All Terrain Archives - Page 3 of 7 - Electric Skateboard HQ

December 29, 2022December 29, 2022 by Paxson Lim

Ecomobl Telum Review – Electric Mountainboard!

Hardcore eskaters will probably tell you that a high-performance electric skateboard should be a Trampa build. These are boards made of flexible carbon fiber with a high camber deck, big pneumatic wheels, and runs with super powerful belt or gear drive motors. More often than not, there is also an electronic box on the top side of the deck.

While a Trampa build may not be the sleek and polished look that appeals to casuals, it is an iconic design that promises super-high performance.

Now, Ecomobl, a brand known for specializing in making affordable all-terrain electric skateboards, just made its very own electric mountainboard with this iconic look. This is the Ecomobl Telum, a $1799 electric mountainboard.

And yes, $1799 is considered affordable for an electric mountainboard with this build and specs. Let’s run through them real quick!

Ecomobl Telum Build and Specs

Deck: carbon fiber deck; flexible with high camber; comes with detachable foot bindings
Electronic Speed Controller: 12s LingYi ESC; 4-speed modes, 4 braking modes
Battery: 768-watt hours battery pack; Samsung 40T cells, 12s4p configuration
Marketed Range: 23 miles or 37 km
Motors: 7000w 170 kV 6382 motors; Ecomobl signature planetary gear drive
Top Speed: 30 mph or 48 km/h
Trucks: Super wide 20-inch trucks
Wheels: 8-inch airless wheels

First, let’s talk about the carbon fiber deck. As we mentioned in the intro, Trampa is responsible for all the hype on this kind of deck. It is flexible with an exaggerated camber arch to absorb road vibration. The board comes with foot bindings that can be installed on the deck. The footbinding is worn with an easy and simple locking mechanism, just strap them on or off the board and voila, it’s done.

ESC Enclosure Above the Deck For Maximum Ground Clearance

Unlike your typical pre-built electric skateboard, mountain boards usually don’t put an electronic enclosure below the deck. This was done to maximize ground clearance. Instead, the electronic box is placed on top of the deck, right in the middle.

There is certainly a lot of juice packed inside this ‘lunch box’. Powering the board is a 768 wh battery pack with good Samsung 40T cells in 12s4p configuration. This battery pack is marketed to provide 23 miles or 37 km of range. During our test, our 155 pounds rider managed to get 30 km when riding aggressively.

For the ESC, Ecomobl Telum uses a customized 12S Lingyi ESC with 4-speed modes and 4 braking modes. We will talk about how they impact the ride later.

Read about another mountainboard – the Propel X4S – here.

Ecomobl Telum’s Signature Planetary Gear Drive at 30MPH

Ecomobl Telum kept its signature planetary gear drive system which can be found on most of their boards. These 7000w 170 kV 6382 motors allow the board to go to 48 km/h or 30 mph which we managed to hit with ease and comfort as the board is very stable.

Speaking of stability, the board uses super-wide 20-inch trucks. This allows the board to be stable at faster speed modes but also means that it’s not going to be easy to turn. So, this is where the footbinding comes in clutch as it allows you to lean aggressively to turn the board.

And, if that’s not enough, you can jump to turn but definitely commit to your leg days since the board weighs 39 lbs or 17.6 kg.

Integrated Front and Tail Lights for Superb Night Rides

Ecomobl Telum also comes with integrated front and taillights. These lights are more useful than you might think, and they are super bright. Look! It’s even brighter than some car’s headlights.

And, having an integrated lighting system is super convenient. For starters, you don’t have to charge them separately. Plus, you don’t have to worry about them dislodging when going off-road. The red tail lights also light up when you apply brakes. The lights can be turned on or off by long pressing the reverse button.

Ecomobl like building their boards with headlights and taillights. Read about Ecomobl ET2 here.

Ecomobl Telum Riding Experience

Now that we have an overview of the specs, let’s ride this monster!

The first topic is about control. The control is punchy with its powerful acceleration but frankly, a bit rough. This often happens when Lingyi ESC is combined with powerful motors.

You can feel the slight jerkiness when the gear drive accelerates. One workaround that can be done is simply staying in a lower acceleration mode, which will be gentle, yet powerful enough for any incline.

Speaking of power, these 7000w planetary gear drives are super strong—strong enough for the steep incline of mountain trails.

The braking is nice and strong, too. As mentioned, its strength can be adjusted independently from the acceleration modes.

Spring Suspensions as the MVP

The wide carbon fiber deck felt pretty comfortable to stand on but the MVP of the ride is actually the spring suspensions. These spring suspensions absorb a lot of shocks which is very important when doing trail runs. On normal roads, you won’t feel anything no matter how bad the pavement is.

The foot bindings also have a major part in the ride. When riding on mountain trails, it provides the necessary stability and also prevents the bouncy deck from throwing you off like a trampoline.

The 20” wide trucks are hard to turn but the foot bindings allow us to put as much of our 165 lbs body weight to force the turn. And, to do some mini-hops if all else fails.

