After the Hoverboard Scandal – Which Brands Can You Trust?
Remember just a couple Christmases ago when hoverboards were the gift to give? You may also recall the great debacle surrounding the products shortly after – a few of these self-balancing scooters had electrical shortages and caught fire, making national headlines and worrying parents who had bought them for their kids. The Sports Techie community blog believes in safety first when it comes to sports tech.
Just as quickly as they gained popularity, they were labeled hazardous. These dangerous early hoverboards all had one thing in common though – the batteries were all traced back to a single factory in China and sold for cheap. Since this scandal, hoverboard brands have to receive a UL safety certification before being sold to the public. This certification ensures the product goes through multiple safety tests and is inspected before hitting store shelves.
Many of the companies that were thriving before the fiasco a couple years ago have disappeared. They’ve been replaced with new brands that fill the market’s void with safe and reliable self-balancing scooters.
Quite a few of these brands have never been heard of. Others have been around for a while but are known for their other products. To help you navigate this new hoverboard marketplace, the following are a few brands that you can trust.
EPIKGO
EPIKGO has quickly proven that they’re a hoverboard company you can trust. While they don’t have a website of their own, you can find them on Amazon. There, they display their UL certification and their many positive reviews.
Since they’ve launched their products, they’ve received praise from both tech reviewers and their customers. Their board is equipped with 400 W dual motors that allow you to climb 18-degrees. It can reach up to 10 mph in speed and can operate for over an hour when charged fully. It’s made with durability in mind and comes with a bigger frame than most competitors.
Segway miniPro, miniPlus, & miniLite
When you think of Segways, you probably picture one of those motorized scooters with handles. While these items are their most known product, the Segway brand also makes hoverboards. They have three models: the miniPro, the miniPlus, and miniLite. These have the same board as the traditional Segway, but with smaller wheels and no handlebars.
They’re all capable of reaching at least 10 mph, have enough charge to go 14 miles, and charge within 4 hours. The major advantage of buying from this brand is knowing that they have other products that are safe and popular.
Razor HoverTrax
Razor is another brand that has some other products to back them up. They are known for their non-motorized scooters that were popular in the early 2000s. Their self-balancing scooter, the HoverTrax 2.0, is known to be an affordable alternative to those that cost near $1000.
The max speed on the scooter is only 8 mph, but the lack of speed isn’t much when you compare prices. It doesn’t have as many features as other brands, but it’s guaranteed to work and poses no threat. You can also find it on Amazon, like the previous two, as well as in Wal-Mart and Target.
Swagtron
The brand Swagtron first made a name for themselves when they released their T1 and T3 models, each of which is UL certified. They’ve recently released their new T5 model, which as also has passed all of the newly required safety tests.
The T5 can’t go as fast as some of the other competitors, coming in at only 7 mph for a 7-mile charge. However, it is a more affordable option and is the most lightweight of the bunch.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to purchasing things that have been dangerous in the past, you want to be careful of what you’re buying. At the same time, it means that hoverboard brands are under more pressure to produce safer products. The majority of brands that offer self-balancing scooters have gone above and beyond trying to fix issues. However, you still want to do your due diligence and research the product you’re buying and read reviews.
Hoverboard Ride With Autistic Boy
Sports Techie, last winter break my son and I went to Bend, Oregon for the holidays and my brother Rolando brought a hoverboard to mess around with. I had a steep learning curve but watching my brother and his kids ride with such confidence made me realize no matter if you are over 60-years old, generation X, a millennial or genZ, new hoverboards are rideable, fun and more safe today than their predecessors.
Just ask my son on the autism spectrum what he thinks about them because I believe he would say they rock, no matter if you are a boy, girl or dog!
Christmas is around the corner, look for the best deals now.
See ya later sportstechie in Seattle, Atlanta and around the world!
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