Backfire Nalu Review – Premium, but only $349

Backfire is no stranger to launching new products through Kickstarter, and they’re doing it again with the Backfire Nalu. Currently priced at $349 on Kickstarter, the Backfire Nalu is an electric shortboard equipped with a surf skate truck.

Unlike most electric skateboards under $400, the Backfire Nalu has a very polished look with four designs to choose from, each with different graphics for the deck and light colors. Beyond its appearance, the Nalu seems to use quality components despite its current low $349 price tag. But first, let’s go over the build and specs, starting with a closer look at the deck.

Backfire Nalu Specs:

Price$349
Battery99Wh Lithium Polymer battery
ControllerHobbywing ESC
Top Speed16 Mph (25 Kph)
Range12.5 miles (20 km)
DeckFibreglass and Maple composite
Motor340W hub motors

Deck

Starting off with the deck, the Nalu’s deck is 30″ in length and 10” in width—a typical size for a shortboard. It features a usable kicktail and a healthy concave for more responsive control.  

They’ve also added shock-absorbing grip tape, which is a nice touch since road vibrations can be particularly harsh on shortboards.

The deck is made from a fibreglass and maple composite, and it’s nice to see anti-collision pads included on the nose and tail to protect the beautiful deck. The transparent pads also allow the icy blue light strip to shine through. 

It’s almost 2025, and it feels like every board now comes with integrated lights! Jokes aside, they definitely turn heads when you’re riding at night. If you’re on the shy side, you can turn off the lights by double-clicking the power button on the remote.

Double-clicking the power button also lets you cycle between three light modes: normal, breathing, and blinking.

For some riders, the ability to “go stealth mode” is exactly what they want from the Backfire Nalu. Thanks to its integrated ESC and battery and quiet, hidden hub motors, the board could easily pass as a regular shortboard. 

Battery

Next, the battery inside the deck is a 99Wh Lithium Polymer battery. Its size makes it flight-friendly, though we recommend double-checking with your airline.

It’s worth noting that Backfire likely opted for a LiPo battery instead of Lithium-Ion to provide more punch in a smaller size. Most boards with deck-integrated batteries use LiPo for this reason. We love Lithium-Ion batteries for their longevity and safety, but Backfire has been using LiPo in boards like the Hammer Sledge, and we haven’t heard any negative reports. So, our concerns seem to have been overblown.

The battery is marketed at a range of 12.5 miles (20 km) on a single charge. It takes 2 hours to fully charge with a standard charger or just 55 minutes with a GaN fast charger.

ESC and Remote

Moving on to the ESC, the Backfire Nalu uses the standard Hobbywing ESC—thankfully.  

We were a bit worried that Backfire might pull an “Exway Ripple” and use a LingYi ESC instead. 

While LingYi ESCs are smooth, especially on casual boards with hub motors, we always prefer the slightly more refined and intuitive control of the Hobbywing ESC, not to mention the better-looking remote that Backfire typically pairs with their boards.  

Motor and Wheels

As for the motors, the Backfire Nalu features a pair of 340W hub motors, and it’s marketed to reach a top speed of 16mph (25km/h). While this isn’t fast by any means, it’s a comfortable cruising speed for sidewalks. The motors are pretty quiet, which fits with the stealth theme.

The Nalu’s wheels are 80mm, which is quite typical for a shortboard. This gives the board a nimble feel but may limit your ride to sidewalks or well-paved roads.

Trucks

One unique aspect of the Nalu is the Surfskate front truck. And it’s not just any surf truck—it’s a forged CNC-precision surf truck. I’m not sure how necessary it is to use such a durable forged truck for something that tops out at 16mph, but I guess Backfire didn’t want to leave any room for accusations of skimping on quality.

Specs Summary of the Backfire Nalu

Many brands have tried to make their shortboards as light as possible. A recent example is the Exway Ripple, which weighs 13.1 lbs (5.9 kg). The Backfire Nalu beats it, weighing just 12.8 lbs (5.8 kg). Both boards are pretty refined, but Backfire uses the Hobbywing ESC, slightly larger 80mm wheels compared to the Ripple’s 75mm, and a Surfskate front truck instead of a traditional reverse kingpin truck like the Ripple.

But I have to say, when it comes to shaving weight, both of these boards lose to our DIY Orbiter Shrink, which weighed only 10 lbs (4.5 kg) and was only slightly less polished.