Off the Road Will Always Be Home

Obviously, the natural habitat for Ecomobl Telum belongs off the road. The clearance of the deck makes rolling through rocks a walk in the park. This might be subject to change, but our Ecomobl Telum came with 8-inch airless wheels. These are beefy wheels, but we can still feel the road vibrations when riding through harsh pebbles and small stones.

We changed the wheels into 9” pneumatics and liked them a lot more. The rides are noticeably smoother during off-road rides. Good thing is that the 9” pneumatics wheels are now the default option at the moment.

Ecomobl Telum VERDICT – Affordable and High Quality

Now, to summarize:

The ECOMOBL Telum is an affordable off-road suspension mountain board that doesn’t skim on polish, specs, or performance. It has 2 main weaknesses. First, a powerful but slightly harsh acceleration, which kept some of us at lower speed mode. And second, it’s tough to turn, which is kinda part of the deal when getting an off-road suspension board. The board is not made for tight quarters and certainly not for carving.

With all that said, the Ecomobl Telum did well in what it was designed to do, which is off-road riding. After all, when running up mountain trails, stability is preferred over maneuverability while power takes priority over silky-smooth acceleration.

So, should you buy it?

No, if you are looking for an electric skateboard for the city.

Yes, if you are looking for a board that can bring you to places—or mountains—that you have never been to.

Or perhaps, you are looking for a monster that you can count on to outrun and outlast the pack on group rides. That, Ecomobl Telum can do very well, at a very good price.

If you are interested in buying the Ecomobl, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “100offcode” 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!

December 4, 2022December 18, 2022 by Paxson Lim

Tynee Board Explorer Review — The First Tynee All-Terrain Eskate!

Tynee Board is a brand that focuses on delivering the best value for the price. Granted, this can be said for most Chinese brands, but Tynee had a lot of success in doing so. For one, the Tynee Mini 2, is one of our favorite mini boards for its power and specs.

Interested to know why Tynee Mini 2 is our all-time favorite mini board? Click here.

Mid 2022, Tynee releases their first all-terrain electric skateboard — the Tynee Explorer at $1199. While this is considered an ‘entry-level price’ for an all-terrain electric skateboard, it has a top-notch polish with specs that exceed what most people need. Here’s a rundown of Tynee Board Explorer’s build and specs!

Tynee Board Explorer Build and Specs

Deck: Flexible bamboo and fiberglass; double-drop and subtle wide concave
Electronic Speed Controller: Customizable 12s Hobbywing ESC – smart turn-on, can change speed, torque, and braking power from the remote
Batteries: 21700 Molicel P42A, 12s4p configuration
Marketed Range: 31 miles (50 km)
Motors: 35000W 6374 belt motors
Marketed Top Speed: 31 mph (50 km/h)
Wheels: 150mm pneumatic all-terrain wheels
Trucks: Traditional Kingpin (can add $50 for Double Kingpin Trucks)

Just by looking at the deck, you can already see that its appearance is quote-unquote ‘heavily inspired by Evolve Bamboo GTR.’ The transparent grip tape showcasing the beautiful bamboo deck is classic. The deck has a lot of flex thanks to the bamboo and fiberglass materials.

Dedicated to the ‘Evolve’ formula, Tynee Explorer uses a double-drop deck to reduce the riding height. Combined with the subtle wide concave, this makes riding on the Explorer quite comfortable. It helps us know where our feet are and keep them secure during a ride.

New Hobbywing ESC – Allows Speed Control Customization

While the Hobbywing electronic speed controller is very widely used, Tynee Explorer’s Hobbywing ESC had something special to it. This Tynee Explorer’s Hobbywing ESC allows riders to customize speed control right from the remote. The speed, torque, and braking power can all be adjusted individually in different riding modes.Unlike other Hobbywing ESC that comes with customization function (e.g. Exway), this customization function does not come with an app, which can either be a plus point or a minus point depending on who you ask.

What’s universally loved, however, is the forward and reverse switch on the side of the remote. It makes changing directions easier and less prone to unintentional press.

And, obviously, there is the smart turn on feature, where the board power-on upon turning on the remote.

Competitive Battery Spec Against Middle to High-End Eskates

Next, powering the ESC is a pack of 21700 Molicel P42A cells in a 12s4p configuration. This brings us to a total of 725.8-watt hours and a marketed range of 31 miles or 50 km. This is a competitive battery spec that most middle to high-end electric skateboards share.

For context, Evolve Carbon Hadean, Exway Atlas, and Meepo Hurricane all come with a 12s4p battery pack. And, Molicel is a great battery cell, so this isn’t the case of ‘using cheap cells to pad up the specs’.

With aggressive riding, our 155 lbs test rider managed to get 28 miles (42 km) out of a single charge. We’re really happy with this result, especially considering that we were riding fast. Obviously, changing to Cloudwheels should extend the range further, around 44 miles (70 km).

