from the road may kill the light, and it’s ugly.
In this post, we’re going to compare the SL 200 Shredlights, the new backfire cannon II lights, the new Meepo lights, and the Board blazers. We are going to walk you through their difference: How they mount, the brightness, the light modes, how long they last, and the built quality.
Oh yeah, we didn’t include the new 1000 lumen Shredlight (SL-1000) here cause we haven’t received it yet. Oops. SL-1000 is pricey, $79.99 for a single light. It’s super bright – good for 100feet or 30m and pack full of useful features. (Including allowing a diffuser to be installed change the light’s spread)
We’re going to start off with the mounting systems, and this is where the Shredlight shines the brightest.
The Shredlights have several types of mounts to choose from. This means that they are the most compatible lights for the majority of electric skateboards.
The Meepo Lights have only 1 mounting solution. Because these lights are flat, they only work best when mounted underneath the trucks. If your truck is raised, these will work as well.
The Backfire cannon II lights, on the other hand, are a single piece that will fit with the front trucks of most boards. Just like the Meepo lights, they are flat.
And the board blazers, they just rely on the magic of double-sided tape.
So, when it comes to mounting options, we have a clear winner. While the Meepo Lights are removable, like Shredlights, the mounting system is nowhere as fluid as the S lock on the Shredlights. Meepo light release system is a bit flawed, with the trigger release interfering with the deck.
Shredlights ‘S lock’ mount system is super fluid and allows you to remove and arm the lights in 2 seconds. Literally. This is super useful and allows the Shredlights to be used as a pocket flashlight as well. I have used my Shredlights as a flashlight many time, as well as mounting it to my bike when I went cycling at night. After all, they are really bright.
Note: If being safe is something you want to do, but spending time and energy mounting the light system & charging them before every ride aren’t, you might want to check out the board that came with an integrated lighting solution, such as the Ecomobls. (They make great AT boards that come with integrated bright lights.)
Brightness:
Shredlights SL-200 = 200 lumens;
Meepo Elumi = 300 lumens;
Backfire Cannon II = 300 lumens;
Boardblazers … = yes.
As you can see here, the Backfire’s light is super bright, in fact, it’s the brightest of all of them. Although the Meepo lights are also 300 lumens, they look less bright due to the scattered trajectory and wider spread. The Backfire Canon 2’s, living up to their name, blast 300 lumens at a focused spot, so they look brighter.
Meepo Elumi has more spread
Backfire Cannon II is more focused
The Shredlight SL-200 is 200 lumens bright, which is obviously less bright but bright enough. What Shredlight does better is that it features many different lighting modes and a much better way to switch between the modes.
Lighting modes:
Shredlights SL-200
3 brightness level + 3 types of pulsing modes.
Two-button for easy switching between modes.
Meepo Elumi = 300 lumens;
2 brightness level
3 modes: Simply On & 2 types of pulsing modes.
One button to rule them all.
Backfire Cannon II
One button to turn On & Off.
Boardblazers
Twist to turn on and off.
Backfire Cannon II: To turn Backfire Cannon II on and off is pretty straight forward, but it also means the choice is limited. You turn them on by pressing the button and turn them off by pressing it again, so there’s only 1 mode for the Canon II’s.
SL-200: The SL 200 is also super bright but features various lighting modes. While the Backfire Cannon II lights simply turn on and off, the SL 200 has two buttons for you to cycle through various lighting modes. There are 3 different brightness levels and then 3 pulsing modes. In total, you have 6 different modes to choose from.
The Meepo Elumi: These lights also have multiple lighting modes, but again it’s nowhere close to the Shredlights. There’s only 1 button on it, so the process of cycling through the modes is a bit inconvenient. You press it once to turn it on, again and it dims, a third time to switch off the lights. Pressing and holding the button puts it in pulsing mode, again for flashing mode, and once more to turn off the lights. Sounds complicated, right?
The Boardblazers: Boardblazers on the other hand, turn on by twisting it like a bottle cap. When turned on, the lights will pulse between various colors. It looks like RGB lights from a gaming computer. Pretty cool, right?
