Category: Electric Skateboard Reviews

Posted on by Paxson Lim

Beastboard Viper Review – 12s4p and a Special Sauce.

If you have the habit of hanging out in Eskate Facebook groups, I bet you have seen a variety of meme ads by Beastboard. Well, Beastboard is a newer Chinese brand looking to get some traction in the market. As is always the case, you can expect good value for your money from a brand trying to establish its name, as long as you can also stomach the uncertainty when it comes to after-sales service.

Today, we are reviewing the Beastboard Viper, a $600 electric skateboard that packs a lot of punches.

Beastboard Viper Review

To get a clear picture, let’s run through the specs real quick.

Deck

The Beastboard Viper uses a 7-Layer Canadian Maple generic deck that’s commonly found on entry-level boards in the $400 range. It has only a little bit of flex to it and has zero concaves.

Trucks & Windwheels

While the Viper uses generic trucks, the wheel it uses is anything but generic.

Windwheel, it’s called. These unique 110mm wheels are the highlight of the board and the most memorable part of the brand. It has a honeycomb look that might make some uncomfortable but promises a comfortable ride. More on that later.

Electronic Speed Controller & Remote

As for the electronics, the Viper uses a 12s Hobbywing ESC, which means it comes with the latest Hobbywing remote that can read board telemetry.

Battery & Range

For the battery, it rocks a beefy pack of 12s4p 432wh batteries, but then cuts costs by going with generic 25R cells. Well, I can’t complain, they have to make the price work somehow. This gives the Viper a marketed range of 22 miles (36km), but we could only hit 20 miles (33km) in our test. Still very good.

Motors & Top speed

The Viper also uses a good pair of 6065 5255 motors that were rated as 750W each. This gives a marketed top speed of 28mph (46kmh). We almost hit that top speed, just missed by a hair, so… almost.

What to think about the specs & parts?

In short, you can think of the Beastboard Viper as a budget board on steroids. The skate parts are pretty generic, but the 12s4p battery with corresponding 12s Hobbywing ESC are specs you expect to find on a board over $800. This duo promises great performance on both power and range, the remaining question would be on the riding experience, so let’s start with what the weird windwheels bring to the table.

Riding Experience with Windwheels

The Windwheels are Beastboard’s proprietary wheels that have this squishy honeycomb pattern. Individually they are priced at $159 per set. We were frankly very cynical of the windwheel design before the test and were expecting it to be just a gimmick. After all, the design isn’t very elegant, and putting holes into the wheels to make them soft seems to be such a primitive idea.

As it turns out, Windwheels are exactly what they were designed to be: 110mm wheels that take away bumps and cracks on the road. We think they are even better than Cloudwheels when it comes to softening the ride on rough roads, making the Beastboard Viper a very comfortable ride on rough roads even when the stiff deck doesn’t contribute anything to vibration dampening.

The windwheels have a fairly narrow surface area for contacting the ground, meaning that they will spin-out when starting from a stand-still in some off-road situations. However, the surface area is definitely big enough for most grass, gravel, and dirt roads situations.

While the wheels are a highlight, the other skate parts are pretty average and doesn’t contribute much to riding experience.

The other parts, as we said, are pretty average.

First of all, paired with the wheels are a set of generic reverse kingpin trucks that are decent. Carving with the Viper is not as fun as carving on something with branded trucks and a flexy deck. The deck also doesn’t have any concave to it, so our feet don’t feel the deck as well as we would like.

While the skate parts are pretty average, we like the electronic parts that the Beastboard Viper uses. The 12s Hobbywing ESC gives the perfect smoothness in speed control that everyone expected it would. Pairing a 12s ESC with big motors gives the board a super-powerful torque too, to the point where you need to be careful hitting the throttle when riding on the highest mode. Just because it’s smooth doesn’t mean it doesn’t pack a huge punch.

While the 12s4p battery pack is not using the most amazing cells, (generic 25R), just by the virtue of their large size we didn’t notice much voltage sag on this one.

Verdict:

The Beastboard Viper, for the price of $599, will get you an amazingly specced board that has amazing torque, good range, and smooth speed control. It’s a semi-AT board that can handle the roughest roads and can occasionally go off-road as well.

