It’s a $699 USD dual belt-drive electric skateboard that’s the newest flagship of Ownboard.
Ownboard hasn’t been given much attention lately, and they had a pretty rough 2020. Their Bamboo AT took a backseat to Wowgo’s AT2; while in the mid-tier segment, the Exway Flex and Backfire Zealot stole the scene from their W2 model.
So can their latest flagship, Ownboard W2 Pro, help them get the spotlight this time?
Ownboard W2 Pro is the big brother of W2 and is designed to challenge the Backfire Zealot and Exway Flex’s overall performance.
That’s why it’s not a big news for both the price and specs of Ownboard W2 Pro compete against the Backfire Zealot—the best midtier longboard available right now, at least from our perspective.
Will the W2 Pro compete against the top dogs this time around?
As usual, let’s run through the specs first.
Build and Specs
Deck: Bamboo + fiberglass, flexible, no concave, camber/rocker profile
Wheels: 105mm Cloudwheels, 40T Abec pulley, can be changed with other pulleys (32T Abec pulley and 36T Kegel pulley)
Trucks: Paris clone (customized with PU ring)
Weight: 19.5 lbs (8.8 kg)
The Ownboard W2 Pro uses a flexible deck that’s made up of bamboo and fiberglass. It has no concave and gives a flat profile.
The board also uses the 12s Hobbywing for the electronic speed controller (ESC) and paired it with a generic OLED remote.
If you’re familiar with Hobbywing ESC, you would already know that this speed controller will give you silky smooth acceleration and braking, with intuitive control.
This is an older generation of the Hobbywing ESC, though, which means it has no smart power-on feature.
For the battery, the Ownboard W2 Pro uses 12s2p 21700 cells that will give you 8.0 AH and 345.6 WH. The marketed range is 18.5 miles or 30 km and we managed to hit 19miles or 31 km. Pretty cool!
The W2 Pro also went with aluminum alloy die-casting for the battery enclosure as compared with the usual plastic enclosure for durability.
And for higher power density, Ownboard W2 Pro uses dual 750W motors with 160 Kilo-volts and 5255 dual belt motors. These belt motors are similarly rated to the one on Backfire Zealot.
To know more about the Backfire Zealot, click here.
In our speed test, we were able to hit its top speed of 26mph or 42 km/h.
Now, let’s move on to the wheels.
Choose your own wheels
The Ownboard W2 Pro uses 105 mm Cloudwheels which have a good ceramic bearing. These are good semi-all terrain wheels that can handle most road conditions.
If you prefer a different style, Ownboard also made a few different wheel pulleys available to purchase so you can change your wheels effortlessly.
The available pulleys are the 32T Abec pulley and 36T Kegel pulley. The board comes with the 40T Abec pulleys for the Cloudwheels.
Ownboard also gave a few tips such as pairing 90 mm wheels with the 32T Abec and at least 100 mm or bigger wheels for the 36T Kegel. Torqueboard or Boa’s 110 mm wheels are among the recommended options for the 36T Kegel pulley.
Suggestions aside, you still have the freedom to choose any type of wheels on your checklist since the pulleys are available.
You can even experiment with Windwheels! They are wonderful in handling road vibrations, too.
Customized Paris clone trucks
The trucks are a Paris clone with a few adjustments. Many of the boards in this price range use branded trucks so this might be a disappointment for some. For instance, Wowgo 3 uses genuine Paris trucks while Backfire uses Caliber II. As for Exway, they have their own proprietary Trist trucks, while Meepo uses unbranded OEM Boosted trucks for their NLS belt.
But branded or not, the important thing is still on how well the truck performs. We’ll talk about that later in the riding experience.
Lastly, the Ownboard W2 Pro weighs 19.4 lbs or 8.8 kg.
Overall, the board is pretty polished, not as refined as most premium boards obviously, but for $699, it’s fine.
Now it’s time to ride!
Riding experience
The Ownboard W2 Pro has 3-speed modes that are perfectly smooth. The top speed mode has very steady yet effortless acceleration and brakes.
To be honest, the W2 Pro goes up on our list of tested boards with the strongest torque in the mid-range category. We’ll go ahead and say that this ride is as strong as the Beastboard Viper—another power freak we tested. We were amazed!
To learn more about the Beastboard Viper, click here.
Even with a low battery, the W2 Pro’s torque remains strong, but the top speed will be capped at 20.5mph or 33 km/h.
The board isn’t difficult to maneuver, either. The Paris clone truck Ownboard used is not the same as the average Paris clone. Ownboard made some modifications to the truck, as the result, the trucks are actually very good! In our opinion, it is surprisingly on the same level as with Exway’s Trist Trucks.
The rebound to the center is good, and the board ride is very secure at high speed. Carving is superb and fun with the W2 Pro. The board is very responsive.
On the downside, the lack of concave on the deck did make us feel hesitant when riding at top speed. We had trouble gripping with our foot position, and that took away the cool vibe.
Still, if you consider the great combination of smooth control + a flexible deck + good quality trucks, then you would get a board that does wonders for carving.
So how was the ride with Ownboard’s W2 Pro on smooth and rough roads?
Here’s what we got:
On a smooth road, the narrow contact patch of the Cloudwheels took away the sticky, grippy smoothness of the ride. This made carving less fun as compared with your regular street wheels, thankfully, Ownboard W2 Pro allows you to change into regular street wheels easily.
When riding on rough roads, this is where the 105 mm Cloudwheels shines. These wheels won’t break a sweat on crossing over bumps and holes, and they cushion you in the vibrations safely.
Finally, here’s our verdict.