Riding Experience on the Backfire Nalu

The Backfire Nalu rides as expected, for the most part. Speed control is super smooth. Braking and acceleration are comfortable and intuitive thanks to the Hobbywing ESC.

What takes time to get used to is the Surfskate truck. It could be the short truck hanger or just how Surfskate trucks behave, but when we leaned hard to turn, the board would topple over if we leaned past a certain tipping point. It took us some time to learn that tipping point and to stay within it. 

Once we got past that, we really enjoyed what the board offered, a super nimble and responsive ride. It’s fun to carve with the Nalu, as the trucks are so quick. You can thread through pedestrians with ease. Not that you should, but you could if you wanted to. For even tighter turns, you can always use kick turns. 

The good news is, even with the Surfskate trucks, the Backfire Nalu is completely stable at its top speed, which is not so much of a challenging feat. After all, the top speed is only 16mph.

As expected, road vibration is pretty strong; the shock-absorbing grip tape can only do so much. But we don’t really blame the board for this, as it wasn’t designed for rough roads anyway.

Verdict – Backfire Nalu

So what is the verdict? The Backfire Nalu was designed to be a portable ride that performs well and looks good, and it achieves just that. With forged trucks, excellent build quality, and pretty lights, we predict that the Backfire Nalu will retail for $469 after the crowdfunding campaign ends. So, it’s an amazing value if you can grab it at the current crowdfunding price.

We don’t usually see eye to eye with how Backfire makes their products but we love this one in particular. The Backfire Nalu makes sense to a lot of people. Beginners will find it easy to ride, and veterans will appreciate its agility. And at this current $349 price point, it definitely will sell like hotcakes.

If you are interested in buying the Backfire, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive $5 off during checkout.
It will help you get a small monetary discount and help us out too. On top of that, you’ll be tagged as an Electric Skateboard HQ customer and probably be treated better. Cheers!

Verreal RS Ultra Review – All these for just $999?

It has been a while since Verreal received many spotlights, and our team almost forgot the brand existed. For those unfamiliar with Verreal, it is an affordable brand that has been around since 2018. 

Verreal has had a knack for keeping it simple, only investing in parts that had the most impact on the riding experience, skimping on everything secondary or cosmetic, and passing the end results to the customers at a very low price.

They started with Verreal F1, a fun $400 electric longboard that, despite its simplicity, was unique for using a drop deck and hence gave a fun low-to-the-ground ride feel.

We wrote about Verreal F1 many years ago here.

That being said, we haven’t heard much about the Verreal RS Ultra that we are reviewing today, but we are pretty much expecting the same formula. It retails for $1099 but with our discount code you can snag one for $999. But first, let’s run through the specs.

Verreal RS Ultra Specs:

Price$999
Battery12S4P 725.8Wh Molicel P42A 21700 cells (16.8Ah)
ControllerHobbywing ESC
Top Speed32 Mph (52 Kph)
Range40 miles (60 km)
Deck6-ply Canadian Maple 2- 2-ply Fiberglass, and 2-ply Bamboo
Motor6374, 170kv, Dual 4000W Belt

Deck:

Starting with the deck, the RS Ultra has a double drop deck made from 6-ply Canadian maple 2- 2-ply fiberglass, and 2-ply bamboo. We love double drop decks, and the low-to-the-ground ride feels that double drop decks offer. The deck features a good W concave, which is very comfy and snug for foot placement. 

We were expecting Verreal to skimp out on the quality of the deck, but this one looks like it was made with good material. The board-length enclosure, however, is bad news; it means the board has zero flex and is stiff as hell. While it’s good for those who like the responsive and stable feel of a stiff deck, it is bad news for us, as every team member of ESHQ would much prefer a flexible deck. But on second thought, with such low ground clearance, the board probably couldn’t afford to have flexibility anyway. So maybe this is a feature, not a bug.

Battery :

Next, hiding inside that full-length enclosure is a huge pack of 12s4p molicel P42A.
This means 16.8Ah at 725.8wh, which is a crazy big pack as we only expect 12s3p for a board at $999. And you can’t ask for better quality cells than the trusty Molicel P42A. The $999 package came with a standard 2.5A charger, and for $100 more, you can get the 6A charger, which halves the charging time to under 3 hours.

The Verreal RS Ultra has a marketed range of 40 miles or 60km. For context, this is 20% more range than the $1199 Exway Flex 2 Pro was marketed for with its 12s2p Samsung 50S 432wh battery.

