Paxson Lim, Author at Electric Skateboard HQ

September 29, 2020September 30, 2020 by Paxson Lim

Ecomobl ET Review – True AT?

Being an electric skateboard reviewer and getting the opportunity to sample a huge variety of different eskates is fun. However, I’ve never gotten my hands on any board that can be called a true off-road build.

Take the Wowgo AT 2, a board that we reviewed a while ago (spoiler alert! It’s great!). It has 7” pneumatic wheels and powerful motors that allow you transverse harsh terrain, but no one in their right mind would use it to climb a mountain trail. The board is too delicate for that.

That’s why, when Ecomobl offered to send us an Ecomobl ET for a review, I knew I needed to climb a mountain with it. It brags about being a “True All-Terrain Board” after all.

True All Terrain huh
Extra Griptape? Yeah, definitely needed that.

Ecomobl?

Hold on, let’s rewind a bit. “Who is this Ecomobl,” you may be asking. Honestly, I had to do some research on the brand before agreeing to do this review. Being a little bit reserved is always good when a brand’s flagship product looks like a copy of another brand’s products. Let’s introduce the elephant in the room: the Ecomobl M24 looks like a Bajaboard, with the upside of being $1000 cheaper and more available outside of Australia.

After doing a little bit of digging, I found that although Ecomobl itself is pretty new to most of us and to the consumer markets, they have actually been manufacturing and supplying Eskate parts to other eskate brands for a while now. In 2020, word of mouth started to spread, people started taking chances on their product and so far, the after-sale service has really been on point. Something like a ratio of 10 praises to 1 complaint.

Want to see it for yourself?
Check out Ecomobl Owner’s Group and Ecomobl Official group.

Ecomobl ET Review

Now that we’ve talked about the brand, let’s talk about the board, the Ecomobl ET. This is not their flagship product, that would be the Baja-like M24; but in my opinion, the ET is a very important board not only for Ecomobl but for the eskate community as a whole.

Why?

This is the cheapest it gets for you to get something that can climb a mountain trail – I’m not talking about grass, stick, and stones; I’m talking about sand, mud, rocks and huge cracks on a steep incline. So, if this board turns out to be good, it might serve as a gateway drug between street eskating and mountain eskating. A lot of wallets are at risk here.

Deck Size: 39-inch x 9.8-inch (99cm x 25cm)
Top Speed: 35mph/56km
Range: 20-25miles/32-40km
Battery Pack: 648Wh 12s3p Samsung 50E (or Samsung 40T)
Weight: 27lbs/12.2kg
Motor: 2 x 2000W planetary gear drive.
Wheels: 6″ airless rubber wheels (150mm)
Features:
- LingYi ESC with push to turn on.
  - The option of Range-focus ESC or Power-focus ESC
- Integrated board light, headlight and taillights.
- IP 56 Waterproof
Price: 1159 USD

By the way, the review unit that I receive is with the Samsung 50E batteries and with Range Focus ESC.

We will talk about their potential differences when we speak about the range.

First, let me show you the parts:

Deck

Ecomobl ET uses a 39 inch deck with aggressive drop. There is some nice concave to it so you know where you feet are. Aggressive drop deck not only makes the ride lower and more stable, the drop also serves as a step for you to place your feet during steep incline or decline. Nice!

Even with the aggressive drop, there is a 4″ (10cm) ground clearance. That’s pretty enough for most terrain.

Enclosure

Using a full length aluminium enclosure means you can forget about having any flex on the deck. I don’t know if I can fault them for going with the aluminium enclosure as you do need something that’s strong enough to withstand abuse, and this enclosure is that. It’s also pretty well sealed, giving me a peace of mind when riding not only through puddle but through muds.

This also makes cleaning the board a much easier process.
It’s IP 56 waterproof.

Trucks

Ecomobl ET uses a 15″ (38cm) (in axle width) trucks.
Right out of the box, the trucks are too loose and it takes me a while to find the right tightness on the trucks. With the right truck tightness, I got a pretty good balance between stability and maneuvrebility.

I think upgrading the bushing would further improve it.