In a nutshell, the batteries are good. So, let’s talk about the motors!

Powering the board is a set of 3500w 6374 belt motors. These are indeed powerful motors and it does translate to a strong ride. Riding uphill will definitely be easy no matter how heavy the rider may be.

With this setup, the board’s marketed top speed is 31 mph(50 km/h). While we didn’t manage to hit that, we did get pretty close. Our personal best was 29 mp(48 km/h). It’s a respectable top speed, but obviously, nothing to write home about considering there are scarier boards out there.

Fancy a scary board? Read our Tynee Board Ultra Review here.

Chill Ride With Pneumatic AT Wheels

Tynee Board Explorer comes with 150 mm pneumatic all-terrain wheels. These 6-inch wheels are plenty capable of absorbing road vibrations on poorly paved roads. Big wheels plus the flexible bamboo deck are great combinations to smoothen out bumps on the road.

We have terrible roads where we ride, and the Explorer keeps it comfortable. It’s pretty chill even when going off-road. Granted, it would’ve been better if they went with even bigger wheels at 175 mm, but, this is definitely good enough for most situations.

As for the trucks, the Tynee Explorer comes in default with traditional kingpin trucks. There’s an available option to go with Double Kingpin trucks for an extra $50.

In general, Double Kingpin Trucks are much more turn-ey and allow a tighter turning radius. Although, this pair of traditional kingpin trucks on Tynee Board Explorer is really good. There is little reason to go for double kingpin trucks. We’ll talk more about the riding experience on these trucks later.

All in all, the whole package weighs around 30.4 lbs or 13.8kg. The board is also rated IP67 waterproof. We never took the waterproof claims on electric skateboards seriously, regardless of the brand, and we suggest you don’t go riding in the rain with any eskate.

Here’s an experience of why we have major trust issues with waterproof ratings — check out our Propel Endeavor Pro review.

Tynee Board Explorer Riding Experience

Finally, let’s talk about the riding experience on the Tynee Explorer.

The riding experience is really pleasant. It’s very relaxing, maybe even a tad bit conservative, and it’s easy to see why.

First, the 12s Hobbywing ESC, while strong, is super smooth in both acceleration and braking. On the highest speed mode, the board is plenty powerful but Tynee clearly had configured the board to prioritize smoothness over power.

You see, most of the higher-end boards now come with crazy acceleration when throttled, and we didn’t feel that from the Explorer. This is something that the Explorer clearly should be capable of given the specs. That being said, we enjoy how the speed control was configured. The power is more than enough anyways, and we appreciate the easy ride.

Stable at 25 Mph

Besides the electronics, the skateboard part of the Explorer comes together well, too. Using a double drop deck, the board adds stability with a low riding height. The drop-down deck also gave our feet a place to push against while going up or downhill.

The board felt so stable and we would often find ourselves going 25 mph without realizing it. Seasoned riders would be able to ride at top speed with ease. Opting out of the dual kingpin truck set-up, at least for the default option, certainly made the board much more stable.

Traditional Kingpin Trucks Are Surprisingly Great

Lately, traditional kingpin trucks have become more popular among electric skateboards, particularly all-terrain eskates. Many all-terrain electric skateboards now offer options between double kingpin trucks and traditional kingpin trucks. Initially, we thought that the stock set-up using traditional kingpin trucks is going to be difficult to turn and terrible for carving, but we are happy to say that we were proven wrong!

This pair of traditional kingpin trucks really hits the sweet spot. It’s stable at high speed and still pretty awesome for turning and carving. In our opinion, it’s as good as any double kingpin truck in terms of carving, and we’ve tested a lot of them. However, double kingpin trucks do still allow a much tighter turn with a much smaller turning radius. With that said, we still much prefer the added stability of the traditional kingpin trucks and don’t think there is a need to pay extra for the double kingpin trucks.

Tynee Board Explorer VERDICT — Should Be Named Tynee Board Vacation?!

So, here’s our verdict on the Tynee Board Explorer.

Well, the Tynee Board Explorer is an easy board to ride and an easy board to recommend.

While Tynee Explorer isn’t the cheapest entry-level all-terrain board out there, Tynee Explorer is stronger and more polished than any of its lower-priced competitors.

Ironically, while the name ‘Explorer’ suggests an adrenaline-filled experience, the Tynee Board Explorer is actually more relaxing than thrilling.

Relaxing, smooth, and easy is how we would describe the Explorer. Well, I guess naming it Tynee Board Vacation just wouldn’t have the same ring to it.

So, for beginners in search of good all-terrain boards that are relaxing to ride, Tynee Explorer is one of the better choices. For advanced riders looking for thrills, you guys might want to look elsewhere, as this beast might just be too easy for you to tame.

If you are interested in buying the Tynee, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive $15 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!

August 31, 2022January 21, 2025 by Ziyad Khairi

Wowgo AT2 Plus Review – Cheaper than Exway Atlas and Meepo Hurricane, but better?

