If you’re interested in getting an automatic skateboard, you’re not alone. Over 11 million people in the United States skateboard regularly, and the United States is worth more than 50% of the total skateboarding market. America is really a skateboarding paradise, with more than 500 skateboarding parks alone. And with the advent of the motorized skateboard, there’s never been a better time to join the movement. If you’re in the market for your first power skateboard, read on for five important things to think about before making your big purchase:
- Make sure you splurge on good wheel quality. , In the end, your whole automatic skateboard experience can be great or awful depending on what wheels you’re running on. Ideally, you want the proven quality of ABEC11 or Orangatang wheels, which premium automatic skateboards have. The cheap automatic skateboard market is full of generic wheels made of cheap Chinese urethane that isn’t cured properly. These wheels will not give you the mileage you want, and they can be a serious safety concern when they start to disintegrate at speed.
- Don’t neglect the quality of the rest of your components. The deck of your automatic skateboard needs to be made of great steel, not the low-end stuff that’s full of zinc and aluminum. Even more of a problem are cheap electronics. The cheaper you go, the more likely that you’ll be throwing out your new electric skateboard long before you wanted to.
- Your battery is everything. Any good automatic skateboard manufacturer should be ready and willing to tell you exactly the brand and type of battery cells you’re buying. The battery of a motorized skateboard is just like any other battery. If you buy a name brand battery for your TV remote, you know it lasts a lot longer than the cheap generic versions. This will also happen with your skateboard.
- Is your board going to be able to travel with you? Do you want to take your board on the plane with you? This is an important consideration before you buy. For one thing, you need to consider size. Even more important is the battery pack. If the battery is 99Wh or less, you will be able to take it on a plane, but it still needs to be removable without the use of tools. And check in advance whether you can take a lithium battery in the cabin or can check it.
- Think about how much it weighs for yourself. Weight isn’t just for thinking about planes. You also need to think about where you’ll be taking your automatic skateboard. Can you get it on and off public transport easily? Will you need to carry it under your arm a lot in public? Are there any options for storing it at school or work? The bigger boards might seem like a great option because of their power and speed but might lose their luster when you’re dragging it along with a dead battery.
A motorized longboard is a lot of fun and can be a great investment. But if you want to really love what you’ve bought and enjoy it for a long time to come, be sure to think about it carefully before you plonk down the cash.