April 5, 2019October 30, 2020 by Paxson Lim

A Comprehensive Guide to Chinese Budget Eskates

It was over a year ago when I wrote about my findings after diving deep into the realm of Chinese Electric Skateboards. A lot has changed since then, and yet a lot also remains the same.

In 2019, anyone who is looking for a sub $500 entry level electric skateboard will find that segment of the market being dominated by new Chinese brands which provide the best value to money preposition.

Just to prove my point, try naming to me an electric skateboard under $500 that’s not made from a Chinese company.

… Acton Blink S?

Okay fine, maybe one. But Acton Blink S is just another Chinese manufactured product behind an American logo that has customer service that isn’t significantly better than that of established Chinese brands.

But where should you look? There are so many of them on the market. Anyone who is not already in the loop might find trouble separating the rubbish from the legit and the gem.

Lots of options for example, on Aliexpress.

Inclusion Criteria and Method

It’s a long process trying to get a grip on this market. I’ve reached out to all of the more reputable players in this market to request review units.

The criteria to be included is quite simple:

Is an electric longboard
Priced under $500
Can be trusted in Post-sales services

The brands that look to fulfil that criteria are:

Meepo Classic
Backfire G2 2019
Wowgo 2s
Ownboard W1s
Verreal F1
Teamgee H5, H6 and H9 (often under $500 after discount)
Yeeplay M2S, H2B
AEBoard AE1
Teemo boards
Jackzoom
Panther x3s
Harvoo

Notable exclusions of this criteria:

Backfire G2 ~~(Because it has been discontinued, and the G2s and G2T are above the cut off price)~~ (Andddd it’s back!)
Koowheels (Although I don’t have a high opinion of the Koowheels, but the reason of exclusion is the cut off price)
I-Wonder – More of a manufacturer, I am unsure of it’s 1 to 1 post-sales service quality.
Winboard’s- Big OEM manufacturer attempted to get into retail. Their retail line-ups are all priced above the cut-off $500 price tag.
Maxfinds – not a brand that’s known for quality. Performance is pretty lacking.

How did it go? Well, most of the included brands agreed to have their boards reviewed.

Teemo stopped replying to emails after a few to and fro, which is fair.

Jackzoom, Panther x3s and Harvoo never replied to my initial and the follow-up ‘hellos’.
I think it’s pretty safe to say that if they don’t even bother to reply to a blogger, they won’t reply to regular customers – and hence failed criteria number 3.

So here is the summary of the selection:

Before we began

It is helpful to recognize that most of the Chinese vendors at this segment are aggregators who assembles parts available in the market to build their own product.

This results in many of these boards riding or even looking very similar.

This is not any more obvious and impactful than the choice of ESC. As this directly effects how the board controls.

At this point in time, all the boards in this list use one of these two: ESC -‘LingYi’ ESC or Hobbywing ESC.

LingYi ESC vs Hobbywing ESC

LiYing ESC
Hobbywing ESC

LingYi ESC has the biggest market share at this point in time.

A lot of big manufacturers will have LingYi in its ESC, tuned and tinkered to their liking of course.

Generally speaking, the profile of the LingYi ESC is a harsher acceleration and stronger braking. But it is very difficult to assume a boards behavior just by knowing it’s using the LingYi ESC, as brands do tinker it to suit their idea of good speed control. In doing so, this will change them quite a bit.

Eg, Winboards introduces an aggressive speed ramp in the control, making it less difficult for absolute beginners, but may frustrate those who like a precise control.
Meepo use of LingYi is mainly to maximise on the acceleration and braking, in order to make a more aggressive and thrilling ride.

For the last year, many brands have moved away from LingYi ESC to the HobbyWing ESC.

The notable brands that use a variation of LingYi ESC currently are: Meepo NLS, Yeeplay M2s, Original Backfire G2, Winboard, Teamgee.

Some will tell you the rise of HobbyWing ESC is the best thing that has happened to budget electric skateboards.

HobbyWing ESC saw its first international debut when Wowgo 2s started using it. (Or did Ownboard do it first? Man… these things are hard to keep track of.)

If a board uses this remote… then you know you have Hobbywing ESC.

Hobbywing ESC gains a quick popularity for its amazing performance. It’s smooth in both acceleration and braking, the control is precise, there are no latency issues and the control behavior is consistent throughout different speeds.

Some say it is even better than the Boosted board… that’s how good it is.

Some companies tune the Hobbywing ESC to get the most out of their board, but we generally can expect similar behavior on the Hobbywing ESC.

The notable brands that use a variation of Hobbywing ESC currently are – Meepo Classic, Backfire G2s, Wowgo, Ownboard, Verreal, AEBoards and higher end stuff like Exway X1 are using a custom version of it too.

But I digress, now the boards.

I’ve reviewed most of the boards. Now this will be the summarized thoughts about them and how well they fare against each other.

If you would like to learn more about them, there are always the in-depth full reviews that I’ve published.

The list is in random order (maybe).

PS: ElectricSkateboardHQ do have discount codes for most of the boards below in the discount code page.
However, it’s advisable to check if there is any ongoing promotion available before using our codes as special festive promotions will often offer steeper discounts than that of our discount codes.

Meepo Classic

Obviously the newer stuff is going to fare better than a dated product.

For those who don’t know, Meepo is the current leading budget brand that pioneered the Chinese budget board movement. Since its debut in 2017, MeepoBoard is now a mature brand that has refined its product. Their customer service, though not award winning, is reasonably good and serviceable.

Meepo Classic just came out in early 2019, it aims to replace the last gen Meepo V2, and it’s my favorite budget electric skateboard right now.

I think Meepo picked all the right parts when putting together the Meepo Classic.

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I especially love the gorgeous double-drop deck which allows a very comfortable, stable low ride. Meepo’s shredder truck provides a good balance between maneuvrebility and stability and is another strong point for the board too.

With all of that said, the best move the Classic made undoubtedly is the switch to HobbyWing ESC. Though some people will miss the aggressive ride of the old LingYi ESC, most people will find a relaxing, smooth ride of HobbyWing ESC. This is a welcoming change – especially for beginners who are looking for their first board.

Click here to read full review of the Meepo Classic.

Use our promo code “ESHQ” to get 15 USD off your Meepo purchase.

Backfire G2 2019

While I was working on this post, Backfire updated the Backfire G2.

While I never tried the newer version of the G2, I do have the G2T and the original G2. And I would say the updated Backfire G2 2019 is probably one of the best budget board money can buy.

Compare to most budget boards, the new Backfire G2 has the advantage of having bigger 5AH battery, and much better polish. The deck Backfire uses, in my opinion, are inferior to Meepo V2/ Meepo Classics but much better than the flat deck that Wowgo 2S and Ownboard W1S uses.