When Wowgo launched the old AT2 in 2020, we knew right away that it was going to be popular. At $1099, the board wears the Evolve formula very well (Evolve formula: flexible drop deck + 7-inch pneumatic wheels that could be converted into street wheels + Double Kingpin Trucks—a recipe for a really smooth ride).

This year, Wowgo is giving us the AT2 Plus. It’s a sequel to the AT2 that came just at the right time. The competition shouts “stiff” with boards like Exway Atlas and Meepo Hurricane. The Wowgo AT2 Plus is definitely meant to challenge Meepo and Exway.

Compared to the Meepo Hurricane and Exway Atlas which are priced at around $1599, Wowgo AT2 Plus is selling at just $1229 for the all-terrain version and $1349 for the 2-in-1 package which includes 120mm Cloudwheels. Pretty cheap in comparison, eh?

So, is being one of the most affordable 2-in-1 boards the only thing the Wowgo AT2 Plus is good for? Or will the board outperform the pricier duo? Let’s find out in this Wowgo AT2 Plus review!

Wowgo AT2 Plus Build and Specs

Deck: double drop with subtle wide concave; fiberglass, bamboo, and Canadian maple
Electronic Speed Controller: 12s Hobbywing ESC
Motors: 2 x 2100W belt motors
Marketed top speed: 31 mph / 50 kp/h
Batteries: 43.2 V, 14 Ah, 604 Wh, 12S4P configuration
Marketed range: 18 miles or 30 km
Trucks: 12-inch Front and Rear Double Kingpin Truck
Wheels: 2 in 1 (175 mm Pneumatic Wheels + 120 mm CloudWheels)

Wowgo AT2 Plus uses a double drop deck made of fiberglass, bamboo, and Canadian maple. It has a subtle wide concave that doesn’t feel significant but has a nice flex to it.

This time around, Wowgo gave the board a fresh grip tape design which we really like. It looks pretty futuristic!

Beneath the deck, we have a flexible enclosure that contains a 12s4p 604 Wh battery pack made out of Panasonic cells. Although it’s an upgrade from the previous 10s4p 504Wh pack on the AT2, this battery configuration offers the same modest marketed range of 18 miles or 30 km when using the AT wheels and 27 miles or 45 km on the Cloudwheels configuration.

Our 155 lbs or 70kg test rider put the numbers to the test and got 14 miles or 23 km out of the AT setup. The test ride is pretty aggressive and pushes for top speed multiple times. We believe that with Cloudwheels, you can get up to 25 miles or 40 km of range without a problem.

To read our Wowgo AT2 review, click here.

Upgrades on ESC, motors, wheels, and rear lights?!

Wowgo didn’t stop the upgrades there and improved the electronic speed controller as well. The Wowgo AT2 Plus uses a 12s Hobbywing ESC coming from the 10s Hobbywing ESC on the AT2. The remote remains the same with a smart turn-on feature, and acceleration and braking are still super smooth.

The trucks on Wowgo AT2 Plus use 12-inch Double Kingpin Trucks for easier turning and maneuverability. It comes in 175mm pneumatic wheels by default but you can purchase the 2-in-1 version to get the 120 mm Cloudwheels.

Powering these wheels is a set of 2100W belt motors which are again, an upgrade to the previous 1500W motors on the AT2.

These new motors increase the top speed of the Wowgo AT2 Plus to 31mph or 50km/h after doing some tweaking to the board… We’ll share this tweak with you in a bit!

The board weighs around 30 lbs or 13.6 kg and it comes with rear lights which are pretty nice. The automatic on and off feature is an awesome bonus that night riders will surely enjoy.

As you can see, the Wowgo AT2 Plus specs got a little bit of boost, not to mention a nice design update. The board looks well built and polished but how does everything perform on the streets? Well, it’s time to ride!

Want to learn more about Cloudwheels for your electric skateboard? Click here.

Wowgo AT2 Plus Ride Experience

Hopping onto the board, we can instantly tell that Wowgo is going for a buttery smooth setup. The acceleration is the smoothest that we’ve tried on any eskate. You can fully hit the throttle without getting thrown off the board.

Braking is also very smooth and safe for beginners. You can engage full braking without falling out of balance. Advanced riders will wish it had more punch to it, though. The braking on Meepo Hurricane and Atlas 4WD is still stronger at stopping very quickly.

When it comes to power, the board is deceptively powerful. It is much stronger than the old Wowgo AT2 and can handle any incline with ease. The acceleration ramps up so smoothly, that you can ride fast with comfort. Make no mistake though, the AT2 Plus still can’t compete with the likes of Meepo Hurricane in a drag race but the power is more than enough for riding in the meanest streets.

Interested in Meepo Hurricane, click here to learn more.

Secret tweak for stability at top speed

Next, let’s talk about maneuvering and as it turns out, it’s quite difficult to explain.

