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Onewheel GT Review

A great all-terrain board that'll keep you grinning for the entire ride
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Onewheel GT Review
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Price:  $2,300 List
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Manufacturer:   Onewheel
By Zach Lovell and Austin Palmer  ⋅  Dec 22, 2023
83
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#2 of 13
  • Ride Comfort - 30% 8.2
  • Range - 20% 7.9
  • Braking - 20% 10.0
  • Speed - 10% 7.1
  • Hills - 10% 8.8
  • Beginner Friendly - 10% 6.5

Our Verdict

The Onewheel GT can handle any terrain you'd want to engage on an electric skateboard. From trails to busted concrete, we love the ride the GT offers and it kept us confident in hilly areas that other boards couldn't handle. Our testers enjoyed riding this Onewheel even after testing, with an addictive, playful feel that reminds us why we ride electric skateboards in the first place: they're incredibly fun. We'd generally recommend this board for short to medium length rides, with footpad sensors keeping your feet in the same position and a concavely shaped deck that was less comfortable on longer rides. The GT is a board that has a steeper learning curve for beginners, but once the balance-intensive design is figured out, the world is your Onewheeled oyster. Don't miss our article on best electric skateboards to check out the entire line-up of E-boards.
REASONS TO BUY
Incredibly fun to ride
Great on rough pavement or trails
Great at braking with practice
REASONS TO AVOID
No fender included
Less stable on large cracks/bumps
Bottoms out going uphill at certain hill steepness

Compare to Similar Products

 
onewheel gt
This Product
Onewheel GT
Awards Top Pick Award
Best Ride
Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Electric All-Terrain Skateboard
Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Electric Skateboard
Best Buy Award
A Budget-Friendly Onewheel Option
Best Buy Award
Best Budget-Friendly All-Terrain Option
Price $2,300 List$1,929 List$849 List$1,050 List$999 List
$799.00 at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
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Bottom Line A fun model that provides a smooth ride on or off pavement and brakes easilyAn incredibly fun board that also tops the charts in speed and rangeThis board has power to spare, solid brakes, and a nice remote — all at a price point under a grandIf you want a board that can venture off the pavement, the Pint is the perfect choiceThis all-terrain board with flatless tires delivers delivers an excellent ride for the price point
Rating Categories Onewheel GT Ownboard Carbon Zeu... Backfire Zealot S2 Onewheel Pint JKing Jupiter-01 Al...
Ride Comfort (30%)
8.2
8.4
5.4
8.0
7.0
Range (20%)
7.9
9.2
8.2
5.2
5.2
Braking (20%)
10.0
9.4
9.4
10.0
8.7
Speed (10%)
7.1
9.1
8.4
6.1
7.6
Hills (10%)
8.8
9.3
9.0
8.5
8.9
Beginner Friendly (10%)
6.5
6.0
7.5
6.5
8.0
Specs Onewheel GT Ownboard Carbon Zeu... Backfire Zealot S2 Onewheel Pint JKing Jupiter-01 Al...
Tested Maximum Range 25.0 miles 33.3 miles 26.1 miles 10.0 miles 12.3 miles
Tested Maximum Speed 19.8 mph 34.1 mph 30.8 mph 14.2 mph 25.5 mph
Tested Stopping Distance 14 ft 17 ft 21 ft 14 ft 23 ft
Measured Weight 35.6 lbs 30.2 lbs 23.3 lbs 25.5 lbs 23.2 lbs
Measured Time in Uphill Grade 28 seconds 23 seconds 26 seconds 32 seconds 27 seconds
Measured Charge Time 180 minutes 260 minutes 123 minutes 114 minutes 244 minutes
Measured Deck Length 29" 38.8" 39.2" 27" 39.8"
Riding Modes Bay
Roam
Flow
Highline
Elevated
Apex
1
2
3
Turbo
Eco
Sport
Turbo
Redwood
Pacific
Elevated
Skyline
1
2
3
4
Battery Lithium Ion (NMC) 13S4P Molicel 58.8V 8Ah, 403Wh 14S2P Samsung 40T 21700 Cells Lithium Ion (NMC) Lithium Ion
Manufacturer Weight Limit 275 lbs 265 lbs 265 lbs 250 lbs 330 lbs
Manufacturer Deck Material Composite Material 3K Carbon Fiber and Forged Carbon Fiber, ABS+Glass fiber+maple Composite deck Composite Material 7 Ply Northeast Maple
2 Ply Canadian Maple
1 Ply Fiberglass
Wheel Size 292 mm 150 mm 96 mm 267 mm 152 mm
Truck Width N/A 12" 8" N/A 9"
App available Yes No Yes Yes No
Lighting Yes No Yes Yes Yes

Our Analysis and Test Results

Performance Comparison


The GT is our favorite model of the several that we've tested by Onewheel.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Ride Comfort


How comfortable your board is to ride is crucial as it will determine how often you ride it and for how long, so we weighted this metric at 30% of the total score. The GT truly excelled in this metric and became a favorite among our testers. We put this board through our ride comfort category scoring by taking it on a huge variety of rides, from short technical jaunts to long cruises. Collectively, our testers spent several hours on the GT to ensure our love for its comfort is real — we can now confirm it is, in fact, true love.