The SL 200 and the Meepo lights have the advantage here. Yes, if you blast full brightness out of them, they will only last for 2-3 hours. That’s way less than the backfire canon 2 lights. But… Because you can toggle through various lighting modes, you can save a lot of battery power. If you use the 2nd brightness level, they will last up to 6 hours! For the Shredlights, if you dim them further, they can last up to 25 hours! That’s longer than a day’s worth of light. Now that is Impressive!
Board Blazers though. They are powered by non-rechargeable cells. We’re not sure how long they can last exactly, but we would bet the non-rechargeable cells can last a whole lot longer. Probably 72 hours straight? The battery cells they use are very common and easily available at any grocery store.
Build Quality
The Backfire Canon II lights and the Meepo lights are very similar here. Both of them have a metal body. They are both bulky and about 30% heavier than the Shredlights. They felt solid and high quality but… The rubber coating on the Shredlights is far more comfortable to hold.
I think going with rubber is the better option here. We think the reason that Shredlights survive intense road vibrations, is partly thanks to this rubber coating (Rubber keeps everything safe eh!). It protects the components and smooths out the vibrations a whole lot. Board blazers on the other hand are just plastic. Imagine a transparent water bottle cap. No joke, that’s actually an accurate depiction of it. At first, we were very skeptical of how well the board blazers could survive road vibrations, but…after riding with it off road, it survives, and we haven’t had any issues!
However! Over time, the twist switch to turn the lights on and off has become rough due to the dirt and sand stuck in the groove.
Summary:
Backfire’s Cannon II: 79.99 USD for a pair. It’s the brightest among all of the lights we tested and will illuminate every single pothole out there. When it comes to seeing and be seen, you got both of them. But… it’s screwed onto the board permanently unless you enjoy screwing and unscrewing it every single time. I’ll pass on this one.
Meepo’s Elumi: Second brightest, they cover a wider field of view but this also means that it is less focused in the center. It’s removable with the mount and it has a few lighting modes. The user experience is not that great, but again, when it comes to seeing and be seen? It nailed both of them. The best part of it is the price, it’s the cheapest solution at $30! For those who are not keen to spend any more than they need to, Meepo’s Elumi is the way to go.
Shredlight SL-200:For those who don’t mind paying a little bit more for the best user experience, Shredlight is the way to go. While the SL 200 from Shredlight is not the brightest, it’s still super bright and is more than enough. Just as with the Backfire and Meepo lights, you will see and be seen.
The SL 200 is 49.99 USD a pair and is available in either white or red. For 99.99 USD you can get a set of 2 pairs, a pair of white lights to illuminate the front, and a pair of reds to help others see you from a mile behind.
The S Lock mounting system is a masterpiece and works really well. In 2 seconds, you can detach the lights from the board in case you want to use them as a flashlight or on a camping trip. This also makes charging much easier, and if you have multiple boards, you can install mounts on each one of them and you can easily move the lights from one board to another. You could also mount it on your helmets.
Board blazers: They are 19.99 USD per pack, and each pack contains 4 led lights. It makes your board look futuristic and cool at night, but it only helps with the “be seen” part. Board blazers are not meant for lighting the path ahead of you. They do help your board to look blazing good at night, but… only at night. In the daytime… it kind of looks like … I will leave it to your imagination.
The Ownboard AT1W is a board that hasn’t been talked about much, beyond how it stole its graphic design from the Evolve GTR. If you look past the design shenanigans, the Ownboard AT1W is actually a pretty beefy board worthy of some attention!
Ownboard AT-1W Review
DeckSize: 39-inch (99cm)
Top Speed: 25mph (45kmh)
Range: 24miles (40km)
Battery Pack: 432Wh (Sanyo GA in a 10s4p, 14Ah)
Weight: 27.5lbs/ 12.5kg
Motor: 2 x 1200W hub motors.
Wheels: 105mm rubber wheels
Price: 799 USD
Features:
Remote with Telemetry,
Swappable Wheel Sleeves
Beyond just copying the grip tape design, Ownboard also kept most of the Evolve formula – using a double kingpin truck, Double drop deck, and a 10s4p battery configuration. The battery cells on this one, however, are Sanyo GA, and the total pack is 432wh in size.