It also uses the Hobbywing which promises smooth acceleration and braking. Sadly, unlike its pricier siblings, G2 won’t come with the caliber trucks.

Smaller 83mm wheels might be a deal-breaker for those who have to dealt with poor and bumpy road. Although you can technically put on the bigger 96mm hub sleeve on G2’s hubs, the width of its truck wasn’t long enough and you will risk wheel bites. You can solve that by swapping in the longer Caliber II trucks, but at that point, you would be better off by paying extra 200$ and go for the G2T.

Affiliated discount link for Backfire Boards (no discount for G2 though)

Verreal F1

Verreal is one of the newer brands that tried to mimic the success of MeepoBoard, and it is doing quite well at that.

Verreal has a good track record in customer service and continue to offer good price to value.

Its latest product and current flagship, Verreal F1, is one of the better takes on a budget board.

Its use of a micro-drop deck and Hobbywing ESC results in a very responsive, agile, and zippy ride. It’s a lot of people’s favorite budget board and after putting it through the paces myself, it’s easy to understand why.

The low-light of the Verreal F1 is that the board’s polish and finishing is still leaving a lot to be desired. F1 also does cheap out a little bit on small parts, such as the bearings.

Though in exchange, the board usually is asking a bit less… especially after discounts as compared to other boards on the list!

Click here to read the full review of the Verreal F1.

Use code ‘EskateHQ’ to get $45 off

Ownboard W1S

As an OEM manufacturer that joined the retail game, Ownboard has a huge advantage right from the get go.

Almost from the get go, Ownboard built with higher quality parts and used good polish. Its customer service is generally considered good.

Ownboard W1S is one of the better iterations of the ‘typical’ budget board. It uses Hobbywing ESC which allows great control and it uses Paris-cloned trucks that offer great maneuverability. Ceramic bearings and its special foam-padded ‘EVA grip tape’ are the other highlights of the board.

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The only weak point of this board would probably be the flat deck. The 6 ply maple +2 ply bamboo deck offer a fair amount of flex, but a little bit of concave would make it a lot better.

What makes Ownboard W1S a good deal is the option to go with 6AH Samsung 30Q battery – for just US$457.00.
If by any chance a flat deck is what you are looking for (wut?), or you are going to deck swap any time down the line, Ownboard W1s is a very good choice.

Click here to read full review of the Ownboard W1S

Use code ‘OWNBOARDHQ’ to get 5% off

Wowgo 2S

Wowgo is the first competitor of Meepo and made Chinese budget brands a thing.

It has successfully shook the earlier image of a scrappy brand with weird taste in marketing and established itself as a major player in the budget board segment.

Product quality, polish and customer service of Wowgo are all good now.

The Wowgo 2S is especially significant, being the product that elevated the budget segment to another level. Being the first to make the Hobbywing ESC famous, Wowgo 2s was dubbed the Boosted killer for its comfortable control that rivals the top brands.

Today, it is still among the best budget boards on the market. But unfortunately, one-upped by its doppleganger Ownboard W1s that uses slightly better parts in the deck, bearings and trucks.

The differences are not all that significant and Wowgo 2S is still a good choice if you can get it at a better price.

Click here to read full review of the Wowgo 2s

Use code ‘WOWGOHQ’ to get 10% off

Yeeplay M2S, H2B

Yeeplay M2S

Yeeplay M2S is another new brand coming out from the same mold of Meepo, Wowgo and Ownboard. Heck, even its products look like it came out of the same mold as the original Meepo, Wowgo and Ownboards.

The company is still very young, and there is still much speculation as to how it will handle post-sale service. The good thing is – there aren’t any complaints heard about this brand so far – and as usual, the earlier customers would usually be treated royally.

Yeeplay M2S itself is a valid option of a budget board. It uses one of the broader decks with good concave, making it a very comfortable ride. The use of Paris-cloned trucks allow the board to be maneuvreble and turny.

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However it opted for ‘LiYing’ ESC, which has a more aggressive control. This caters better to specific crowds, but beginners are unlikely to favor it much. And hence making other boards on this list better alternatives.

Yeeplay recently released a belt drive ‘H2B’, which could be the only option for someone looking for a budget belt drive board.

I did not review the board, but performance could be postulated through the part used.
LiYing ESC promised a more aggressive acceleration and braking. Using the same deck as Ownboard W1S means enough flex, but too bad no concave.

Yeeplay H2B

The belt drive H2B should provide better torque than hub boards, but likely will handicap on the range.
Refer to our short guide on drive train to learn more about belt vs hub.

If you are planning to buy a Yeeplay, perhaps you are digging that exotic grip tape. Just be informed that the priced listed on the website at this point in time is not inclusive of a delivery fee.

Click here to read full review of the Yeeplay M2S.

Use code YeeplayHQ for 25USD off

AEBoard AE1/ AE2/ AF

AEBoard made a splash entry in to the market with boards that offer a lot of batteries for the price that it’s asking.

As it is the case for Yeeplay, AEBoard too is very new to the scene. No precedent can be known on how they handle customer complaints. Recently, however, I was able to help an unhappy customer get his purchase refunded, so I at least know my readers will be taken care of.

AEBoard AE1

The AE1 basically tries to offer as much value as possible while asking for as little as possible. The biggest ‘Wow’ factor here is the use of 10s3p battery while only asking for the entry level $430.

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The use of broad micro-drop deck with good concave – plus the use of Hobbywing ESC – makes AE1 a very comfortable ride.

The base level 10s3p 20R Samsung battery is less impressive as initially assumed though. Basically, it’s performance is only equal to the $457 Ownboard W1S with a 10S2p Samsung 30Q battery – same performance with the extra weight of 10 batteries.

However, the biggest downside of all would definitely be the stiffness of the deck reinforced by the board length aluminium enclosure below the deck. It has zero gives. You know you are stepping on steel immediately as you step onto the board. This result in god-awful vibration when riding on a less than perfect road.

And, being a new company, the packaging and finishing of AEBoard is pretty raw.

All in all, AE1 has the most amount of battery to for the price it’s asking and is definitely a good base for future DIY tinkering. For someone who doesn’t mind extra-steel-like-stiff deck (it’s REALLY STIFF), and is looking for range, AE1 should be the board to check out. You can even upgrade the battery to a Panasonic 9.6AH battery for 25mile (40km) range (or Sanyo for even more range.)

Click here to read full review of the AEboard AE1.

Click to receive 9.99USD off AEBOARD (Affiliated)

While I was working on this piece, AEBoard launched a few new boards which is creatively named AE2 and AF. (Chinese market move so fast, I can barely catch up).

While AE2 seems to be a Wowgo 2S/ Ownboard W1S clone, AF is worth paying attention to as it has some very practical features

Ae Board AE2 Electric Skateboard — AE2, tell me if it doesn’t look like Wowgo 2s or Ownboard W1S

AEBoard AF

While I have not personally reviewed AF, I certain would suggest anyone looking for a budget board to consider it.