ESC and Remote:

Moving onto the ESC, Verreal has always been sticking with the tried and true Hobbywing ESC which comes with four-speed settings, meaning, it has the exact same smoothness of control as premium brands that are priced a lot higher. For those who are not familiar with Hobbywing ESC, it is the most popular electronic speed controller that’s proven to deliver perfectly smooth and intuitive speed control.  It also has a smart turn-on feature, meaning the board powers on automatically when the remote is turned on. It’s paired with the latest standard Hobbywing Remote, which is pretty comfortable and fairly good-looking.

Top speed locking feature: 

The Verreal RS Ultra provides decent speed control options, with an easy-to-use limiter feature. You can cap the top speed at 20 km/h through a slightly tedious process with the remote, which might be useful if you’re commuting in areas with strict speed limits, like in some European countries. It’s practical, but the method for setting the limit—holding the throttle and tapping a button 10 times—feels a bit clunky. Unlocking the full speed is just as awkward. It gets the job done, but the design could have been a bit more intuitive.

Motor:

As for the motor, the RS Ultra is running on a hefty 6374, 170kv, Dual 4000W belt motor.
These are pretty solid specs for motors and more than capable of providing good torque for an all-terrain setup. We know that for a fact, as they are the exact same motors donned by the infamous Meepo Hurricane, and that board had already made a name for itself as one of the more powerful AT boards.  

Read our review of the Meepo Hurricane here.

It’s marketed to reach a top speed of 32mph (52kmh), which we managed to hit in our tests.

As expected, if you want a bash guard for the motors, they are paid add-on, as Verreal tends to want to trim all the excess fat to keep the price to a minimum.

Trucks and Wheels:

As for the trucks, Verreal went with DKP cast trucks. While we would prefer a forged truck for a board that can go 32mph (52 kph), obviously, Verreal’s priority is to keep the retail price as low as possible. 

Anyways, we hope that this DKP truck is at least amongst the better ones, which can balance ease of turning and stability well. We will find out in our ride test later.

The default setup of the Vereal RS Ultra came with 105mm Mad Wheels V2, but they also offer 150mm pneumatic wheels as an option. This is our first time riding on Mad Wheels, but these wheels have been making a name for themselves lately and many Chinese brands have started to use Mad Wheels as stock options for their mid to premium-priced boards. We look forward to trying them out for the first time.

Specs Summary – of the Verreal RS Ultra:

As we suspected, Verreal sticks to its usual modus operandi and gives us a board with a giant battery & powerful motors that are beyond what was expected at $999. But we were also surprised that we didn’t notice any corner cuts. 

Unlike rubbish brands from Amazon or Aliexpress, Verreal is smart enough to insist on putting the gold standard Hobbywing ESC into their boards. Also, putting Mad Wheels V2 as the stock option wasn’t exactly a cost-cutting move. 

That means as long as the truck is good and the skate parts come together well, the Verreal RS Ultra should be a decent, if not above average ride with amazing range and power.

Riding Experience on the Verreal RS Ultra

It took us just a minute on the board to know Verreal made great choices in putting the board together. 

First, the low-riding height with the double-drop deck plus the double kingpin truck means that this board felt super agile and zappy. 

The Mad Wheels were amazing too, they felt very similar to the Boosted 105s, whose OEM version had been making rounds recently. Maybe the Mad Wheels is even based on that, we were just guessing here But what we do know is that they are super soft and super grippy. They took away 80% of all the road vibrations, something that we thought would’ve been a death sentence to this board considering its full board length enclosure which gives the deck zero flex. With this setup, road vibration is barely felt. We also love the ride feel of its soft, grippy wheels. These soft wheels felt great when carving.

However, the wheels aren’t big enough to give us a safe ground clearance. We bottom out every time we ride over road bumps, and we wonder how long this enclosure is gonna survive, given that we ride in places with quite a lot of bumps. A 120mm wheels may give more leeway, but of course, you could just go with the 150mm pneumatic wheels option and never worry about bottoming out ever.

Another thing that was better than we had expected was the Hobbywing ESC.
We expected Verreal to just “throw in the latest stock Hobbywing ESC and call it a day”, but they seem to also put some good customization into it, and the fastest S+ mode is more powerful than what the default Hobbywing ESC typically feels. This is great as the lower riding height makes it easy to maintain balance; hence, the extra kicks make it extra fun without any downside.

Speaking of balance, we are happy to find that the double kingpin trucks here are amongst the good ones that found a good balance between ease of turning and stability. Carving on the Verreal RS Ultra is really fun, yet we can ride fairly fast at around 28mph (45 kph) without wobbles and without the need to further tighten the trucks.