Wheels

(150mm) 6″ airless rubber wheels can indeed roll over anything that’s meant to be rolled over. Pneumatic wheels are softer, that’s for sure, but airless wheel don’t get punctured when riding over dodgy terrain.

Planetary Gear Drive

Ecomobl ET uses a gear drive that I’ve never seen before. They call it planetary gear drive and they are 2000W per piece.

Besides looking fascinating when spinning, the gear drive makes a loud, rather sharp mechanical noise when accelerating.

It also freerolls okay-ly, meaning not as resistant as a belt-motor but not as freely as a hub or a regular gear drive.

Battery

As mentioned, there is two battery variant both in 12s3p settings:

Samsung 50E in 15 AH setting (648wh) or
Samsung 40T in 14 AH setting (518wh)

Although Samsung 50E has a higher AH rating (5000mah vs 4000mah in 40T), Samsung 40T is actually considered a better cell as it has less voltage sag.

It means, with Samsung 40T, the board stays “stronger” when battery drains, meaning happier ride and it might still give you almost the same range as the theoretically bigger pack of Samsung 50E anyways!

PS: My review unit has Samsung 50E.

ESC

As mentioned, there are 2 version of ESC.

Range focus ESC
Power focus ESC

Both are LingYi ESC; the differences lies just within the settings.

PS: My review unit has the Range focus ESC.

Remotes

Standard LingYi ESC remote with telemetry, and the standard mislabelled reverse button.

The reverse button is speed mode, double tap power button to reverse.

The remote needs no further introduction. It’s comfortable in hand; it has good connectivity.

I just wish it look cooler.

Lights

Ecomobl ETs come with integrated lighting systems. You can turn it on or off by holding the reverse button for 3 second.

The lights are cool, and very very useful. They are the headlight, board lights and taillights.

The board lights are an LED stripes lining the enclosure, they are purple. I hate that colour, I wish it was white or yellow or red or anything not purple.

Ecomobl reps describe this color as electric blue and maybe it is in some situations but let’s face it; it’s purple.

The headlights are white and they are bright enough. Not as bright as the Shredlights or the Backfire Canon headlight but they are good enough.

The tail lights are slightly angled upward so it is visible to anyone behind you. They are red, of course.

All 3 light systems lit up every time you engage the brakes, much like how it is on a car, even if you didn’t switch them on. And as far as I know, there is no way to make them stay off.

Q1: Is the Ecomobl ET a capable mountain trail hiking board?

Yeap!

I rode the ET up a rough mountain trail through mud and sand, stones and cracks, and it can handle them, which is amazing!

This is the first time that I was able to ride on a path like this and it is really something else. Now I understand why mountain biking and mountain boarding are popular. And finally, it is a $1000 production board that can hang with the likes of the Trampa DIY build that’s at least 2 times the price!

The big wheels were able to handle all of the cracks I faced, and the 2000w planetary gear drive motor is strong enough to handle any incline as long as the wheels get traction. The aggressive drop on the decks serves as a step during sleep inclines or declines, and hence allows me to keep myself onboard both uphill and downhill.

The super-stiff deck does take some fun out of a street ride, but I think it is a logical choice for a board that is designed to go on a mountain trail. A flex deck would have bounced me off the board like a trampoline.

The 6” airless wheels are second best in cushioning the vibrations from rough terrain. Pneumatic wheels are, after all, the gold standard.

The airless 6” wheels nonetheless did a decent job and make stone and pebble roads at least tolerable. Plus, you don’t have to worry about puncturing them and ruining the rest of your trip, where you are forced to drag your board downhill as a punctured wheel means it impossible to make turns. Don’t ask me how I know…

Pneumatic wheels are comfortable, but also runs a risk of flat tire.

Q2: How smooth is the speed control?

Does the LingYi ESC do well in the Ecomobl ET? Throughout the years, and after … was it 7 iterations? … LingYi ESCs have become very close to Hobbywing ESCs when it comes to control smoothness. It is now at the point where they are difficult to differentiate from one another. The stereotype that LingYi ESCs are jerky and strong, while Hobbywing ESCs are smooth but weak, is no longer true.