Reason? While most of the parts used in AF are old news, it is the only budget board in this list that allows hot swappable battery. On top of that, the battery that it’s carrying has the standard 4AH, 144wh capacity.

The advantage of hot swappable battery over bigger battery pack is, obviously, is the weight – You don’t need to carry the batteries that you don’t plan to use.

Plus, this definitely solves the ultra-super-stiff deck complaints that I have on the AE1. Basically, I think of it as Wowgo 2s with concave deck plus hot-swappable battery. AF is definitely worth considering over AE2, Wowgo 2s, and the W1s.

Click to receive 9.99USD off AEBOARD (Affiliated)

Teamgee H5, H6, H9

Similar to Ownboard, Teamgee is another manufacturer turned retailer.

Just like the Ownboard, Teamgee maintains a certain standard in their products and customers care since day 1. That said, Teamgee is still young in the international scene and though there has been no bad news about the customer service so far, we are yet to see how well its’ post-sale service stands when some serious complaint comes in.

Unlike Ownboard however, Teamgee is not a follower of the generic Chinese budget board trend. It has a slim body design that hides all of the electronics inside the decks.

As a result, the board looks very much like a regular long board to non-prying eyes.

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To cater to beginners, Teamgee also introduced heavy filtering to control input. This is done to soften the speed changes, however it also causes a noticeable delay between control input and the boards reactions.

This is done to cater to beginner crowd, who might find precise or zappy control intimidating. Many people will, however, be frustrated with the lag and the weaker acceleration.

Both the H5 and H6 are beautifully designed and give a reasonably good skating experience. H6 with the pintail deck has a very surfy feel and H5 with the broad dropdown deck has a stable ride.

Just be informed that stiff deck, relatively weak performance and voltage sags are what you have to be able to put up with when dropping $500 on these boards.

One more thing, their price on Amazon is somehow cheaper.

Click here to read full review of the Teamgee H6.

Click here to read full review of the Teamgee H5 by Samuel James.

In the end:

Even after trying the boards back to back to back, it is sometimes hard to tell the differences between two boards.

As a reviewer, my recommendations are based on the average taste of an average eskater but as any other personal purchase, personal preference often trumps everything else.

Hopefully with all of the information provided here, and the vetting done to screen out questionable brands, this can help you with your purchasing decision.

PS: If you are looking for boards beyond the $500 price range, we also have a list of recommended electric skateboards at all price range.

For those who are from a European country, you can choose to shop from a local dealer – Speedio. Speedio is an Electric Skateboard re-seller based in the Czech Republic. While you do pay a little premium, they offer a 2-year warranty, local support, and fast 2-5 days shipping.

March 3, 2018May 24, 2018 by Paxson Lim

Meepo 1.51 (Black) – Review

Foreword

6 months after the original Meepo burst into the scene, the Meepo Board is now the undisputed most popular budget electric skateboard brand on the market.

Meepo 1.51 (aka the Black Meepo) is the latest iteration of this very popular board.

This is my review of the Meepo 1.51, and as per usual, I’ll start by introducing the company which makes the board.

Introduction of Meepo

MeepoBoard- Background

For those who are interested in how MeepoBoard came to be, I wrote a story of how Kieran created the Meepo brand back in August 2017.

Kieran’s Meepo: The person, the board, the story.

Here is the short version:

MeepoBoard was founded by Kieran, a mechanical engineer who worked in sales for an electric skateboard company. Frustrated by his boss, Kieran started assembling electric skateboards for himself, using his connection in the industry to source quality parts.

After sharing his boards on Youtube and received offers for purchase, Kieran quit his job and started MeepoBoard.

Kieran circa June 2017

When it all started, Meepo was just a 1 man operation with some helpers, selling to international customers through word-of-mouth. Even from the outset, Meepo saw success as customers were impressed by the quality of the boards and could not stop raving about them online.

After the story of Kieran and the Meepo in HQ went viral, MeepoBoard saw a huge growth in sales to the point that demand couldn’t be met.

After some aggressive staffing, the MeepoBoard of today is no longer a small, scrappy team making skateboards on-demand. Selling at least 5 thousand skateboards in the past 6 months, MeepoBoard has grown into a full-fledged company with factory operations and Kieran is still manning the helm.

Meepo Board – Original to 1.51

The original Meepo Board revolutionized the budget electric skateboard world by being the first sub $400 eskate (after shipping) that had great specs, reliable quality and good customer service.

Prior to Meepo, budget electric skateboards cost around $700. Meepo lowered the entry bar and allowed a lot more people to join the eskate community.

On the competition side, the success of the Meepo also attracted many Chinese companies to get into the eskate space.
These companies are now known as the “Meepo-clones,” they go by many names including Wowgo, Ownboard, Ionboard etc.

So the arms race of budget electric skateboard began. With each brand trying to improve their boards in order to to one-up each other.

MeepoBoard kept up.

On December 2017, the Meepo 1.5 was announced, which saw an upgraded deck, battery , and better quality wheels.

On January 2017, Meepo 1.51 changed to a better quality, black deck.
This is the board that I am reviewing today.

Meepo 1.51 Review

Meepo 1.51 Overall specs

There is a reason why I keep referring to the Meepo as the king of budget boards,

The Meepo 1.51 has awesome specs for its price:

Top Speed: 22mph (36kmh)
Range: 11mil (18km)
Weight: 15.2lbs (6.9kg)
Charge Time: 3hrs
Features: 2 hub motors, weatherproof, Regenerative braking, handles up to 30% slope.
Price: less than 450 USD with shipping included.

Build Quality

Right out of the two boxes that Meepo 1.51 comes in, what struck me the most was the quality of the packaging.

The miscellaneous are in a proper box now

When unboxing the original Meepo, I got the vibe of a scrappy, garage-assembled company.
6 months later, unboxing the Meepo 1.51, I feel like I am opening a product from a top company. It still has a hint of its DIY origin mainly from the lack of sophisticated graphic design on the printed materials, but everything that matters – from padding to accessories is now far and away from the days of the 1 man operation.

I also really like the stealthy black design of the Meepo 1.51.

Stealth black is just better looking in my humble opinion

The deck, the trucks, and the wheels, everything looks nice and feels high-quality, and with a massive community riding their Meepo every day with very few faults reported, you can bet the quality is good.

In short, the Meepo 1.51 today is truly a refined product, both inside and out.

Riding Experience:

Overall

The original Meepo Board provided a decent riding experience with it’s biggest weak point being the weird arching convex deck.

The Meepo-deck-swap became the trendy discussion among the eskate community, and the experiments proved that with an upgraded deck, the Meepo rides like magic. Even Kieran acknowledged that and start sending out extra padding to help buyers to deck swap better.