You see, the prototype of the AT2 Plus came out to have very loose trucks and soft 90a bushing. This initial setting felt nice to carve around but you really need to be mindful of the limitations. You can unintentionally slide if you aren’t careful.

It’s easy to turn and carve in this configuration, especially for beginners. This stock setting, after all, makes the Wowgo AT2 one of the smoothest boards amongst all AT boards. However, the trade-off comes in the form of speed wobbles, which will be there even at moderate speed.

Alas, after some deliberation, Wowgo decided to replace the soft 90a bushings with something much harder and ended up with 95a bushings on the front and 97a bushings on the back.

When we tried this new configuration, the strengths and weaknesses flipped. The board is super stable now with no problem pushing up to 31 mph but the board is no longer easy to turn for us.

With all that said, we are 150 lbs Asians. So, if you weigh 180 lbs, this new set-up might just be right for you. Otherwise, you might need to take matters into your own hands and experiment with more bushing yourself. Luckily, changing the bushings is neither difficult nor pricey.

Choose your preferred wheels for a different feel

Now, let’s talk about ride comfort. The flexible deck and 175 mm wheels ride smoothly even in harsh road conditions. To put some context, going off-road on the Wowgo AT2 Plus is more comfortable than with the Atlas and Hurricane. The flexible deck acts like a suspension that eases bumpiness from off-road rides.

Swapping to the 120 mm Cloudwheels provides a much different ride feel. Since the board is really low, it almost feels like riding right above the ground thanks to the double-drop deck. This is akin to the feeling of driving a race car, not that we have been in one.

The lower center of gravity helps the board to be insanely stable at high speed. However, be careful when you pass speed bumps as the board will often bottom out and get scratches. Or, you can just get used to it like we do… like our poor Meepo Hurricane…

It’s worth noting that you will have to pay an extra $120 for the Cloudwheels, and you should probably go with that option. This is not what we normally recommend, as our personal experience suggested that street wheels don’t usually end up getting too much play time in 2-in-1 boards. In the Wowgo AT2 Plus case, however, you might need the street set-up for the range. As our range test shows, the AT2 Plus has a very average range (14 miles, 23 km), and going with a Cloudwheels setup would be the easiest way to extend the range(25 miles or 40 km).

Well, that’s about everything, so let’s tie it all up.

The VERDICT – one of the best affordable 2-in-1 boards

Wowgo AT2 Plus is a pretty board with all the right ingredients. While the balance between stability and easy turning might require some extra tinkering on your part, and the range is merely average, Wowgo AT2 Plus is built well with good power and great ride comfort.

Is it a better performing board over Meepo Hurricane and Exway Atlas?

Of course not, the other two clearly out-specced the Wowgo AT2 Plus.

However, being $300 cheaper is not nothing either, and there’s no reason to pay for extra range or power that you won’t need. With all things considered, we think Wowgo AT2 Plus is, at the end of the day, one of the best affordable 2-in-1 boards available right now.

If you are interested in buying the Wowgo, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive a small discount during check out.
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!

December 10, 2021January 1, 2022 by Paxson Lim

Propel Endeavor Pro Review — A $2000 all-terrain suspension board

Propel EV is a company that dedicates itself to making off-road suspension boards. Last year (2020), they introduced their brand with Propel X4s ($2299)—a giant heavy-duty monster of a board and then this year (2021) released the Endeavor Series: the Propel Endeavor S at $1199 and Endeavor Pro at $1999.

Compared to the X4s, the Endeavor boards are slightly smaller in size and are two-wheel drives instead of All-Wheel Drives. With that being said, I would still classify every one of them as huge heavy-duty all-terrain vehicles because, well, that’s what they are!

We’ve reviewed the Propel Endeavor S last time. And spoiler alert: despite having some flaws, Endeavor S was still an awesome board for anyone looking for an off-road suspension board without spending two grand.

To check out our review for Endeavor S, click here.

Today, we’re going to focus the spotlight on Endeavor Pro.

We’re pretty excited to try this out for a ride but first things first—let’s take a closer look at the upgrades.

ENDEAVOR PRO VS ENDEAVOR S

Propel Endeavor Pro and Endeavor S — Propel Endeavor Pro(front) and S(back)

Endeavor Pro shares very similar specs with the Endeavor S except for a few upgrades. Here are three main upgrades worth pointing out:

One: instead of a maple composite deck, Endeavor Pro has a carbon fiber deck that’s 10/10 in the design department. The engraved logos are slick! The board is stiff with a wide concave.

Two: Endeavor Pro also has a bigger battery. We’re talking about 12s5p VS 12s3p on the Endeavor S.

And three: from a LingYi ESC in the Endeavor S, Endeavor Pro uses Flipsky VESC paired with a VX2 remote. For those unfamiliar with VESC, this speed controller is commonly used for DIY boards. It’s highly configurable and always silky smooth.

To check out our unboxing for the Propel Endeavor S and Endeavor Pro, click here.

