When comparing OneWheel+ vs Airwheel M3, the Slant community recommends OneWheel+ for most people. In the question“What are the best electric skateboards?” OneWheel+ is ranked 2nd while Airwheel M3 is ranked 17th. The most important reason people chose OneWheel+ is:
You can use the OneWheel+ for tricks, riding in the city, as well as off-road. It has a decent top speed and it recharges very quickly, which is great if you use it for commuting. Having a large, wide tire makes it perfectly equipped for riding on patches of grass, dirt, and shallow puddles. The unusual one-wheel construction and on-deck sensor controls make the riding experience unique and very fun. You can select the different riding modes in the OneWheel app or using the pressure sensor on the board.
Specs
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Pros
Pro It's a versatile board that's fun to ride
You can use the OneWheel+ for tricks, riding in the city, as well as off-road. It has a decent top speed and it recharges very quickly, which is great if you use it for commuting. Having a large, wide tire makes it perfectly equipped for riding on patches of grass, dirt, and shallow puddles. The unusual one-wheel construction and on-deck sensor controls make the riding experience unique and very fun. You can select the different riding modes in the OneWheel app or using the pressure sensor on the board.
Pro Incredible rider control and tight turn radius
With some practice, you can turn 180 degrees on a dime. The OneWheel's carving ability, rider control, braking, and acceleration will likely surprise you. If you are an easy rider, cruising is great fun. If you like to push the limit, it will challenge your balance and bravery.
Pro This is a great option for riding off-road
If you plan to ride off-road, say outside the city or at the beach, the OneWheel+ is one of the best boards to have. Not only can it go through very rough terrain, like sand, grass, and puddles; it's also very good at riding in hills. It can climb up to 30% hill grade, while the vast majority boards, including high-end models, start stalling at 20-25%. An added benefit is that the board can generate some power while going down the hill, which keeps the battery alive for longer.
Pro Embedded lights make for a safer riding
The LED lights on the back and the front of the board keep the path visible and help the rider stay visible to others. You can toggle the LEDs on and off in the app.
Pro You get a unique riding experience
The overall experience of tilting your weight front-back, toe-heel, which dictates speed and direction feels a lot like snowboarding as opposed to riding a regular skateboard.
Pro It's water-resistant
You can safely ride it in the rain or on the beach. You can go straight over puddles, however, it makes a lot of sense to preemptively install a fender, otherwise you will be soaking wet. The treadless tire grips wet concrete well but will slip in the mud. Cleaning is a breeze – just grab a hose.
Pro You can connect it to your smartphone
You can connect your board to your smartphone using the OneWheel Android or iOS app. There you can control a number of settings: the riding mode, responsiveness of the board, LED lights; as well as find tutorial videos and get free firmware updates for the board.
Pro It's one of the most power-efficient boards out there
The OneWheel+ has regenerative brakes that extend the battery life as you brake or go downhill. It can recover up to 30% of total power output, more than any other board, which increases the battery life.
Pro It's sturdy and reliable
The OneWheel+ has a very solid feel to it. The components are high quality and the overall build is very durable. It can hold weight up to 275 lbs, while a lot of alternatives top out at 220.
Pro Really fast charge time
The OneWheel+ can be fully charged in only 20 minutes. At the same time, the vast majority of other boards, even with dedicated fast chargers, require at least 60-80 minutes.
Pro Can operate in very wet conditions
The electrical components are secured from the elements, and the board can be used even in wet conditions.
Pro Can mount setup on any board imaginable, even on a snowboard
The motor setup can be mounted on any number of decks, including decks not originally intended to serve as skateboards. This gives a great deal of flexibility in customizing your ride.
Pro App for tracking statistics and tweaking available on both Android and iOS
A chip inside the board tracks stats and wirelessly relays them to the app, enabling the user to check them in real time. This leads to better decision making while riding the board.
Pro No external motor
The motor is encased inside the wheel (instead of an external motor and belt drive), which keeps it protected and offers a good, high-powered experience.
Pro Awesome design
The board has a striking design with one tail and large wheels fastened to backward-facing trucks.
Pro Smooth ride
The trucks and bushings have a dampening effect on vibration and bumps making for a smooth ride. The large wheels and cushioning risers used above the trucks enhance this effect.
Pro It's fairly cheap
This setup cots 2-3 less than that what you'd expect to pay for a high-quality e-board, making it a very accessible option.
Pro Good warranties
The board comes with a 1-month warranty on the wheels, a 6-month warranty on the battery, and a 1-year warranty on the rest of the components.
Pro Able to ride on medium rough terrain
The large wheels allow the board to traverse rough terrain easily. This makes it a good board to use in off-road conditions, including forested terrain and parks.
Pro Feels really durable
The components are strong and stand up well to wipeouts and poor weather.
Cons
Con There will be a fairly steep learning curve
The design of OneWheel+ is very unique, and it takes some getting used to. Riding it without much experience can be dangerous, especially at high speeds. You will most probably need a lot of practice before you are comfortable with the pressure sensor controls. Wearing a helmet and hand/wrist protection is also highly recommended.
Con Not the most portable option
The board weighs 25 lbs, which may not seem heavy at first but almost certainly will after you carry it around for a while.
Con Quite heavy
The 25 lbs weight needs to be taken into account. It is not the easiest to carry around if that’s something you’ll need to do.
Con People can see it's motorized quite easily
Thanks to the very large battery box attached under the board, it’s quite obvious that the board is motorized.
Con Bulky battery pack isn’t great to look at
The battery pack is quite large and really stands out – but not in a good way. Its size also adds weight to the board, which is the tradeoff you make for a more powerful battery that lasts longer.
Con The range is unimpressive
When ridden by a 65 kg (140 lb) rider at full speed at 14 degrees Celsius (60 degrees Fahrenheit), the board only has a range of 10 km (6 miles). When it’s colder than this, the batteries will offer even less power. This is true of all batteries, so if you live in a cold environment be sure to consider the impact weather may have on performance.
Con One-wheel drive
Only one wheel has a motor, which can lead to too much torque on one side.
Con Dishonest advertising of specs
Airwheel is advertised with a top speed of 20 kph and a 20-km range (12 mph and 12 miles). The company also claims it can be fully charged in 60 minutes and that it will alert the rider when they reach 12 kph (7.5 mph). In reality, there is no alert at 12 kph, the board only charges to 55 percent capacity in an hour, and listed the top speed can only be reached if you weigh less then 60 kg (130 lb) or are going downhill. It’s possible that a 20 km range could be achieved in first gear, but in the top gear you will only be able to travel half that distance.
Con Miserable top speed
Even with a fairly light, 150 lb rider, the board will only reach a top speed of 11 mph. Obviously this speed will only decrease as the rider weight increases.
Con Doesn’t charge very quickly
The board takes three hours to fully charge. It will only reach 55 percent charge after the first hour. This makes it difficult to quickly top off the battery.