Ever since the holidays, you might have seen people left and right riding in the mall, in parks, or even in your local grocery store on a cheaper version of a Hoverboard after seeing your favorite celebrity riding on one on Instagram, or in a music video.
So when I had the opportunity to test out the AlienBoard hoverboard by Alienwheels, I was ready to find out what the hype was all about.
The biggest question about these Hoverboards in recent months hasn’t been a matter of which brand is the best, but more of a case of “which one will set on fire while riding it?”. A few of the Hoverboards you see on the market have issues with exploding batteries and spotty manufacturing mainly due to the fact that they were mass-produced to feed a demographic ages 10-35 who just wanted to be on the hottest new gadget, that being hoverboards. And during the process, the battery of those Hoverboards you might see in Walmart for $199 are made from a battery not built to even withstand the power it takes to run these smart balance hoverboards. After reading plenty of articles and researching how to identify a good Hoverboard versus a potentially bad one, it all came down to a matter in the battery.
According to AlienBoard themselves, hoverboards manufactured with batteries from Samsung or LG themselves are deemed the safest on the market. Using a board that isn’t explicitly using a battery made by Samsung or LG is very hazardous and yes… might explode, because companies attempt to account for mass producing the Hoverboards all while giving you a fake battery cell that could include things like sand, which will obviously damage your hoverboard, causing it to explode, or worse.
Saying that to say this, Alienwheels wanted to make it crystal clear that all of their hoverboards aren’t mass-produced with poorly made equipment, so they sent me over their AlienBoard B1, and I’ve literally enjoyed it more and more since I started using it.
Now to be fair, there’s a bit of a learning curve involved with a freestanding balance hoverboard, so I would suggest riding it in an area that’s carpeted the first few times, so I testing this out in my apartment’s hallway (free of all furniture and sharp edges in case I fell). You step on one foot at a time, similar to walking up a step.
I received the black AlienBoard B1 which comes with its own little nifty remote control key to lock the AlienBoard, as well as turn the power on and off. It’s suggested to charge the hoverboard for two hours to receive a full charge which went pretty smooth. Admittedly so, the first three times I charged my AlienBoard, I charged on my hardwood floors instead of in my carpeted room just because I was still a bit weary of stories of it exploding while charging. (Not sure what charging on a hard surface would make a difference, but sue me). The AlienBoard comes with a moto power of 350 watts, and can reach an estimated 15-20km/hr. which is pretty fast if you asked me. I’ve already grown lazy and have begun cooking on the AlienBoard, riding around my home doing chores, and even going to grab my mail with it because it’s just easier than walking sometimes. Also… It’s worth noting that charging the AlienBoard for three hours can honestly get you about eight hours of on/off riding, since if the device is left idle for more than 90 seconds, it turns itself off.
When you first open the AlienBoard, it looks like most of the hoverboards that you’ve seen on the market, from the faux chrome wheel design covering the actual wheels, to the glowing LED lights on the rear of the AlienBoard itself. Each LED light indicates the pressure of your footing, and/or which direction you’re turning. I suggest quickly mounting (and dismounting) since the sensitivity of the hoverboards themselves is pretty high as instructed in the video below.
As you can see I pretty much love the AlienBoard, from the overall look of the board itself, to the simple use of it. Granted, the only setback I had was learning to step BACKWARDS off of it instead of stepping forward. Also, I had a habit of stepping one foot off and leaving one on which made the AlienBoard jerk a bit and it actually left a pretty scar near my ankle, so piece of advice: step off quickly!.
Overall I LOVE the AlienBoard Hoverboard, so much so I’ve learned to go grocery shopping with it, which might sound like a very tool-ish thing to do. One thing you’ll have to understand though is when riding the AlienBoard outside, like all hoverboards will take a bit getting used to, especially on elevated or uneven surfaces, as highlighted in the video. The ends of the sidewalks in my area actually have been “skateboard-protected” with round grooves on them to stop skateboarders from flying down the street, which obviously would work the same way with the AlienBoard. But if you can actually get past the thought of flying off because you’re going to fast (even though AlienBoard is the only hoverboard I’ve seen that alerts you of excessive speeds) you’ll love the AlienBoard itself. If you’d like to get yourself an AlienBoard, I can confirm that not only is it one of the safer hoverboards on the market, but it’s also one of the more stylish. Currently on sale for $319, you can head over to Alienwheels.com today for more information.
Check out the Alienwheels Overboard Challenge!!!
Source: Manufacturer supplied review unit
What I like: overall design; Samsung battery means it’s not only safe to charge, but it’s safe to ride. (Suggest charging three full hours before riding
What Needs Improvement: Nothing
