Epikgo Classic Review
Pros: Great at off-road, long battery life
Cons: Heavy, not as agile
Bottom line: This beast of a hoverboard is the perfect choice when you want to play off the pavement
Editors' Rating:
Measured Weight: 32.2 lbs
Measured Speed: 9.47 mph
Manufacturer: Epikgo
Our Verdict
Large and in charge, the Epikgo Classic did very well in our tests, finishing in a tie for third place. This off-road behemoth is fun to ride, though it does trade some agility for better all-terrain capabilities. With a good battery life, this is the perfect board to take for a day playing at the beach or in the park. Even if you plan on being confined to the pavement, this board does a great job of handling the roughest of roads and the bumpiest pavement.
RELATED REVIEW: Best Hoverboards and Self-Balancing Scooters of 2018
Our Analysis and Test Results
Review by:
David Wise and Austin Palmer
David Wise and Austin Palmer
Last Updated:
Wednesday
November 23, 2016
Wednesday
November 23, 2016
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The Epikgo looks like and performs as an off-road machine. This board has larger, 8.5" knobby rubber tires that make it great for driving over all sorts of terrain, from sand to rough pavement. While this board is on the heavier side, it had a range of 7.2 miles and a runtime just shy of two hours.
Our highest weighted metric for this product category, fun factor made up a whopping 50 percent of the total score. This metric score was largely made up of the scores drawn from our panel of testers when riding the obstacle course.
We were looking to see how each board did while spinning in place, doing rapid back and forth direction changes, and going through a slalom course at speed. In addition, we also checked the top speed of each board, as well as awarded some extra points if there were any extra fun features such as a Bluetooth speaker, or mobile app.
The Epikgo did well in this category, earning a 6 out of 10. Our testers felt that a lot of this board's appeal came from it being stable and comfortable to ride, though it did excel at rapid back and forths.
We did notice that this board was slower to corner and did falter a little at speed. This model was particularly to prone to "pushback," where the board would rock back to force you to slow down. This board is also a little wider than the others, making it a little less maneuverable than the smaller boards. This board had a manufacturer-claimed top speed of 10 mph, and we clocked it in at 9.47 mph in our tests. This board comes is available in three colors: Space Grey, Elite Silver, and Rose Gold.
A drawback to this board that made it a little less fun was its larger size. In addition to reducing its agility in our obstacle course, this was the heaviest board we tested, weighing 32.2 pounds. There was also no way that any of the standard accessories would fit with this board. The Epikgo also lacks any Bluetooth connectivity.
This metric is really where this board shines. While it didn't take home the top award, the Epikgo tied for the runner-up position with a 7 out of 10. This model offered a great mix of tackling difficult terrain while not completely sacrificing fun factor. This model had larger, knobbier tires than most of the competition, making it much more adept at tackling the rougher terrain.
We also checked how each board did on the steepest incline we could find, both uphill and downhill. This board did very well going up and down, strong enough to power up the hill comfortably and the control and stability to control our speed on the way down.
The big wheels on this board were adept at handling everything we threw at them from long, squishy grass to hard packed dirt and sand. These wheels also provided some cushion and made it easier to clear cracks and bumpy roads. This was one of the only models that we would grab on a regular basis to actually travel anywhere, as the smaller boards were easily stymied by small cracks.
Having strong customer support is important for all products, but in the case of hoverboards it exceptionally important. In this case, this metric tied for the second-highest weighted metric, making up 20 percent of the total score. While we most likely pushed these products a little harder than the average user would, it would not be uncommon for these products to break or become damaged through normal use. In this metric, we rated how each board stood up to the abuse of our testing process, as well as the quality and promptness of the responses we received. The Epikgo did all right in this metric, earning a 6 out of 10.
This board suffered some significant cosmetic damage to its plastic shell and didn't seem like it took substantially more or harder crashes than any of the other boards we tested. While this board did not have a listed phone number to contact, Epikgo has an email helpline, as well as a Facebook and Instagram. We contacted them asking how to recalibrate the board, and they responded within about 90 minutes. The response was quite helpful, including the manual and citing which page where we could find the information needed. Epikgo includes a limited, one-year warranty, and will allow you to return it within 14 days if you are unhappy with it.
The final aspect of this category that we tested was battery life. To test this, we looked at the range of each of these products, how long they could run, and how long it would take to recharge them when the battery was depleted.
The first test we conducted was an absolute range test. We drove the Epikgo on flat, smooth pavement until the battery was diminished to the point where the board no longer balanced. This board went a total of 7.2 miles, earning it a 6 out of 10. Our testers were 150+ lbs, so you could expect substantially increased performance if you are significantly lighter than we are. We ran the board at the highest speed we could around the loop, to give you an idea of how far you could actually travel if you wanted to use this as a method of transport.
Next, we ran the boards through our obstacle course to measure the runtime. This test is to determine how long you would have played with the boards, where spins, turns, and rapid directions changes would be frequent. The Epikgo had the second longest runtime of any board we tested, lasting for 1 hour, 53 minutes, at which time it was no longer possible to ride the board.
Finally, we timed how long it took to fully charge it after the previous test. The Epikgo finished up after 2.5 hours on the charger, right in line with the manufacturer's claimed time of 2-3 hours.
When looking solely at the scores versus the price, the Epikgo does not initially jump out as the best value option. It scored the same, or worse than models that cost $150-$250 less than its list price. However, if you live in an area that is primarily made up of pavement that isn't great, or are planning on riding on hard-packed dirt or grass, then the Epikgo is a great value, as it is the least expensive hoverboard that can competently cover uneven ground or rough terrain.
