Epikgo Premier Review

The most concrete differences we found in our testing process between the Premier and the Classic were the presence of a Bluetooth speaker, a slightly increased range, and the increased list price.

Performance Comparison

Our testing process was divvied up into four weighted metrics: Battery, Support, Outdoor Capabilities, and Fun Factor. We scored the Epikgo Premier in each metric using the results of each test we conducted, the details of which are elaborated on in the following sections.

Fun Factor

The highest weighted metric in our test was Fun Factor, comprising half of the total score. We rated these products on how much fun they were to ride — judged by our panel of veteran hoverboard testers, tested maximum speed, weight, as well as any other fun accessories or features the board had. The Epikgo Premier was reasonably fun, earning a 6 out of 10.

This board is only available in two colors: space gray and gold. It also is on the larger side, making it incompatible with most third-party protective skins and carrying cases. However, this model does have an internal Bluetooth speaker, differentiating it from its predecessor, the Epikgo Classic.

The Premier failed to distinguish itself in our top speed test, only hitting 9.33 mph.

This is definitely one of the heavier boards, weighing in at 31.5 lbs, making it somewhat difficult to carry around. The Premier is reasonably fun to ride around, lacking some of the nimbleness and maneuverability of the smaller models.

It feels stable at lower speeds but slightly finicky as you approach the top speed, overall failing to be a standout performer.

Outdoor Capabilities

Outdoor Capabilities, accounting for 20% of the total score, is the metric where the Epikgo Premier performed the relative best, tying for the runner-up position. We evaluated the Premier's performance at heading over packed dirt and sand, grassy patches, cracked and bumpy pavement, as well as heading up and down a steep hill and rolling over thresholds.

This model rolled over dirt, sand, and grass without breaking a sweat, helped by its burly off-road tires and decently powered motors.

The Premier also did quite well at climbing and descending a steep incline, powering up and down a 14% grade with ease and remaining stable the entire time. While the Premier does claim it has a superior hill climbing ability to the Classic, both boards made it up and down this hill with ease. It is actually quite difficult to find steeper roads to test on — we tried! — so either of these boards should suffice for the vast majority of the terrain that you would hoverboard on.

The bigger wheels on this board also cruise over cracks with ease, though the tread on the wheels made a steady vibration when riding the board on flat ground. The Premier also easily cleared a standard door threshold, though not as easily as the Skque or the Segway miniPro.

Support

The Epikgo Premier scored alright in our support metric, earning a 6 out of 10. We placed equal importance to Outdoor Capabilities on this metric, as we found these products to not be the most durable and broke quite a few in our testing process. We evaluated customer support by rating how well each board held up to testing and if it sustained any damage, if their was a warranty, how helpful the customer support staff was to our inquiry, and if there was a phone number that could be used to call and talk to a person.

The Premier only sustained minor scuffs and scrapes, with not debilitating injuries received from a multitude of crashes in our tests. This model lacks a phone number to call for support questions, relying on email only or various forms of social media. However, they were very prompt and helpful in their response. The manufacturer also includes a 14-day period to return the board and a limited 1-year warranty, with details in the manual or on their website.

Battery

This final metric in our test merited the remaining 10% of the final scores. We compared the range of each board, the runtime when doing a variety of different maneuvers in our obstacle course, and the time required to charge the battery. The Epikgo Premier has a slightly above average battery life, earning it a 6 out of 10.

This board made it for 8.2 miles in our range test, exceeding the 7.2 miles that the Classic version of this board lasted.

However, this board lasted for about the same amount of time as the Classic in our obstacle course and took about 2.5 hours to completely charge.

Value

This board is not a value option, performing identically or worse than models that cost a lot less.

Conclusion