However, I have to take that back when it comes to the Ecomobl ET. The control of the Ecomobl ET, with its LingYi ESC, is very stereotypical of that raw and punchy feeling, as compared to, for example, the Hobbywing ESC on the Wowgo AT 2 – or even those of the customized LingYi ESC on the Raldey MT-V3.

I am guessing that the powerful motor accentuates the jolt and makes the imperfections much more obvious. With that said, the control of the Ecomobl ET still fell within what I would consider as “Smooth enough that I can relax while riding it” – but perfectly smooth it is not. The Brakes are strong, however, and that I like.

Q3: Is the Ecomobl ET fun to ride?

Depends on your definition of fun, actually. If your idea of a good AT ride is a buttery smooth ride, with the smooth carving of double kingpin trucks, then Ecomobl ET is definitely not it. Your ideal board would be something like the Evolve or Wowgo AT 2.

If you want a board that seemingly has the power of a jeep, can handle terrain like a jeep, and will make loud mechanical sounds when it accelerates, the Ecomobl ET would be a great board for you.

Maneuverability is good, it turns easily and unlike Trampa Builds, making a U-turn on a double lane road is possible with the Ecomobl ET. Everything is great, provided you find the right tightness and configuration on the trucks and bushings. The trucks are very loose when they arrive, and if not tightened things could get sketchy when riding fast.

Now, let’s talk about the numbers.

Top Speed

First, let’s talk about the top speed, others have told me that hitting the marketed top speed of 35mph or 56kmh is possible, but 33mph (53kmh) is a more reasonable expectation. I did not try the top speed as I kinda value my life… but I can say that the board felt it had a lot more to give when I hit 25mph (40kmh), even when there were only 2 bars of battery left; and with the trucks tightened it felt very stable at that speed.

Range

I hit 17miles (28km) and still had 1.5 bars of battery left, so I have no doubt it can hit the 20miles(32km), the lower end of the marketed range.

Again, my battery is a Samsung 50E pack and theoretically, the newer Samsung 40T pack would have less voltage sag and allow the board to retain a stronger torque even when the battery is low, and maybe even better longevity. This is not to say that I’m not satisfied with the Samsung 50E packs though, they work fine for me.

Verdict: Is Ecomobl ET good?

So, the verdict. Why do I like a $1200 board that’s not perfectly smooth in control, that’s not buttery smooth in carving, that has no flex in it, and has a motor that screams like a rusted motorcycle?

It is because no matter the faults, at the end of the day, it is one of the few boards on the market, that can be abused to climb a muddy mountain trail. The high I got from doing that is really something else.

Plus, even when riding on road, not needing to worry about road condition, puddles, belt-maintenance and about keeping the lights charged are just wonderful for a lazy person like me.

So yes, I think a lot of people would be really happy with the Ecomobl ET.

Check out the Ecomobl ET product page by clicking here.

If you are interested in buying an Ecomobl, be sure to use code: “Electric Skateboard HQ 5％OFF” during checkout.
It will help you get a pretty significant 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!

September 18, 2020September 18, 2020 by Paxson Lim

Introducing the Arca Accessories Pack by Alterbags!

It is designed as the perfect complement for the Native Backpack, providing additional storage compartments for tools, spare batteries, chargers and even cameras for those who like to travel with most of their gear.

Additionally, it provides the flexibility to either use it together with a backpack or if you want to, strap it to your electric skateboard, pack in your essential items and go for a ride! A great option for those who want to travel light or riders with much heavier boards that makes more sense to drag than lug around on a backpack.

A brief summary of the features is shown below:

Designed with 2 sections for additional layers of storage. Includes padded zipper pouch, 2 anti slip grid panels and a larger padded section with removable inserts. Perfect for those hefty 12s battery chargers. Approximate dimensions are 12.5″ L, 9.5″ W, 4.5″ H. Fits perfectly with all Native Backpacks
Molle attachment grid on the back to allow for additional add-ons of various accessories. Included are 2 straps that can be used to secure your pack to your boards. Perfect for those days you just want to go for ride light and without a backpack but still have some essential items with you
Has a zipper security slot for keeping them tucked away neat and discreet
Outer material is treated with water repellent coating and paired with water resistant zippers.
Padded interiors and handle. For protection of your items and provide a comfortable carrying experience.