THE VERDICT
All specs and riding experience considered, should Ownboard finally get some hype in the eskate community?
Definitely.
Ownboard W2 Pro is a board that deserves more attention. The board combines power and smoothness perfectly. Plus, this baby is great in both performance and riding experience.
However, is it great enough to outdo the Backfire Zealot as the best electric skateboard under $700?
Well, that depends.
Backfire is still the champ when it comes to delivery and post-sale service. Ownboard may come weaker in both brand and polish, but they make up for it by offering more value for your buck. With Cloudwheels coming in stock for the Ownboard W2 Pro and not on Backfire Zealot, you get to save $150 on the Cloudwheels by choosing Ownboard—especially if your goal is to have a semi-AT board on the go.
The Ownboard W2 Pro is much stronger in torque, too.
So the big deciding factor is, will you pick polish or value?
While the Ownboard W2 Pro and Backfire Zealot are pretty much tie in most aspects, I suspect most of us will find the more polished Zealot an overall better choice. However, the Ownboard W2 Pro might suit you better if you want something with stronger acceleration or prefer Cloudwheels to come in pre-installed.
So while Ownboard W2 Pro won’t replace Backfire Zealot on our Best Electric Skateboard list just yet, it’s nonetheless a very good choice worthy of your attention.
If you are interested in buying an Ownbaord, 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!
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
DeckSize: 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!
In late 2019, many brands, as if on cue, simultaneously came out with their own versions of an Evolve clone. First, we have Fabian’s Faboard Black Carve, followed by Ownboards Bamboo and Carbon AT, which was then followed by Verreal RS and several more by smaller brands.
Needless to say, the most notable among these Evolve contenders are the Ownboards, as they are a major Chinese brand, and hence we have high hopes for them to put out a quality product and be the Evolve killer. Obviously, Ownboard is not trying to hide their intentions in going after the Evolve crowd. Ownboard Bamboo and Carbon AT were made with every feature that the Evolve Bamboo and Carbon GTR have, including the ability to switch between AT set-up and street set-up, the use of double Kingpin trucks, double drop decks and belt motors. To top it off, Ownboard achieves all of these with the price of $999 which undercuts Evolve by half.
So, today, we are going to find out if the Ownboard Bamboo AT and the cloud wheel set-up (named Bamboo GT) have what it takes to be the Evolve Bamboo killer.
Components
Deck
Right off the bat, let’s talk about the components used in the Ownboard Bamboo AT. Ownboard uses a broad, flexible deck made from Fiberglass, Bamboo and Canada Maple that has an aggressive concave. Unlike the Evolve, Ownboards deck features an aggressive drop in its double drop deck, allowing a lower ride height and therefore a far more stable ride, which is sorely needed in the Bamboo AT. Unfortunately, this also means the option of using normal street wheels is off the table, as even with the relatively large 120mm cloudwheels I still bottomed out pretty often.
Thankfully, the flexible plastic enclosure below the deck looks like it’s durable enough to endure the scratches.
Trucks
The Double Kingpin trucks on the Ownboards are maneuverable to a fault and allow for a super-narrow turning radius. I honestly think Ownboard should use better and harder bushings for these trucks. I tightened them to the max and the wobbles were still bad, limiting my speed to below 22mph (36kmh) in the AT set-up. Even after switching to the smaller 120mm cloudwheels (GT set-up), going at 25mph (40kmh) still felt pretty sketchy to me.
Of course, any Evolve rider will tell you that Double Kingpins are not meant for high-speed, but with a bushing swap, Ownboard AT could achieve much higher stability. In fact, with harder bushings in the cloud wheels set-up, cruising comfortably near top speed would’ve been possible, thanks to the very low riding height.
Wheels
On the topic of wheels, both the 6″ airless honeycomb wheels and the 120mm cloud can go off-road. Though you don’t get to play with the tire pressure like you do with pneumatic tires, the airless honeycomb felt on par with pneumatics when it comes to absorbing bumps on rough terrain. Even the freaking HUGE cloudwheels are big enough to render most obstacles harmless. However! Riding the cloudwheels off-road is definitely not something you should be doing often, as the wheels are soft and will damage easily on harsh terrain, and those wheels aren’t cheap. I tested them off road and I have to admit that I was nervous about my wheels the whole ride.
Many people ride fast and look to big wheels
to stay safe from bumps and cracks. For them, my advice is to go with the GT
cloudwheel set-up. Though the big AT wheels can roll through sticks or stones
at high speed without issues, the wobbles are a big problem. On the other hand,
riding on the smaller cloudwheels is a much more stable ride, and equally
crack-and-bump proof!
ESC and Control
Next, let’s talk about the controls. Similar to the other Ownboards, the Bamboo uses a 10s Hobbywing ESC for this board, and for those who are familiar with Hobbywing ESC the controls need no further explanation- they are known for Intuitive, responsive control that’s perfectly smooth in both acceleration and braking.
Update: New OLED remote with telemetry is now available
Power and Performance
Before receiving the board, I was worried that the 10s ESC might not be able to deliver the required power and torque for an AT set-up. After my test, I am happy to report that this baby is plenty strong and has no issues on steep angles.
The two 6368, 170Kv, 1500W motors should definitely be powerful enough for most people. Those who dislike Hobbywing for its tame braking power are still going to be disappointed by this board’s brakes. They are not at the level where tight-brake lovers will enjoy it, even though the dual belt set-up did increase the braking strength. Comparing Hobbywing’s control to the Evolves, Ownboard Bamboo is smoother in acceleration but tamer when it comes to brakes. Which is better? That comes down to personal preference, just like the everlasting argument between Hobbywing ESC VS LingYi ESC.