And the ESC it uses is the widely popular Hobbywing ESC.
The Ownboard AT1W uses 105mm rubber wheels and powers itself with two 1200W hub motors. This yields a top speed of 25mph (45kmh) and a range of 24miles (40km).
In short, you can think of the AT1W is as an Evolve Bamboo GTR with 105mm rubber wheels and hub motors. Obviously, as the AT1W uses hub motors, there is no way to convert it to pneumatic AT wheels.
So you might be thinking: there are many many Evolve clones out there, so why should someone care about this one in particular? Well, the Ownboard AT1W is definitely one of the more affordable Evolve clone, and $799 is a good price for any eskate with 10s4p battery. What I meant to say is that Ownboard AT1W looks good on paper, and what we are trying to know is if it is also good to ride.
First, let’s talk about the numbers.
Numbers & Performance:
Range:
The 10s4p 432wh Sanyo GA batteries did hit the full range of 24miles or 40km it promised. However, we can’t verify the marketed top speed, which is 25mph(45kmh), as the board was too wobbly for us to comfortably reach that speed. That’s is even after tightening the Double kingpin trucks all the way down.
Top Speed:
We aborted our test at 21mph (35kmh) and called it a day. The board definitely can hit the marketed top-speed 25mph (45kmh), it just that we as the rider couldn’t. We will talk more about the truck letter,
Riding Experience
Speed Control – Buttery Smooth
So, let’s talk about the riding experience. First, let’s talk about speed control. The Ownboard AT1W uses a customized Hobbywing ESC, similar to their other products. That means buttery smooth speed change with fairly good strength in the brakes. Unlike the Exway and Wowgo boards, there is no smart-power-on for this one, which is too bad.
Torque – Sufficient but not very powerful
Many of us love to hate the 10s set-up as it bottlenecks the torque, especially when combined with hub motors and big wheels. As that is exactly what the AT1W is, it’s no surprise that the torque on this one isn’t amazing. While going uphill wasn’t an issue for us, we had issues when trying to ride it off roads. For example, when we are riding it on thick grass, the board was unable to start from a standstill due to the lack of torque. This will probably be a dealbreaker for those who really love torque.
Manoeuvrability – Twitchy trucks
As I mentioned just now, this pair of double kingpin truck Ownboard uses is not great. You see, when it comes to double kingpin trucks on an eskate; some brands did get it right, but many didn’t, and those who didn’t get it right usually end up with wobbly trucks. Ownboard’s double kingpin trucks are obviously the latter, and in our opinion, this is the most significant weakness of the AT1W. It has poor return to center, so when you make a turn, it doesn’t rebound back and help you recenter. The lack of rebound also means it doesn’t help to stay centered. Of course, the double kingpin trucks do allow a small turning radius for tight turns – so there’s that.
The flaw with the truck is such a shame, as the rest of the board is very likable.
Vs Road vibration – great
Underneath the pretty grip tape, there is a wide deck with moderate flex and a comfortable concave. Our feet felt pretty comfortable on the deck. The flex of the deck, the drop through set-up, and big 105mm wheels also means that road vibration is pretty well absorbed, and riding on the rough road is actually alright.
The 105mm rubber wheels did their job well and will roll over most terrain, but all-terrain they are not. They can do grass, sand, and rough road; but gravel and stones are definitely off-limits. The accurate name for this board should be Ownboard Semi-AT1W, but I guess this doesn’t have the same ring to it.
Issue – 1) Poor bottom clearance
105mm wheels on a double drop deck also mean that the bottom of the deck has very little clearance. I promise that you will rub the bottom of the deck on every single speed bump out there. This again is a point against off-road uses.
Issue – 2) Rubber wheels aren’t durable
Another thing that many people love to hate about rubber wheels is that they tend to wear fast. Well, they do, but at least the rubber sleeve is replaceable.
Verdict:
Should wobbly trucks and poor ground clearance stop you from considering this $799 board?
Let’s look at it this way: the AT1W is not for someone who is looking for an All-Terrain board, I hope that’s pretty clear by now. It’s also not for those who like to ride really fast, as the trucks are pretty wobbly.
