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While Florida has proven a large e-boarding hotspot behind California and New York, the up and coming city of Tampa has proven a true hotspot for e-boarders. With a lot of downtown development and new routes to carve, enjoy wonderful views and open riding trails under the sun! For the Tampa based e-riders, check out our top 5 best e-board locations in the Tampa Bay area:
#1 Bayshore Drive – The Perfect Coastal Ride
One of the longest rides in Tampa Bay, Bayshore Drive spans all the way from Ballast Point, past the wonderful homes and vast skyline, to the harbor of Channel Sides Spearman’s Wharf. With wide sidewalks and a not-so busy main road, Bayshore drive is well paved and is suited for both Street Wheels and AT Model riders.
Though the Global Bestsellers, Evolve e-boards are a common sighting amongst e-board groups in Tampa, you’ll find a truly diverse group of models cruising down the coastline at all times. At roughly 10 miles each way, Bayshore makes for the perfect mid to long range ride for your weekend ride or weekly commute to the University of Tampa!
#2 Davis Island Tampa
Davis island is a gem of Tampa’s downtown extension. A short ride over the bridge from the Lightning Stadium, Davis island is an environmental paradise. Boasting unique bird species, wonderful bays and beaches, as well as castle like homes that once belonged to Hollywood’s most famous.
Davis Island is a great place to test your All-Terrain electric skateboard on light sand and loose debris as you near closer to Davis Island Beach and Yacht Club. Perfect for riders with short range eboards as well or beginners looking for a quiet place to learn.
#3 Gulf Boulevard – Clearwater Beach
Clearwater Beach is one of the most stunning e-board locations in the World. Watch the stunning sunrise or sunset with sky-line free crystal-clear views and white sandy beaches. Built for pedestrian’s, and an ideal ride outside of rush hour times, Gulf Boulevard is the perfect location to cruise at low speed to stay safe and ride for 10+ miles without a single turn!
Featuring easy-access to the cool and trendy St Pete, take a few turns inland and experience a massive change in culture! Ride past incredible murals by famous artists, stop for a Cuban sandwich from a hole in the wall and cruise past the famous First Friday party scene!
#4 Downtown Tampa & Channel District
Undergoing a $3 Billion development plan, Channel side has changed dramatically in the past 3-4 years and so has the development of Downtown. A financial hub for Florida and brand-new developments being built by the dozens, Tampa’s once small downtown has turned into a true hub for commuters to feel like they’re amongst a bright and flashy downtown. With new restaurants, pop-ups, hole in the walls, posh restaurants and a University right in the city center, downtown and Channel side is a real urban paradise.
While the majority of downtown is well paved, cobble streets are featured, perfect for those riding with AT wheels or Cloud Wheel e-boards. The University of Tampa remains a tropical paradise and a great location for riders on penny boards looking to zip through campus so they’re not late for class (again!). Ybor city is also just around the corner and Tampa’s Cuban cultural hub for riders looking to skate past a retro and hip miniature New Orleans!
#5 Honeymoon Island State Park
Although quite the distance from Tampa City limits, Honeymoon island is an ecological paradise. Combine the perfect day at the beach with the perfect e-board ride. A tropical island in the Gulf, Honeymoon island remains part-pedestrianized and quiet without commuters, making it perfect for e-boarders looking to escape the traffic.
All-Terrain trails, grassy paths and even a road circuit for carving, take your e-board and experience riding in the jungle with the added benefit of a dip in the Ocean. Ideal for riders with AT Boards.
Electric Boarding Company – Tampa
With a full collection of electric skateboards, pay a visit to EBC for the perfect electric skateboard. Boasting the full Evolve collection available in-store and online, the boys and girls at EBC can provide you with the perfect e-board locations in the Tampa Bay region.
Working closely with 2 riding groups in the area, Tampa has proven a true growth point for passionate riders looking for the perfect ride!
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Our Location!
8503-B Sunstate Street
Tampa, FL 33634
Opening Hours – 9am to 5pm ET
To schedule a pick up please send us an email or give us a call at 1-877-347-5283
North America is beginning to ice over, the days are getting darker and shorter, and the majority of eskaters are packing it in and getting tucked into their computer chairs, preparing to argue with each other on Reddit for the next 5 months.
