Boosted Board Dual+ Electric Longboard Review
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First it was wearables, and now, it's all about this new phenomenon called "rideables". When talking about electric skateboards, one name in particular stands out from all the rest and it's Boosted. This is a company that has been making headlines all over the Internet with its Boosted Board, an ordinary-looking electric longboard with an amazing performance combined with a great design and rider-friendly controls. Looking for one of the most exciting adult toys ever created? Then be sure to check out our in-depth review on Boosted's flagship electric skateboard - the Boosted Dual+ board.
There are a few things you should know when it comes to purchasing a Boosted Board. While they all have the same design and functionality, there are three different types of models to choose from. The 1,000W Boosted Single is the most affordable and entry-level board at $999, has an 8 mile range, a top speed of 18 mph and the power to carry you up a 10% incline. The Dual Boosted Dual at $1,299, has a 7 mile range, can get up to speeds of 20 mph and climb up a 20% incline. Finally, the 2,000W Boosted Dual+ we're testing will set you back $1,499, has a 7 mile range and can get up to 22 mph with the ability to be ridden up a 25% incline. You'll also notice that this model comes with a bit more grip tape for extra traction compared to the other models.
The Boosted Dual and Dual+ both have two brushless motors powering the rear wheels, while the Boosted Single only features one motor powering one of the two rear wheels. Regardless, these electric motors provide instant, powerful torque so you can pick up speed insanely fast from a stand still on flat ground. Yes these are costly electric skateboards, but they are of the highest quality and they're also made in California. The Boosted Board isn’t just a good looking electric skateboard with low-profile mechanics, it’s smartly designed. Heat sinks fins dispute heat build-up allowing you to continuously ride at high speeds for the duration of your journey. They also help cool down the electronics when you’re going uphill when the motors are being stressed most of all.
The Boosted Board is one of the smallest, genuinely functional personal transportation vehicles you can use for daily commute and leisure riding. And it's wickedly powerful. The board is 38-inches long and weighing in at 15 pounds (or 13.5 pounds for the Boosted Single), it’s fairly easy to carry around when you’re not riding it.
If you've never ridden a motorized board before or have no experience skateboarding, yet you're one of the adventurous types, you're definitely going to want to wear some type of protective gear before attempting to Tony Hawk it like a helmet. Not this skateboarding helmet, you'll want one of these full face helmets just to be sure your good looks won't be scraped off should something bad, horribly goes wrong. Obligatory precautions aside, there's always that learning curve that comes with new gear like the Boosted Board so don't let that keep you from experiencing the thrill of your lifetime. And besides, the Boosted Board is a breeze to ride. Even for beginners...believe it or not.
When you get a Boosted Board the first thing you're going to want to do is get out and ride it. Don't. Read the included user guide, it's a quick and informative instructional guide that will show you how to ride this beast and how to switch between different riding presets that will determine how fast the board will go, from limited acceleration and a top speed of 11 mph (Beginner Mode) - to moderate acceleration and a top speed of 16 mph (Eco Mode) - to high acceleration and a top speed of 20 mph or 18 mph on the Single model (Expert Mode) - to finally maximum acceleration power and a whopping top speed of 22 mph on the Dual+ model (Pro Mode).
So how does it work? Simple. You just get on and maintain your balance. Steering is of course done in the traditional manner by shifting your weight to either side while using the remote to control throttle and braking, all in varying degrees of speed of course. And man does is this thing amazingly powerful for such a relatively compact form factor with small motors, it eats up steep inclines like they're nothing (when on Expert or Pro Mode). What impressed me the most is just how easily it can go over thick short and relatively high speedbumps without the bottom of the longboard scrapping as it passes over. There's enough height to length ratio which increases the Boosted Board's ability to keep on moving forward, and over such obstacles even with heavier riders (250+ pounds).
One of the worst things I can think about when it comes to wirelessly controlling a things like a drone or an electric skateboard is having to use an app on your phone. That's the worst. Thankfully, the Boosted Board uses this wireless handheld controller that automatically connects to the board almost instantly, every single time. You use this pistol-style grip controller to activate throttle, braking/reverse, check up on the battery status of the board via a 5 LED indicator gauge, as well as switching between the various power modes available.
It has a tremendous capability of braking from high speed even if you're on the heavier side. And when you learn to control the throttle and reverse braking, the Boosted Board can smoothly brake and accelerate like a Tesla.