(Following the trend, now every Chinese Budget skateboard company ships complete boards with extra padding.)

With the Meepo 1.51, Kieran made an investment on a better and longer deck and the riding experience saw huge improvements.

I’ll get more into that, but in short, you don’t need a deck-swap anymore to make the Meepo ride as good as any $1000+ electric skateboard.

Acceleration and Deceleration

With the addition of a third riding mode to cater to beginners, Meepo 1.51 now has 3-speed profiles that should fit new, advanced, and expert riders.

In the slowest mode, the acceleration is so gentle (slow) that experienced riders will get bored. Definitely suitable for the newest riders that are still getting used to electric skateboards.

The medium mode is where I spend most of my time. The acceleration is still fairly gentle, with no jolts.
This ride very similar to the lowest speed profile in the original Meepo.

The fast mode is really fast. The board really takes off and can throw you off the board if you are unprepared, or don’t have a solid stance.
One time I mistakenly switched on to the fast mode thinking I was switching into slow mode and ended up on the ground pretty quickly!

Now, onto the deceleration and braking.

I am always very wary in testing out the brakes on an electric skateboard because trying to answer the question of “what will happen if I brake really hard at speed” often ends up with me lying on the road in a lot of pain.

The braking in Meepo 1.51 is … for lack of a better description… normal.

There are no delays in braking and it is very easy to get used to after a couple of rides.

It also appears that the braking profile is the same in all speed modes.

Just be careful when braking while going fast, as electric skateboards tend to brake harder than expected at higher speeds.

Vibration & Stability

I rode on these on cobblestone to compare the vibration.

The Meepo 1.51’s black deck is a bit stiffer than the original Meepo, which means the deck smooths out less vibration but provides more stable rides at higher speed. A stiffer deck also makes the board feel more responsive.

When compared to the original Meepo, I found the new black maple deck to be more concave and longer. The concave kinda makes me feel lower to the ground and the longer wheelbase makes balancing on it easier. Both of this changes result in a much more stable ride.

Control Options (Remote)

The remote for the Meepo 1.51 is the RC5 2.4Ghz remote that most DIY hobbyist/ budget board use.

There are currently no known disconnect issues, which have plagued other eskate companies, so that’s a plus!

This knob.

As mentioned, the remote has 3-speed modes that are controlled by a little knob on the side.If you are trying to change the speed mode mid-ride and get the wrong gear like I did, you will probably in for a nasty surprise, so I would recommend changing speed-modes while stationary.

There is also a little button on the side for reverse. It has been filed down so that it is hiding a bit inside of the recess; a change resulting from community feedback as too many times the reverse button was accidentally pressed while riding.

Button is now less protruding.

The remote is a tried-and-true model used by many eskates. Nothing much to be said.

Summary of Riding Experience

All-in-all, the riding experience on Meepo 1.51 is as good as any board out there.

The board is stable, responsive and carves really well.
Definitely a huge improvement from the original Meepo.

Capability

Range

The Meepo 1.51 also saw an upgrade to the battery, improving the range by a little and eliminating the voltage sag of past models.

The advertised range of the Meepo is 11miles(18km) but you have to either be very light or ride conservatively to reach that range.

Most people report around 8miles(13km) on a single charge. That is still twice the reported range of a Boosted board!

With the new battery, voltage sag will only start to be felt on the last miles, whereas the old Meepo would start to lose its speed and torque at 2/3 of its range.

There is also a Sanyo battery option at $619 to add another 6miles(10km) to the range.

Speed

Meepo 1.51 can hit it’s advertised top speed at 22mph(36kmh) without issues. That is fast enough to get you in serious trouble or kill you, so I think it is an acceptable speed ceiling.

Torque

Meepo 1.51 has enough torque to get over most of the hills I tested it on.

Stop and go in the middle of the incline is how I test the torque of electric skateboards.

I also did a stop-and-go test on a multistory car-park ramp with a rather steep incline, the board could brake and hold me still at the incline, and can then accelerate from the stop without rolling back down the ramp.

After testing, I would not worry about the torque unless you are very heavy and need to climb insanely steep hills.

Customer Service

There have been a few cheap Chinese boards made before the Meepo, but what allowed the rise of the Meepo Board is that it was the first to provide reliable customer service.

After the frantic expansion to keep up with sales, Kieran is largely able to maintain this high level of customer service. Certainly, there are a few slip-ups that have been reported, but they are exceptions rather than rules.

As I have worked with Kieran regularly since I first interviewed him, when HQ readers have not been able to reach Kieran with their problems, I have helped them to alert Kieran.
Based on this experience, I feel safe vouching for Meepo’s commitment to customer service.

Other Features

Meepo is quite a simple board, so there are not many bells and whistles.

One thing I like about the Meepo is how modular it is, which is why deck-swapping is so popular with these boards in the community.
You don’t need to be mechanically inclined to be able to pull apart the Meepo and put it back together. You can swap out everything and anything.
You can also salvage the Meepo for parts and create your own eskate quite easily.

One time I borrow the Meepos deck to test out Onan X2.

The most important part is that the battery is easily removable. Taking off the <160wh battery requires undoing 4 screws and just unplugged it.
(Buy a <99wh battery and Meepo will suddenly be air-travel compatible.)

The Meepo also came with an LED tail light accessory that you can choose to attach to your Meepo (or on anything for that matters.)

The features it doesn’t have:

Downhill braking with a full battery – Not sure any electric skateboard have solved the problem of downhill braking while holding a full charge. As the energy generated from the regenerative braking has nowhere to go, the braking will not work with a full battery.
I was told adding a capacitor to it will not solve the problem as the capacitor will overheat, and the board will then fail.
Kieran’s efforts in tinkering the BMS settings did help to make the problem less pronounced, but it’s still there, and we should all be careful.
Waterproof – Kieran decided not to claim the Meepo is waterproof but just weatherproof. If the seals of the board are not compromised, the Meepo is actually fairly resistance to splashes and water, but still, urethane wheels + water = slippery as hell. Trust me, I have fallen because of that.
Swappable PU on hub motor – The PU on the Meepo 1.51 is fairly durable and should be able to last for hundreds of miles before needing a change, but you would have to change the entire hub motor for that, which thankfully, is also not that hard.

Verdict

The Competitors

It’s 2018 and Meepo, though the most popular, is hardly alone in the affordable electric skateboard space.

Wowgo, Ownboard, Ionboard and hundreds of other less-known brands have joined the space after seeing the success that Meepo has enjoyed. Not to forget Backfire G2 is also a very well received option for electric skateboard under $500.

However, any insider will tell you that, when it comes to electric skateboard parts, sharing the same look doesn’t equate to having the same quality. Most of the budget boards that we see on Alibaba or from lesser-known brands are exactly that, poor-quality products that share the generic look.