The Epikgo is a perfect balance of outdoor capabilities and fun factor. This board does a good job of handling rough and bumpy roads, and has a long enough battery life and range to keep you riding. All of this, coupled with a good support team definitely make this a board to consider.
The Epikgo Classic.
Performance Comparison
Fun Factor
Our highest weighted metric for this product category, fun factor made up a whopping 50 percent of the total score. This metric score was largely made up of the scores drawn from our panel of testers when riding the obstacle course.
The Epikgo didn't turn as fast as some boards, but still made it though the slalom course without too many incidents.
We were looking to see how each board did while spinning in place, doing rapid back and forth direction changes, and going through a slalom course at speed. In addition, we also checked the top speed of each board, as well as awarded some extra points if there were any extra fun features such as a Bluetooth speaker, or mobile app.
The Epikgo did well in this category, earning a 6 out of 10. Our testers felt that a lot of this board's appeal came from it being stable and comfortable to ride, though it did excel at rapid back and forths.
We did notice that this board was slower to corner and did falter a little at speed. This model was particularly to prone to "pushback," where the board would rock back to force you to slow down. This board is also a little wider than the others, making it a little less maneuverable than the smaller boards. This board had a manufacturer-claimed top speed of 10 mph, and we clocked it in at 9.47 mph in our tests. This board comes is available in three colors: Space Grey, Elite Silver, and Rose Gold.
A drawback to this board that made it a little less fun was its larger size. In addition to reducing its agility in our obstacle course, this was the heaviest board we tested, weighing 32.2 pounds. There was also no way that any of the standard accessories would fit with this board. The Epikgo also lacks any Bluetooth connectivity.
Outdoor Capabilities
The burly, off-road tires of the Epikgo rode over cracks like they weren't even there.
This metric is really where this board shines. While it didn't take home the top award, the Epikgo tied for the runner-up position with a 7 out of 10. This model offered a great mix of tackling difficult terrain while not completely sacrificing fun factor. This model had larger, knobbier tires than most of the competition, making it much more adept at tackling the rougher terrain.
Planning on riding over grass? Not a problem with the wheels on this board.
We also checked how each board did on the steepest incline we could find, both uphill and downhill. This board did very well going up and down, strong enough to power up the hill comfortably and the control and stability to control our speed on the way down.
This model was nice and stable, both up and down the hill.
The big wheels on this board were adept at handling everything we threw at them from long, squishy grass to hard packed dirt and sand. These wheels also provided some cushion and made it easier to clear cracks and bumpy roads. This was one of the only models that we would grab on a regular basis to actually travel anywhere, as the smaller boards were easily stymied by small cracks.
Support
Having strong customer support is important for all products, but in the case of hoverboards it exceptionally important. In this case, this metric tied for the second-highest weighted metric, making up 20 percent of the total score. While we most likely pushed these products a little harder than the average user would, it would not be uncommon for these products to break or become damaged through normal use. In this metric, we rated how each board stood up to the abuse of our testing process, as well as the quality and promptness of the responses we received. The Epikgo did all right in this metric, earning a 6 out of 10.
The Epikgo suffered a little during our testing and came out worse for the wear.
This board suffered some significant cosmetic damage to its plastic shell and didn't seem like it took substantially more or harder crashes than any of the other boards we tested. While this board did not have a listed phone number to contact, Epikgo has an email helpline, as well as a Facebook and Instagram. We contacted them asking how to recalibrate the board, and they responded within about 90 minutes. The response was quite helpful, including the manual and citing which page where we could find the information needed. Epikgo includes a limited, one-year warranty, and will allow you to return it within 14 days if you are unhappy with it.
You should always check with the manufacturer for the most updated terms of service before purchasing, as it can frequently change.
Battery
The final aspect of this category that we tested was battery life. To test this, we looked at the range of each of these products, how long they could run, and how long it would take to recharge them when the battery was depleted.
After 2.5 hours on the charger, the Epikgo was ready to go!
The first test we conducted was an absolute range test. We drove the Epikgo on flat, smooth pavement until the battery was diminished to the point where the board no longer balanced. This board went a total of 7.2 miles, earning it a 6 out of 10. Our testers were 150+ lbs, so you could expect substantially increased performance if you are significantly lighter than we are. We ran the board at the highest speed we could around the loop, to give you an idea of how far you could actually travel if you wanted to use this as a method of transport.
Next, we ran the boards through our obstacle course to measure the runtime. This test is to determine how long you would have played with the boards, where spins, turns, and rapid directions changes would be frequent. The Epikgo had the second longest runtime of any board we tested, lasting for 1 hour, 53 minutes, at which time it was no longer possible to ride the board.
Finally, we timed how long it took to fully charge it after the previous test. The Epikgo finished up after 2.5 hours on the charger, right in line with the manufacturer's claimed time of 2-3 hours.
Value
When looking solely at the scores versus the price, the Epikgo does not initially jump out as the best value option. It scored the same, or worse than models that cost $150-$250 less than its list price. However, if you live in an area that is primarily made up of pavement that isn't great, or are planning on riding on hard-packed dirt or grass, then the Epikgo is a great value, as it is the least expensive hoverboard that can competently cover uneven ground or rough terrain.
Conclusion
The Epikgo is a perfect balance of outdoor capabilities and fun factor. This board does a good job of handling rough and bumpy roads, and has a long enough battery life and range to keep you riding. All of this, coupled with a good support team definitely make this a board to consider.
—
David Wise and Austin Palmer
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