If that’s what you want and you are willing to, one, put up with average skate parts, which is something you can tinker with yourselves; and two, be amongst the first customers of a new brand, Beastboard Viper is a great deal. It indeed, is a beast of a board.

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

Posted on by Paxson Lim

Backfire G2 Galaxy 2020 Review – It’s getting crowded.

Let me guess, you were probably looking for a budget electric skateboard when you found the Backfire G2 Galaxy, 2020 version (the one with the Sony VCT6 Battery). If so, you might have wondered: what’s the difference between this Backfire G2 Galaxy, with a promotional price of $469, and the $60 cheaper Backfire G2 Black? And how does this compare to what we consider the defacto best budget board of 2020 – the Wowgo Knight, which also is priced at $469?

Well, to be clear about the comparison, let’s first look at the specs of the Backfire G2 Galaxy 2020.

Backfire G2 Galaxy 2020 review

Deck

The Backfire G2 Galaxy uses an 8-Layer Canadian Maple deck, identical to the one on the G2 Black. It only has a mild flex and a mild concave, again similar to the G2 Black.

Trucks, motors and wheels

The trucks are the same Backfire proprietary trucks; the motors are the same 400W dual hub motors, and the wheels are the same big 96mm wheels with 78A durometer. Even the weight of the board is the same, at 17lbs (7.8kg).

What’s different for the Backfire G2 Galaxy is the battery and the ESC.

Batteries & Range

The G2 Galaxy uses a Sony VTC6 battery in the 10s2p configuration. This gives a size of 6Ah and 216wh, which also means that the G2 Galaxy has one of the largest batteries you can find amongst entry-level boards selling below $500. Backfire gives the G2 Galaxy a marketed range of 15miles (24km), and we managed to hit that with our range test.

Electronic Speed Controller & Top Speed

Besides having a bigger battery, the only other difference is that the G2 Galaxy has a better, Customized, Hobbywing Electronic Speed Controller. This allows the G2 Galaxy to have a turbo mode and a higher top speed of 26mph (42kmh). We were able to hit this too, barely.

Now, that we have gone through the ingredients, let’s talk about how the food tasted.

Riding Experience of Backfire G2 Galaxy 2020

Riding the G2 Galaxy is very similar to riding the G2 Black. This means smooth acceleration and smooth braking, thanks to the Hobbywing ESC.

The G2 Galaxy has a 3rd Turbo mode which can be activated by pressing the Turbo button. With the turbo mode, you get an even stronger acceleration that’s still as smooth as it can be. This turbo mode has no time-out or cooldown period so it’s essentially just the third mode for the board.

Besides the upgrade in torque and the extra turbo mode, the other aspects of the G2 Galaxy are exactly the same as the G2 Black; so those who have already seen our review of the G2 Black will find me repeating myself here.

Maneuvrebility

Unlike their premium line-up, the G2 Galaxy and G2 Black are both NOT using Caliber II trucks, but instead, they feature Backfire’s own proprietary trucks. They pale in comparison to branded trucks and came in on the tighter side. After loosening them up a bit, we would still say this truck veers towards being more stable than carve-y. It’s not extraordinary for carving, but great for cruising at high speed.

Combining these trucks with the stiff deck, these two are more geared towards stability, something that I suppose would be a priority for newcomers to this hobby.

Road vibration

With that said, combining the stiff deck with the dual hubs can also be a recipe for an uncomfortable ride on rough roads. Thank goodness it has big, 96mm, wheels or it could’ve been worse.

Verdict:

So, what do we think about the Backfire Galaxy G2 2020, especially when compared to the G2 Black and the Wowgo Knight?

Well… This is what we think:

The Wowgo Knight has better trucks and an important, awesome feature in smart-power-on – where the board turns on automatically when you power on the remote. This makes us like the Wowgo Knight more.

The Backfire G2 Galaxy has a bigger battery, and this gives you 3 extra miles (5km) of range compared to the Wowgo Knight. Also, when it comes to post-sales service, I would say Backfire has a slight edge in that aspect.