The Arca Accessory Pack is now shipping (ships on 11 September 2020).

So, if you are interested do check it out at www.alterbags.com for more information!

If you are interested in buying Alterbag/ Arca Accessory Pack, be sure to use code: “ESK8HQ” during check out.
It will help you get a 5% 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!

September 5, 2020February 6, 2021 by Paxson Lim

Wowgo AT2 Review – One more shot, did it count?

Introductions

Designing a new product can be scary. After all, you can never know if something new might turn out to be a dud. But I guess we all know the proven formula to make a great electric skateboard:

7-inch pneumatic wheels with the ability to swap to street setup +
Dual Belt drive +
Double drop deck +
Double Kingpin Trucks

Give the board a pack of 10s4p batteries and throw in some hexagon-grip-tape design and you’ve got yourself a very, very effective formula. The same formula that Evolve has been cooking for almost a decade now.

It wasn’t until 2019 that we start seeing brands copy this formula. Personally, I’m surprised it took these companies so long, but there are only a few notable attempts: Backfire Ranger X1 and now X2 did it with hub motors; Ownboard Bamboo AT made an attempt that we like, and then there was the first Wowgo AT.

Wowgo AT 2 Review

We never reviewed the Wowgo AT and we know we don’t need to, because right from the get-go everyone who took a glimpse of that board knows it’s troubled. To say the least, it had a very problematic rear truck that made it a poor ride.

Long story short, they tried again with Version Two and made lots of changes this time. Now let’s run through the specs of Wowgo AT 2 real quick.

Size: 38-inch long board
Top Speed: 25mph/40km
Range: 22miles/35km
Battery Pack: 504Wh 10s4p Sanyo battery
Weight: 30lbs/13.5kg
Features:
- Flexy deck made out of fiberglass, bamboo, and maple wood.
- Double kingpin trucks.
- Dual 6368 1500W motors.
- Hobbywing ESC with smart turn on.
- Two wheel-configurations are available:
  - 175mm pneumatic wheels or
  - 120mm cloud wheels.
Price: 1099.99 USD

Unboxing

Wowgo AT 2 gave me a few of small but nice surprises.

During the unboxing, I was surprised that they included a wheel pump in the box, a funny nice gesture. A bigger surprise came when I found out that it has the smart turn-on feature previously never seen outside of Exway.

I’m also mildly impressed that Wowgo had stepped up on the polish of the board, again. From the hexagon absorptive grip-tape, they use to the overall feel and look of the enclosure, couldn’t find any blemishes. All Chinese brands had been upping the ante in the product polish, but for the past 1 year, Wowgo seems to go slightly further in this aspect than the rest (especially since Wowgo 3).

Let’s put it this way, everything about Wowgo AT 2 felt really premium, and the only thing that doesn’t feel premium about it … is unfortunately the quirky brand name.

Of course, good specs and polished finish are just the qualifiers when a board costs as much as $1099.99 especially when the consistency and ease of access to aftersales service can and is a valid concern, an issue that’s unfortunately plaguing most if not all of the Chinese brands.

In short, besides looking pretty, the riding experience has to be really good too!

Riding Experience

i. Acceleration & Breaking

Unsurprising, but equally worth mentioning, is the control. Wowgo uses a customized Hobbywing ESC where we expected smooth acceleration and smooth braking, and that’s exactly what we got.

Customized Hobbywing has a tendency to have weak brakes, but for the Wowgo AT 2, the brake is actually pretty strong. No complaints here.

ii. Vibration

Duh.

You obviously couldn’t find a much better board to combat road vibration than a board with pneumatic wheels, is belt-driven and has flex in the deck.

iii. Top Speed

The marketed top speed is 25mph (40km). We manage to hit that.

That’s not impressive. What’s impressive is that for a board that uses dual kingpin trucks, Wowgo AT 2 felt really stable cruising near top speed, in AT configuration.

This is not how I felt riding on other DKP trucks, like the similarly built and priced Ownboard Bamboo AT, for example, that board doesn’t felt stable in AT wheels despite having more aggressive drop deck and lower ride height.

Stability concern is such a none issue that switching to the 120mm Cloudwheels seems unnecessary. You get more safety with the AT wheels anyways.

iv. Range

And the marketed range is 22miles (35km).

