I wager it’s very simple for Backfire to design this board. To get the Zealot V, open up Adobe Photoshop and paste the 40-inch Zealot X, choose all, and resize it right down to 33 inches and voila, you get the Zealot V.
Jokes apart, right now we’ll be reviewing the Backfire Zealot V which is a fairly bizarre board and secure to say it’s one among my least favourite Backfire boards. However to be honest, the Zealot V does have its ups and downs.
Backfire Zealot V Specs:
| Worth | $599 |
| Battery | 42V 6Ah or 216Wh battery Samsung 30Q 18650 |
| Controller | 10s Hobbywing ESC |
| High Pace | 26 mph (42 kph) |
| Vary | 11-12.5 miles (18-20 km) |
| Deck | 33” (83.8 cm) ABS, Glass Fiber, And Maple Composite |
| Motor | 1500W Twin 750W belt drive |
| Web Weight | 16.8 lbs (7.6 kg) |
Deck- 33” (83.8 cm) ABS, Glass Fiber, And Maple Composite:
The Zealot V boasts a 33” deck manufactured from ABS, glass fiber, and maple composite. Whereas it’s fairly stiff with minimal flex, we had been a bit disillusioned to search out it significantly flat with out a lot concave, which is type of a bummer for us as a result of we like decks with extra concave to it because it helps with foot placement, making it simpler to regulate the board.
However hey, the deck does look fairly candy. It’s bought these modern icy blue lights alongside the size of the deck, which at all times turns heads. And at $599, it’s the most affordable eskate on the market in the event you’re in search of one with deck lights like this.
Try our evaluate of Backfire Zealot X and Backfire Zealot S2, two different Backfire with board lights.
ESC and Distant – 10s Hobbywing ESC with Backfire distant:
Shifting onto the ESC, the Zealot V is supplied with a 10s Hobbywing ESC, providing 4-speed modes which, as at all times, are easy and intuitive. This Hobbywing Esc is paired with a normal Backfire distant, and whereas it’s not the Halo distant from the Zealot X and S2, it’s nonetheless comfortable and straightforward to make use of.
Battery – 42V 6Ah or 216Wh battery Samsung 30Q 18650 cells:
Powered by a 42V 6Ah or 216Wh battery with Samsung 30Q 18650 cells, the Zealot V is marketed at a spread of 11-12.5 miles (18-20 km). These cells are fairly widespread in eskates as they’ve excessive vitality density and discharge charges.
However when placing it to the check, with a 155 lbs (70 kg) rider, we solely managed to hit 7.5 miles (12 km) which isn’t tremendous spectacular to be sincere, particularly for a board on this value vary. We often anticipate no less than a 10-mile (16 km) type of vary with onerous using on boards over $400.
The dearth of vary is, sadly, the value to pay for utilizing belt motors as they’re not as environment friendly as hub motors, that means they drain the battery fairly rapidly. However they do make up for it with a smoother journey as belt drive motors are likely to dampen out street vibrations higher.
Motor – Twin 750W belt motors 1500W:
The Backfire Zealot V runs on two 750W belt motors, totaling 1500W. It’s a good quantity however not what you’ll name a game-changer as in comparison with the Zealot X’s beefier twin 1500W motors, the Zealot V’s energy is a little more on the modest facet.
As for the velocity, the Zealot V cruises as much as a high velocity of 26 mph (42 kph). Once more, that is fairly commonplace and nothing extraordinary, so it’s not stunning that we hit that high velocity in our check.
Though not probably the most highly effective board on the block, for a 33” board, it’s actually sufficient and most positively able to getting you up any incline.
Truck and Wheels – 7-inch 50-degree reverse kingpin vehicles:
Shifting on to the vehicles and wheels, the Zealot V is supplied with 7-inch 50-degree reverse kingpin vehicles that are much like the 8-inch vehicles you’d discover on the Zealot S2. Nonetheless, in contrast to the cast vehicles on the Zealot X, the Zealot V makes use of solid vehicles, which is to be anticipated for an eskate on this value vary.