So, when should you consider Backfire G2 Black? Well, if the extra range, speed, and torque of the G2 Galaxy is of no use to you, why pay extra for it?

There’s your answer, hope this helps!

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

Posted on by Paxson Lim

Ownboard AT 1W Review – Good Evolve clone?

The Ownboard AT1W is a board that hasn’t been talked about much, beyond how it stole its graphic design from the Evolve GTR. If you look past the design shenanigans, the Ownboard AT1W is actually a pretty beefy board worthy of some attention!

Ownboard AT-1W Review

  • Deck Size: 39-inch (99cm)
  • Top Speed: 25mph (45kmh)
  • Range: 24miles (40km)
  • Battery Pack: 432Wh (Sanyo GA in a 10s4p, 14Ah)
  • Weight: 27.5lbs/ 12.5kg
  • Motor: 2 x 1200W hub motors.
  • Wheels: 105mm rubber wheels
  • Price: 799 USD
  • Features:
    • Remote with Telemetry,
    • Swappable Wheel Sleeves

Beyond just copying the grip tape design, Ownboard also kept most of the Evolve formula – using a double kingpin truck, Double drop deck, and a 10s4p battery configuration.  The battery cells on this one, however, are Sanyo GA, and the total pack is 432wh in size.

And the ESC it uses is the widely popular Hobbywing ESC.

The Ownboard AT1W uses 105mm rubber wheels and powers itself with two 1200W hub motors. This yields a top speed of 25mph (45kmh) and a range of 24miles (40km).

In short, you can think of the AT1W is as an Evolve Bamboo GTR with 105mm rubber wheels and hub motors. Obviously, as the AT1W uses hub motors, there is no way to convert it to pneumatic AT wheels.

So you might be thinking: there are many many Evolve clones out there, so why should someone care about this one in particular? Well, the Ownboard AT1W is definitely one of the more affordable Evolve clone, and $799 is a good price for any eskate with 10s4p battery. What I meant to say is that Ownboard AT1W looks good on paper, and what we are trying to know is if it is also good to ride.

First, let’s talk about the numbers.

Numbers & Performance:

Range:

The 10s4p 432wh Sanyo GA batteries did hit the full range of 24miles or 40km it promised. However, we can’t verify the marketed top speed, which is 25mph(45kmh), as the board was too wobbly for us to comfortably reach that speed. That’s is even after tightening the Double kingpin trucks all the way down.

Top Speed:

We aborted our test at 21mph (35kmh) and called it a day. The board definitely can hit the marketed top-speed 25mph (45kmh), it just that we as the rider couldn’t. We will talk more about the truck letter,

Riding Experience

Speed Control – Buttery Smooth

So, let’s talk about the riding experience. First, let’s talk about speed control. The Ownboard AT1W uses a customized Hobbywing ESC, similar to their other products. That means buttery smooth speed change with fairly good strength in the brakes. Unlike the Exway and Wowgo boards, there is no smart-power-on for this one, which is too bad.

Torque – Sufficient but not very powerful

Many of us love to hate the 10s set-up as it bottlenecks the torque, especially when combined with hub motors and big wheels. As that is exactly what the AT1W is, it’s no surprise that the torque on this one isn’t amazing. While going uphill wasn’t an issue for us, we had issues when trying to ride it off roads. For example, when we are riding it on thick grass, the board was unable to start from a standstill due to the lack of torque. This will probably be a dealbreaker for those who really love torque.

Manoeuvrability – Twitchy trucks

As I mentioned just now, this pair of double kingpin truck Ownboard uses is not great. You see, when it comes to double kingpin trucks on an eskate; some brands did get it right, but many didn’t, and those who didn’t get it right usually end up with wobbly trucks. Ownboard’s double kingpin trucks are obviously the latter, and in our opinion, this is the most significant weakness of the AT1W. It has poor return to center, so when you make a turn, it doesn’t rebound back and help you recenter. The lack of rebound also means it doesn’t help to stay centered. Of course, the double kingpin trucks do allow a small turning radius for tight turns – so there’s that.

The flaw with the truck is such a shame, as the rest of the board is very likable.