This board has a very unique, surfy feel that's more akin to a snowboard than an electric skateboard. This equates to the GT being a very fun, enjoyable ride that's almost guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Any small bumps or cracks we could completely ignore, though medium and large bumps required some practice staying balanced on the Onewheel. The concave deck is great for staying on the board, but it's not particularly comfy for the longest rides, especially with the foot pad sensors, which require your feet to stay in specific spots. For short and medium-length rides, this board was among our favorites, and some riders may find this to be a comfy enough ride for even long rides if the concave shaping doesn't bug them when the miles add up.

onewheel gt - this board is an absolute blast to ride from smooth pavement to...
This board is an absolute blast to ride from smooth pavement to bumpy trails.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Range


Range is weighted at 20% of each option's total score as many riders want to be able to ride longer distances. We tested the GT by going out for a ride with a full battery and not coming home til the battery was empty, noting the total distance traveled and any performance quirks as the battery percentage dropped. We also tested the time it took to recharge the battery from empty to full. The GT scored well in the range metric, scoring above average among the different products we tested.


We were impressed with the 25-mile range of the GT — it's an excellent option for those wanting further distances out of their electric skateboard.


The GT needs about 200 minutes to fully charge its battery, landing above average among the other electric skateboards we put through the wringer. With a total range score of 7.9, this option is an excellent choice if you're looking for a more robust battery with reasonable charging times and great distance capacity.

onewheel gt - we rode the gt for miles until it died to independently investigate...
We rode the GT for miles until it died to independently investigate its range.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Braking


Braking makes up 20% of the overall score of the GT. This option offers a unique, smooth braking system by leaning on your back leg to slow yourself — our testers loved this once we got fluid with the motion and scored this board at the very top in this metric. We tested this board's braking prowess by riding a sustained downhill and using the braking system to regulate and reduce speed. We also measured the stopping distance required when going from 11-13 mph to a complete stop. Among other metrics that made us love the GT, its braking is truly unparalleled.


When we tested the GT braking downhill, we were blown away at how smoothly we could control our speed. We could effortlessly ride downhill as slowly as we wanted and even come to a complete stop and ride switch back uphill. The motion of leaning back to slow the board down also puts your body in the best position for braking, further sending this option to the top of the charts in this metric.


The stopping distance of this board is among the best tested. The only limitation is trying to brake too hard, where you'll just hit the ground with the bottom of the board. Our test results showed an average stop distance of 14 feet so if you're riding the Onewheel GT through traffic and need to stop quickly, this is among the best options we tested.

onewheel gt - the smooth braking capabilities of the gt are unparalleled and gave...
The smooth braking capabilities of the GT are unparalleled and gave us the utmost stopping control in testing.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Speed


Speed is weighted at 10% of the total score of each board in our review. To calculate each option's speed score, we examined the top speed and the acceleration of each board. At 20 miles an hour, the top speed of the GT lands in the middle of the pack, but we were plenty happy traveling that fast, given we were riding on a single wheel. Considering how fast that 20 mph feels when you're flowing through a bumpy trail, you're unlikely to wish you had more speed from the Onewheel.


We calculated the GT's top speed by creating a standardized track, starting the track at full speed, and recording its time, then repeating this process three times to get an average. To test acceleration, we clocked the time from the board was at a standstill to completing a 50-foot track. This was also done three times to calculate an average.


The Onewheel GT offers an excellent score in the speed metric, especially with an average time of 3.52 seconds for our 50-foot acceleration track. When cruising at top speed, we'd recommend gradually spending more time traveling that fast on this board, as it can throw you off if you aren't used to the balancing nuances of a Onewheel.

onewheel gt - this board has excellent acceleration and we were happy with its top...
This board has excellent acceleration and we were happy with its top speed.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Hills


You'd hate to run into a hill on your ride that shuts you down, so we gave the hills metric 10% of the total score of the GT. We tested this board by challenging it with a variety of hill grades up to 15% and notating its performance. This option offers excellent hill climbing ability and never stalled on any of our tests; we only wish it were a bit faster on the up.


If you're okay with a little reduction in speed as you encounter hills on your ride, the GT is a decent option for your uphill riding missions.

Beginner Friendly


We gave this metric 10% of the total score of the GT. As with any product from Onewheel, this option's unique design requires some time to get used to and isn't the easiest for beginners. Regardless, it's still an incredible electric skateboard, and many will find that the time invested in learning how to ride this board is time well spent.


The GT doesn't have a remote, but it does have an intuitive app that allows you to change modes/alter the way the board rides which helps you ease into its capabilities. Even as we tinkered with the various modes, riding on a single wheel simply takes time to get used to, especially for beginners. Onewheel has done an incredible job designing a stabilizing board, and it's less likely to throw off the rider as they learn how to use it.


The Onewheel GT is one of the heavier boards in our lineup, making it less ideal for carrying long distances, though the handle is comfortable to hold.

onewheel gt - while this board is heavy, it does offer a comfortable aluminum...
While this board is heavy, it does offer a comfortable aluminum handle for carrying.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Should You Buy the Onewheel GT?


The Onewheel GT is an incredible option due, firstly, to its incredibly fun ride, which makes you want to take it out more often. The GT scored well in the other metrics as well and is worthy of consideration if it is within your budget.

What Other Electric Skateboard Should You Consider?


The GT has a great range, but we've tested models that can go even further. If distance per charge is a purchasing factor for you, we recommend the Ownboard Carbon Zeus which is capable of a staggering 33.3 miles on a single charge. If you're shopping for a long-range ESB on a budget, the Backfire Zealot S goes a couple of miles further than the GT at a fraction of the price. The GT also has a smaller cousin called the Pint that's much smaller and much less damaging to your bank account. The Pint offers a similar ride quality to the GT but falls behind in power, speed, and range.

Zach Lovell and Austin Palmer