We were able to hit that number. It’s a big pack of Sanyo GA 18500, 504Wh, in 10s4p configuration after-all.

On a side note: Evolve Bamboo GTR also uses a 504wh pack, 10s4p configuration, Samsung 35E cells. It’s marketed range is 19miles (30km) and we hit around 20-21miles on it too.

A closer look at the parts

i. Deck

Wowgo AT2 has a less aggressive drop-deck and hence a higher ride height, so it should, in theory, be even more twitchy. But that wasn’t the case; the truck is configured so well right out of the box, and thanks to the harder bushing it is actually the most stable dual kingpin we’ve ever tried.

The slightly concave double drop down deck is really comfortable to stand on, and road vibration is never better countered than with pneumatic wheels, flex deck, and absorptive grip tape.

iii. Trucks

As mentioned, the dual kingpin truck is very well configured, probably partly thanks to the harder bushing it is using? One of the most stable dual kingpin we’ve ever tried.

iii. Electronic components

The brain of the board is the Hobbywing ESC with a smart turn on. Meaning, the board turns on just by turning on the remote. This is a big deal.

I feel like a nerd for saying this but I love the components case. It’s plastic but it’s pretty and elegant looking. No more off the shelf parts this time.

iv. Remote

Single-button remote with telemetry reading. Comfortable on hand.
The connectivity range seems to be shorter on this one than other remote, bring it a few feet away from the board and it will vibrate and disconnect.

iv. Wheel

Two wheel-configurations are available – 175mm pneumatic wheels or 120mm cloud wheels.

By the way, this thing weighs in at almost 30lbs (13.5kg), in AT set-up, and switching to cloud wheels is just gonna slice a pound or two off it. In short, it’s heavy.

Let me repeat myself here, if you are picking between Cloudwheels set-up or pneumatic AT set-up, go pneumatic.

Verdict

The Wowgo team deserves a pat on their back for the AT2; it has respectable specs and it has a top-notch feel to back it up. For those who have strong feelings against Evolve, this is the board to get. For those who don’t have strong feelings against Evolve, this might still be a better choice after considering Hobbywing ESC gives you better overall control and smoothness, and the smart-turn-on feature is huge.

If you’re willing to put up with average after-sale service and the woefully unpredictable shipping time during this pandemic, you certainly won’t be disappointed by this one.

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

June 22, 2020August 12, 2020 by Paxson Lim

Raldey MT-V3 Review – Special to me.

You might not know it, but Raldey is actually a famous brand. They were the manufacturer for some of the big-name companies inside and outside of China. They also own the IP for electric skateboard manufacturing in China, so everybody in the eskate business knows about them.

And recently, Raldey has taken steps to enter the consumer market.

Before I performed my review, I had heard that there were flaws in the ride ‘feel’ for the other Raldey boards, so I didn’t get my hopes up. But after trying it… I am pretty excited to share what I found!

Radley MT-V3

Let’s cut to the chase and start by comparing the marketed specs with our test result.

Top Speed: 29mph/ 45kmh —— (Our test: 22mph/ 35kmh)
Range: 12mil/ 19km —— (Our test: 15.5 miles/ 25km)
(7AH Sanyo GA, 10s2p)
[Corrected]
Weight: 18.7lbs/ 8.5kg
Charge Time: 4H
Price: 599USD with shipping included.
Features: IP55 Waterproof, 120mm Semi-AT wheels, remote with telemetry, swappable PU-sleeves

Note: Raldey MT-V3 is selling at $599, which is in the same price bracket as the Exway Flex, Meepo NLS Pro and Backfire G3.

Now, let’s look at the parts used.

Deck

For the deck, Raldey uses an 8 ply Canada Maple deck with W concave, with a little bit of micro drop. My feet felt really comfortable on it. It has some flex to it, but nothing crazy, this isn’t a bamboo deck after all.

Enclosure

And this enclosure, I love it. It is a full-length plastic enclosure that has a look of carbon fiber. It allows the deck to flex, while keeping the internals protected. I especially love how this enclosure keeps the internals of the board neat and tidy – as a matter of fact, I plan to use it for many of my future DIY builds.