All in all, when it comes to the riding experience, there’s nothing that we can point to that was the second class to a premium brand. Whether it is the power, manoeuvrability, responsiveness or ride comfort, Verreal RS Ultra is at the same level as any premium board. Thanks to the aggressively low riding height, it is an even more interesting ride compared to most boards.

Verdict of the Verreal RS Ultra:

Verreal has been an afterthought to us for a few years now, so we are pretty surprised by how much we like the RS Ultra. Compared to its quote-unquote full-priced competitors, we didn’t see any obvious flaws with the RS Ultra, except perhaps it went with cast-truck instead of forged trucks. While the board doesn’t have the tip-top polish and packaging and has less bells and whistles than other 2024 boards, like the recent trend of adding RGB lights, our riding experience on it has been nothing but top-tier. Factoring the big battery that it has, we could safely say that, at $1099 ($999 with our discount code, btw), nothing currently beats the value that the Verreal RS Ultra offers.

If you are interested in buying the Verreal, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive $100 off during checkout.
It will help you get a small monetary discount and help us out too. On top of that, you’ll be tagged as an Electric Skateboard HQ customer and probably be treated better. Cheers!

Maxfind Max 5s Review – RGB everything!

This is the Maxfind Max 5s, Maxfind’s latest refresh of their affordable electric skateboard lineup. It’s priced at $499, which is a bit higher than most affordable e-skateboards that usually hover around the low $400 range. This pricing strategy is in line with Maxfind’s approach of setting a slightly higher price but offering better quality parts in exchange.

Maxfind Max 5s Specs:

Price$499
Battery4.4AH 10s2p 18650 cells
ControllerHobbywing ESC
Top Speed23.6 Mph (38 Kph)
Range15.5 miles (25 km)
DeckX Composite deck
Motor650W*2 Hub drive

Deck – X Composite deck:

Starting with the deck, the Maxfind Max 5s uses the same X composite deck as the Max 6, which is said to be stronger than your average Maple and Bamboo composites. It’s a deck with only a slight flex and is pretty narrow. But we do quite like it’s pronounced U-shape concave, which makes foot placement nice and snug. The design of the shock-absorbing grip tape also looks pleasant in our eyes.

This is an integrated deck with hub motors, so it should be one of the most waterproof budget electric skateboards out there. Many eskate have some IP rating; we don’t trust those with our board, but with an integrated electronic and runs on hub motors, we trust the Max 5s IPX5 splashproof rating a little bit more.

Battery –  4.4ah, 10s2p 18650 Cells:

Moving onto the battery, the Maxfind Max 5s is powered by a 4.4AH, 10s2p configuration using 18650 cells. The marketed range is up to 15.5 miles (25km), but in our tests, we managed to achieve only 7.8 miles (12.6km).

This is a bit underwhelming, especially coming off from reviewing the Max 6, which has an extraordinary range. We expect affordable eskates to have at least a 10-mile (16km) tested range, and the Max 5s fell short of that benchmark. 

Maybe, the RGB lights took a small bite out of the battery, affecting the overall range.

Esc And Remote – Hobbywing Esc And Remote:

Next, the Maxfind Max 5s uses the same tried and true Hobbywing ESC as the Max 6. For the remote, it’s likely the standard Hobbywing remote with a custom casing. It has a screen for telemetry, comes with 4 speed settings, and you can also pair it with their mobile app to customize your ride profile.

Motor – Dual 650w Hub Motors:

Moving onto the motors, the Maxfind Max 5s runs on dual 650W hub motors, which is higher than most affordable eskates that typically have around 550W. The marketed top speed is 23.6 mph (38 km/h), which is pretty standard among affordable electric skateboards, and we had no problem hitting this speed during our tests.

Truck and Wheels – 45° Max III Trucks and 90mm PU Wheels:

Next, as for the trucks and wheels, the Maxfind Max 5s uses the same custom 45° Max III Trucks as the Max 6. These are CNC-forged trucks, which are more durable and safer than cast trucks. For some skaters, having a forged truck is a must for safety, and finding one on a $500 board is a big plus for the Max 5s.

However, there is some bad news, too. From our time with the Max 6, we know these trucks weren’t the most responsive and seemed to have a limited range of turning. More on that later.

For the wheels, you get 90mm Polyurethane wheels, which is nothing extraordinary here.