Subsequent, regardless of being a smaller board, the Zealot V went with 96mm wheels. . These are 96mm by 55mm wheels with an 80A durometer. This helps to get the board over most cracks and bumps so that you aren’t restricted to using solely on sidewalks. That is versus Exway Ripple which is super-duper transportable and nimble however has 75mm wheels which can be a bit tough to be ridden on rougher pavement.
Learn our evaluate of Exway Ripple right here.
Lastly, The Backfire Zealot V weighs at a transportable (7.6 kg) which is lighter than most electrical longboards and cruisers, and roughly on par with many shortboards.
Specs Abstract:
At first look, for $599 the Backfire Zealot V’s specs are fairly underwhelming.
Nonetheless, factoring within the lights as a $150 add-on, the pricing appears extra affordable. Don’t ask me if the lights actually price $150, we solely know Meepo marked up the lightless Meepo Envy to the green-lighted Meepo Aurora by $150. However when you subtract $150 from the value tag, the Zealot V begins to look on par with different belt-driven eskates. For instance, it has specs almost an identical to the $449 Wowgo 3E, which is our high choose for the perfect reasonably priced belt-driven electrical skateboard.
Learn our evaluate of Wowgo 3E right here.
In brief, in the event you just like the lights for as a lot as $150, the Zealot V has good specs. 10s2p with Samsung 30Q, twin 750W belt motors in all fairness good.
Using Expertise on the Backfire Zealot V:
The Backfire Zealot V was designed to be transportable and nimble, and it completed that very properly. Turning tight corners and navigating amongst different street customers is a breeze.
Whenever you’re not using the board, its smaller kind issue makes it handy to hold round. At 16.8 lbs (7.6 kg), it’s not the lightest among the many lighter boards on the town. Nevertheless it does really feel considerably simpler to hold round due to the even weight distribution and, once more, the smaller kind issue.
Regardless of its smaller dimension, the Zealot V did properly in sustaining stability at excessive speeds. Whereas hitting the 26 mph high velocity nonetheless feels sketchy on a shorter board like this, we expect even new riders can be snug using round at 18.5 mph (30 km). The sleek velocity management of the Hobbywing ESC clearly helped. Acceleration and braking are completely easy and intuitive, as they at all times are with Hobbywing ESC.
Whereas these are all nice issues concerning the Backfire Zealot V, one massive query stays: why didn’t they go together with a deck with a kicktail? A extra typical shortboard or cruiser deck would have saved the scale of the deck down, saved the load mild, and added versatility. You’d additionally be capable to have an analogous width in your stance as on a shortboard, you possibly can place your again foot on high of the vehicles, whereas with Zealot V you possibly can’t.
A few of us at ESHQ do just like the design; nonetheless, in case you are not utilizing the kicktail, not having it means no probability of unintended wheelies. It’s also typically extra transportable than a deck with a kicktail, because the board lies flat in automotive trunks and takes up much less area. One staff member additionally appreciated that the board might be pulled by its truck, in contrast to boards with kicktails that may drag alongside the ground in the event you had been to tug it round.
Apart from that, the ability on the Zealot V is nice, greater than sufficient, contemplating the small dimension. Highway vibration remains to be uncomfortable regardless of going with massive 96mm wheels on a belt drive because of the stiff deck.
The Verdict – must you get the Backfire Zealot V?
It’s nimble, transportable, well-built, and appears actually good. The board provides excellent velocity management, enough energy, and a fairly good stability between responsiveness and stability. It’s a fairly board, constructed properly, however at $599, it’s not as reasonably priced as boards that skip the lights.
For many individuals, the Zealot V may appear caught in a bizarre center floor, however that additionally means for some, it’s the proper board with simply the correct amount of every little thing.
It’s very best for individuals who desire a nimble and transportable board however aren’t in search of a shortboard with a kicktail.
It’s for individuals who respect the journey profile of a typical longboard, however don’t want one which’s 40 inches.
And it’s for these in quest of probably the most reasonably priced board with built-in deck lights.
I don’t fall into these teams; therefore it’s not my favourite Backfire board, however I nonetheless have to provide kudos to Backfire for making an attempt one thing new with the Zealot V.
If you’re inquisitive about shopping for the Backfire, make sure you try our affiliate low cost hyperlink right here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to obtain $20 off throughout checkout.
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