Back to the Raldey, inside the enclosure, we have the ESC. Raldey told me this ESC is proprietary, and if it’s not, I sure can’t tell. It looks like a Hobbywing casing, but the remote pairs to a LingYi ESC and the board has a kick push to turn on just like any LingYi ESC.

Riding experiences on Raldey MT-V3

Speed Control

And since we are at it, let’s talk about the speed control. Simply put, I’m amazed by it. Whatever this thing is, it is absolutely smooth like any Hobbywing ESC; and both the acceleration and the braking are plenty strong, just like those of a LingYi ESC. For me, it is perfect.

Both acceleration and braking have 4 strength levels that you can adjust irrespective of each other. Personally, I put both acceleration and braking into the highest “pro” mode, as the speed changes are so precise and silky that I don’t need to tame it down.

Yes, I know there will be people who want the brakes to be even stronger, especially those who are accustomed to Pro strength braking in traditional LingYi ESC, but I’m sure they are in the minority here.

Power and Torque

Now, let’s talk about power. This pair of 900W hub motors only gets me to 22mph (35kmh), though I may not have tried hard enough on the top speed test – but anyhow, I’m usually not in a ‘need for speed’ mindset when I’m riding a semi-AT. What the Raldey MT V3 brings is not speed, but torque. Large wheels with hub motors usually mean poor torque, but this Raldey MT V3 is a BEAST when it comes to climbing hills. We rode up a pretty steep hill and it doesn’t even feel like a challenge to this board.

And when it comes to rough terrain, this good boy fit right in. 120mm Rubber wheels means a fairly good grip, and they take away lots of the vibrations. Let’s just say this is a more appropriate off-road wheel than the cloud wheels, which felt more delicate.

Trucks

The wide 9-inch truck is not branded and is nothing to write home about. The bushings were not the best, and the truck has a little bit of “slop” and doesn’t return to center as well as branded trucks and bushings. It is, however, wide and stable.

Why so excited? Verdict:

So, why am I so excited about this board?

When I started researching electric skateboards in 2016, my goal was to find myself a beginner-friendly eskate to commute in a small town with less than perfect roads. After 4 years, after reviewing countless eskates, I would say this Raldey board is the perfect board for that purpose.

Big wheels to handle poor roads, a stable ride that is easy to learn, plenty of range for commuting and great torque for uphill situations; Perfect control that allows half of my brain to turn off during rides, not too heavy to lug around, and waterproof in case it rains. Honestly, as a lazy person who doesn’t like to hold a screwdriver, I prefer hub motors that simply work, over belt drives that need more upkeep. Let’s put it this way: if I were to DIY myself a commuter board, it would end up almost exactly the same as Raldey MT-V3… well, maybe with better bushing.

Simply put, to anyone new to the hobby who is thinking about getting an eskate for commuting, this is the perfect board. Period.

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

June 8, 2020July 27, 2020 by Paxson Lim

Maxfind Max 4 Pro Review – Can it compete?

Maxfind, a Chinese brand that has been around since the beginning of time. A brand that delivers budget boards in nice packages for casual eskaters, but has always been ignored by eskate enthusiasts, as their price vs value proposition was not as high as the other Chinese brands. If you have read my previous takes on Chinese brand, you might have sensed that I hated the brand, that’s because their product and marketing strategies made me feel that they are just preying on the less informed buyers.

Well, that idea of mine has been shaken up with the new lineups that Maxfind introduced awhile ago, and today, we are going to talk about the Maxfind Max 4 Pro.

Maxfind Max 4 Pro

The specs are the least interesting part of the Max 4 Pro, so we’ll just quickly run through them.

Top Speed: 26mph/ 42kmh
Range: 15mil/ 25km (4.4AH Samsung 22p, 10s2p)
Weight: 16lbs/ 7.5kg
Charge Time: 120min
Price: 619USD with shipping included. (Ships from USA or China)
Features: IP65 Waterproof, hot-swappable battery, remote with telemetry, swappable PU-sleeves

Wait a second. You might be saying, “all the numbers sound like a typical entry-level board, EXCEPT that last one. The price!” Yes, the Max 4 Pro is retailing $200 pricier than your typical entry-level budget board, so what is Maxfind doing to justify the price?