RGB Lights:

The Max 5s also has RGB atmospheric lighting underneath the deck, along the sides.The RGB lights cycle through 3 modes, none of which stay on a single color. You can turn the lights on and off with the remote. It also has a brake light that will turn red when we brake.

Although the lights are not as bright as the LED lights lining the deck, it is still a wonderful addition for a board under $500.

Specs Summary of Maxfind Max 5s:

As we mentioned, Maxfind always prices its board higher than competitors but gives a little bit more in terms of part quality. Max 5s is exactly that. If we judge the Max 5s solely on the motors and battery, it is merely on par with competitors that are priced around $400 and is about $100 overpriced.

However, it does have an interesting integrated composite deck, a safer forged truck, and the RGB ambient light. Even though we already knew the truck wasn’t the most responsive, it is at least durable and safe. And while the lights aren’t the brightest, they do add some spice to the ride.

So, if you value forged trucks and ambient light more than $100, the Max 5s will be pretty good value on paper.

Riding Experience on the Maxfind Max 5s:

The general theme of the Maxfind Max 5s is that it offers an overall comfortable ride but lacks an outstanding personality.

Firstly, the board is comfortable due to the smooth speed control provided by the Hobbywing ESC. As you should already know, Hobbywing ESC is very smooth and precise with both acceleration and braking, giving the industry the gold standard for predictable and smooth control. Plus, the deck’s U-shape concave makes our feet feel snug and secure, adding to the overall comfort.

The torque is respectable for a hub drive. It’s good enough to make the ride fun but not thrilling, and wouldn’t challenge any seasoned riders. Perhaps this is a boon for beginners; you are not likely to hurt yourself with the Max 5s, while it is still plenty strong to go up any incline.

Another aspect that’s good for beginners is the stability of the trucks. This stability makes riding at top speed easy and reassuring. However, the shortfall here is that the trucks are not very responsive and have a limited turning range. We did loosen up the trucks, but it still felt pretty limited. This means the board isn’t the most fun for carving and may feel a bit stiff when trying to make sharper turns.

And about road vibrations, of course, it’s bad. This is expected since the Max 5s is a hub-driven board with a stiffer deck. While the shock-absorbing grip tape helps to some extent, it’s not a game-changer. Road vibrations are about 20% harsher than what we experienced with the Max 6, so you will feel the rougher surfaces more on this board.

Verdict – Maxfind Mas 5s:

It’s not 2017 anymore, and there are plenty of options when it comes to buying an electric skateboard for less than $500. It might sound like a criticism to say that the Max 5s’s best qualities are just its looks, the lights, and perhaps the durability of the deck and the forged truck; however, I’m sure there are people who value these qualities. And, beneath it all, the Max 5s is still a good overall ride.
If you like the looks and need a forged truck, go for it.

If you are interested in buying the Maxfind, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive $25 off during checkout.
It will help you get a small monetary discount and help us out too. On top of that, you’ll be tagged as an Electric Skateboard HQ customer and probably be treated better. Cheers!

Ecomobl Ripper Pro Review – The most affordable electric mountainboard. Period.

Today, we’re reviewing the Ecomobl Ripper Pro, which comes in 2WD and 4WD versions. 

Ecomobl is a brand known for its rugged all-terrain boards at affordable prices. At $1199, the 2WD Ecomobl Ripper Pro is quite literally the most affordable electric mountainboard on the market. As we run through the specs, you’ll see that if you were to buy the parts off the shelf and assemble a mountain board yourself, you’d probably end up spending more than $1199.

Ecomobl Ripper Pro Specs:

Price$1199 (2WD), $1899 (4WD)
Battery12s5p 25AH (1080 Wh)
Controller12s Lingyi ESC
Top Speed30-35 mph / 48-55 kph
Range25-30 miles / 40-50 km
DeckMaple and Fibreglass Composite deck
Motor170kv 6382 Planetary Gear Drive Motors, 3500W each

Ecomobl Ripper Pro Deck – Maple and Fibreglass Composite: 

Let’s start by talking about the deck. The Ecomobl Ripper Pro features a typical mountainboard deck made from a maple and fibreglass composite. As with many mountainboard builds, the battery box is mounted on top of the deck, right in the middle, instead of underneath. This allows the deck to remain flexible while maximizing ground clearance.

As with all mountainboard decks, it has an aggressive camber, giving the deck a good bit of flex, which is essential for off-road performance. The wide concave design makes it comfortable to stand on, providing a snug and secure feeling underfoot.