Range
Now, it’s numbers time.
The 504WH, 14AH Sanyo GA 10s4p battery pack is marketed to last for 19miles(30km) in AT set-up, and 26miles(42km) in the cloudwheels GT set-up. I am happy to report that my range test yielded results that exceed the marketed numbers for both AT and GT set-up. Perhaps the test is slightly conservative this time, as the speed wobbles kept me from going as fast as I usually go, but the numbers are still impressive. One thing to note though, voltage sag does set in at around 25% battery level and when that happens the board will have a delay when drawing power for acceleration. However, the acceleration curve does stay smooth and the power picks up eventually, so I think that’s forgivable. Fun fact, the Evolve Bamboo GTR has the exact size 504wh battery with Samsung 35E cells and promises similar range.
Ownboard AT Full range test
Speed
Marketed top speed for the AT is 24mph(38kmh) while for the GT it is 26mph(42kmh). Again, these numbers are similar to the Evolve GTR. While testing Ownboard’s range, I had no trouble exceeding the top speed in both AT and GT set-ups. The board even felt like it could have given me more speed, but it was too wobbly for me to really test the limits. If anyone has managed to get to the true the limit, please do tell in the comment section.
Verdict
All in all, I think Ownboard has a winner here, and I especially love the GT set-up with the cloudwheels. There are just so many great things about the Ownboard Bamboo. Carving on it is super fun thanks to the Double Kingpin trucks, the flex deck, and the soft cloudwheels. And it’s relaxing and carefree, thanks to the safety that larger wheels provide and the smoothness of the Hobbywing control. It also has great range, great torque, and good top speed. It really is one of the best boards to come out last year.
With that said, I wish Ownboard went all the way and strived for perfection. My wish list for this board would be better bushings, no voltage sag, and tighter brakes. Sure, none of these are deal-breakers, but at least some of them could be easily fixed by Ownboard and probably should be!
I also wish they didn’t have this thing written under the deck. Thankfully nobody sees it.
VS Evolve GTR?
Is Ownboard Bamboo AT worth buying over the Evolve? The answer is Yes, especially if you don’t care about brand names. Evolve may have better style and use more well-known skate parts, but when it comes to value and price? Ownboard is a clear choice.
If you are interested in buying a Ownboard board, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and uses code: “ESKATEHQ” during check out. 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!
Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve finally updated our best electric skateboards list after having it sitting idle for months. And in this update, we will be recommending boards according to the price point they are in – since you know, most of us shop with a budget in mind. We are pretty sure that we have considered all viable product (or at least most of it), and all the best options have made it to this recommendation list..
As what’s right for you often comes down to preference, we’ve included a few options for each price segment – each of them better than the others on a certain aspect. And hence the numbering on this list doesn’t necessarily means the ranking of those boards or implying that one board is better than the others (unless we explicitly said so, heh). Of course, if you are interested in buying any electric skateboard, be sure to check out our Discount Page for additional discounts.
For those who are new to ESHQ, we’ve been reviewing electric skateboard for three years now. Just look around, I’m sure there is enough proof that we are pretty well informed.
When it comes to budget electric skateboards, your options are to look from the Chinese vendors, especially from the Big 4 – Meepo, Backfire, Wowgo, and Ownboard.
Nobody does affordable better than these Chinese brands, and for the past year, the Chinese brands have collectively proved that top product doesn’t have to cost top dollar. In fact, they releases some of the best electric skateboards in the past year.
Budget Longboards: (Below $499)
If you consider post-sale service something important, going with a budget brand with a good track record is pretty important. Countless new budget brands have sprung up and closed down as this market segment is crowded as hell. Taking that into consideration, and after reviewing dozens of budget electric skateboards from Meepo, Backfire, Ownboard, Wowgo, Teamgee, Verreal, Yeeplay, Apsuboard. Below is our recommended list:
Thanks to the recent price drop, the once $999 Exway X1 now became THE best budget board options. Unlike other Chinese brand on this list Exway places a lot more emphasis on the design, polish, and user experience – and that sets it further apart from other budget brands.
While X1’s range may be weak in comparison to mid-tier boards where it used to belong; its specs is competitive in the budget segment. And outside of the numbers, Exway X1 simply does everything better.
And while the numbers are merely competitive, the other aspect of the X1 blows the competition out of the water. It uses great skate parts like the seismic truck and bushing. Great electronic parts like the customised Hobbywing ESC with a companion mobile app that allows further customisation on control. Exway great design, top-tier polish, Apple like user experience and top tier customer service also put the brand ahead of the competition. Take powering on the board as example, imagine turning on the remote and having your Exway X1 automatically power on without you needing to bend over and fish for the power button, not even needing you to push it to turn on! That only happens on the Exway and that is just one amongst the many way Exway is better in designing for refined user experience.
The X1 also has a very important features that other boards lacks- it’s IP55 waterproof. Some people even use water spray to clean it! (which we wouldn’t recommend, water may rust the bearing.)
Downside? Some people think 80mm wheels are too small, especially for a hub board on rough pavement, especially for a board with stiff deck.
With that said, Exway X1 is like an NBA player who was now a bit older and decides to play in the CBA; and is very clearly, the head and shoulder above the budget longboard league right now.
The first generation Apsuboard X1 was a pretty mediocre mid-tier belt board. While it has a big battery, the imperfection in it’s control ruined the riding experience for me. And oh boy, did things get much better since.
Apsuboard X1 has since then made the ESC change to Hobbywing ESC, bringing perfect smoothness to its control. It then drop the price to $449 while retaining the big 288wh 10s4p battery – this spec simply slaughters the competition.
