Ahhhh, the age old question, Onewheel or a Boosted Board, which is better? You probably think I’m biased since I own a Onewheel rental business but that’s actually not the case.  Before I started my business, I was debating between the Onewheel Plus or Boosted Board v2, which should I buy, and which I should rent. So I bought one of each and here’s what I found.

Range

Boosted’s website lists the standard battery’s range at 6-7 miles while Onewheel’s website lists the plus at 5-7 miles.  I found them both to be pretty accurate in the description, however, these can vary significantly depending on terrain. Both understandably use much more battery going uphill than down and the Onewheel will use more juice in grass, sand, or gravel. Basically anywhere it has to work harder to maintain your speed. The big difference is in the charge time. I found my boosted took about an hour to reach a full charge where the Onewheel took only 20 minutes.

Advantage: Onewheel

“The big difference is in the charge time. I found my boosted took about an hour to reach a full charge where the Onewheel took only 20 minutes.”

Portability

The Boosted v2 weighs in at 15lbs while the Onewheel Plus has a weight of 25lbs giving the boosted a 10-pound leg up.  Although the Onewheel does have a handle built in, it does not make up for the extra 10 pounds if you need to carry it anywhere.  Boosted also gives you the ability to ride the board with push power like a traditional longboard in the battery dies.  You do not have that option with the Onewheel.

Advantage: Boosted Board

Maneuverability

This for me was like night and day between the two boards.  The boosted has a slow, large sweeping turn depending on how loose the trucks are, this is the same feeling as a standard longboard.  The Onewheel, on the other hand, carves like a champ and let you turn sharply over any terrain. Since there is only a single wheel, it also allowed me to make a complete 180 while standing still.  Definitely can’t do that on a Boosted Board.

Advantage: Onewheel

Terrain

I think we all know the answer to this one.  A big reason the Onewheel is so unique is the large go-cart tire at its center that allows you to go over any terrain, and I mean ANY terrain.  I’ve taken it on sand, trails, grass, over tree roots, curbs, and gravel and have yet to find anything that stops it besides full water submersion. The Boosted Board, on the other hand, is relegated to the pavement, and ideally smooth pavement at that. I found myself having to pick the boosted up constantly over chunky sections of a road, raised sidewalks, and many other obstacles.  This is not fun when you’re just trying to enjoy the ride and creates an atmosphere of constant vigilance.

Advantage: Onewheel

.

Maintenance

Maintaining your board is very important.  You should always give whichever board you have a once over after every ride to make sure there is nothing obviously broken or out of place.  This could end up saving your ass at some point while cruising at high speed and potentially prevent irreversible damage to the board and yourself. 

Based on my experience, the Onewheel needs fairly minimal maintenance, you should leave it plugged in overnight about once a week to keep the battery happy, check your tire pressure every once and a while, and occasionally oil the bearings. 

The Boosted Board is another story, this requires some fairly regular maintenance. Your board should be cleaned by wiping it down with a damp cloth after every use. The nut on the front of each truck is the kingpin. Adjusting this nut alters the turning dynamics of your board. Tighten or loosen a quarter to half turn at a time, then ride and adjust more if necessary. An overly tight kingpin will cause the board to be difficult to turn. An under tightened kingpin will turn much more easily, however, will be more unstable at higher speeds.  You should check the belts regularly for cracks, Knicks, and tears and replace them if anything is found. Four wheels instead of one mean more that needs changing and more regularly.

Advantage: Onewheel

Conclusion

Although I love all forms of rideable tech, the Onewheel, in my opinion, is the clear winner.  Its versatility and ride are unlike anything I have ever been on,  and its fast charging time allows you ride further, longer.  Though it does have some disadvantages, weight being the main one,  its many advantages make it a no-brainer purchase over the Boosted Board.  Both the Onewheel plus and Boosted Board v2 are $1499.