REASONS TO BUY
Very friendly for beginners
Customizable settings in app
Accessible price point
Decent hill climber
REASONS TO AVOID
Slightly below average range
So-so braking performance
Bumpy on rough surfaces
Exway Flex Review
An incredibly inexpensive hub wheel board that's a great option for beginners and budget-minded riders
Credit: Abriah Wofford
RELATED: Best Electric Skateboard of 2024
Our Verdict
The Exway Flex has a staggeringly low price point and is one of the best budget options we tested. We were impressed with the beginner-friendly design of this board, with features such as customizable speed limit easing the learning curve. This board has plenty of speed, even on hills, just make sure to start your braking sooner than you think. This option isn't the most stable on rough terrain, but the concave deck shape cradles your feet and can get you where you want to go. We'd recommend the Flex to anyone who prioritizes cost or is learning the sport of electric skateboarding. Be sure to read our article on best electric skateboards to see more options worthy of your consideration.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Exway Flex | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  | | | ||
| Price | $727 List $689.00 at Amazon | $699 List | $1,050 List | $479 List | $499 List |
Overall Score  |
|||||
| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | A budget-friendly hub wheel board for new riders or those needing the most cost effective option available | A budget-friendly option that competes with boards double its price | If you want a board that can venture off the pavement, the Pint is the perfect choice | Has a great range but doesn't keep up with the best in most ways | This speedy skateboard impressed with acceleration but only delivered so-so results in our range and ride tests |
| Rating Categories | Exway Flex | Backfire Zealot S | Onewheel Pint | Skatebolt Tornado II | Skatebolt Breeze II |
| Ride Comfort (30%) | |||||
| Range (20%) | |||||
| Braking (20%) | |||||
| Speed (10%) | |||||
| Hills (10%) | |||||
| Beginner Friendly (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Exway Flex | Backfire Zealot S | Onewheel Pint | Skatebolt Tornado II | Skatebolt Breeze II |
| Tested Maximum Range | 14.4 miles | 27.0 miles | 10.0 miles | 20.3 miles | 12.0 miles |
| Tested Maximum Speed | 23.9 mph | 28.9 mph | 14.2 mph | 24.5 mph | 20.7 mph |
| Tested Stopping Distance | 45 ft | 28 ft | 14 ft | 44 ft | 77 ft |
| Measured Weight | 18.4 lb | 20.7 lb | 25.5 lb | 19.1 lb | 21.1 lb |
| Measured Time in Uphill Grade | 43 seconds | 29 seconds | 32 seconds | 55 seconds | 55 seconds |
| Measured Charge Time | 220 minutes | 200 minutes | 114 minutes | 215 minutes | 206 minutes |
| Riding Modes | 1 2 3 4 |
3 Eco Sport Turbo |
4 Redwood Pacific Elevated Skyline |
4 Low Medium High Pro |
4 Low Medium High Pro |
| Battery | 216Wh 18650 | Lithium Ion | Lithium Ion (NMC) | 7500 mAh 18650 Power Lithium | Lithium Ion |
| Deck Material | Flexible Tri-Laminate | ABS Glass Fiber Composite | Composite Material | 8-Layer Maple | Bamboo + Glass Fiber |
| Deck Length | 38.3" | 39" | 27" (2) 8" platforms |
38" | 39.3" |
| Truck Width | 8" | 8" | N/A | 10" | 9.25" |
| Wheel Size | 85 mm | 96 mm | 10.5" x 4.5-6" | 90 mm | 97 mm |
| App available | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Lighting | No | Yes (purple) | Yes | Tail light | Brake light |
| Manufacturer Weight Limit | 400 lb | 260 lb Max. Recommend 245 lb and below |
250 lb | 264 lb | 264 lb |
Show full specification detailsHide full specification details
Our Analysis and Test Results
Performance Comparison
The Exway Flex is an affordable model that is perfect for beginners who are just getting into the sport.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ride Comfort
Your electric skateboard's comfort is crucial to your enjoyment of the sport, so we weighted this metric at 30% of the total score of the Flex. We tested this board's comfort by taking it on many rides, sometimes for miles. We put it through the paces on a variety of surfaces, from smooth pavement to cracked asphalt to bumpy trails, and took notes along the way. The Flex landed in the middle of the pack in this metric, with an excellent deck feel, but was a little bumpy on rougher terrain.
The concave shaping of the Flex cradled our feet comfily, keeping us on the board in any terrain. The padded grip tape is also a welcome addition on top of the flexible trilaminate deck material.
We found the Flex to offer excellent deck comfort, with padded grip tape and a concave deck shape.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
While small cracks were easily handled, we unfortunately felt every medium to large-sized crack or bump, and our feet even vibrated on rougher surfaces. Our testers all agreed this option is best on smoother riding surfaces, but the secure-feeling deck will help you stay on if your ride occasionally gets rougher.
We'd recommend keeping this board on smoother surfaces to enjoy your rides the most.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Range
We love being able to go on longer rides, so we weighted the range of the Flex at 20% of its total score. We tested this board by charging the battery up to 100% and riding it for miles until it was completely dead, noting the total distance and any performance changes. We also recorded the time needed to recharge the battery back to full. The Flex doesn't score the highest in this metric, and we recommend other options if you want to take longer rides.