Since many people ride mountain boards with footbindings, Ecomobl has thoughtfully predrilled the deck for them, with the drill holes neatly covered under the grip tape. This feature adds to the board’s versatility, allowing riders to lean aggressively and maintain control, especially on challenging terrains.

Ecomobl Ripper Pro ESC and Remote – 12s Lingyi ESC: 

For the ESC, Ecomobl went with a 12s ESC, which is most likely a Lingyi ESC. It features the Lingyi signature push-to-turn-on feature instead of the smart power-on feature where you turn on the remote, and the board automatically turns on. As usual, it comes with 4-speed modes and 4 braking modes, which can be adjusted independently. We’ll talk about how they impact the ride later.

However, instead of the typical Lingyi remote, Ecomobl pairs this with one that we haven’t seen before. It gives off the vibe of an RC remote, which I think the DIY community will love. It has all the usual information on it, like speed, ride mode, etc., but it also shows throttle input, which is unique to this remote. What’s not so nice is that the remote screen isn’t bright enough, making it hard to see what’s displayed when the sun is out.

Ecomobl Ripper Pro Battery – 12s5p 1080Wh battery: 

The big black box on top of the deck houses a pack of 12s5p batteries, which are 25AH or 1080 Wh. This is an unusually large battery for the price, rivalling most boards costing $2000. 

The battery box is removable, making it easy to maintain or replace. 

The Ecomobl Ripper Pro is marketed to have a range of 25-30 miles (40-50 km) with a 144 lbs rider. In our tests, we managed to get 24 miles (39 km) with our still relatively lightweight 154 lbs (70 kg) test rider riding fast.

Ecomobl Ripper Pro Motor – 170kv 6382 3500W Planetary Gear Drive Motors : 

As for the motors, the Ripper Pro 2WD is equipped with its signature planetary gear drives. These are 170kv 6382 motors, rated at 3500 watts each. We are familiar with them from our time with the Ecomobl Telum, and they are powerful. It’s marketed to do 30-35 mph (48-55 kph), and in our test, we hit 32 mph (52 kph), right in the middle of the marketed numbers.

Ecomobl Ripper Pro Truck And Wheels – 20 Inch Suspension Trucks:

The board uses super-wide 20-inch trucks, which are CNC forged and should be durable enough for off-road abuse. The front lights are conveniently built into the front trucks and are functionally bright, making them actually useful. 

Like many off-road mountainboards, the truck uses spring suspensions. This often makes the board tough to turn for featherweight riders like us but incredibly stable for straight lines and off-road terrains. 

One way to remedy the turning problem is by installing footbindings, which will allow you to lean aggressively and use more of your body weight to turn the board.

Speaking of weight, the board is incredibly heavy, weighing in at 39 lbs (17.7 kg).

So if you were thinking of jumping with the footbindings to turn, you’ll need to make sure you’re not skipping leg days. 

Unlike some of the older Ecomobl boards, which use airless wheels, the Ripper Pro comes with 7-inch pneumatic wheels, which should provide a softer ride compared to airless wheels.

Ecomobl Ripper Pro Spec Summary: 

It’s clear that Ecomobl wants to offer the best value-for-money electric mountainboard. A 12s5p battery, planetary gear drive, and CNC parts for just $1199 is awesome.

For example, the Evolve Bamboo GTR, which we considered the best value all-terrain board now that it’s on sale at $1199, only has a 12s4p battery and regular belt drives. 

And, the Backfire Ranger X3, which we love and has the exact $1199 price tag, also only has a 12s3p battery. 

While we are aware that leading brands for all-terrain builds like Propel and Acedeck have more refined products, Ecomobl was all about giving you the same specs while asking for half the price.

So, Ecomobl is cheap, relatively, but what’s the catch?

Ecomobl Ripper Pro Riding Experience: 

If you’re familiar with the Ecomobl Telum or any old Ecomobl boards, the Ripper feels very similar but a bit more refined.

Ecomobl feels like a raw beast. I’ve never driven a monster truck or a jeep before, but I’d imagine they share the same ride feel. Meaning – very powerful, with very strong torque, but the acceleration and braking are jerky. We have to say that we’re a little disappointed at the rawness of the speed control, as we’ve seen how the latest Lingyi ESC can be smooth yet powerful, but this one remains unrefined.

It’s also hard to maintain the board at the same speed when riding fast, as the drive system has significant drag, and merely easing off the throttle feels like braking. It may throw you off if you’re not expecting the forward momentum to halt.