Using VESC would allow the Propel Endeavor Pro to have a higher range, top speed, and a significantly improved riding experience. We will talk about that in detail later.

Now that we have gone through the difference between Endeavor S and Pro, let’s look at Endeavor Pro’s specs alone.

Build and specs

Deck: carbon fiber deck; stiff; wide concave
Board weight: 43 lbs/19.5 kg
Wheels: 200 MM 8-inch rubber pneumatic wheels; two-wheel drive
Shock absorber: adjustable 350lb coil over shocks
Motors: 2 x 6374 belt motors
Batteries: Samsung 25Ah/1110Wh, 12S5p
Hill climb: 38%
Electronic speed controller: 12s Flipsky 4.2 VESC
Marketed top speed: 31 mph or 50 km/h
Tested top speed: 31 mph or 50 km/h
Marketed range: 71 KM for 75kg or 50 km for 100 kg rider
Tested range: 39 miles or 63 km for a 90 kg rider.

First, let’s pick up where we left off and look at the brain of the board, the VESC. Endeavor Pro started by using 12s Flipsky 4.2 with a Flipsky v1x remote. The ongoing chip shortage means VESC is hard to come by, and there was a shortage of Flipsky 4.2 VESC. During the VESC 4.2 shortage, Propel upgraded all the placed orders to VESC 6.6 with no added cost, and decided to keep both VESC options available going forward.

Don’t worry! Since Propel has configured the setting of both VESCs to be the same, both versions with different VESCs are expected to have similar performance, at least this is what we were told. This also means, if both options were available, I would rather choose to save $100 and go for the VESC 4.

With VESC, Propel Endeavor Pro loses the push to turn-on feature that Endeavor S has. It would be a significant drawback if the power button was placed below the deck, but fortunately, Propel has the great design sense to place that button right on top of the deck, saving you the trouble of becoming Elastigirl in The Incredibles.

Propel Endeavor Pro Power button — Power button is on the top

Powerful motors handle heavy-duty off-road riding very well

Speaking of superheroes and superpowers, Endeavor Pro uses 2 x 6374 belt motors. The board’s motors are powerful and not that noisy. This is the same set of motors as the one on Endeavor S, and we already know that they can handle heavy-duty off-roading very well.

Unique suspension system

For the wheels, Endeavor Pro uses 200 MM 8-inch rubber pneumatic wheels. Both Endeavor Pro and S use a suspension system that’s different from the X4s. In both setups, each truck has its own dedicated suspension system and can move up or down independent of the others. It is notable that Endeavor Pro’s “trucks” work better than what Endeavor S has installed. We’ll explain further during the riding experience.

Tested range meets marketed range

The batteries are 12s5p with 1110 watt-hours and 25 Amp-hours. The tested range is 39 miles (63 km) for a 90 kg rider. This is insane! Propel was true to their marketed range. Even Endeavor S which has a lower price range has a tested range of 26 miles (42 km). Pretty sweet!

The top speed is 31 mph (50 km/h) which the board can hit easily and quickly.

This board is definitely a monster but every monster has a weakness. Endeavor Pro, though rugged, is not waterproof. We, unfortunately, found out about that the hard way.

Before we get into the riding experience, let’s just take a moment to appreciate how beautiful and polished this machine is. The attention to detail is almost unexpected on a board that’s meant to be ridden in very harsh conditions.

Riding experience

Now, on to the abuse!

Our first question when testing this out was, what improvement in the riding experience does the Endeavor Pro make when compared to Endeavor S? The answer is EVERYTHING. Everything’s better, and the reason is obvious. The VESC made a lot of difference.

Flipsky VESC for the smoothest control

Our biggest complaint of the Endeavor S is the rawness of the speed control, and the Endeavor Pro avoided that downfall by using a VESC. “Avoiding the problem” is actually an understatement. The smoothness of control is one of the best qualities of Endeavor Pro.

As often is the case, an ESC upgrade makes a huge difference. There are 3-speed modes on the Endeavor Pro, and all of them are intuitive and smooth.

Endeavor Pro’s smooth control makes the ride supremely enjoyable and more comfortable. Being stronger yet smoother means the Endeavor Pro reaches its top speed fast. Even faster than the already stupidly strong Endeavor S, yet does so in a smoother manner. No more sudden jolts and jerks!

Strong and smooth braking with reverse

The brakes are strong and smooth, too. The braking control is very accurate and strong. It can come to a complete stop and ‘lock’ the wheels when going down a steep incline. On a flat surface, keeping the throttle on full brakes, and the Endeavor Pro will start to reverse at a slow speed after a small pause. This function makes three-point turns easy and is helpful when you slightly overshoot your stop.

The improvement of speed control from upgrading to VESC is easy to explain; what wasn’t easy for us to explain was the smoother turning ability.

Turning the Propel Endeavor Pro should be as hard as the Endeavor S, as they use the same trucks, but that wasn’t the case.