(Yes, this is where I live and yes, I did ride that day)
This is also the time of year when the hardy among us get in some of the most intense, exciting, fun, and at times, serene rides of our lives. I am a staunch advocate for eskating in the winter time. There is something strangely satisfying about floating down the street on my EUC alongside banks of snow, while surrounded by Christmas lights, with the smell of a wood fire lingering in my helmet.
Of course, this is not possible with your run-of-the-mill outfit. The clothing required for winter riding must be as specialized, hardy and deliberate as the brave men and women who choose to ride in these conditions.
Seeing as this is my third winter commuting in New England snow, I figured it was about time that I begin to share some of the knowledge that I have gained over the past couple of seasons. It’s tough enough to ride along through the cold nights of winter, so let me try to make that journey a little less cold, and lonely, by sharing my experiences with winter gear so that you can learn from my mistakes and excel from my successes (and look at that sweet, sweet gear porn)
(Boston rider “Ghost” was happy to snap his winter load-out for our guide)
To kick-off the guide, I will start by talking about the core of every winter warrior’s arsenal, the jacket. But not to worry! In future weeks, we will go on to tackle the topics of gloves, shoes, pants, and head-wear.
The Jacket
(Rarely captured footage of the NYC eskate crew voguing)
I have seen winter eskaters in all manner of jackets, from the thin flexible Columbia fleece, to the giant Canada Goose Arctic Expedition parka.
For the purposes of this guide, I will try to call out the features that I find make the best eskate jacket, rather than the particular models of jacket that I recommend (though I will give some specific recommendations as well).
The Must-Have List:
The perfect eskate jacket should have the following features:
-Cuts wind -Insulates you to keep warm (down is key here) -Covers and seals at your neck -Covers some of your upper leg -Resists abrasion if (god forbid) you take a digger on some stone-cold asphalt -Is waterproof
Since wearing a full-face helmet is one of the easiest ways to keep your head warm during cold weather riding, a hooded jacket is not necessary, and may even get in your way unnecessarily. I personally recommend looking to cold-weather motorcycle and snowmobiling jackets for eskate purposes. These jackets typically feature warm, wind-proof design with a tight fit around the neck, and occasionally have some armor built in as well.
Baby, are you down, down, down, down, down.
With regards to warmth, down is king. Pound-for-pound, down is warmer than synthetic material, which means that less can be used to keep you warm. This means a jacket filled with down will be warmer than if the same amount of synthetic insulation were used and allows you to be lighter and less bulky on your commute.
Some things to keep in mind:
-If your jacket features flaps on the side of the hood with buttons on them (such as in the above image), they will flap against the side of your helmet at speeds over 20 mph and drive you insane. Ask me how I know.
Some motorcycle jacket manufacturers *ahem* Revzilla *cough* insist on adding these, non-removable, “features” to their motorcycle jackets, so it is important to keep an eye out for these flaps when purchasing a jacket online or in-store.
-If your jacket has tight fitting or bulky cuffs, you may be unable to comfortably fit gauntlet-style gloves into/over them. Typically sizing up your jacket from what you normally buy will prevent this issue (and leave you some room for additional base layers.
-Days get shorter in the winter, so you may find yourself riding in darker conditions more often. Choosing a coat in a brighter color, or finding a model with reflective piping can be the difference between a driver seeing you on a dark roadway or not.
My Recs:
I have had particularly good luck with the following jackets:
The Fly Racing Snow Outpost Jacket This jacket features a very warm, snow-mobile centric design that keeps wind out, particularly well at the neck, and features reflective piping and bright colors that will make you stand out like THE GODDAMN SUN when car headlights hit you. No, I am not exaggerating, this jacket makes you look like a part of an EDM festival at night, and remains quite visible during the day (at least in the bright orange color that I chose).
It also features reinforced seams as well as reinforced panels to prevent wear from (it’s like they made this for eskating) backpack straps, as well as on the elbows and forearms. This jacket also has one of the best collars for eskaters that I have had the pleasure of using. It comes up nice and high to meet the bottom of your helmet, and features insulation all the way to the edge of the collar. This ensures that your neck is toasty warm and that pesky, cold winter air has even less space to get in. I ride with this jacket into 10-20 degree fahrenheit conditions without issue.
