Boosted Mini X Review

The Mini X finished slightly behind the Metroboard Slim Stealth Edition and ahead of the Backfire G2. The Metroboard has a far superior range to the Mini X, but it can't match the Boosted's braking abilities or its speed. The Backfire is even faster than the Mini X, but can't compete when it comes to climbing hills or stopping power. However, the Backfire is the cheapest of these three boards, followed by the Mini X and then by the Metroboard.

Performance Comparison

In our quest to find an electric skateboard that really tops them all, we started off by researching and comparing a bunch of different boards, then bought all the best to test head-to-head. We used six different criteria to rate each board, with our analysis of the Boosted Mini X in the following sections.

Speed

Our initial round of assessments dealt with how fast the Mini X can go and how much acceleration it has. For being such a pint-sized product, it packs a surprising amount of punch, earning a 7 out of 10 in this metric, which is responsible for 40% of its final score.

To measure the top speed of each board, we timed how long it took them to finish our test course. Since we were testing the top speed, we started the boards at top speed, giving them more than enough pavement to get up to speed before entering the course. After averaging results from multiple trials, we calculated a tested maximum speed of 18.49 mph for the Boosted Mini X.

For our acceleration test, we again timed how long it took for the Mini X to complete our course, but held it stationary at the start. The Mini X took an average of 4.45 seconds to finish, which is only about a quarter of a second slower than the fastest boards.

Range

For being such a compact board, the X did quite well in our range test, meriting a 5 out of 10 for its middle-of-the-road performance. We rode the board lap after lap through a series of parking lots at moderate speed, awarding points proportional to the distance traveled. Additionally, we also compared and scored how long it took each board to charge. Together, these two evaluations account for 20% of the final score.

This board lasted just shy of 11 miles — 10.8 — before ceasing operation, but its effective range is a bit closer to 10 miles. It held speed well throughout the test up to that point, but it drastically slowed down after 10 miles and you could tell that it was struggling a bit.

Fortunately, this board recharges quite quickly, completely replenishing a depleted battery in just under two hours in our tests.

Ride

Next, we moved on to evaluating and scoring how comfortable the Mini X is to ride around and how jarring it is to ride over rough, cracked, or uneven pavement. These evaluations also account for 20% of the board's final score, with the Mini X receiving a 6 out of 10 for its solid set of results.

This board is quite comfortable to ride for moderate distances and does an alright job at dealing with bumps and cracks, but it is hampered by its small deck and shorter wheelbase. It's a fun and playful board to ride, but we found that we did prefer the larger boards if we were planning on riding a long distance.

This board also can handle pavement defects fairly well, but it can be a bit jarring crossing some of the larger cracks. However, the kick tail does make it a little easier to go over cracks in a less violent way. The ride can definitely get a bit rough on bumpy terrain but the Mini X is definitely rideable in all but the worst pavement.

Hills

Next, we took this little board up the steepest hills we could find to see just how much power it really has. It again surprised us a bit in this metric, which is worth 15% of its final score, earning a 7 out of 10.

This board cruised up all but the steepest hills in our test, riding up a 5%, 10%, and 15% hill with a 190 lb. rider without a hint of hesitation. We didn't have any trouble starting off from a standstill on the 15%, but it is easier riding into it with a little starting speed. It wasn't able to make it up our 23% hill — something the most powerful boards did without issue.

Build

For our build evaluations, we looked the weight of each board, the design and construction of the remote, the responsiveness of the Mini X to its remote commands, and the level of customer support we received when awarding points. These tests also account for 15% of the final score for each electric skateboard, with the Boosted meriting an 8 out of 10.

For being such a small board, the Mini X is surprisingly heavy, actually weighing a bit more than the average board at 17.5 lbs.

The remote feels nice and solid. It is overall quite comfortable to hold, but we are still baffled by using a mini-USB port as the charging interface — it's just starting to feel a bit obsolete with the advent of micro-USB, USB-C, or lightning charging ports. However, it is quite an intuitive layout once you get the hang of it, but it is quite irritating to swap between riding modes. You need to press the button and either count the beeps or watch the lights.

The Mini X is very responsive to remote commands, with almost no discernible lag. Customer service is quite responsive and easy to get in touch with and the X includes a limited 6-month warranty.

Braking

Our sixth and final metric, braking, accounts for the remaining 10% of the total score for this Boosted Board. For this metric, we compared and ranked both how quickly the boards can stop on flat ground and how easy it is to manage your downhill descent speed. The Mini X finished out with another very strong showing, earning a 7 out of 10.

This skateboard is about average when it comes to stopping distance, taking an average of 35' to come to a complete stop in our trials. We rode the board at a moderate speed — around 12 mph or so — then hit the brakes as hard as we could on flat ground and measured how far it took for the board to stop rolling.

The Mini X did particularly well in our hill test, easily allowing you to regulate your speed as much as you like on hills up to a 15% grade.

Value

While the Mini X isn't the cheapest board you can get, it is a great value, earning it the Best Buy Award.

Conclusion

The Mini X is a fantastic value pick for anyone who wants the performance of a top-tier board without making many concessions. It holds its own with other products that are significantly more expensive, but that being said, it isn't the best option if you are shopping on the tightest of tight budgets.