After messing with the truck settings on both boards, the difference is pretty significant. The Endeavor Pro felt much easier to turn. It’s not to say that the Endeavor Pro is an agile board with amazing carving experience, this is just impossible for any all-terrain suspension board; yet somehow, the Endeavor Pro is easier to turn than most suspension boards.

Could it be since Endeavor Pro is slightly heavier than Endeavor S, and the added weight makes the truck easier to turn? We’ve no exact answer but that’s the theory that we are going with.

Better than typical all-terrain off-road suspension boards

Next, let’s talk about how well the Endeavor Pro does in off-road situations. Obviously, being an off-road suspension board means the Endeavor Pro is better than a typical All-Terrain board when it comes to handling road vibration. In off-road and regular road situations, the suspension system will cushion off any road vibration completely. This is what we enjoy most about the board – going full throttle, enjoying the speed, and not be bothered by any road condition.

The motors are plenty strong to challenge any uphill trails, however, you would need to put some thought into it when approaching a bump or crack. You see, while most parts of the board have plenty of clearance, the spot near the back pulleys doesn’t have much ground clearance. If you are not careful while going up a bump, the back pulley might get caught, get stuck, and leave you flying forward. This is obviously a flaw shared by the Propel Endeavor S and a problem that the bigger X4S does not have.

Prople Endeavor Pro back pulley caught the bump — Backwheel pulley may catch a bump

To check out our review for the monsterboard Propel X4s, click here.

We also broke our external antenna on one of our rides, probably after bumping it into something. It left us with a shorter connection range for the remote, which doesn’t actually cause any problem to the riding experience or usability, or board safety.

THE SUMMARY

Now, let’s summarize.

Propel Endeavor Pro is an amazing all-terrain suspension board. If I were to nitpick, I would point out that the board couldn’t handle as harsh terrain as something like the Propel X4S could due to the lower clearance near the back wheels. I’d also warn you to not ride it into a pool as we did.

However, some minor nitpicks wouldn’t be able to shadow just how beautiful and powerful this machine is. It has massive power, amazingly smooth and intuitive control, a massive range, and almost no limits to where you can ride on.

Need I remind you that Propel EV is also a company with a great reputation for taking care of its customers?

THE VERDICT

So, here’s the verdict,

For anyone who wants an electric skateboard for a city commute or carving fun, anything from Propel EV would likely be overkill and a mismatched choice. But, for someone who is looking for an off-road suspension board, the Propel Endeavor Pro is an easy recommendation, if you have the budget.

In fact, we’d recommend Endeavor Pro over the Endeavor S because it is just so much more fun to ride with, the VESC alone would’ve made the upgrade worth it, and maximized the enjoyment you can get out of these powerful machines.

If you are interested in buying the Propel, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive 3% off during check out.
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!

November 8, 2021November 8, 2021 by Paxson Lim

Verreal RS—among the top 2 affordable DKP all-terrain boards with beefy specs?!

Today, we will be reviewing the Verreal RS.

For those who don’t know, Verreal has been around since Oct 2018 and is already a veteran in budget e-skateboards. It made its name with the Verreal F1, a board that provides a relaxing and comfortable riding experience for a reasonable price.

Affordable and comfortable has always been Verreal’s design language since then. And today, we will be reviewing the Verreal RS, their flagship product released back in 2020 and has its all-terrain kits available this 2021.

To take a look back at Verreal F1, click here.

Designed with Evolve Formula

Now, a quick overview of the RS.

Verreal RS was crafted with the Evolve formula: a double-drop deck plus double kingpin trucks with a dual-belt set-up that allows easy conversion between all-terrain and street.

In fact, Verreal RS is the most affordable Evolve clone out there. The 10s4p street with 576 Wh costs $759 while the 10s4p AT version costs $1179. For more context, the Evolve GTR street with a 10s4p battery will cost you $1549. That’s double the price of Verreal RS street. Pretty sweet!

Build and specs

Now, as per usual, let’s dive deep into the specs.

Deck: 7-ply Canadian Maple, 2-ply Bamboo; mild flex; subtle wide concave
Camber/rocker: Drop-down deck
ESC: 10S Hobbywing ESC; 4-speed modes; no smart power-on; generic Hobbywing remote
Motor type: 6368 belt motors, 2 x 1500 W, 170 kV
Marketed Topspeed: 25 mph or 40 km/h on AT wheels; 27 mph or 43 km/h on Cloudwheels.
Trucks: Forged DKP Trucks
Wheels: Street wheels: 90 mm / 97 mm; Cloudwheels: 105 mm, 120 mm; All-terrain: 7-inch pneumatics
Battery: 16 AH (576 Wh) – $779; 20 AH (720 Wh) – $979; All-terrain – $1179
Marketed range: Street wheels: 16 AH – 25 miles (40 km)/20 AH – 31 miles (50 km); All-terrain wheels: 20 AH – 28 miles (45 km) for a 75kg rider; 17 miles or 28 km for a 100 kg rider

Verreal RS has a deck with a mild flex. It’s made out of 7-ply Canadian maple combined with 2-ply bamboo. Sticking with the Evolve formula, the deck used is a double-drop deck with subtle wide concave.