Vs Road vibration – great

Underneath the pretty grip tape, there is a wide deck with moderate flex and a comfortable concave. Our feet felt pretty comfortable on the deck. The flex of the deck, the drop through set-up, and big 105mm wheels also means that road vibration is pretty well absorbed, and riding on the rough road is actually alright.

The 105mm rubber wheels did their job well and will roll over most terrain, but all-terrain they are not. They can do grass, sand, and rough road; but gravel and stones are definitely off-limits. The accurate name for this board should be Ownboard Semi-AT1W, but I guess this doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Issue – 1) Poor bottom clearance

105mm wheels on a double drop deck also mean that the bottom of the deck has very little clearance. I promise that you will rub the bottom of the deck on every single speed bump out there. This again is a point against off-road uses.

Issue – 2) Rubber wheels aren’t durable

Another thing that many people love to hate about rubber wheels is that they tend to wear fast. Well, they do, but at least the rubber sleeve is replaceable.

Verdict:

Should wobbly trucks and poor ground clearance stop you from considering this $799 board?

Let’s look at it this way: the AT1W is not for someone who is looking for an All-Terrain board, I hope that’s pretty clear by now. It’s also not for those who like to ride really fast, as the trucks are pretty wobbly.

Who is the Ownboard AT1W good for?

Perhaps someone who needs the range, who needs the safety provided by relatively large 105mm wheels, and who doesn’t typically ride fast and really likes the maneuverability of a double kingpin truck; but someone who, at the same time, doesn’t like the maintenance of a belt-drive and prefers the hassle-free hub drive.

I don’t think this description matches a lot of riders out there, but if that description fits you, then consider Ownboard AT1W.

So, what do you think? Do you like the look of this AT1W, and what do you think about it? Let us know in the comment section.

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

Posted on by Paxson Lim

Raldey AT-V3s Review – The best affordable AT?

Previously, we have reviewed the Raldey MT-V3, and concluded that it is the best option for someone who is looking to buy an affordable Eskate for commutes (you can read it here).

This time, we are reviewing the Raldey Bamboo V3S-AT, a board that was designed to be the most affordable AT option. 

At $899, the Raldey Bamboo V3S-AT has all the assets to be a great AT board…. Or does it?

Raldey AT-V3s Review

  • Deck Size: 40-inch x 13-inch (96.5cm x 23cm)
  • Top Speed: 28.5mph (46kmh)
  • Range: 19miles (30km)
  • Battery Pack: 504Wh (Sanyo GA in a 10s4p, 14Ah)
  • Weight: 23.6lbs/ 10.7kg
  • Motor: 2 x 1500W belt motors.
  • Wheels: 165mm/ 195mm airless
  • Price: 899 USD
  • Features:
    • Remote with Telemetry,
    • Push to power-on,
    • IP 55 weatherproof.

Let’s look at the parts.

Deck – Bamboo???

Raldey Bamboo AT-V3s’ product page listed the deck material as “8-Layer Canadian Maple deck”. Meaning, it has absolutely nothing to do with Bamboo. I reach out to Raldey and they told me it’s actually Bamboo plies mixed with Maple plies. I don’t care. The deck has no flex and calling it bamboo deck brings no meaning, so let’s just not call it Raldey Bamboo from now on.

However, despite being a little bit shady on the marketing side, the deck is fine. It’s almost the same as the one used on the Raldey MT-V3. It’s wide and has a mild concave, which makes it comfortable for foot placement. But it’s definitely not flexible, thanks to the full-length plastic enclosure screwed to the deck. 

Wheels – Airless rubber wheels

There are 2 wheel options available, 165mm and 195mm. That’s around 6.5 inches and 7.6 inches. The review unit we get is rocking the 165mm wheels. These are airless rubber wheels, and we will talk a little bit more about the ride feel later. 

Trucks – Wide Double Kingpin

The trucks are 14-inch double kingpin trucks, which makes them slightly wider than the typical 12-inch truck found on competing AT boards, like the Wowgo AT 2 and Ownboard Bamboo AT.

We will talk about how well these double kingpin trucks fare later.

Electronic Speed Controller – Customised LingYi ESC

On the electronics side, Raldey is using a customised LingYi ESC featuring push to power-on.

