BOOSTED'S battery powered board has a range of six miles, speed of 22mph and we've just taken it for a spin.
WHEELIE GOOD: The boosted board has a top speed of 22mph [BOOSTED]
Ever since Marty McFly and the hoverboard appeared in 1985 film Back to the Future it has been the dream of many to own one.
Well, one small hope for man has turned into a giant leap for skateboard kind.
For into the arena rides Boosted Boards.
They have turned a standard long board skateboard in a cruising and commuter machine.
Using a ‘Loaded’ flexible bamboo 38inch skateboard deck and slung beneath is the discreet lithium iron batteries and powerful brushless DC motors drive their top of the range board to a bladder emptying 22mph.
Originally electric boards were heavy cumbersome affairs with a clunky metal body running the length of the board housing all the controls, battery and motors making the ride similar to an iron girder with wheels.
The electrics were about as reliable as Alfa Romeo, in short the only thing that kept the rider safe was the low speeds achieved, unless being assisted by gravity in which case a helmet and pads was not an optional extra.
The Boosted board started life on a Kickstarter campaign [DAVE SNELLING]
Using the crowd funding website Kickstarter the company obtained funds from loyal investors hoping for their own next generation electric board.
The investors gamble paid off. The company tried, tested and kept on developing all manner of tech for the boards.
Whilst many Kickstarter investors never see the product they put money towards Boosted have succeeded.
But the Boosted boards are not aimed at rich kids but rather the urban commuter.
Many people use public transport, but travelling to the train station and then to their place of work often a combined trip of up to a mile.
It is these legs of the commuter’s journey that the board is aimed at turning the trip from a chore into a pleasure.
The board comes in three guises, from a single motored lighter version (£660) to the powerhouse of the Dual+ (£995).
In short we cannot find fault with this board. It rides like a skateboard, cruises uphill and powers you to the office, home or shops. In short it is fun.
Putting aside concerns about the price there are one or two niggles with the board.
First off the stats claim it has a 6-mile range but using running apps to measure the distance we found the range to be closer to 5 ½ miles.
The board though sleek is heavy at 15lbs however you very soon get used to carrying that weight.
The hands free controller takes a little getting used to, but it has one poor design feature.
Sadly, it doesn't like the rain which isn't ideal for the British weather [DAVE SNELLING]
The controller does not have a wrist strap and you end up having to craft one, in our case with pliers adding metals links and a shoelace.
The last niggle is more the British weather. This board was developed in Mountain View, California, home of sunshine and smooth tarmac it was not designed to deal with the rain, electrics and water don’t mix.
But having become addicted to using this board, its weight helps maintain grip on wet pavements and roads whilst the flex deck absorbs the bumps and humps in our roads. So for you urban commuters out there so long as you steer clear of puddles you should be fine.
Boosted are not without competition, Marbel Boards claim their board is almost half the weight of a Boosted Board, will travel 12 miles per charge and power you along at 25 mph.
However we have contact Marbel asking to field test their board and the company have not replied… perhaps they are running scared of Boosted, they should be.
We may not have hover boards yet but Boosted have taken us a huge step closer.
