Skateboards have been a favorite recreation tool for children, teens, and even adults for over 50 years. They provide an inexpensive and easy way to get around town. However, they have dipped somewhat in popularity lately, due to a lack of enhancements and changes in their design.

Many skateboard companies are trying to get around their dip in sales by producing self-propelling electric boards. One of the most popular of these new models is the Genesis Hellfire, one that uses a simple battery and motor to move. Is this skateboard worth your time or should you look into another one? Read on to find out.

A Look at the Board

The Genesis Hellfire is an electric board that comes with a lithium-ion battery that charges fully in under three hours. At top speed, it gives you a charge of over 20 miles per each battery charge. The manufacturer claims that the battery will stay charged for seven days, but it typically runs out after about three hours.

The most touted feature of this board is its wireless remote control. It allows you to sync up to the board and control its acceleration and braking quickly and efficiently. Each remote control unit fits easily and comfortably into the palm, making it a pretty solid investment for anyone who is looking for an engaging board.

Another thing that is really nice about this board is that it comes fully assembled. Other types of electric skateboards require you to do some work putting them together. This makes it easy to suffer from a mistake or construction error that causes mechanical failure. Being able to ride it as soon as it arrives is a nice bonus, though you’ll obviously have to charge the battery before riding.

Solid Performance Specifications

The performance specifications for this particular board are pretty strong. It has a top speed of 20 miles per hour, which is about as fast as you want to go on a powered skateboard. And as mentioned above, it has a top range of about 20 miles. While this won’t be enough range to go on a trip, it’s sufficient for the average teen boarding through their hometown.

It is also a relatively light board at 16.5 pounds. While this weighs more than non-electric boards, it is pretty typical for electric models. As a result, it will be easier for a wider range of people to carry, including younger teens, pre-teens, and even elementary school students.

On the technical side, the 800-watt dual outer-rotor brushless DC motor is powered by a 36-volt battery. Without going into great details about what these specs mean, it is worth noting that they are typical of the industry standard. While they aren’t among the highest currently available on the market, they are at least competitive with similar boards.

Another important specification consideration is its maximum weight capacity. Here is where this board stands out from its competitors, as it can support up to 264 pounds. This limit means that larger teenagers or heavy-set adults can enjoy this board without worrying about it cracking beneath their feet.

Pros and Cons of This Board

Before we move on to our final thoughts, it is worth breaking down the pros and cons of this board. It definitely has some benefits that make it worth your time. However, there are also downsides that need to be carefully considered before you buy it.

Pros

The most obvious benefit of this board is its strength. We are very pleased by the fact that it can support over 250 pounds, making it one of the toughest boards on the market. It is also lightweight and easy to carry, further improving its usability with a variety of different users.

Another thing that will impress a lot of individuals is its speed. While 20 miles per hour would be slow for a car or truck, it is a great speed for an electric board. Most boards are unlikely to use it at that speed, but the fact that it can hit it at all is impressive.

Other benefits that we like are the simple wireless remote and its prefabricated build. They help make this board one that just about anybody can ride without much struggle. However, there are negative sides to this skateboard that must be fully understood.

Cons

The obvious problem with this board is its somewhat problematic battery life. The charge will last for only a few hours when it is run, and we’ve even noted a loss of charge when the board was not running. Even worse, the board slows down as the battery level drops.

As a result, it is hard to keep it running at the kind of speeds most boarders will enjoy. While regular charging can help here, keeping it constantly plugged in will decrease the battery power. This problem is not a deal-breaker, but it can be rather difficult to work around.

Another problem with this board is that it struggles to ascend hills efficiently. While this is a problem that is common with most electric skateboards, it is particularly noticeable here. As a result, those who live in hilly areas should probably consider a different model.

Final Thoughts

While there are definitely some faults with this particular skateboard model, we think that it is still a decent choice for the right person. We think that its budget model pricing makes it a good choice for teenagers who may have to save up for it themselves. It is also a good choice for those who don’t need a fast model or who live in rather flat areas or skateboarding in the city.

So it is a model that should be in consideration when you’re looking at electric skateboards. However, there are better available choices on the market, especially for those who want one that will power its way up hills. Make sure to think this through before committing to avoid making a purchasing mistake that could cost you hundreds of dollars.