Veteran Eskater would already know how the board rides just by knowing the ESC it uses, but we will talk more about it later.

Battery – 10s4p Sanyo GA

In the battery department, it is equipped with a Sanyo GA battery in 10s4p configuration, making a pack of 504wh batteries. Sanyo GA is a pretty competent cell for Eskate.

10s4p is also the typical size for most AT boards.

Motors – 6368 belt motor

The pair of 6368 belt motors are rated as 1500W each. They are top-mounted and allows the board to have more ground clearance. However, it does make the board more difficult to stand leaning to the wall.

Numbers for Raldey AT-V3s: Top speed and Range

Raldey did not put out a marketed top speed and range for the 165mm configuration, but for us, all these parts come together to give the Raldey AT-V3 a top speed of 23mph (37kmh) and a range of 20miles (33km), when riding fast on the pro and high modes. 

So, here comes the $899 dollar question – how well does the Raldey AT-V3 ride?

Speed control

First, let’s talk about speed control.

Raldey uses a customized LingYi ESC which has 4 acceleration modes and 4 brakes modes that can be adjusted independently from each other. We said this before and we will say it again, when it comes to acceleration. Ling Yi ESCs are meant to be ridden in the 3rd(High mode), but not the 4th(‘Pro’ Mode).

Pro modes have super strong acceleration with a less smooth curve, and the result is a jolty feel. In high mode, acceleration is smooth enough, while still being strong. No reason to go to the 4th mode unless you enjoy peeing your pants a little bit from time to time.

The braking is great, smooth, and has 4 different strength that cater to everyone’s individual tastes.

Ride feel

Next, let’s talk about the ride feel.

The stiff deck, plus airless rubber wheels that are super thin on the motor side, means the board felt rough on gravel and trails. Don’t get me wrong, the wheels are big enough to roll over these surfaces, the experience just isn’t fun, as the wheels and deck do little to cushion the vibrations. Obviously, it would be better if you are riding on the 195mm wheels, but we have no way of telling how much better. I am guessing not by much.

Regarding the torque, I know many of you aren’t a fan of 10s batteries, but for us, Raldey AT-V3s is plenty powerful. Good enough power for whatever hills we encountered during our ride.

The general riding experience on regular roads is fine, but we can’t help but notice some flaws in it. The trucks, though wide, are the type of double kingpin trucks that are on the twitchy and wobbly side. We are still able to get to top speed and live to tell about it, but it’s a bit sketchy. 

Although the Double Kingpin trucks allow a small turning radius, they, unfortunately, have a poor return to the center. Combining that with a stiff deck and hard wheels make carving less fun. Upgrading to a better set of bushings would probably solve this complaint though. 

Final Verdict: Best Budget AT Option?

With all that said, the final question to be asked is this: how is the Raldey AT-V3S as a budget AT option?

Here is my answer: The over-arching theme of the Raldey AT-V3S can be summarized as capable but not comfortable.

Yes, the wheels are big enough for all-terrain, but it’s not comfortable.

Yes, double kingpin trucks allows better carving, but the bushings and the rough wheels mean that it wasn’t the buttery smooth carving experience we would have loved to have.

Yes, the individual parts are great, and the board is IP 55 waterproof, but the over-all polish of the product is lacking, and this Raldey is not as pretty as some other brands.

In short, the Raldey AT V3S is a perfectly capable ride for any situation, and any terrain, but it’s not a refined one. For many, it would be worth spending a couple hundred dollars more for something pricier, but for those who want to pay the absolute minimum for an AT, this is a solid choice.

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

Posted on by Paxson Lim

Wowgo Knight (hub) Review – Now it’s the best.

In September 2020, Wowgo released a new product into its lineup – the Wowgo Knight.

Wowgo obviously didn’t think through the sales plan of the product. When we received the board, we weren’t immediately informed of the specs and price, that came later. This gives us a chance to form our opinion of the board without being sway by what’s on paper.

And from the outset, everything we see suggested to us that this is gonna be an entry-level board replacing the 2-year-old Wowgo 2s (our review here).

The board has a handle cut out that is sort of a tradition for entry-level boards; The board uses a 5AH battery, which is at the ballpark of most entry-level boards; also, non-branded truck, you get my point.