Experienced riders will get used to this quickly, and some may even love the rawness of the speed control, but not us. 

Another reason I describe it as a truck is that it’s not easy to turn. We’re not expecting a mountainboard to be easy to turn, but even after loosening the trucks, this is still one of the hardest boards to turn. Making L turns at intersections is challenging for us, but if you weigh more than 180 lbs (80 kg), you might find the truck just right.

Even with all that criticism, the Ripper Pro still excels at what it was designed to do: tackle unpaved paths. The planetary gear drives are strong enough to handle off-road hiking trails with ease, allowing you to both climb them and stop on an incline.

The flexible mountainboard deck, the 7-inch pneumatic wheels, and the suspension in the trucks work together to eliminate any vibrations you’d feel on bad roads while keeping the board stable when riding fast on off-road terrain.

Verdict: 

Let’s put it this way. The premium brands in the off-road category right now are Propels and Acedecks. Their $2000 boards handle off-road incredibly well while also being smooth and responsive enough to be fun regular city rides. The same can’t be said about the Ecomobl Ripper Pro. It’s not refined, smooth, or responsive enough to be a regular city ride, but it still does off-road well and costs only half as much.

If you want to get into electric mountainboarding, Ecomobl is a good way to enter. It has a decent build, a good-looking design, and practical integrated head and taillights. It’s not perfect, but it sure as hell is the most affordable option available.

If you are interested in buying the Ecomobl, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive $50 off during checkout.
It will help you get a small monetary discount and help us out too. On top of that, you’ll be tagged as an Electric Skateboard HQ customer and probably be treated better. Cheers!

Voyager Limited X Review

Today, we are reviewing the Meepo Voyager X Limited which started as a limited version of the Meepo Voyager X but will not be a limited edition board. This version comes with some upgrades, including swapping the belt drive for a gear drive, adding some flair with the LED strip along the deck, and an updated ESC and remote pairing.

We are usually not too excited about the facelift version of products we’ve already reviewed but we liked the original Voyager X, which was a polished ride capable of explosive torque upon the push of the throttle. We didn’t think a few upgrades would be worth a revisit, but boy, were we wrong. The X Limited has so much to offer.

Read our review of the OG Meepo Voyager X here.

Voyager Limited X Specs:

Price$1099
Battery12S3P Molicel P42A 544Wh
Controller12s Lingyi ESC
Top Speed23.6 Mph (38 Kph)
Range15.5 miles (25 km)
DeckBamboo and Fibreglass Composite deck
Motor6358 Dual 2800W gear drive

Deck – Bamboo and Fibreglass Composite:

Starting with the deck, this one is very similar to the Voyager X, which is a comfortable deck that we liked. It is made of a bamboo and fibreglass composite that has good flexibility. The Voyager X Limited keeps the pleasing design of the original Meepo Voyager but adds a nice-looking ambient LED strip along the edge of the deck which gives it a bright golden halo around the board.

The deck has a medium flex and a nice wide concave, making our feet feel nice and snug.

ESC and Remote – 12s Lingyi ESC and M6s remote: 

Next, for the ESC, Meepo went with a 12s Lingyi ESC, which has a push-to-turn-on feature. Meepo paired it with the new M6s remote, which comes with a new functionality allowing in-depth customization of top speed and acceleration strength. These are very nice features, especially when the Lingyi ESC was already capable of super powerful acceleration that not everyone can master, but there are also a few things we didn’t like.

The remote feels cheap and plasticky and lacks the typical silicone grip on the enclosure. But what’s more annoying is you have to double-click the buttons to change the speed, which does take some getting used to.

Motor – 6358 Dual 2800w Gear Drive:

As for the motors, the X Limited is equipped with some hefty 6358 Dual 2800W gear drive motors. As we all know, gear drives are some of the strongest types of e-skate motors, and these are advertised to be able to hit a top speed of 37 mph (60 kph), which is pretty crazy. You have to move over to all-terrain territory to find boards that can go that fast, and certainly not at this price.

In our test, we didn’t have the guts to go THAT fast, but we can certainly say that the board gets to 31 mph (50 kph) with ease and looks like it has no problem getting to 37 mph. It’s scarily fast!