Outside of the numbers, X1 uses familiar part. Flexible deck with good subtle concave. Generic trucks that works okay, standard generic wheels. This all amount to decent but average riding experience.
Simply put, Apsuboard X1 has an amazing value for its price. It may lack the polish that the major Chinese brands has, but you can’t get a better value hub board with this price much less a belt-driven board which traditionally costs more. And while Apsuboard is a small brand, it’s a brand that we have know well and have enough confident in to recommend.
And now, we come back to the familiar faces – MeepoBoard. Meepo has always been the best selling budget brand since its inception in 2017 and it hold on to that status in all the subsequent years.
Meepo V3 is now the board that inherited that crown. Always emphasizing on power, Meepo now has the most powerful hub motors (because Enertion has gone bye-bye.), and this shows in torque and acceleration. The downside of a big motor is thinner urethane layer over the hub motor and hence rougher ride on a bad road (but there is always the option to upgrade to 100mm motor and wheels yourselves.)
While Meepo, with its LingYi ESC, is always said to be slightly less smooth in control than Hobbywing ESC use in some other boards, the difference is now negligible, especially after their new ‘Flux ESC’ update. The use of LingYi ESC allows them to have ‘push-to-turn-on’ features that boards with Hobbywing ESC couldn’t have.
Generally, for anyone who wants a budget hub board that are strong and pretty well polished, they should join the Meepo club.
For those who desire comfort above all, Backfire G2 Black is the way to go.
Backfire G2 Black is a ride where you can turn your brain off. Using Hobbywing ESC, it is as smooth as can be. Big 96mm wheels are especially nice for those who want safety in wheel size and want to worry less about road bumps and cracks. The trucks are very turny, but this wasn’t a big issue as you can always a) tighten the truck b) change bushing. Anyways, the top speed of G2 Black wasn’t too crazy either so stability usually won’t be an issue.
If you want a smooth and relaxing ride, Backfire G2 Black is your best choice amongst budget longboard segments.
Note: If you are considering buying a Wowgo 2s or an Ownboard W1S, then go for Backfire G2 Black instead. These three boards have identical specs and ride feel, but being the newest, Backfire G2 Black is slightly better in every aspect.
Remember back in 2018? When budget board just became and thing and thousand of brand such as the Meepo, Wowgo, Ownboard, AEboard, Teemo, Yeeplay etc offered their first budget boards? Those boards were often assembled together with generic parts available on market and costs somewhere around $380? Apsuboard V3 is a board reminiscing of that era – using generic trucks, enclosure, popular flex deck with handle, a 144wh Samsung 20R battery in 10s2p configuration and the LingYi ESC. (Hobbywing ESC now available for $20 more!)
Well, you might ask: “if Apsuboard V3 is a package from the yesteryears, how did it made the best electric skateboards list then?” Good question my friend, the reason is that, it is selling for only $299.
For an electric longboard, Apsuboard V3 without a doubt, the cheapest board worth buying. If you are really tight on the budget and have to spend as little as possible, this is it. If you ever thought of going to Aliexpress or buying some no name brand off Amazon, don’t – get Apsuboard V3 instead. At least it is from a known brand that won’t rip you off and is actually a decent product and not a toy.
While most major budget brands have their own budget shortboard, some do it a lot better than others. After trying out the likes of Meepo, Riptide, Enskate, below are the recommended boards.
Meepo Mini 2 uses a similar deck as the Boosted Mini, a short deck with an aggressive dish-like concave that allows excellent responsive control of the board. Unlike the Boosted Mini, however, Meepo Mini 2 uses a Shredder truck with a wide 200mm hanger, which makes it very stable even at its top speed.
It had very recently changed from using Hobbywing ESC to latest LingYi ESC (Meepo Esc 5.0). I personally think this is an appropriate change as this brings on the push-to-turn on features. It is always a great feature to have, but especially so for those who plan to make multiple short trips on the shortboard. Controls are almost as smooth as the Hobbywing but with tighter brakes, which reception on it is pretty polarised.
With that said, all this comes together and makes the Mini 2 the best option amongst budget shortboards and the first consideration for anyone looking to buy a budget shortboard.
Note: When buying a Chinese brand, you will usually come across 2 ESC choices. Hobbywing ESC and LingYi ESC. Hobbywing ESC has no push-to-start but have the smoothes acceleration and braking possible. Many however, complaints that the brakes are too smooth or soft and could be dangerous when you REALLY NEED TO STOP. LingYi ESC on the other hand, has slowly been catching up on the control smoothness. With each iteration, they get smoother and smoother. (And Meepo, being THE heavy weight budget brand, always gets the latest iteration much earlier than other brands.). Braking on LingYi ESC can be adjusted, but its overall much tighter and stronger than that of the Hobbywing ESC. LingYi ESC also always come with the push-to-turn-on feature, a useful feature indeed. When you got used to the feature, the need to bend down to reach for the power button underneath the board may feel ‘disgusting’. Heh.
Sleek Design – Drop through deck – Single hub – Waterproof – Super affordable
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Teamgee H8 is the cheapest entry level board in the budget shortboard segment, it will only set you back $300.
It only has a single hub, so it will not be the fastest or stronger. The range on H8 is nothing to brag about either. With that said, for anyone who is new to eskating and want something that can’t hurt you physically and economically, H8 is that cute puppy.
Furthermore, a drop through deck with lower riding height is exactly the type of set-up a beginner should go with. So, instead of buying a no name electric shortboard from Alibaba, going with Teamgee H8 would be the better way to go.