Who is the Ownboard AT1W good for?
Perhaps someone who needs the range, who needs the safety provided by relatively large 105mm wheels, and who doesn’t typically ride fast and really likes the maneuverability of a double kingpin truck; but someone who, at the same time, doesn’t like the maintenance of a belt-drive and prefers the hassle-free hub drive.
I don’t think this description matches a lot of riders out there, but if that description fits you, then consider Ownboard AT1W.
So, what do you think? Do you like the look of this AT1W, and what do you think about it? Let us know in the comment section.
If you are interested in buying an Ownboard, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and uses code: “EKATEHQ” during checkout. 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!
On 24th November 2020, Shredlights releases a new product – the SL-2000.
If you don’t already know, Shredlights has always been the gold standard when it comes to lighting solutions for electric skateboard (and also all PEV). Their staple product SL-200 is famous for their durability, brightness, easy and versatile mounting system, and Shredlights the brand itself are known to give outstanding after-sale service.
The only complaints that anyone ever had on Shredlights is the high price. So of course they responded by releasing the SL-1000, an upgraded version of the SL-200 that’s brighter and more premium! /s
SL-1000 at a glance:
It’s $79.99 for a SINGLE PACK and will only start shipping early January.
1000 lumen bright that promise 100 feet (30 meters) of visibility
Modular Lens to allow adding in a diffuser to adjust the beam angle
5 brightness setting
50 Lumens
250 Lumens
500 Lumens
750 Lumens
1000 Lumens
4 Flash modes
Controlled by 2 buttons
A lockout mode to prevent it from being switched on accidentally
Charged via USB-C
Waterproof IP X7
LED indicator for battery level
3.5AH battery (Samsung 18650)
Same S-lock mounting system as the SL-200. meaning, mounts for Eskate, Scooter, Onewheels, Bikes, Helmet are all readily available.
Impression:
Jokes aside, it is really great to see Shredlights not resting on its laurels and continues to improve on an already great product. While I’ve never heard anyone complain about SL-200 for its brightness (it’s always the price), brighter is always better, isn’t it?
Being the brightest light out there is itself alluring, and when you combine that with the new sophisticated features that the SL-1000 now has, then you can’t really fault Shredlights for boasting about SL-1000 being the new standard for skateboard lights. Because it really is.
$79.99 though.
If you are interested in buying a Shredligths, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and uses code: “ESKATEHQ” during check out. It will help you get $10 off 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!
Previously, we have reviewed the Raldey MT-V3, and concluded that it is the best option for someone who is looking to buy an affordable Eskate for commutes (you can read it here).
This time, we are reviewing the Raldey Bamboo V3S-AT, a board that was designed to be the most affordable AT option.
At $899, the Raldey Bamboo V3S-AT has all the assets to be a great AT board…. Or does it?
Raldey AT-V3s Review
DeckSize: 40-inch x 13-inch (96.5cm x 23cm)
Top Speed: 28.5mph (46kmh)
Range: 19miles (30km)
Battery Pack: 504Wh (Sanyo GA in a 10s4p, 14Ah)
Weight: 23.6lbs/ 10.7kg
Motor: 2 x 1500W belt motors.
Wheels: 165mm/ 195mm airless
Price: 899 USD
Features:
Remote with Telemetry,
Push to power-on,
IP 55 weatherproof.
Let’s look at the parts.
Deck – Bamboo???
Raldey Bamboo AT-V3s’ product page listed the deck material as “8-Layer Canadian Maple deck”. Meaning, it has absolutely nothing to do with Bamboo. I reach out to Raldey and they told me it’s actually Bamboo plies mixed with Maple plies. I don’t care. The deck has no flex and calling it bamboo deck brings no meaning, so let’s just not call it Raldey Bamboo from now on.
However, despite being a little bit shady on the marketing side, the deck is fine. It’s almost the same as the one used on the Raldey MT-V3. It’s wide and has a mild concave, which makes it comfortable for foot placement. But it’s definitely not flexible, thanks to the full-length plastic enclosure screwed to the deck.