Our testers found that the Flex has a max range of 14 miles, which is half the distance of some boards. For many, this range will be fine for what they'd like to ride, with plenty of fun that can be had in that distance — just consider driving your car further before starting your ride. In the last mile or two of our max range test, the Flex slowed down slightly but otherwise offered consistent performance throughout its battery's life.
The Flex required 3 hours and 40 minutes to charge from 0% to 100% battery, making it one of the slower charging times relative to its range. While a few other options took longer to charge, their range was also substantially further. For many riders, this won't be a huge deal, but if you're looking to ride multiple times a day, you might need to keep your rides short if you choose this option.
We rode this board for miles until it died. This option's shorter range may be all some riders need.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Speed
The speed of the Flex was weighted at 10% of its total score. We created a set track, entered it going at full speed, recorded its time, and repeated this process three times to create an average top speed. We also measured this board's acceleration time from a standstill to the end of a 50-foot track, repeating this test three times to get an average. Speed is one of the highest scoring metrics for the Flex and greatly boosted its rankings amongst other boards we reviewed.
The top speed of this option clocked in at an average of 23.86 miles per hour, offering plenty of power for your riding wants. Relative to its ride comfort, we'd recommend keeping this board off of rougher surfaces if you're planning on taking the Flex to its top speed.
The Flex offers decent acceleration with an average of 4.18 seconds to get through our standardized 50-foot track. The best of the boards were only approximately one second faster, and those boards cost significantly more than the Flex.
We were thoroughly impressed with this option in the speed metric, with a top speed of 23.86 mph.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Braking
Every rider must be able to stop, so we gave this metric 10% of the total score of the Flex. We tested this board by regulating speed going on a sustained downhill, noting how easily we could control our speed and how slow we could go. The Flex brakes were also tested by getting it up to 11-13 mph and slamming on the brakes, measuring the distance needed to come to a complete stop. This board's weakest metric is braking, but it still landed around the lower middle of the pack.
When traveling downhill, the Flex did a great job regulating its speed if we kept it below 10 mph. Regulating our speed was challenging once we got above 10 mph, with a slightly scary delay from the time we applied the brakes to the time we truly slowed down. As we learned the nuances of the Flex, we were able to anticipate our braking needs earlier, but we'd recommend that you take it slower on your descents.
The Flex landed in the middle of the pack in our stopping distance tests, with an average distance of 45 feet. Our best scoring options in this test boasted distances of 14 feet, with our worst scores coming in at 77 feet. If you demand aggressive, fast-acting brakes, we'd recommend another option, but the Flex remains worthy of your consideration.
The braking on the Flex eventually works, but the distance it takes to stop is hit or miss.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Hills
Many electric skateboarders live or ride in hilly areas, so we dedicated 10% of the total score to this section of our assessment. We put the Flex through many hill climbs of varying steepnesses up to 14%-15% grades, taking notes and timing each uphill. We were impressed with the Flex in this metric, especially when considering its price point.
The Flex was able to zip up each hill we threw at it with a minimal decrease in speed. Even at steeper grades, we were pleased with this board's ability to get uphill with nearly the same amount of power we felt on flat ground.
While the braking of this board isn't the best, it still offers nearly half the stopping distance of some options.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Beginner Friendly
10% of the total score of this board is given to being beginner-friendly. We investigated this metric by examining the remote, beginner mode, and weight of the Flex to determine how amicable it is for those new to the sport. This board scored the highest of any option we tested, making it a top contender for anyone getting into electric skateboarding.
The Flex offers an easy-to-use remote with a simple button layout, allowing you to swiftly adjust key components of the board. An app also accompanies this option, allowing for further customization to fine-tune your ride just the way you want it.
We loved the comfy, intuitive remote of this option.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Our favorite aspect of the Flex in this metric is its adjustable speed limit and its beginner mode. Even without speed limit tinkering, the beginner mode reduces the max speed down to 5-6 mph and has slow, steady acceleration. The braking isn't jerky, even if you accidentally hammer the brakes, greatly reducing the likelihood of getting thrown off.
This option is one of the lightest boards in our review at a measured weight of 18.4 pounds, making it far easier to transport than most of the competition.
The friendly max speeds of this board in beginner mode will greatly help new riders learn the sport.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Should You Buy the Exway Flex?
If you're tight on cash or are looking for the best beginner option, the Exway Flex should live at the top of your list.While there are some so-so performance considerations, the Flex is a functional and capable board that's half or a third of the price of our highest-scoring options. Rest easy knowing that we've put in the leg work testing this board, unearthing its best and worst qualities.
What Other Electric Skateboards Should You Consider?
The Flex is perfect for those who are new to electric skateboarding or are shopping on a budget. For a few hundred more dollars, the Backfire Zealot S checks all the boxes of a high-performance ESB, but is still reasonably priced. If you're looking for a top-tier ride and you don't mind spending the extra cash, the Ownboard Carbon Zeus Pro is ridiculously fast with a huge range. If you're in the market for a monowheel model, the Onewheel GT is unbeatable while the smaller Onewheel Pint offers solid overall performance at a much smaller price.
—
Zach Lovell and Austin Palmer
You Might Also Like