Best Lower Mid-tier Electric Skateboards: ($499-$700)
There was a time when no vendor would sell an eskate at this price range as nobody would dare to dish out this much money at an unknown brand, and no premium brand would care to take a profit cut to sell a product at this price.
This changed in 2019.
As Chinese budget brands proved themselves to be reliable, those who are looking for an upgrade are happy to pay a slightly higher price to the Meepo, Backfire, Wowgo and Ownboard for something better.
In one short year, we have seen more than a few big releases such as Meepo NLS, Backfire G2T, Wowgo 3, Ownboard W2 then Backfire G3. Then there are smaller brands such as the Lycaon GR, Enskates, ThePeakboard etc. After major price cut, Bustin’s Hybrid boards also joined the fray.
The new Once a no-man land, the mid-tier segment is now flooded with choices, and most of them are good. And for those who are anal about price per performance ratio, I would argue that the best electric skateboards for them falls within this price segment.
Lower Mid-tier Longboards: ($499-$700)
While smaller brands like the Lycaon might look impressive on paper, major Chinese brands are generally still better. Outside of the specs sheets, they use better parts and have more reliable customer service, and you won’t have to worry of them suddenly going out of business.
So below are our choices after considering both boards from small brands such as Lycaon, Enskate, ThePeak, and boards from major brands including Meepo, Backfire, Wowgo, Ownboard, Exway, and Bustin Hybrid boards.
(I’m gonna emphasis that the number in the list are sorted by price and not ranking, they are all good, and each is best for different use case)
Note: To those who are still asking about Yuneec and Koowheel, are you guys from 2016?
Looking for a hub board that rides like Boosted? Get a Wowgo 3. Looking for a hub board that carves like a dream? Get a Wowgo 3.
Wowgo’s first major hit, the Wowgo 2s was endlessly compared to the Boosted board, and I’m guessing that’s the reason Wowgo chose to double down on that angle with Wowgo 3. Flexible deck, Paris trucks, and super smooth customised Hobbywing ESC makes Wowgo 3 deliciously smooth both in control and in carving.
With the riding experience so overwhelmingly good, one might even overlook the fact that Wowgo 3 is also scary powerful and has an acceleration that rivals any board in the mid-tier category. What’s crazier? It recently got a $100 price cut to make it an unbelievable deal considering the price-performance ratio.
If you are not sure about your preference but want something better than a budget board? Get Wowgo 3. Everybody loves Wowgo 3.
Stiffer maple decks, Caliber II trucks combine with the predictability of a customised Hobbywing ESC make Backfire G2T a very stable board that is easy to ride fast on.
The ability to swap between 83mm and 96mm wheels is an understated perk. I think smaller wheels are more fun to ride on when the roads are smooth as you will be riding lower, riding stabler, and the board felt more responsive. And when the streets aren’t that nice, 96mm wheels give safety and comfort with its size.
On top of that, Backfire is pretty generous in the G2T package and includes the canon LED on it, which makes getting Shredlights an option rather than a must. Overall, the Backfire G2T is pretty all rounded; and an exceptionally good choice for those who are not quite sure on what they want.
Note: Turbo modes on the G2T sucks for its 30second time span and jarring transition out from the mode. But there is a simple workaround: don’t use it.
After establishing itself as a premium brand, Exway has been expanding to the mid and budget segment by slashing the price of their older models (Exway X1) and introducing new affordable line-up (Exway Flex). The best thing about it? They are bringing their renowned attention to details, product polish and great customer service together with them.
Using a flexy deck, proprietary Trist Truck and the best version of Hobbywing ESC, the Flexway, gives the smoothest possible control and a buttery smooth ride that trumps even the Boosted. It would have given Boosted the final killer-blow if it hasn’t already fallen months before Flexway’s releases. Flexway, however, is going to hurt other Boosted-like boards (Wowgo 3 and Wowgo 3x) a lot, like a really lot.
Why? Exway Flex stood head and shoulder above all the competitors. Flex has better polish, has a smartphone app, is IP55 waterproof, has the smart turn on (board automatically turn on with the remote), has better customer service track records, has a more complete accessories options (wheels/ pulleys), has the ability to swap between hubs and belts, etc.
It has received lots of hype, and after reviewing the board ourselves, we know the hype is 100% justified.
Belt-driven electric skateboards tend to cost a bit more to make as compared to hub motors, and Ownboard W2 is made well for the price it’s asking.
All other belt-driven eskate at this price range use an old version of LingYi ESC in-order to make sufficient torque possible, but that causes the board to be significantly less smooth in control. Ownboard W2 instead goes with Hobbywing ESC that allows the silky smooth acceleration and braking that we all know and love.
However, this choice is not without major sacrifices. Going with a weaker 1st Gen Hobbywing ESC means Ownboard W2 fails to capitalise on the natural strength of a belt-driven set-up – it has neither a strong torque nor brakes. W2 also seems a little bit out of place in the low-mid tier segment when it comes to the parts in it. Yes, it has ceramic bearings that are more water-resistant and might roll better. However, it is still using generic Paris clone trucks, generic bushings, generic Hobbywing remotes, and the board looks like it can use a lot more polish.
With all that said, W2 is still the best belt board at the $500 mark – sandwiched between cheaper Apsuboard X1 and better but pricier Exway Flex riot.
Meepo NLS Pro is an upgrade and replacement over the original NLS – AKA, the board that started the whole low mid-tier boom.