Wheels – Airless rubber wheels
There are 2 wheel options available, 165mm and 195mm. That’s around 6.5 inches and 7.6 inches. The review unit we get is rocking the 165mm wheels. These are airless rubber wheels, and we will talk a little bit more about the ride feel later.
Trucks – Wide Double Kingpin
The trucks are 14-inch double kingpin trucks, which makes them slightly wider than the typical 12-inch truck found on competing AT boards, like the Wowgo AT 2 and Ownboard Bamboo AT.
We will talk about how well these double kingpin trucks fare later.
On the electronics side, Raldey is using a customised LingYi ESC featuring push to power-on.
Veteran Eskater would already know how the board rides just by knowing the ESC it uses, but we will talk more about it later.
Battery – 10s4p Sanyo GA
In the battery department, it is equipped with a Sanyo GA battery in 10s4p configuration, making a pack of 504wh batteries. Sanyo GA is a pretty competent cell for Eskate.
10s4p is also the typical size for most AT boards.
Motors – 6368 belt motor
The pair of 6368 belt motors are rated as 1500W each. They are top-mounted and allows the board to have more ground clearance. However, it does make the board more difficult to stand leaning to the wall.
Numbers for Raldey AT-V3s: Top speed and Range
Raldey did not put out a marketed top speed and range for the 165mm configuration, but for us, all these parts come together to give the Raldey AT-V3 a top speed of 23mph (37kmh) and a range of 20miles (33km), when riding fast on the pro and high modes.
So, here comes the $899 dollar question – how well does the Raldey AT-V3 ride?
Speed control
First, let’s talk about speed control.
Raldey uses a customized LingYi ESC which has 4 acceleration modes and 4 brakes modes that can be adjusted independently from each other. We said this before and we will say it again, when it comes to acceleration. Ling Yi ESCs are meant to be ridden in the 3rd(High mode), but not the 4th(‘Pro’ Mode).
Pro modes have super strong acceleration with a less smooth curve, and the result is a jolty feel. In high mode, acceleration is smooth enough, while still being strong. No reason to go to the 4th mode unless you enjoy peeing your pants a little bit from time to time.
The braking is great, smooth, and has 4 different strength that cater to everyone’s individual tastes.
Ride feel
Next, let’s talk about the ride feel.
The stiff deck, plus airless rubber wheels that are super thin on the motor side, means the board felt rough on gravel and trails. Don’t get me wrong, the wheels are big enough to roll over these surfaces, the experience just isn’t fun, as the wheels and deck do little to cushion the vibrations. Obviously, it would be better if you are riding on the 195mm wheels, but we have no way of telling how much better. I am guessing not by much.
Regarding the torque, I know many of you aren’t a fan of 10s batteries, but for us, Raldey AT-V3s is plenty powerful. Good enough power for whatever hills we encountered during our ride.
The general riding experience on regular roads is fine, but we can’t help but notice some flaws in it. The trucks, though wide, are the type of double kingpin trucks that are on the twitchy and wobbly side. We are still able to get to top speed and live to tell about it, but it’s a bit sketchy.
Although the Double Kingpin trucks allow a small turning radius, they, unfortunately, have a poor return to the center. Combining that with a stiff deck and hard wheels make carving less fun. Upgrading to a better set of bushings would probably solve this complaint though.
Final Verdict: Best Budget AT Option?
With all that said, the final question to be asked is this: how is the Raldey AT-V3S as a budget AT option?
Here is my answer: The over-arching theme of the Raldey AT-V3S can be summarized as capable but not comfortable.
Yes, the wheels are big enough for all-terrain, but it’s not comfortable.
Yes, double kingpin trucks allows better carving, but the bushings and the rough wheels mean that it wasn’t the buttery smooth carving experience we would have loved to have.
Yes, the individual parts are great, and the board is IP 55 waterproof, but the over-all polish of the product is lacking, and this Raldey is not as pretty as some other brands.
In short, the Raldey AT V3S is a perfectly capable ride for any situation, and any terrain, but it’s not a refined one. For many, it would be worth spending a couple hundred dollars more for something pricier, but for those who want to pay the absolute minimum for an AT, this is a solid choice.
If you are interested in buying a Raldey, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and uses code: “ESKATEHQ” during checkout. 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!