So, ignoring other less-trustworthy clones and putting aside Ionboard which isn’t shipping yet, this leaves us with the Wowgo, the Backfire G2, and the Ownboard as the main competition.
These companies offer products similar to the Meepo and both have enough of a track record to warrant consideration.

However, an electric skateboard is more or less a vehicle and similar to a vehicle, it will need to be maintained and serviced. That’s why I give a lot of weight to the proven track record and customer service of a company when recommending any electric skateboard, and that’s why I favor a familiar and proven brand like Meepo over other less-known companies in my reviews.

Summary

TL;DR
At $419, the Meepo 1.51 is definitely my top recommendation for anyone looking for a quality budget electric skateboard or electric skateboard in general.

I like to say, the first question to ask when choosing an electric skateboard is
“For what I need, will a Meepo suffice?”

Just as Boosted board is the gold standard for electric skateboards in general; the original Meepo was and now the Meepo 1.51 is – the gold standard for affordable electric skateboards.

Plus, there is a version of it with kick tails @ $469.

For all those Meepo owners out there, if you enjoy this post, please share your experience with Meepo down in the comment section! I really appreciate that!

Meepo Board Official Site.

February 19, 2018June 24, 2019 by Drew Frayre

Ride Your Own Path: How I Picked the One Wheel as my First E-Skate

Hello dear readers, Electric Skateboard HQ’s newest writer here!

For my first article, I would like to take you down the journey of how I decided on purchasing my first electric board, but first, a little background about me. I have been riding, sliding, and racing skateboards for over 8 years now. From racing (and crashing) in competitive events to running from cops in the dead of night, skateboarding has left an indelible mark on my life and become one of my favorite activities, and far and away, most preferred method of locomotion.

(Me freeriding a local spot in 2010, please excuse the neon-green laces, it was a different time)

I am of the (rather strong) opinion that skateboards are a strict improvement over walking, and that, if everyone in the world learned to skate, we could solve most of our travel infrastructure problems instantly. As a Bostonian, I have found myself racing people in cars, buses, bikes, and even trains to get around the city and have always found skateboarding to be as fast, or often faster, than these more cumbersome modes of transportation, if slightly more dangerous.

But Why Skate?

Skateboards are light; you can bring them with you into most businesses and forms of public transportation. A wise man once said, “Why sit in a thing that runs on money and makes you fat, when you could be having fun commuting on something that runs on fat and saves you money?” On top of that, skating can be a very sophisticated form of self-expression. From wheels, trucks, and board cosmetics, to choice of gear* and even the style in which you ride, there is something about skating that lends itself to having a rich culture and identity element, much more so than biking or driving a car.

(*As long as you are wearing flannel. Always wear flannel.)

With all of this said and done, skating does have some shortcomings:

You can do it in the rain, but you will be miserable
Long distances can be very tiring and make you arrive at work dirty and sweaty
Riders are confined to paved roads

As a skate-commuter, all of these factors had begun to wear on me. I hated having to walk to work in the rain or keep a separate set of clothes at work to change into when I arrived. At this point, I noticed that eSkateboards were really beginning to explode in popularity. I started to see yuppies zipping around Cambridge on the new Boosted Boards, and kickstarters popping up regularly for boards with more range, power, and speed.

Sadly, I couldn’t bring myself to pay the high prices of these new eSkates, not because I disliked the specs, but as a former skater, I noticed the low quality of the components. No way was I going to pay above market price for a Loaded Vanguard and some O-Tang wheels! I had much better setups at home. (At this point let me pause and say, that if Boosted partnered with Rayne or Landyachtz to make an electric Killswitch or Evo, I would throw my wallet at them faster than Predator Banshee can get off the line.)

At this point, I began to look into building my own custom eSkate. Sadly, the components were expensive, difficult to life-proof, and would require a fair bit of proficiency to spec out and then assemble. As a skater, I knew that I needed a commuter that I could beat the hell out of, that could survive the constant abuse of Boston’s winters, as well as my inane need to push my gear past its limits every chance I get.

This led me to the One Wheel. It doesn’t look that hot on paper with a top speed of 19 mph and a range of 5-7 miles, but it had a lot of other features that made it a very appealing alternative to the eSkates that I had been researching.

Those points boiled down to:

One Big Wheel
No Remote Needed
Don’t Look Like a Fool
Really Bright Lights
Very Unique
All-Weather
Off-Roadability

One Big Wheel:

First of all, the One Wheel features….well, ONE wheel, but it’s one BIG wheel. The wheel is actually a big, inflatable, rubber go-kart tire, capable of eating up cracks, potholes, and most road-debris thrown its way. All skaters know the feeling of having to take a couple of extra cautionary pushes when cruising over sketchy road conditions, but with the One Wheel, this is not the case.

Boston’s roads (some of the oldest in the nation) are not exactly known for their immaculate upkeep; I have often been forced to jump off of my skateboard and walk for a couple of hundred feet in order to avoid some bricks that look like they were installed in ancient times by Christopher Columbus himself. Having the big, inflatable wheel of the OW looked like the perfect solution to Boston’s unexpected landscape.

(Anyone who has tried to ride a few blocks on this jank knows that pain)

No Remote Needed:

One of my major gripes with most eskates is the need for a handheld remote. Skateboarding is so cool because you can do it hands-free! I have ridden back from the supermarket countless times with an armload of groceries, or ridden along while getting something out of my backpack, or answering the phone. Requiring you to use one of your hands to “drive” the skateboard takes the user further away from the experience, and is just another device that can malfunction and ruin your ride.

(An example of the awkward, “I’m holding a remote” stance)

The OW has only two rider controls:

Lean forwards (to go forwards)
Lean backwards (to go backwards)

As a lover of the “flow” of skateboarding, this is an ideal control mechanism. It keeps my body engaged in the control of the board, and keeps my hands free to balance, high-five strangers, and pat any adorable animals that I may pass by on my travels. Riders claim that these controls feel very natural, and also enable the rider to do something most eskates don’t: go backwards.

A quick youtube search revealed these controls in practice; I witnessed OW riders executing slides, grinds, stalls, and pivots on their machines, in much the same way that a street skater would tear up a rail or curb. I was enamored to see an eskate that had some trick potential Sick of watching hundreds of videos of kooky youtubers “cruising” down long smooth roads on their Boosted and Meepos, the OW was looking roughly 60% more fun at this point.

Don’t Look Like a Fool

One of the biggest gripes I have with “hoverboards” and Electric Self Balancing Unicycles (ESBUs) is that you look like an absolute TOOL riding them. Rolling along in a neutral standing position has got to be one of the worst ways to travel. Compared to skaters, ESBU users are taking up twice the width of the sidewalk, and are about as aerodynamic as a brick wall.

(Let’s be honest, no little kids are going to see this guy putting along and go “Wow, I want be like HIM when I grow up!”)