Unlike the other boards from the list, which mainly aim for refinement and minor performance upgrade, NLS Pro pushes the enveloped in a few ways. First, it is a speed demon and has a top speed unmatched by any board of this category (32mph/ 51kmh). It uses the same hub as Meepo V3 (but 100mm), and as mentioned, is the most powerful hub motor on the production board market right now. Second, it uses giant 100mm wheels that are practically semi-AT. NLS Pro also uses a flexible deck that is slightly better in quality compared to the competitors.
Putting it all together, the NLS Pro is very powerful, reasonably smooth (even more so after ‘Flux’ ESC upgrade), very comfortable in both carving (Flex deck and Shredder Trucks), sufficiently stable for me to test the top speed (the new Macroon bushing are great) and practical in most terrain (big 100mm wheels).
For those who likes power but still want something that are smooth and carves fun, NLS Pro is it.
Note: It might be a little bit confusing as NLS Pro (and Meepo Mini 2 ER) change the ESC they use from Hobbywing to LingYi ESC mid-year. This move makes the brake stronger, brought back the push-to-turn-on features. And with November “Flux ESC” update, it should not be any less smooth than Hobbywing ESC now.
This section is easy to write, as there aren’t many contenders here. Looking up to the future, I am excited to see if the new iterations of Arc boards can make this list.
Backfire Mini has lots of things going for it. It has a beautiful, sleek, stealthy, unibody carbon fiber deck that allows the board to be light. It rides very agile and is super powerful, in fact a little bit too powerful for its size. Not to worry, that power is smoothly controlled with the new 12s Hobbywing ESC.
Backfire Mini is also one of the most flight friendly boards as it allows us to swap out the 175Wh battery to a smaller and flight-compatible 99Wh battery – by removing just eight screws on the deck.
Sadly, this beautiful board isn’t without its flaws. Backfire Mini’s most notable shortcomings would be its vulnerability to water. Its electronic compartment with top access can very quickly turn into a water bucket when it rains. Backfire Mini is also relatively weak in range when compared to boards at this price, as some of your money had evidently went into the design and the material cost.
Unlike the base version of Meepo Mini 2, Mini 2 ER is a beast.
Forgoing the Hobbywing ESC, Mini 2 ER uses LingYi ESC for extra power, torque, and push-to-turn-on-features and stronger brakes. And with the ‘Flux’ update on the ESC, control smoothness should be almost equal to the Hobbywing ESC.
Mini 2 ER is NLS PRO with 90mm wheels and shorter deck. They use the same internal and have the same beastly performance. Of course, it is worth repeating that Meepo Mini 2 and 2 ER rides very stable thanks to the wide 200mm Shredder trucks. While some longboard felt sketchy going past 26mph/41kmh, Meepo Mini 2 ER stays pretty stable beyond that.
It is heavy; it is stable, and it is wide – Meepo Mini 2 ER rides like a longboard, as opposed to an agile shortboard. Don’t buy this if you are looking for portability, though; the thing is heavy.
And finally, at this price segment is also where our first all-terrain board makes an appearance. A few company actually tried their hand in developing budget AT board, but little of them are actually good enough.
We will continue to be on the look out for other choices, but for now, your only option for budget All-Terrain will be …
Meepo City Rider is the most affordable board with giant wheels out there. For $679 you get an AT set-up that’s comfortable to ride.
City Rider is, however, strictly speaking, a semi-AT board. As the name suggested, it used should be confined to roads instead of difficult terrain such as sands/ trails, etc. This is for two reasons: 1) Airless AT means the board will bob and bounce rather badly when riding on uneven terrain, and throw you off the board. 2) The hub motors may get dirt stuck on it, requiring maintenance work.
With that in mind, if you are looking for a big-wheeled board for your exceptionally poor city roads, Meepo City Rider is awesome. The board has very recently switch from Hobbywing ESC to the LingYi ESC and now is with tighter brakes (and push to start feature). Unlike most AT that likes to go with double kingpin trucks, City Rider went with Shredder Trucks with extended length making it super stable in top speed while still plenty good in turning.
Best Higher Mid-tier Electric Skateboards: ($700-$1000)
Now, let’s look at the best electric skateboards between $700 and $1,000. Interestingly, just three years ago, $700 used to mean ‘budget board.’
Now, the higher mid-tier price range gives you boards that are very well rounded. Of course, each of the board in this list is here because they excel in something that others don’t.
This price point also give us a few good AT options.
Higher Mid-tier Longboards: ($700-$1000)
Most of the major Chinese brands that have products in this price range make this list. Why? Because they are all pretty great. My guess is, as they are expanding to the premium market segment, a lot more effort was put into making sure the higher priced boards are truly good.
If you are the type of person who wants no compromise in product polish, customer service, or just simply couldn’t decide between belt-drive or hub-drive – Exway X1 Pro and Pro Riot is the board for you.
Exway X1 Pro and Pro Riots have their drive train set up modularly so that you can switch between hub set-up and belt set-up conveniently. Exway X1 Pro is probably the more popular amongst the two, as the hub set-up is more consistent with the overall theme of stealth, sleek, and light. The belt-drive Pro Riot has the added benefit of powerful torque and acceleration that bested the Boosted, and the option to use your favourite wheels be it the Orangatang or Abec Flywheel (need to buy the pulley).
While Exway is always pricier, it is for a good reason. It has a refined control, which can be further tailored to your preference with the companion app. The whole user experience with an Exway product is also outstanding, akin to that of the Apple’s: Smart turn on, magnetic charging port, different control slider and ride modes… the list goes on.
Backfire G3 and G3 Plus are basically a slight variation of the same product.
(G3 Plus has a bigger battery, use carbon fiber deck and slightly stronger motor).
What doesn’t change is that both of them will be the best hub motor longboard in this price segment, as they do everything quite well. They give comfortable ride and has specs that matches their price.
