Hiboy S22 Review

One complaint that we have with this board is its uninspiring performance if the pavement is anything but smooth — we definitely would recommend checking out other options if you are routinely riding on less than ideal surfaces.

Performance Comparison

Speed

Our first metric rated and scored each skateboard on their peak acceleration and maximum speed. This is our highest weighted metric and we were pleasantly surprised with the well above average performance, of the Hiboy S22, particularly given its budget nature.

To test and score top speed, we timed how long it took each board to complete a 200' course, allowing ample room for them to reach top speed before crossing the starting line. We again averaged the results for multiple trials, then calculated the maximum speed to award points. The Hiboy S22 had an average peak speed of 18.16 miles per hour in our tests.

To compare acceleration, we timed how long it took each skateboard to complete a 50' course, starting from a complete stop. We averaged the results of multiple trials and had the same rider for each board to improve the accuracy of the results. The Hiboy S22 had an average time of 4.91 seconds — easily beating some other boards that cost considerably more.

Range

Our second set of tests evaluated the range of each of these electric skateboards, comparing the maximum distance the Hiboy S22 and the other boards could travel at a moderate speed and how long it took each one to recharge when the battery was completely depleted. The Hiboy S22 delivered a decent performance, earning it an average overall range score.

Using a speed of around 12 mph, we started each board with a full charge and then ran them on flat ground with the same rider until they could go no further. The Hiboy S22 made it 10.5 miles before completely stopping, though the last bit was so slow that we feel approximately 10.1 miles would be a more accurate effective range.

These results are with an adult male testing all the boards, so you might get a longer range if you are on the more petite side. This skateboard has a claimed charge time of around 2 hours, though we timed it at closer to three hours to completely recharge. However, 3 hours is about average for these products in our experience.

Ride

We based scores for our next metric on how comfortable we are and how much we are drawn to each board, as well as how they handled cracks in the road or bumpy pavement. The Hiboy S22 unfortunately failed to impress in this regard, meriting a score a bit below average.

We didn't necessarily find the sharper concave shape of this board to be the most comfortable, particularly on longer rides. We also noticed the trucks feel like they have a different level of resistance to them, with the truck for the motors feeling particularly squirrely.

The stiffer deck on this board makes it much more prone to transmitting road vibrations directly to your feet, which is even further exacerbated by the relatively smaller wheels on this E-skateboard. It also will stall whenever you hit a crack, making for a jarring ride if the pavement is less than ideal.

Hills

After looking at how each board rode, we assessed how well they tackled hills. We attempted to climb hills of increasing steepness and then compared the results to determine scores. The Hiboy S22 didn't do particularly well, earning another score just below average.

This skateboard made it halfway up our 15% grade test hill, but we found the hill-climbing performance plummeted as the battery became more depleted. Even at a 75% charge, this skateboard struggled to climb even a 10% grade. If you live in a particularly hilly area, we definitely would recommend you consider other options over the Hiboy.

Build

We rated and compared the weight of each board, the user-friendliness and ergonomics of the remote, and the responsiveness of the board for our build metric, as well as the quality of the customer support that we received. The Hiboy S22 delivered a decent performance, meriting an overall above-average score.

We found the S22 to be about average when it comes to weight. It is a fairly light board at just over 17 pounds, but we found it to feel very unbalanced. All of the weight is concentrated at the back of the board, making it very cumbersome to carry.

The remote feels decently solid and well-built. It's comfortable to hold and quite easy to swap between different riding and braking modes. It also has lights to indicate the current remote and board status. The S22 only has a slight lag to remote commands — nothing too bothersome once you get used to it. We also found customer support to be fairly responsive, with a handful of different ways that you can reach them.

Braking

Our final metric looked at the stopping ability of each of these skateboards. We based scores on both the distance it took for the board to stop or slow down enough to run out on flat ground, as well as how comfortable we felt using the brakes to manage our speed when descending steep hills. The Hiboy delivered some typical results in both tests, earning it a middle-of-the-road score.

This skateboard took an average of around 50' to come to a complete stop when traveling about 12 miles per hour on flat ground, with the results of our three trials all being within 5' of each other. It took an average of 32' to slow down enough for our tester to feel confident to hop off and run out, with both of these numbers being just a bit further than average in our experience.

This skateboard was able to keep us at a reduced speed when descending on a 15% grade, as long as we applied full brakes at the start of the hill. It could keep us from accelerating but it definitely wouldn't do that much if we were already at peak speed.

Value

If you are shopping for a new electric skateboard on the tightest of budgets, then the Hiboy S22 can be a great value. It's not without concessions, but it's a good bargain buy if you don't expect too much.

Conclusion