The throttle and braking control is the most important control on this remote and is controlled using this smooth actuating, spring-loaded toggle wheel with your thumb. Hold down the safety trigger and push the toggle wheel forward to accelerate, or backwards to brake or go in reverse. The remote is very intuitive and it just works, but I do with that in addition to these wheel notches in the hard plastic that there was some kind of a rubbery textured finish for extra grip. The battery of the remote outlasts the board itself, so you won't be charging it as often, but when you do, it's done via the provided mini-USB cable.
It's important to note that the range dramatically reduces depending on which mode you're on and how much you push your Boosted Board. At max speed in Pro Mode on the Boosted Dual+ model, expect to get around 4.5 miles of range out of a full charge. That said, your mileage will quite literally vary depending on how heavy you are, and how fast you're traveling. But at Echo Mode, you can ride your board at speeds of up to 12 miles for as far as 8 miles on flat terrain. If you're riding with a backpack or messenger bag you'll definitely be able to also carry around the Boosted Board's charging brick. It's not heavy and doesn't take up more space than a small portable speaker. Boosted says that it takes an hour to fully charge the board or just 30 minutes to get up to 85%. During my testing I was able to fully charge the Boosted Dual+ in under an hour, which is impressively quick.
And when you do run out of juice, you can actually kick-push the Boosted Board like a regular longboard with minimal resistance from the motor system. You can actually save battery if you push yourself physically when starting to ride the Boosted Board and then slowly use your throttle, which will requiring less power to move you from a dead stop.
There's an on/off button underneath the board that when pressed, will turn the Boosted Board on and it will then connect to the remote. Next to it is a protected charging port. The LED light on the power button will let you know the charging status. You can also use the Boosted app to check the battery status more accurately than the LEDs on the wireless remote.
The spacious, 38-inch semi-stiff Vanguard Flex 3 deck is made by Loaded out of fiberglass--reinforced bamboo, which not only looks great up close, but is incredibly strong and flexible enough to withstand abuse and weight of more than 300 pounds; more so than standard boards made out of layers of wood.
The ride is as smooth as it can get before adding standalone shock absorbers. The tacky, In Heat silicone-esque 75mm wheels made by Orangatang do a really good job absorbing shock from cracks and small rocks while the flexibility in the fiberglass-reinforced bamboo deck enhances the reduction of vibration and shock being transferred from the ground to your feet. In my experience the ride is fairly smooth when riding over small gravel on the road, cracks and other uneven bumps and pieces of small branches along the way. Nothing really slows this thing down.
After a couple of days of getting used to riding the Boosted Board you'll quickly want to level up. More power! And thankfully there's plenty of it just a triple tap away. The best thing about using an electric longboard like the Boosted Board is having the portability and compact size all packed into a long-lasting, fast personal transportation rideable that will get you places far away.
You've probably never had this much fun heading to work, school, the gym, and to other places around town. It's faster, smaller and a lot more portable than a bike. But it has its limitations too. You can't ride it on uneven or rough terrain, over wet surfaces and for inexperienced users, the Boosted Board is an expensive toy that requires a great amount of practice and fear concurring.
The biggest arguable drawback to owning a Boosted Board? You won't be getting any exercise out using it. All joking aside, the real caveat is it not being waterproof. And I say arguably because you really don't want to be riding it on wet surfaces in the first place, but it never hurts to have the benefit of added durability. If Traxxas and other companies can make RC cars with brushless electric motors fully waterproof, we don't see why Boosted couldn't give this board some kind of water resistant protection.
Boosted's Boosted Dual+ is a serious piece of kit that can get you places effortlessly and within a short amount of time. It's the type of electric longboard you'll want to get if you're serious about using it on a daily basis where short commutes or even joy rides need to be made. Riding around on a Boosted Board has been the most fun I've had in years. It's impressively capable, moves like no tomorrow regardless of how big your are (with limitations of course), it's built like a tank yet it's relatively lightweight and easy to carry, it's got great battery performance and a reliably intuitive wireless remote control, and amazing regenerative braking. It's by far the most fun I've had going from point A to point B, and arguably the best form of transportation in cities. If you're thinking about getting one of these, do it. The Boosted Board Dual+ is the best of the best in electric longboards period.