To our surprise, Wowgo launched the Knight at $499 for the hub variant, and $549 for the belt variant – $100 pricier than your typical budget board. This is even more surprising considering it was priced higher than the heavily discounted Wowgo 3 !

I teased Wowgo that they are stupid with the pricing (but politely of course), and much to my surprise, they dropped the price immediately to the current $429 (hub) and $489 (belt) [after discount].

I love this current pricing for the Wowgo Knight, even though I don’t love that I have to come back and update this review heavily in response to the price drop.

With the old price, it is difficult to explain what Wowgo Knights are good for: “A mid-tier board that is a bit weaker in performance, look budget-ish but is actually very high in quality and polish, especially for the internals components.”

With the new $429 price tag, it is now simple to talk about Wowgo Knight: “The best entry-level board for most people”.

Now, let me show you why.

Wowgo Knight (hub) (Standard) review

As usual, let’s start by taking a look at the specs.

As mentioned, Wowgo Knight (hub) has the spec that similar to most $400 boards. or maybe 10% better.

  • Deck Size: 38-inch x 9-inch (96.5cm x 23cm)
  • Top Speed: 24mph (39kmh)
  • Range: 12miles (20km)
  • Battery Pack: 180Wh (Samsung 25R in a 10s2p, 5Ah)
  • Weight: 16.7lbs/ 7.6kg
  • Motor: 2 x 560W hub motors.
  • Wheels: 90mm 78A
  • Price: 429 USD (after discount code)
  • Features:
    • Remote with Telemetry,
    • Smart power-on,
    • IP 53 weatherproof,
    • swappable PU sleeves.

Let’s take a look at the electronic components on the Wowgo Knight:

Motors – Tied as the best

Wowgo Knight (hub) uses a set of 540W hub motor. What does 540W means? The market standard for entry-level boards is to use 400W hubs, Backfire G2 Black 2020 for instance, has a pair of 400W hubs.

Meepo V3, which has been the most powerful budget board all this while has 540W motors too. Obviously having the most wattage in motor doesn’t automatically means the board is gonna be powerful, but not having a good motor obviously means the board won’t be powerful.

In real world riding, the acceleration of Wowgo didn’t blow us away. It’s not thrilling, its competent. It has no trouble going uphill and hitting it’s marketed top speed of 24mph (39kmh).

Battery – Samsung 25R

In the range department, the Wowgo Knight uses Samsung 25R batteries, in a 10s2p setting, that’s 5AH or 180wh and has a marketed range of 12miles (20kmh), which we managed to surpass in our range test.

Most budget board this day uses Samsung 20R in 10s2p configuration, making them a smaller 4AH and 144WH pack. Just like everything else, Wowgo Knights are better, slightly better.

ESC and Remote – All hail smart power-on!

Wowgo Knight comes with customised Hobbywing ESC, with smart power-on feature, which means the board will power-on automatically as you turn on the remote. I see this as the most important feature any board can have, just to quantify it in monetary terms – I’m willing to pay $50 extra for this feature alone.

It seems to me that Wowgo have some special relationship with Hobbywing, as so far this feature is only available for Exway and Wowgo.

Customized Hobbywing ESC on Wowgo also means perfect smoothness in both acceleration and braking. Perfect strength in both braking and acceleration too. Not a surprise, we already come to expect that from this new generation of Hobbywing ESC.

Also, this ESC has a smart feature that allows you to switch between belt drive and hub drive. This feature was first seen on the Exway Flex, and I consider this a gimmick more than anything. Most of us have already made up our minds on what drive train we like, and the ability to switch drive trains is a feature that most people wouldn’t use.

The only scenario where I see this being useful is for someone who is new to the sport, and who bought the hub variant and later down the line is convinced that belt is the way to go. This way they have the option of just buying a belt-drive instead of an entirely new board.

Enclosure – Same as always.

Like every other brand, Wowgo Knight reuses the same enclosure for most of their board. Nice or not, you be the judge.

Oh, the board is IP 53 waterproof, which is pretty sweet.