Some may say their brakes can be stronger, and they underperforms in range test (if riding aggressively), but for the majority of the riders with appropriate expectation (on the range), G3 and G3 Plus is undoubtedly the best hub board in this price segment.
Note: Personally, I think G3 Plus is the way to go. Extra 85mm sets of wheels, bigger battery, and carbon fiber deck for $200 extra? Worth it.
We said Wowgo 3 is one of the best mid-tier longboards that are available right now, and Wowgo 3x is everything that, but with belt drive – and belt drive means even stronger torque and even smoother ride (thanks to having more thane by using 4 real wheels).
Flexible deck, Paris Truck, smooth Hobbywing ESC means Wowgo 3x is both buttery smooth and awesome for carving. The 12S customised Hobbywing ESC is thrillingly powerful for the hub-driven Wowgo 3 and even more so for the belt-driven Wowgo 3x. 259wh battery pack promise a range of 14miles or 22.5km, equals to that of the Boosted Stealth, making a direct comparison between the two irresistible.
I know this is an overused cliche but… Wowgo 3 and 3x are the Boosted killer that we’ve been waiting for. For anyone looking for a riding experience very similar to the Boosted, Wowgo 3x is the one for you.
Considering the riding experience, performance, polish, price and popularity of the Wowgo 3x, I would consider it the product of the year for 2019 and the best electric skateboard coming out of 2019.
Double Drop Deck – Heavy duty – Powerful – Big 100mm wheels
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If your idea of best electric skateboard is the one with the most power, Meepo AWD Pro will sit high on your list. With Enertion Raptor 2 out of the picture, Meepo AWD Pro is now the most powerful hub board out there. With four powerful hub motors, there are no hills too steep and no riders too heavy for the AWD Pro.
Meepo AWD Pro has the highest top speed of all boards outside of the premium boutique boards and it uses a double-drop deck that’s on the stiffer side make sure the board is enough stable for its speed.
Besides having insane torque and crazy top speed, Meepo AWD Pro is an experience similar to the regular V3. It has a similar range using two sets of 10s1p Samsung 40T cells. It uses giant 100mm wheels just like the NLS Pro, making it practically semi-AT.
So, if you need the torque or have lots of hills to climb, Meepo AWD Pro is your only option as Enertion Raptor 2.1 is now off the table, and Acton Qu4tro is un-recommendable.
Finally, this is where you can get the most affordable Boosted. There are, however, limited selections of shortboards from other brands. We have the Riptide R1X, which I don’t recommend – and nothing else. My guess is – most of the company had strategically avoid putting out boards that are in direct competition with the Boosted and that’s probably the right business move.
Note (March 2020): Boosted has gone under. Yes, you heard it right. So, you probably wouldn’t be able to and also shouldn’t get a Boosted at the moment.
While Boosted was never a great buy in the sense of performance per dollar, it is still the best selling electric skateboard brand. Brand name, product polish, design, and customer service is what you are paying for when buying a Boosted.
If you want a shortboard that’s a bit lighter and air-travel friendly, go for the Mini S. If you want something sturdier, has more power and don’t mind the weight? Mini X it is.
And finally, at this price segment is also where the true all-terrain board makes appearance.
As everything affordable, we look to the Chinese brands to find the best value per dollar, and after considering everything from Backfire, Ownboard, and Wowgo. Below are the recommended boards sorted by price.
They are comfortable to ride on with thick 120mm cloud wheels, double kingpin, and smooth Hobbywing ESC. It is also versatile as it is agile enough for both city commute and light off-road usage.
With good ride feel and great performance, the only nitpick that I have on the Bamboo GT is it lacks in refinement. This I mean by – a little better polish? A higher-quality bushing? A slightly tighter brakes? Oh! And the cloud wheels, as comfortable as they are, might not be as durable as a regular thane wheel.
I will put it this way, Ownboard Bamboo GT is 9/10 boards as it does everything 9/10, almost perfect; leaving you to ponder on the what-ifs.
For those who are new to the eskate world, these are probably the only boards that they heard of, namely Boosted and Evolve. Inboard M1 too, started at this price range before they went under. Enertion Raptor 2 was here before they sort of went under. The weakest specced single drive Trampa Orrsom falls in this price range too (but falls out of recommendation list.) Other than that, you can get some premium boutique brands such as Hoyt St and some decent AT boards for this price.
Instead of splitting boards by category, I’m going to introduce them by brands as few of the boards here allow switch between streets and AT.
Ownboard Bamboo AT/GT and Carbon AT/GT are obviously ‘inspired’ by Evolve Bamboo and Carbon series. That, however, doesn’t stop them from being really good.
Using a Hobbywing ESC, the Ownboards are as smooth as can be, more so than their Evolve counterparts. The ride feels with its own double kingpin trucks are as carvy as it can be – perhaps too much so – a drawback that can be mitigated by changing the bushings.
Like the Evolve, the Ownboards also allow the wheels to convert between the street and AT.
All in all, successfully imitating a proven concept of an Evolve AT series while only asking less than half of its price is precisely why Ownboard Bamboo/Carbon AT are the best belt-driven AT boards for most of us right now.
Backfire Ranger X1 was the best all-terrain hub board when it was first released, and the Ranger X2 saw improved performance and hence inherited the throne.
With the 12S Hobbywing ESC and 12s3p battery configuration, Backfire is both smooth in control and powerful in torque. It’s double kingpin trucks are also amongst the nicest outside of Evolve’s Supercarve trucks.