The electronic speed controller is a 10S Hobbywing ESC with 4-speed modes paired with a generic Hobbywing remote. This is likely an older generation of Hobbywing ESC and the board doesn’t power on automatically by turning on the remote.

Belt motors have the same rating as the latest Evolve Hadean

Verreal RS also uses 6368 belt motors with 2 x 1500 W and 170 kV which has the same rating as the one on the latest Evolve Hadean.

The marketed top speed is 25 mph or 40 km/h on AT wheels and 27 mph or 43 km/h on 120mm Cloudwheels.

To know more about the specs of Evolve Hadean, click here.

For the trucks, Verreal RS said they use forged Double Kingpin trucks. Double Kingpin trucks will allow easier changes in direction with tighter turns. We’ll talk more about the quality of carving later during the ride experience.

3 options for wheels

What took this board on another level though, is its selection for wheels. Verreal RS offers 3 types of wheels to choose from. You can use street wheels in 90 mm or 97 mm, Cloudwheels in 105 mm or 120 mm, and all-terrain pneumatic wheels in 7 inches.

In this post, we will be reviewing the all-terrain set-up and 105 mm Cloudwheels set-up.

Having 3 options may seem really cool, but we hesitate to recommend regular street wheels for the RS since the board already has a pretty low ground clearance even with our 105mm Cloudwheels. We shudder to think how terrible it would be if regular street wheels are used.

Aside from a selection of wheels, Verreal RS also allows 2 battery options: 16 AH (576 Wh) for $759 and 20 AH (720 Wh) for $979. You’ll need to top-up $200 more for the all-terrain version which costs $1179.

For this review, we will be using units with 20 AH batteries.

The marketed range of Verreal RS is 25 miles or 40 kilometers for the 16 AH battery, and 31 miles or 50 kilometers for the 20 AH battery.

Range might be the best thing about this board

Using AT wheels, this board was marketed to get a range of 28 miles or 45 kilometers for a 75 kg rider. For a 100 kg rider, the marketed range is 17 miles.

When we put it to the test, we got 28 miles or 45 kilometers of range with 105 mm Cloudwheels and 22.5 miles or 36.2 kilometers with AT wheels.

For its price, Verreal RS really does provide a lot of range. It is arguably the best part of the specs.

Riding Experience

Now that we know the build and specs, it’s time to ride!

Riding Verreal RS felt like Wowgo AT2 but with way more stability. The deck felt a little shorter compared to other AT boards, but the subtle wide concave is nice.

The control is very smooth, and the board’s acceleration strength is not crazy strong even on mode 4. It felt a little bit less strong compared to Wowgo AT2, but the feeling of not getting thrown off the board even when changing to top speed is awesome.

Much more stable DKP trucks

Overall, the ride felt really stable due to Verreal’s version of double kingpin trucks as compared to other brands. To put in some context, the Verreal RS is a much more stable ride compared to the likes of Wowgo AT2 and the Exway Atlas. This also means that it is not as carv-y as the other double kingpin trucks, but that is not a problem. Double kingpin trucks are already more carv-y than your regular reverse kingpin trucks.

This also means that you can easily change into top speed without getting off-balanced with the Verreal RS. Going uphill won’t be a problem, either.

To watch our real-world range test for Exway Atlas, click here.

Enjoyable low ground clearance

The double drop deck of Verreal RS also allows a very low riding height. This again, adds more stability, but we also like the carving feel of being this close to the tarmac. It is as if we are one with the road. The bottom enclosure clearly didn’t enjoy this as much as we did, though!

Also, I’ve always found that a drop-through deck has a way of reducing road vibration. You’ll still feel them when using 105 mm clouds, but if you want to reduce the vibration more, 7-inch pneumatics is the way to go.

THE VERDICT

I’m sure you notice we have been using Wowgo AT2 in comparison a lot in this review, this is no accident as Wowgo AT2 was our favorite budget Evolve clone up to this point. So this begs the question, after we’ve tried the Verreal RS, do we now have a new favorite?

When you are looking for a budget Dual Kingpin all-terrain board, Verreal RS is amongst the best choices you have at the $1000 mark, but so is Wowgo AT2.

Here’s our thought: It depends (duh)! Compared to Wowgo AT 2, Verreal RS can give you 25% more battery and more stability. On the flip side, Wowgo AT does have nicer things such as slightly better post-sale service, slightly better polish, and some nice features such as the smart turn-on.

To summarize, Verreal RS offered beefy specs, superior range, comfortable control, and a comfortable riding experience that‘s geared towards stability. It’s also very versatile for supporting different wheel configurations. If you are willing to put up with the inconsistent post-sale service, the Verreal RS is definitely amongst the top 2 choices when looking for an affordable Dual Kingpin all-terrain board.

Click here to check out Verreal RS