Now let’s look at the skate parts of the Wowgo Knight

Deck – mild flex with handle cut out.

The Wowgo Knight uses a 38-inch deck made out of 8 ply real Canadian Maple. It has only a bit of flex to it and a mild concave, but my feet still feel comfortable on it.

The handle cut out is handy, but it does take some point away from the overall aesthetic of the board. Simply put, it makes the board look cheap.

The graphic of the grip tape is… again, subjective. I’m not a fan of it.

Truck – Paris clone

The trucks are not genuine Paris, but a Wowgo Paris clone. These Paris clones are good, but of course, not as good as the real Paris Truck.

It’s easy to carve and easy to turn with, but not as silky smooth as a genuine Paris Truck.

Let me illustrate it this way:

I went from Backfire G2 Black’s Caliber clone truck to the Wowgo Knight’s Paris Clone truck and I thought: “Wow, this one is so much better than the last one!”

Then I went from Wowgo Knights Paris Clone truck to Meepo’s NLS Boosted truck and I thought: “Wow, this one is so much better than the last one!”

(Note: My Paris Truck is not with me at the moment to do side by side comparison, but I remember Paris Truck to be as smooth as the Boosted Truck.)

Wheels – It’s fine.

The wheels are 78a 90mm. They are fine.

Riding Experience on the Knight

So, this is how I feel when riding the Wowgo Knight.

Speed control – Perfect

As mentioned, the speed control is perfect as expected from the latest customized Hobbywing ESC. Perfectly smooth acceleration and braking, good strength in both as well.

The stronger than average 540W dual hub certainly plays its role here.

Ride comfort – Almost great but..

The deck that has minor concave makes it comfortable for my feet. Remember the deck is on the stiffer side? Hub board + stiff deck = very uncomfortable ride on poorly paved roads.

There is no way around it, for instance, Meepo V3 has a pretty flex deck and it’s still felt terrible in poorly paved roads due to the thin PU sleeve on the hub wheels. Wowgo Knight doesn’t have the ‘assets’ to be comfortable on poor roads and it’s no surprise that it’s worse.

This is also why, Wowgo 3 felt comfortable and premium as the flex deck compensate for the road vibration coming from stiff hub motors; while Wowgo Knight felt almost ‘cheap’ when you ride it on super rough roads.

I imagine it would be a lot better in this situation for the belt version of Wowgo Knight. 4 real wheels absorb rough road signifcantly better than when you replace 2 of them with stiff hub wheels.

Again, as mentioned, another “weak point” of the Wowgo Knight would be the trucks. Saying them good or bad depends on your reference point. When it’s a $499 board, it’s a weak truck as we are comparing it to other mid-tier board with genuine Paris Truck (Wowgo 3) or genuine Caliber trucks (Backfire G3). When it’s $429, it is a freaking good truck as you are comparing them to other budget boards with much worse generic or clone trucks.

To elaborate further, the rebound of the trucks and the smoothness in turning is good, but still a level below genuine Paris. It’s probably the bushings. Again, if compared to genuine Paris or the Boosted trucks now on the NLS Belt, I would describe the feeling as being more like I’m steering the board instead of surfing on it.

Verdict: I rest my case.

Since 2017, the best budget board of the year would be determined by how this 3 company plays their card. Meepo, Backfire and Wowgo.

For 2020, all the cards has been played.

This year, all Meepo did was improving last year’s model Meepo V3 with an updated ESC and new remote. It is the right board for those who want the highest thrill and highest top speed.

On the other hand, Backfire refreshed its G2 Black and continues to be a beginner-friendly board with bigger 96mm wheels and a good polish.

Wowgo Knight, however, is undoubtedly the best option for most people having almost match the Meepo V3 in raw power, has a ride feel that is better than G2 Black, and a refined control that is as good as any mid-tier board. Plus it has smart power-on.

Well, I supposed it’s not a fair fight. After all, Wowgo Knight was shooting to be a mid-tier board, missed it, and landed amongst the budget boards.

If you are interested in buying a Wowgo, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here during checkout.
It will help you get $5 off and helps us out too. On top of that, you’ll be tagged as an Electric Skateboard HQ customer and probably be treated better. Cheers!