Conversely, the OW allows the users to take a skater’s stance, narrowing your profile on the ground to the wind, and giving you an aggressive lean that (admittedly still not anywhere approaching “cool”) hopefully won’t cause EVERYONE who sees you to make some sort of Robocop joke. This wider stance also gives you more stability as you ride, which allows you more balance and confidence at higher speeds. What’s not to love?

Really Really Bright Lights:

As a skater who commuted to and from work and school for around 6 years, I have definitely had my share of close calls with vehicles. Learning over time, I began to mitigate this risk by wearing hi-vis clothing, attaching reflectors to my backpack, and just generally attempting to become the human version of a Christmas tree.

The OW helps you out in this regard by supplying a headlight and taillight that dynamically change depending on your riding direction! It also bears mentioning that these lights are BRIGHTER THAN THE LIGHTNING BOLTS OF ZEUS. As in, do-not-look-directly-at-the-device-when-you-turn-it-on-or-you-might-go-blind, bright. This creates a really cool effect at night, where you seem to fly around effortlessly on a bed of white and red lights. It also has the effect of really freaking out some pedestrians, so I would recommend that you give people who look easily surprised some space.

Very Unique:

One thing that I will say about the One Wheel is that it has a very unique and noticeable design. I was prepared to get some interesting looks, but not prepared for the number of people who would approach me to learn more about it, and even attempt to ride it! From old grandpa’s on the subway, to some of my more straight-laced clients, everyone wanted to learn more about the OW, and very few people had anything but wonder and joy to express. I won’t say that the OW is immune to random haters, but the vast majority of people seem to really enjoy watching the thing roll around.

All-Weather:

One of my biggest concerns with getting an eskate was gaining the ability to commute to work (5 miles) in the rain or snow. If my ride couldn’t handle a downpour or an inch of snow, I would be better off just sticking with my old skateboard. Traditional eskates would be tough in the rain because, while they are mostly waterproof, the placing of the exposed wheels is perfectly set to rooster-tail water right up and onto the rider. As a downhill racer who has done a number of events on wet mountain roads, I was familiar with just how soaked you can get from this strange phenomenon.

The OW, however, is uniquely designed to keep all water UNDER the board. With the addition of an OEM plastic (or sick after-market carbon fiber) fender, the OW can self-contain all water spray below-decks. This keeps your legs dry, and your need to take an immediate shower upon arrival in check.

(Though you DO have to get a fender for it, or it will aggressively spray water at your front leg like a fire hose, as I learned my first time out in the wet)

Off-Roadability

Even as a little kid, I fantasized about being able to ride a skateboard over any terrain. The only thing cooler than the effortless feeling of gliding over the pavement would be to continue right off of the road and into your favorite backwoods trail.

One of the coolest things about the OW is its ability to go anywhere and everywhere. Taking a quick look around youtube today, you can see that there is around a 50/50 split between OW footy that is on and off-road. These things can absolutely TEAR IT UP on dirt trails. The single, powerful motor built into the hub of the wheel combined with the large tire make the OW well suited for off-road riding, and I have even seen some users fit special treaded tires on their OWs for additional traction in mud and dirt.

(Even after just one week with the OW, I found myself surprised at the places I could take it)

All of these points, combined with the sudden theft of my motorcycle, led me to make the purchase of a new OW+. Since then, I have since ridden this strange device for over 125 miles, and have countless stories to share, but those will have to wait for next time!

I hope you enjoyed this little narrative of how I chose my first eskate; I apologize if it had less wheels than you were expecting. I would love to hear any feedback on my first article, criticisms of my process, or any requests for future articles, so feel free to email me at [email protected].

Until next time, let the good times roll!

-Drew

February 5, 2018February 6, 2018 by Paxson Lim

State of the Arc – The story of the Arc Team

Arc Board EV- Origin Story

Back in 2014, two young men, Hung Yi and Yong Sheng were in a coffee shop brainstorming for any possible business venture they could work on. Hung Yi was tired of his hectic corporate job and was yearning for something more. This was around the time Boosted boards was making a huge buzz in the States, so these two young men thought it would be a great idea to bring electric skateboarding over to Singapore.

Circa 2014, was kind of the stone age of electric skateboard. At that time, small-size electric skateboards hadn’t got a lot of love yet. (That was even before Bolt, Indiegogo, and Leafboard had been featured on Kickstarter.)
So Hung and Yong make the business decision to build something smaller – an electric penny board and started building a few prototype which they named Arc Board, by sourcing the parts from the DIY community.

“We had a lot of fun with the board that we built. But it was funny that when we started out, the board will not last the test-drive. Every time we finished a field test, the board will need some fixing or repair.”

That was the time where Hung Yi (an industrial designer), and Yong Sheng (experienced in business administration) decided that they would need some help to piece the board together.
That was when the last of the trio, Wei De (a mechanical engineer) a friend of Yong Sheng was brought on board.

Ho Hung Yi, Toh Wei De, Tan Yong Sheng (Photo credits: Calvin Ho)

With Wei De’s expertise adding to the mix, the prototype’s quality went up significantly.

At the same time, field tests were garnering the attention of many locals.
They were intrigued by the concept and were impressed enough by the Arc Board to express interest in buying the product, even in its early stages of design.

With the product idea validated and pre-orders taken, the trio made their first batch of ten prototypes. Then, following the Plan-Do-Check-Adjust cycle, they collected the feedback from customers and further refined the Arc Board in their following batch. They then repeated the cycle for the next batch and the next batch.

Kickstarter Rise – The Arc Board

On 30th August 2016, Kickstarter announced that they were expanding to Singapore and Hong Kong.

“We have considered Kickstarter from the get-go but it was not available to us at that time.
We were ready to graduate from producing small batches when the Kickstarter announced their launch in Singapore.
It was a perfect timing.”

Arc Board launched their Kickstarter campaign on 5th September 2016, and sure enough, they were successful in meeting fundraising goals.

It was then that they graduated from printing parts with a 3D printer, to actually getting the parts manufactured.

I got to see the original 3D printer on my visit to the “Arc Factory”

“It was the first time any of us did anything like this.
However, we had been making Arc Board for a while by then so we were able to forecast a somewhat reliable timeline – and then we just added 3 months to it as a buffer, just in case some mistakes happened.”

And sure enough, mistakes did happen during the production process. For example, VESCs weren’t manufactured according to the correct specifications and hence couldn’t be fit into the ESC cases, and some parts were found to be faulty during the post-assembly test and needing extra time for exchange and reassembly.

In the end, the team did it, successfully delivering Arc Board to their customers at the promised time.

It was a rare feat that few Eskate crowd funding campaigns have been able to achieve. (Don’t believe me? Just refer to my Audit of 2017 crowdfunding campaigns.)