Battery – 12S3P Molicel P42A 544Wh: 

Moving on to the battery, the X Limited runs on a solid 12S3P Molicel P42A 544Wh battery, the exact same one as the Meepo Voyager X. This board is marketed to have a range of up to 30.5 miles (49 km) and in our tests, we managed to rack up 30 miles (48 km) with our 154 lbs (70 kg) rider riding fast. These are great results and very similar to the range we got from the OG Voyager X. We were expecting the change to a gear drive might give better range, as it should be more efficient, but I guess any fuel saved from eliminating the belt has been offset by using more powerful motors.

Truck and Wheels – Forged, of course: 

Next, for the truck and wheels, Meepo went with their own forged 50-degree Reverse Kingpin Shredder trucks. We came to expect forged trucks for boards that cross the $1000 mark, as boards at this price are capable of going really fast, and die-cast trucks are less durable and can even pose a safety risk.

Meepo also kept the motor mount part of the truck in silver steel color, as if to make it clear that these are forged trucks. I personally like the look; some don’t.

The Voyager X Limited came with some white 90mm 78A wheels. It’s graded as 78A, but it doesn’t feel that soft. More on that later.

The board weighs in at 24 lbs or 11 kg.

Meepo Voyager X Limited Spec Summary:

For $1099, the Voyager X Limited has the craziest top speed in the $1000 category. Its range is pretty great for the price too.

If you compare it to the Voyager X, which is still selling at $949, picking this X Limited version is definitely a no-brainer. The gear drive upgrade itself is perhaps worth the $200 extra, and on top of that, you get the pretty ambient lights, the latest ESC which allows for in-depth ride profile customization, and a fast charger.

It’s no wonder the Voyager X Limited has been running out of stock. It is too fast, too pretty, and too much value to be selling at $1099. But does it have a ride quality that matches the looks and specs? Let’s hit the road and see how it rides.

Riding Experience of the Meepo Voyager X: 

Meepo has traditionally designed their boards to be fast and aggressive, and it is immediately clear to us that they went to another level with the Voyager X Limited. If you’re a newbie or someone who just prefers to ride slow and safe, this is not the board for you. It’s not that the board is incapable of a smooth and easy ride, but you will be wasting what the Voyager Limited is capable of. Riding slow on a Voyager Limited is like buying a muscle car just for commuting to work, and the Voyager X Limited is indeed the muscle car of the e-skate world.

To illustrate how much muscle the board has, we tried mini drag races with motorcycles and won with the Voyager Limited, no cap. Its punch rivals some of the four-wheel drives we tested.

Regarding speed control, the first two modes of this Lingyi ESC are as smooth and intuitive as the gold standard set by Hobbywing ESCs. The third and fourth modes are very aggressive by default, with less linear acceleration and more of an exponential acceleration ramp. By default, the fourth mode is just bonkers. You really need to brace yourself and press hard on your front foot upon pulling the throttle, as this is definitely a treat for speed demons. You can go with the second mode if you want a more relaxed ride or obviously cop out by tuning down the acceleration strength from the remote.

This is a very powerful board; fortunately, it also has good trucks capable of harnessing that power. The CNC Forged Shredder trucks are outstanding. Stable at high speed, and precise and responsive for carving.

The deck also adds to the carving fun. While the board specializes in torque and speed, this does not take away from how comfortable the board is on a regular chill ride. Its medium flex, comfortable concave, and responsive trucks come together really well, and we enjoy riding the Voyager Limited slow almost as much as we enjoy rocketing off with it.

Now, it sounds much like an ad for the board, so let’s shift gears to talking about what we don’t like about it. First of all, these are not our favorite wheels in the world. They are similar to Boa wheels, we guess? They are too hard for our liking and don’t feel as grippy. We would much prefer Meepo to equip the board with their Cyclone 105mm wheels, which are soft and sweet. The Voyager is not bad at reducing road vibration, but going with soft grippy 105mm wheels would improve it that much more.

We already said we don’t like the remote, but we also much prefer the smart power-on of a Hobbywing ESC versus the push-to-start feature of the Lingyi ESC.

Verdict: 

I think the Meepo Voyager X Limited is a winner. On paper, it packs great specs for the price it’s asking. Great battery, over-the-top top speed, beautiful lights, and it even comes with a fast charger. On the road, it is as enjoyable as any premium board to ride slow and carve around; yet it blows everyone out of the park when it comes to exhilarating acceleration and crazily ‘unsafe’ top speed.

If you like powerful electric skateboards, this one is for you. Do ride safely though!

If you are interested in buying the Meepo, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive $10 off during checkout.
It will help you get a small monetary discount and help us out too. On top of that, you’ll be tagged as an Electric Skateboard HQ customer and probably be treated better. Cheers!