Max 4 Pro is not actually, not your typical eskate, it’s more like a Drive Kit

First, the Maxfind Max 4 Pro is actually not a regular eskate, instead, it is a removable drive kit, marketed with a complementary deck. They are selling the DIY drive kit for $569. Drive kits that are designed to be slapped on any deck and instantly turn them into an Eskate have always been pricier. Mellow, Unlimited, Revel. All pricey.

The battery is hot-swappable

The Max 4 Pro comes with all the benefits of being a drive kit. It has an easy hot-swappable battery, you just need to undo a thumbscrew, and voila, the battery can just slide out. Maxfind also included an extra charging cable to charge the battery separately, which is a nice touch too!

It’s waterproof

The second justification of the price is that the Max 4 Pro is waterproofed. (IP X7 on the ESC, and IP65 on both the battery and hub motors). I don’t know how much faith you can put into any eskate company’s IP rating claims, but at least you don’t have to worry if you accidentally spill coffee on it.

It’s pretty well polished

Finally, Maxfind did show their manufacturing prowess and gave their boards a good polish. The Max 4 Pro is beautifully packaged, and it’s 8 ply maple deck with carbon fiber coating is just beautiful. It uses a metal enclosure. The trucks, bushings, and bearings are not branded but look high quality nonetheless.

Premium = Customer service?

In Maxfind’s case, I’m not sure about that. It’s not to say that the company has any bad reputation, it just that I have never heard anyone singing their praises, and for a brand that’s been out there for so long, there should really be people singing their praises.

Field test: (Did all this translate into good ride feel?)

Deck:

I know, it looks pretty flexible but it’s maples.

The 8-ply maple deck is flat, without concave, but still does a good job keeping my feet comfortable. It has only a mild flex in it, which helps maintain stability, but unfortunately does not improve vibration.

Speed control:

Acceleration and braking are intuitive and smooth, as expected from a Hobbywing ESC. Maxfind did make some adjustments, however, especially on the braking for the Max 4 Pro. Unlike generic Hobbywing ESCs, which traditionally have dangerously weak brakes, the strength and smoothness on the Max 4 are exactly how we like it.

Carving:

Carving on these pairs of Caliber II clones is a pretty great experience, and fairly stable, even when riding at top speed.

Range test:

The removable battery pack is made of 4.4AH Samsung 22P cells in 10s2p configuration. It has a marketed range of 15miles (24km) but – our range test got us to only 11.5 miles (18.5km) riding in top mood throughout. I know, the result surprised no one as these are pretty standard numbers for most 4AH entry-level board.

Top-speed:

We hit the 26mph (40kmh) top-speed, which surprised no one. After all, the Max 4 Pro has a pair of 750W hub motors (with removable sleeves) and that’s stronger than most entry-level and mid-range hubs. The stronger hubs did translate to our ride when it comes to conquering rougher terrain and hills.

Misc:

By the way, I like how most boards have bigger wheels now. The board uses large 96mm wheels, which are safer for beginners but can also help ease the vibration on rough roads. We’ve said that Max 4 Pro wasn’t GREAT when it comes to handling vibration, so imagine how much worse it would be if they chose to use the 80mms on it.

Did he die?

Verdict:

Max 4 Pro is still not about price vs value proposition. Think of it this way –

For $619, you get a package that:

Shares the same spec with regular $400 entry-level eskate, but
Waterproof,
Hot-swappable battery,
Easy deck swap (It’s a drive kit!)
Slightly better ride feel (and torque)
Better polish

I’d say it’s worthy of the price.

All in all, the Max 4 Pro is a nice board that we enjoyed, but I suspect that many buyers would opt for the $569 Drive Kit Pro, as it’s actually the real MVP here.

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

Oh, one Quick note on Max 4 normie (AKA not Pro)

The Maxfind 4 standard (without the ‘Pro’) is $100 cheaper, but it has weaker hubs, smaller 90mm wheels, and a generic Hobbywing ESC without the OLED Remote. Just think of it as your typical Hobbywing budget board with a $100 price premium for also being a drive kit and having good polish.