A few short words on Arc Board:

I unashamedly call it the Arc Penny and I don’t care if the Arc team approve.

“Most of the Arc Board buyers use it as a commuting tool. It can be fit into the backpack and you can always just grab it and go.”

“It was to the point that, when we tried to arrange a group ride for Arc Boarders in Singapore, people are just not interested…it is just a commuting tool for them.”

To introduce Arc Penny, I would say it is simply the best premium electric penny board out there.

It is small, incredibly light, and charges surprisingly fast.

Belt motor is ideal to provide enough torque and power without sacrificing on weight.
With that, Arc Penny goes as fast as most people dare to go on a penny board (16mph/25kmh).

I tried an Arc Penny and I have to say that this board is not for everyone.
You have to achieve some level of skateboarding proficiency before you can balance on a penny board comfortably.

The fact that it has such a small wheelbase means you will be directly standing on the truck and will be feeling every bit of vibration from the road.
That plus the fact that it is rocking 70mm wheels means you will be limiting yourself to well-paved roads or on the sidewalks.

On the plus side, with the help of the programmable VESC, the acceleration and deceleration of Arc Penny are as smooth as can be.

I also can’t emphasize enough how light this board is. At 7.7lbs(3.5kg), it is lighter than my old laptop!

All in all, Arc Board, as conceptualized, is perfect as a commuting tool for a modern city like Singapore, where you can ride on a well-maintained sidewalk from point A to point B;
while keeping under a government regulated speed of 9mph/ 15kmh (on sidewalks);
and store it in your backpack when you’ve reached your destination (you’ll need a big bag though).

2nd Kickstarter – The Arc Aileron

“You guys are aiming to make something light and portable, why don’t you check out a company in US call 121c? They make awesome carbon fiber deck.” -Anonymous to Arc Team

Based on a hot tip, team Arc Board contacted the 121C team and the Arc Aileron was born.

On March 2017, the team again turned to Kickstarter campaign to bring Arc Aileron alive.
And with their reputation and track record, amassed 3 times their pledged goal.

Even more surprisingly, they delivered on time, again.

A few words on Arc Aileron:

The Arc Aileron is a premium, belt motor, super-lightweight, speedy electric shorter-board.

My first impression when riding the Arc Aileron was how agile and responsive it was.

The lightness of the board, the well-tuned acceleration & deceleration, and the small 70mm wheels all contributed to a very agile and responsive ride, making carving on the Arc Aileron exceptionally enjoyable.

The only downside would be that the 70mm wheels don’t help to ease out bad roads and didn’t allow rolling over bumps confidently.

The Arc team set out to make a lightweight and portable board by choosing the 121C deck, and they have definitely achieved that vision with Arc Aileron.

In fact, the lightness of the board is what strikes me the most when I handled the Arc Aileron for the first time.

The board is 9.5lbs/ 4.3kg!

When carrying the board around by the front truck, I can barely feel the weight!

My experience riding on the Arc Aileron along the beautiful smooth trail of the scenic Marina Bay Park is one of my all-time most enjoyable Eskate experiences.

Marina Bay Park is a magical place.

With the new surge of shorter electric skateboards arriving on the scene, Arc Aileron still holds the title of the lightest electric short-board by a good margin.
However, with the likes of the Riptide, Pulse Echo, and Predator Banshee encroaching on the short-board niche, the Arc Aileron might only be the best choice for a very selected group. (Singaporean, someone looking for a portable lightweight shortboard and prefers small wheels.)

State of the Arc team

Today, the Arc team still consists of the original trio, who personally assembles every single Arc board with care.

The team is still using the same working space that their manufacturer lent them, where they perform all storage, assembly and repairs.

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Most of the Arc boards were sold to locals, but for international sales, America makes up the largest share.

[At around $80 for international shipping with FedEx, a very good deal if you ask me.]

The team is also doing a lot of custom builds for local skaters, and have gained a lot of experience, giving them plenty of ideas on the way to bring Arc to the next level.

Final Thoughts:

Despite their success, Team Arc is still very true to their small-team spirits.

Their insistence to assemble boards themselves and not outsourcing the works to China is one of the ways that they ensure the quality of their boards.

With more and more electric skateboard crowding the short-board niche, the Arc team will have to continue to innovate or be left behind. Sure enough, the Arc team recently just teased of a new board – the Arc Finix.

The details and specifications of Arc Finix are still unknown to the world, but I will certainly let you guys know once I get to test it =).

But with the current state of the Arc, I can safely say that:

The Arc Penny is still undisputedly the best premium penny electric skateboard out there; and the
Arc Aileron is one of the best quality electric short-boards on the market.
This is why we rank Arc Board EV as one of the most reliable electric skateboard companies in the industry.

January 22, 2018January 22, 2018 by Paxson Lim

Audit: Electric Skateboard Crowdfunding 2017

2017 is the year of electric skateboard crowdfunding.
Around 34 products were crowdfunded in either Kickstarter or Indiegogo.

However, there is a saying – Back an Eskate crowdfunding campaign only if you believe in Unicorn.

The pessimism is warranted as crowdfunding campaigns for electric skateboards have always been ridden with problems.
For starters, delays are the rule rather than the exception while overstating the performance is just too common.
As if that is not bad enough, there were outright scams! Anyone remembers Tinboard?

Here are the most common problems in Eskate crowd fundings.

Delays

Delays are the rules rather than the exception when it comes to eskate crowdfunding.
20 out of 30 boards had their delivery delayed for more than 1 month.
That is 66%!
And if you counted out 4 of those boards which were existing products (Ivory, Nuff, Maxfind C, Backfire G2), the statistic of delays would be 19 out of 26 boards, 73%!
If you are not willing to wait an extra 6 months, don’t back an eskate crowdfunding campaign.

Offenders: Most of the campaigns.

Overstating the performance

Eskate crowdfunding campaign is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.

The price is too good, you think.
This must be due to an early bird discount, you think.

But more likely it is because the board is just a POS and the marketed specs straight-up lies.

Influencers may be influenced or did not give the board a rigorous test.
Even if they did, what’s stopping the company to produce something weaker than the prototypes?

Offenders: Buffalo, Leafboard, LouBoards, Enskate FiBoard.

Poor Quality

On the other hand, even if a board could hit all the numbers, but broke the very next day, what is the use?

Too many boards end up having disappointing quality.

Offenders: Longrunner, Leafboard, LouBoards, Acton Blinks, Enskate Fiboard.

Problem with import custom and delivery

Electric skateboards are very difficult to ship mainly due to the batteries they carry.

A lot of campaigners underestimated the difficulty when it comes to getting their products to the customer’s doorstep.
There are delivery companies that failed to deliver, or outright refuse to deliver the electric skateboards, which in turns leads to an unexpected increase in both the delivery cost and the duration it takes.

Be extra wary if you are not from the States because international delivery are often problematics.

