Onewheel+ XR Review

While the Onewheel+ XR is a bit of a niche product, it did well enough overall, right behind the Boosted Board Plus and ahead of the Metroboard Slim Stealth Edition. The Boosted is a little bit faster, lighter, and has marginally better braking ability, making it a much more practical option for the quick trip around town or for someone who primarily will ride on pavement. The Metroboard has a bit more range than the XR, but the XR charges quite a bit faster. However, we still think the Metroboard is a bit better of a commuter option if the road is smooth, as it's easier to carry and a bit more comfortable to ride for long distances.

Performance Comparison

For our quest to find which electric skateboard truly rules them all, we bought all of the most well-regarded and popular models available on the market and pitted them against each other in a series of side-by-side challenges. We ranked and scored the performance of each board in six rating metrics — each weighted proportionally to their importance. The text below describes how the XR performed, how it scored, and how it ranks compared to the rest of the boards in the group.

Speed

While the Onewheel+ XR isn't quite the fastest board of the group, its monowheel design definitely made it feel that way. This board is exceptionally speedy, earning it a 7 out of 10 for its performance in this metric, which accounts for 25% of the final score for each E-skateboard, and putting it very near the top of all the boards that we have tested.

To score these products, we broke speed down into two components: top speed and acceleration. The Onewheel+ XR did very well in our top speed assessment, hitting an average maximum speed of 17 mph. The XR has a claimed top speed of 19 mph, but we kept running into the pushback when climbing to that speed. We timed how long it took each board to complete a 200' course, giving it plenty of time to achieve maximum speed before entering the course. This compares quite favorably with the rest of the group, only outperformed by a few boards.

The XR delivered an even more impressive performance in our acceleration test. We repeated the previous test, though this time we started the course from a standstill. The XR is one of the fastest models off of the line, only outmatched by the Evolve GT or the GTX.

Range

For the Onewheel+ XR, battery life and range is particularly important, as this board is rendered completely inoperable once the battery dies — there definitely isn't any chance that you can manually power this self-balancing board! The Onewheel+ XR delivered a great showing in this metric — worth 20% of its final score — earning an 8 out of 10.

To score this, we ran each board at a comfortable, cruising speed on flat ground until the battery died, with the XR lasting for about 16.3 miles — putting it close to the top of the group.

The Onewheel+ XR also did very well in our charge time test, putting up one of the faster times of the group. It took about two hours for the light to stop blinking on the board when the battery was completely dead using the included charger.

Ride

Next, we judged how the ride of each board felt. To score these products, we looked specifically at how it handled bumpy or other difficult terrain, how comfortable it is to ride, and how drawn to each board we were — whether or not we would grab it out of the lineup for quick trips around town. The Onewheel+ XR merited a 7 out of 10 in this metric, cruising to a tie for the top spot with a handful of other products.

This board does an absolutely phenomenal job of tackling bumpy roads, handling unexpected cracks like they weren't even there. On top of that, this board does an exceptionally good job at handling off-road or other extreme conditions that would stop most other electric skateboards in their tracks.

These traits combined to make the XR a favorite to ride whenever there was inclement weather or if we knew that we wouldn't be riding on the smoothest roads.

Hills

One of the key reasons for getting a motorized skateboard in the first place is the luxury of being able to cruise up a hill as well as down, so we ranked and scored the hill climbing abilities of each product for our next metric, accounting for 15% of the final score. The XR again did very well, earning an 8 out of 10 for its hill climbing prowess, almost the best of the group.

To test this, we attempted to climb successively steeper hills, noting at what point the board could no longer make it up the hill. The XR had plenty of power to get up the hill, but was limited by the self-balancing circuitry “pushing back” on the steepest hills. However, this board still made it up the 15% grade with ease, practically flying up it when we put the board in “Delirium” or “Elevated” mode.

Build

Next, we looked at how much each board weighed, how responsive it is, and if it had regenerative braking to assess the build of each board, as well as evaluating how helpful and responsive the customer service team for each board is. The Onewheel+ again scored fairly well.

Unfortunately, this model got off to a bit of a rocky start in this metric, being one of the heaviest boards overall.

However, this board does have regenerative braking and is incredibly responsive to user inputs. Additionally, it also has excellent customer support that is very responsive and receptive to questions, should you run into any difficulties.

Braking

For the final set of tests in our review, responsible for the remaining 10% of the score, we looked at how quickly each board could stop and how well you could control your speed while traveling downhill. The Onewheel+ XR finished out with a strong showing for its solid stopping skills.

This board stops very quickly on flat ground, only taking about 15' to come to a complete stop from a cruising speed of 13 mph — comparing very favorably with the rest of the group.

It also is very easy to control your speed on the descents, even when going down very steep hills. The only limiting factor when controlling your speed down the steepest hills is how far you can lean back before the back of the board starts dragging on the pavement. This means that you can't come to a complete stop on a super steep hill — usually >20% — but you can definitely control your speed and keep it at manageable levels.

Value

The Onewheel+ XR is an undeniably pricey product — enough that it is hard to consider it a value option. However, it can be a good value and even pay for itself if you can use it as a commuter vehicle, replacing a daily rideshare or minimizing or supplanting the use of a car.

Conclusion