Even though the Ranger X2 now has thicker wheels, airless wheels still don’t work as good as pneumatic or even honeycomb when it comes to shock absorption. With that said, for those who want an AT board with hub motors (for a reduced need of maintenance and waterproof ability perhaps?), Ranger X2 is the clear winner.
Note (March 2020): Boosted has gone under. Yes, you heard it right. So, you probably wouldn’t be able to and also shouldn’t get a Boosted at the moment.
You either know you are going to buy a Boosted, or you know you won’t. Numbers and words are unlikely to convince you otherwise. As everyone already knows, Boosted was never about performance per dollar. It’s brand name, design, polish and reliability are the main selling point. At 2020, you can’t even argue that Boosted has a superior riding experience – competition had definitely caught up; what you can argue is that, Boosted is going to age better than the competition, last longer than competing products and kept its resell value better.
I have said it before, and I will say it again. If you want the functionality of a Boosted but don’t quite care about the brand name? Get two Wowgo 3x. One for yourself and one for your friend. Share the love. However, if you want the most reliable board on the market right now, Boosted is still it.
There are a few plus points for someone to go for an Evolve board. 1) Brand name; 2) Swappable between AT & Street wheels; 3) Reliable customer service 4) Double Kingpin Trucks that allows sharp turn and fun carves; 5) You live in Australia (where the boards are made).
Evolve used to be the go-to brand when it comes to pure performance. That advantage had long disappeared since the rise of the Chinese brands. Evolve also used to be known for the Double Kingpin trucks and the ability to switch between AT/Street wheels. This advantage was too, gone after a slew of Chinese boards starts to offer one or both of these features. Just to name a few off the top of my head, we have the Ownboard AT/GT, Backfire Ranger X, Verreal RS, and other lesser-known brands like the Vestar and OneWow.
At the end of the day, Evolve still stands for its reputable brand name, reliable customer service, and large groups of die-hard fans. Oh, and they also have a $999 shortboard call the Stoke.
If price is not a factor, the best electric skateboard obviously are those with meteoric price. However, ranking the board in this segment is pretty impossible, as there is just no way to compare boards at this price. When a board is selling at this price, what’s great about them usually aren’t about the number but about their design. These boards are the small scale boutique brands, or DIY based vendors that aim to craft the fiercest monster money can buy.
P.S.: If you want to get a taste of these boards without shelling out the money, try going on FriendWithA to rent one! ($10 off with our affiliate link).
If you want a high quality 2 in 1 board made in the USA, the Metroboard is it.
Metroboard is one of the oldest brands of Eskate and has been making high quality premium electric skateboards for a while now. Their latest flagship MetroboardX is not only pushing up the price, it’s also doubling down on the quality, using many parts that were made specially for it.
Of course, it also has beefy specs, as all board in this price segment usually do.
The Lacroix is the most expensive electric skateboard on the market right now and the Nazare Lonestar is most likely the most powerful board with the beefiest battery in production right now.
Personally, I think Lacroix is tailored for those who are blessed with a wide and endless roads as those roads allow one to take a long cruise in high speed. Lacroix is a very stable ride but wasn’t easiest to turn (or maybe its just not made for my weight) so it probably wasn’t the board for everyone. (But those who have it swear by it!)
I stand corrected, the Bioboards are the most expensive electric skateboard money can buy right now. Bioboards are made in Sweden, and they aim to offer the highest performance possible.
Let’s go through some numbers, their flagship – Bioboard’s Thorium X4 is an all-wheel-drive with four gear drive. Powered by 12s6p Samsung 30Q battery. It has a top speed of 48mph (77kmh) and a range of 37miles (60km)…
So, these are the best electric skateboards for every price point. I hope you enjoyed this list and found it helpful to make an informed purchase decision.
If you think a board is worthy of being on the list (by knocking one of them off of course), please comment below!I hope you enjoy this list and find it helpful to inform your purchase.
And again, do check out our Discount Page for our affiliated discount code. Using them will help us out too!
It seems like 2019 is the year of $599 & All-Terrain line-up. Late June, Ownboard join the party with their own version of AT board in Carbon AT. After putting it up for pre-sale for nearly a month, it is now officially available.
From the appearance, Ownboard Carbon AT heavily resembles to Evolve Carbon series. As a matter of fact, it has almost the same spec as the new and highly anticipated Evolve Carbon GTR.
Here’s the breakdown. Ownboard and Evolve both are rocking 14AH battery which translates to 19 miles(31km) of range. Both use double kingpin trucks that pair with big wheels, with Evolve’s 7″ pneumatic while Ownboard went with 6″ honeycomb. If length matters to you, the carbon deck that Ownboard uses is slightly longer measuring in 40″ while Evolve is an inch shorter. Both markets similar top speed which is 22mph(36kmh) for Evolve vs 23mph(38kmh) for Ownboard. While Evolve is clearly superior when it comes to customer service, polish and brand reputation, Ownboard Carbon AT is arguably better on paper as it uses bigger 6368 motor (vs 5065) and better Sanyo cell (vs Samsung 35e).
While early reviewers (cough cough Daniel Kwan cough) seems to like the board quite a bit, we are still waiting to hear more feedback from the eskate community. I for one, am interested to see how well Ownboard Carbon AT performs, seeing this is the highest price product coming from a Chinese budget brand.
Oh, by the way, you will need to resort to some DIY solution in order to switch from AT to street wheel set-up. The switch is possible if you can find a belt and pulley set that’s compatible with Ownboard Carbon AT. Currently, there is no in house solution from Ownboard but I suspect it will be developed in the future.
So, what do you think? Would you pick Ownboard Carbon AT over Evolve Carbon GTR? Does Evolve worth the extra $600?
