Best Hoverboard For Beginners

Learning to hoverboard can be challenging. Sure, Marty McFly made it look so easy in Back To The Future II yet he could already ride a skateboard. In this article, we will be exploring the best hoverboards for beginners.

With so many models to choose from, you could simply want one to get from A to B with a bit of style. Perhaps with self-balancing technology for easy use.

Some hoverboards are clearly designed for children with their lower top speeds and weight capacities. However, you could end up with a Bluetooth speaker and flashing LEDs, ideal for kids yet not for a grown adult.

If you are a parent wishing to buy one as a gift to a child then you should steer clear of large tires and 12 MPH top speeds.

Finding the best hoverboard for beginners is a lot like considering any vehicle. It should be fast enough with a reliable enough battery.

You want the right stabilization with the right weight as 800-watt motors and 30 pounds of weight may be too much propulsion. Just be thankful they still have wheels. 

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Several factors go into finding the best hoverboard for beginners.

Above all else, safety should be right at the top of your list and you should be looking for UL 2272 certification. 

With that standard met, you should cast aside worries of combustible batteries and exploding hoverboards. The hoverboard itself must be easy to ride and stable to be fully enjoyed.

Also, think about what top speed you consider to be reasonable. If the hoverboard is for children then 12MPH may be deemed excessive though 7MPH may be just right.

For beginners, a hoverboard that can be primarily used on the road or pavement may be most suitable. However, there are all-terrain models if you did want to go off-road.

Charging Time

We would expect that with most hoverboards, after a single charge you can ride for a few miles.

However, that charging time may be in excess of three hours. If you have a child who has little patience then telling them they may have to wait a few hours may be difficult to explain. 

Several hoverboards can take up to five and a half hours to fully charge which may be deemed excessive.

There are some hoverboards that only take two hours to charge yet may not go very far. Faster charging times usually mean a reduced battery life.

A common average charging time is around three hours so it is advisable to charge the hoverboard up after every ride.

We would recommend that you steer clear of hoverboards that take four hours to charge only to give you a single hour of riding.

Range Of Distance

Consider how far you want to go on a full charge. If the hoverboard is only to be used for playing in the nearby streets then you may only need a couple of miles.

However, if you wanted to visit a friend or head into town and back then a more reasonable range could be five miles. Some hoverboards can go even further, up to 13 miles per charge.

Safety Standards

There was a time when riding a hoverboard seemed frightening though the industry has since moved on. Reports of exploding hoverboards have been few and far between in recent years.

If there is one certification to look out for it is UL 2272 certification. If the hoverboard lacks that specific certification then it is at risk of catching fire or even exploding.

Having the UL 2272 certification is not just for peace of mind we believe that it should be a requirement. Advanced lithium-free batteries are also an extra safety feature to look out for.

We would also suggest that you check the brand of battery, the more well-known brands would not be used if they weren’t convinced of the hoverboard’s safety.

Several manufacturers have gone even further with the safety precautions of their hoverboards. To that extent, many batteries have been designed to be non-combustible and non-flammable.

This is even when damaged or punctured. Even with all these safety standards, you should always wear protective gear such as a helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads.

Top Speed

While we would not expect to beat the traffic on a hoverboard, you may want to know how fast it can go. When learning to ride your hoverboard safely, you can keep to a low, steady speed.

Once you have worked out how to ride then you may want to see how fast you can go. What can come in handy is a hoverboard that has many speeds to try.

There is limited room on a hoverboard for a sizable motor yet a top speed of 20MPH can be achieved which may be enough.

For children, you may want to be a responsible parent and only want the top speed to hit 7MPH. 

You may want the top speed to be even lower at 6MPH which is far more sensible.

There are even hoverboards that include companion apps where you can limit the variable speed control. Ideal if you have kids who are not afraid to test the limits of their toys.

Weight

Most hoverboards that are aimed at beginners tend to have an average weight of about 20 pounds though can go down to around 15 pounds.

Should you wish to take the hoverboard with you then you should consider the weight when finding the best hoverboard for beginners. Some hoverboards can weigh as much as 35 pounds which may be excessive for ideal portability when the battery runs out. 

Wheel/Tire Size

The tire size tends to go hand in hand with the hoverboard’s ability to go off-road. Oversized tires are especially versatile for handling a range of unpredictable surfaces.

A lot of hoverboards for beginners should have tires that are sized 6.5-inches which are ideal for smooth surfaces.

For off-roading, we would be looking at hoverboards with 8.5 or even 10.5-inches in their tire size. As well as their off-roading capabilities, these hoverboards tend to be more expensive which we would expect.

The tires also come with ideal traction for maintaining control when off-road. If you are quite happy to remain on the streets then smaller, 6.5-inch tires should be fine.

Performance

Hoverboards are ideally suited for going over flat, paved surfaces. The more powerful designs are also steady going uphill and you could find one that can easily deal with an incline as steep as 30°.

We can expect a lot of the weight in a heavier hoverboard to come directly from the motor. While a lot of hoverboards are equipped with 300-watt dual motors, you can get some which last longer and are up to 800-watts.

Weight Capacity

The weight capacity is really important for an adult to ride a hoverboard.

The contraptions are suitably designed for children so if they are for adults you should be looking at a 200-pounds weight capacity. 

Some hoverboards go up as far as 260 pounds which should be more than enough.

For hoverboards that are specially designed for children, the weight capacity is obviously going to be less. A maximum weight capacity of around 120 pounds should be suitable.

A good rule to remember is that the higher the weight capacity, the more stable the riding.

Extra Features

A Bluetooth speaker and flashing LEDs are becoming increasingly commonplace on hoverboards. It is worth testing the speaker beforehand as you can really struggle to get a worthwhile sound quality with some models.

Some hoverboards complement the music from the speaker with coordinated LED displays.

That can be really eye-catching, especially at night time yet so can the range of bright colors and trendy designs that many can have. 

There are also manufacturers who provide handy carry cases which are a great help for storage and portability.

Some hoverboards also come with handy low battery indicators. This can become really helpful when you can be prepared for when the hoverboard may be about to run out of juice.

Waterproofing is also a feature you should look out for to ensure that you can ride the hoverboard in temperamental weather.

Non-slip pedals are also ideal if you do decide to get a hoverboard you want to take out in the rain. An IP54 rating is recommended if you want a durable design that can withstand harsh weather conditions.