When winter gets REALLY cold, I always find myself turning to this coat. With a temperature rating from -34° to -5° Fahrenheit, a 100% waterproof shell with seam-sealing, and 600 fill power down with a downproof quilted lining, this jacket is a godsend. The 100% nylon shell ensures that it will stand the test of time and abrasions that you might run into on the road. The ample pockets ensure that you have room for all of your eskate gizmos and gadgets (I hardly ever need to bring a backpack along with this jacket).
All of these features are great, but one of the best features of this jacket is its optional “Tall” cut. I HIGHLY recommend that you get this jacket in a “Tall”, unless you are fairly short, as it extends the bottom of the jacket to cover some of the user’s upper leg as well. One of the biggest problems with riding at-speed in the winter is wind-chill, and the part of your body that will feel this the most, from my experience, is the front of your thighs. Having a jacket that can cover up this key vulnerability is an invaluable tool for an eskater, and a feature that makes this jacket the core of my winter arsenal
TL;DR
Get a coat that:
Is long/large enough to make room for layers and covers your waist
Is abrasion resistant
Blocks wind
Is waterproof
Has goose down for maximum warmth
Covers your neck and seals tightly to prevent wind egress
Has bright colors and/or reflectors for nighttime visibility
Does not have the “hood flaps of doom”
As always, I would love to hear your thoughts on winter commuter gear. Feel free to comment on this article with your favorite pieces of winter gear and I will make sure to include them in the guide.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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?
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
ACTON Blink Qu4tro
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
Edit: Chart updated at 9/6/17 after a few error were pointed out by fellow Redditor. Correction made: Arc Board range, Metroboard speed. Marbel 2.0 charted. Motor type included in the graph as suggested by /u/tm0587. Any other error please do let me know in the comments, thank you!
There are so many electric skateboards out on the market right now, that it is very difficult to compare board to board even on a narrow dimension such as only the speed and range. Thanks to the spreadsheet made public by /u/Eboarding, I made a few charts to help visualize the state of electric skateboard right now.
Top speed VS range, in metric units. Click to enlarge.
Top speed VS range, in freedom units. Click to enlarge.
There were only 3 things shown in the chart. The top speed of the board, the range of the board and the weight of the board. (Weight was shown as the size of the bubble.) Sadly, I couldn’t include other factors into a single chart, such as the type of motor, is the battery exchangeable, is the board waterproof and other features.
Acton(green bubble) have boards covering all market segment, ranging from the cheap and small Blink Lite to the higher end Blink QU4TRO.
Unlike Acton, Evolve(grey bubble) covers middle to the upper market segment and not the lower segment.
Best value per dollar?
I was curious what electric skateboard give the best value per dollar performance wise.
So I used a simple formula (Top Speed+Range)/Price to plot another chart comparing boards.
Granted, this was a very crude way to measure performance not to mention the quality of the board and the features of the boards were not considered. Even if not completely useful, it is interesting.
PS: Comparing just top speed and price yield a similar graph.
Crude as it is, something interesting can be seen here:
It won’t surprise anyone that generic board such as Genesis Hellfire, LiftBoard were among best performers per dollar.
Yuneec E-go2 was well known for its cheap price and good range, so it is no surprise that it is one of the best value board on the chart.
The Mellow has high aspiration on quality and hence comes with a hefty price. Hence, it was expected to have the poorest performance/price ratio.
Arc board is the most premium small board of all, probably the best in quality too.
Walnutt Spectra Mini promised a lot for its price and size. That’s why I backed one. Let’s hope it doesn’t over promise and under deliver.
I hope the charts somewhat helps you to have an idea on the boards that are available right now, and help you make a buying decision.
As electric skateboards are continuing to evolve, in the world (and airports), the guidance from a variety of airlines on this subject matter is extremely vague, to put it bluntly.
Hoverboards Wreak Havoc on the No-Fly List
To makes matters worse, There are approximately 100 accidents reports stating that battery packs in self-balancing scooters AND hoverboards get too hot. And with the dangers of sparks, fire, and explosions, it’s no wonder 60 airlines have banned hoverboards from being brought aboard.
Thanks a lot, Hoverboard. (Another reason why electric skateboards are better than Hoverboards)
But fear not! Electric Skateboards still have a chance!
2017 is the year of electric skateboard crowdfunding.
