If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably had a couple of electric skateboards in the past (or maybe you’re looking to purchase your first electric skateboard). I’m always looking to find the best board out there, sometimes my friends and I will swap boards to try them out and see how they feel and perform. I tried Backfire’s previous model, the G2S before and sadly, I wasn’t impressed. I heard a bunch of my friends and online pundits raving about how good the G2T board is and thought I’d go ahead and purchase it myself since my Blink S2 board was getting outdated. So here goes with my Backfire G2t review:
Package Overview (what comes in the box)
- Board
- Extra Set of Wheels (96 MM Wheels Included for Free)
- Remote
- Plate Gears
- USB Cables
- Front Mounted Light
- The Remote
The remote
When you first get the board you need to pair it to the remote. To pair the board make sure to hold down both the remote and the power button at the same time. The remote lets you choose between both KMPH or MPH which I thought was pretty cool as some other boards don’t have that option. You also get to choose the size of wheels you’re going to use and if you want the odometer to be correct, it’s important to choose the correct wheel size.
LCD screen
The LCD screen also shows you the battery life of both the remote and the board which definitely helps a lot, although I found that the battery life indicator for the remote wasn’t very accurate, but somewhat in a good way. It would say that the batter is almost dead on the remote but in actuality, it had more life than you thought it did.
3 different riding modes
The remote comes with three different modes: the eco mode, the sports mode, and a turbo mode that helps you achieve top end speed. The turbo mode, which looks and sounds cool in theory, but I personally found it to be very underwhelming. The difference between sports mode and turbo mode was definitely noticeable but wasn’t what I expected. Also, another downside with the turbo mode was that you can’t press it while you’re riding. You have to stop first and then start it in the turbo mode when you want to use it (there’s also a 30-second delay when it comes to pressing it again).
Testing Evaluation
Tested against similar models within the same category
Main Features:
- Riders Weight Limit | 260 lbs
- Motor | 700 Watt Hub Motor
- Range | 14.9 miles
- Battery | 30Q 10S2P 36 V 6.0 h SAMSUNG 18650
- Speed | 23.5 mph
Backfire G2s vs G2T – This is a major upgrade!
When I rode the older G2S model, there were five major problems that I didn’t like: the motor vibration, the battery sag, the deck itself, and the performance overall. When they came out with the new G2T, they fixed everything and made it a much more comfortable and streamlined ride. It has a cruise control mode where you can hit the on/off button while you’re riding and it works the same way as cruise control does in your car (which can come in very convenient at times).
One of the biggest improvements the G2T made was they reinforced the motor sleeves and put a metal ring inside to add for more stability. It didn’t just reduce but eliminated much of the vibration that was found in the older G2S model. Great job Backfire for taking note of what consumers want and fixing the problems accordingly! Hats off to them!
Good value for money
For the price, you’re getting on this board and how it performs, nothing else compares. You’re getting a board with high top speed, minimal battery sag, upgraded battery cells, and two wheels sizes in the box, plus smooth power delivery.
Backfire G2T top speed & range
It comes with two 350W in-hub motors. Can go up to 23.5 MPH (38 KMPH). The deck itself weighs 14.5 lbs but fully equipped with wheels and everything it weighs closer to 16 lbs. If you want to add the front light mount it’s going to weigh more, but I found the best thing to do is to just hold the light in your hand, it works exactly like a flashlight, and it’s very bright.
The Backfire G2T range is advertised as being over 20km, but depending on the terrain, rider weight and other factors, you might get a km or two less than that. I’ve seen some people say they got 21km in range, but I’ve seen one Backfire G2t review where the guy hit a max of 15-16km, so bear that in mind if you’re looking to buy. This is pretty much the same with every electric skateboard though – range often varies quite a bit.
Size & wheels
The deck is 37 inches long and it has a gentle concave and semi-decent arch in the center of the board. If you decide to change the wheels from the 83 MM to the 96MM, you’ll experience a more comfortable ride, more stability, and higher top speed. With the smaller 83 MM wheels, you’re going to get quicker acceleration, better torque, as well as better hill performance.
Is it good at climbing hills?
They claim the board can go up to 25% hill inclination and I noticed a drop in performance when I was going up 20% inclination. Maybe it’s just because I’m a heavier guy (around 200 lbs), but I felt like 25% would be really pushing it (fortunately for me I don’t have any hills in my area that steep).
An unboxing video:
This is a really short and concise video detailing what you get with the G2T – it’s worth taking a look:
Conclusion: A great electric skateboard for the price!
The Backfire G2t is one of the best bangs for your buck when it comes to electric skateboards right now. The braking and throttle work exactly as you’d expect for a premium “budget” board. It has smooth transitions when you brake gently or you need to brake hard, both work extremely well.
This is a cruiser board that’s going to give you a really good all-around performance no matter where you ride it. With upgraded batteries, you can now fully charge your board in under 3 hours (around 2.5 hours) and get back to riding again.
If you’re looking to go crazy fast with the turbo mode, be prepared to be disappointed. However, if you’re looking for a more refined approach to riding an electric skateboard, this board could be exactly what you’re looking for. It’s budget friendly and offers a premium product that will perform up to par in most areas with higher priced boards.
I would highly recommend this for beginner riders and experienced riders alike. If you’ve ever ridden the G2S in the past, you’ll see that it’s night and day when comparing the G2T and the G2S. All the previous problems in the G2S have been improved and it leaves you with a sense of astonishment. It will have you wondering how can they make such a premium, high-quality board and sell it at such a low price? Hopefully after reading this Backfire G2T review you’ll have a chance to ride this bad boy yourself and see how much better of a board it truly is.
Testing Evaluation
Tested against similar models within the same category
Main Features:
- Riders Weight Limit | 260 lbs
- Motor | 700 Watt Hub Motor
- Range | 14.9 miles
- Battery | 30Q 10S2P 36 V 6.0 h SAMSUNG 18650
- Speed | 23.5 mph