Offenders: Mellow, Leafboard, Acton Blinks, Elwing, Juiced (can’t post overseas), Linky, Enskate Fiboard

Need to top up cash

Besides underestimating the complexity of delivering the board, many campaigners underestimated the import tax or shipping cost.
They either end up requiring the backers to shell out extra or leave the backer in shock when their custom inform them to pay a significant amount to have their board to have clearance.

Offenders: Acton Blinks, Walnutt Spectra ($19), Backfire G2 (Initially asked for it, then decided not to), Leafboard.

Did not deliver

Some campaigner straight up never delivers.
Sometimes, some backer receives their boards while others did not.
This might also be something to do with the delivery company.

Offenders: Longrunner, Leafboard, Kuickwheel (went missing before delivery).

Poor post-sale service

Nothing is going to stop a new company to just disappear after delivering the boards.
They delivered the board as promised, and now there are nowhere to be found.

Luckily, not all of the offenders went MIA. Most just straight-up suck in post-sales service.

Offenders: Buffalo, Longrunner, Leafboard, LouBoards, Elwing, Enskate Fiboard, Huger Boards

Spec or design change

Spec changes are not always bad, but it is often unexpected.
How do you feel if the board doesn’t come with the deck that you ordered?
Or if the range was sacrificed in favor of more stable voltage output?

Design changes often come with good reason, but it might not be “your” reason.

Offenders: Acton Blink, Backfire G2.

Obsolete Specs

The board that we chose to back is most often state-of-the-art, top-of-the-line new tech that came with an unbelievable price.

However, after waiting 4 months for the due date we were hit by another 3 months of delay.
By the time the board reaches our hand, it has lost its edge in specs and pricing to the latest set of new boards in the market.

New boards are always better, and this industry moves fast.

Notable board coming out from Crowdfunding

With all that said. There are actually a few great electric skateboards that came out of 2017 crowdfunding campaigns.

Mellow

Mellow only took almost 2 years and multiple design changes to finally deliver.
Costing somewhere around $1800, Mellow is super pricey, but those who have it absolutely love it.

2 years back, Mellow is state of the art. By the time it delivers on 2017, the competition definitely has caught up.

In particular, Onan took the concept of the electric booster and ran with it.
By the time Mellow was released, Onan was already in its third iteration.
My review of Onan X2 is here.

Though as pessimistic as I may sound, the proud owners of Mellows are mostly very satisfied with their purchase.
Why wouldn’t they, Mellow is powerful, packed with useful features and most important of all, of great quality.

For those who are flying with their boards, Mellow is also considered the best travel board ever, as you can just remove the battery and introduce it as your XXL power bank.

Check out Mellow

Arc Aileron

Arc Aileron is one of the few crowdfunding projects that delivers somewhat on time.
It also marks the second time Arc team has successfully delivered Kickstarter project, both times with flying colors. (After their first project, Arc Board)

Arc Aileron made it on my list for being the best portable shortboard available.
It only weighs 9.5lbs(4.3kg).

Equipped with VESC, the acceleration and deceleration on Arc Aileron are very smooth.
It uses small 70mm wheels, so in exchange for a responsive and agile feel, the board has problems handling rough roads.

By the way, Arc team has just teased about their new project, Arc Finix.

Nothing much has been revealed about Finix yet but if they choose to go to Kickstarter with it again, I definitely feel safe recommending it.

Check out Arc Aileron

Raptor 2

Raptor 2 needs no further introduction.

Although it has seen some delays, the final product did not disappoint.

In fact, Raptor 2 has made into many blogger’s lists as the best electric skateboard of 2017, that is how good it is.
It is good all around! Quality, range, torque, speed, you name it!

Michael Gatti has the best review for the Raptor 2.

My affiliate discount (200 AUD off) for Raptor 2 is here.

Linky

Linky is an interesting board.

It is an electric skateboard with a foldable deck.
It also has a swappable <99wh battery.
The combination of these 2 features makes Linky the most portable travel board on my list.
Well, I just mentioned others say Mellow is the best travel board but well, I guess everyone has their own favorite. (Read: I am poor)

Anyways I digress.
Linky is still new and not much user feedback has surfaced, so the quality and riding experiences are still largely unknown.
Linky nonetheless brought a new concept to the electric skateboard market and wasn’t that the whole purpose of crowdfunding? To support innovation?

Check out Linky

Bad fails of Crowdfunding

Leafboard

Really really portable board

Leafboard was a Kickstarter darling when it launch.
Cute size, good price and crazy powerful (marketing specs).

Well, not many people are still expecting Leafboard to deliver after they stop responding to Kickstarter comments and shut off their webpage.
They were, however, still somewhat active in their Facebook group with updates now and then, and,
finally, to most of our surprise, Leafboard delivered in September 2017.

Too bad the woes didn’t stop there. It starts with complaints of backer getting hit by surprised import charges. Then there were complaints of how the boards under-performs and felt cheap in quality.
Well…What a shame.

LouBoard

Turns out Louboards are not a real deal.
After a few months of delay, backers who received the boards were largely unimpressed.

The final product under-performs it’s marketing specs and break easily.
There were also multiple complaints about SoFlow’s customer services.

Turns out a misogynistic company wasn’t that trustworthy after all.
(Much like a misogynistic politician.)

Acton Blink Series

For Acton, the first clue of troubles was when the Indiegogo campaign ends with a 2651% funding.
How are they going to produce that many boards?

Initially, I was one of those who applauded Acton for setting a new standard for affordable high performing electric skateboards.
Their Indiegogo pricing for Blink S, S2 and Qu4tro all undercuts the competitions in value for price.

Then the Acton starts to announce delays, that was to be expected.
What was not cool was how Acton straight up lie about the delivery dates.

It frustrated the backers when Acton told them that they are shipping the very next month -failed to do so, then proceed to give the same promised for the following month and then repeats.

International backers have it worse as they have to wait another few extra months (like 3 months) for the board to finally arrive.
To add insult to injury, at one point Acton’s site listed Blink S as having ready stock for purchase while their international backers still waiting to receive their board.

Blink S and S2 are meant to be the best affordable boards.
However, it took so long for Acton to deliver that, by the time they were out, better budget options like the Meepo and Backfire G2 were already roaming the streets.

It is even more disappointing if you consider that Acton already had a Kickstarter experience (which they somewhat screw up too) under their belt.
Speaking of not learning from experience.

Final Thoughts:

Backing a crowdfunding campaign can be a very tricky ordeal.
Considering the risk mentioned above, most of the time, it is not worth the risk.
However, a successful crowdfunding campaign usually has a few characteristic.

The company/ team had done it successfully before.
Arc, Enertion
The founders are reputable in the Eskate community
Enertion, Riptide
The product already somewhat exist.
Backfire G2, All those Onan clones
It’s not Acton