The electric skate revolution is officially upon us! Or, upon me at least. After my first experience with e-skates earlier this year, more and more companies are coming out of the woodwork with their own unique designs in a cool new form of electric mobility. Take Airtrick for example – I got the chance to test out their A1 Pro electric skates and found a cool new way to get around that anyone can try in the comfort of their own sneakers. Check it out.
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Airtrick grounded its R&D to bring us electric skates
Airtrick is a young electric mobility company based in Hong Kong that originally began as an electric manned aircraft developer, led by a team of senior engineers from Fortune 500 brands. In 2021, the company restructured and re-honed its R&D focus on electric mobility tools for the ground rather than the air.
Before then, however, the team at Airtrick had already been developing electric skates for over two years after being inspired by the fictional technology in the anime AirGear and the movie Alita Battle Angel.
2022 brought a round of crowdfunding that enabled mass production of its flagship product – the A1 electric skates. Designed to be foldable and ultra-portable, Airtrick describes its A1 skates as “the world’s lightest and smallest electric vehicle.”
The team sent me a pair of A1 Pros to test out for myself and I’d argue it should add “most convenient” to its product claims as well. Let’s start with the specs then get into my personal skating experience and video review.
A1 Pro performance specs
Despite their compact and portable design, the A1 Pros still pack some power – just enough to have fun cruising around, but not so much that you worry about breaking anything. The frame of each Airtrick skate is comprised of aeronautical grade aluminum alloy, built to support the weight of its rider, even if they jump… I did not jump.
I call the A1 Pro quick straps rubber in my video below, but they are actually made from silicone. Forgive me. As you’ll see, these straps easily stretch and clip over your shoes, and you don’t have to worry about which foot goes on a given skate – it doesn’t matter!
My pair of A1 Pros were middle of the pack in the Airtrick lineup, so they are powered by an 140W hub motor in each skate combining for 280W of peak power and a top speed over 15 mph. That was more than enough for me since the skates were attached to my feet, unlike an electric skateboard where I can hop off if I start to wobble.
Here are some more detailed specifications of what these electric skates are packin’.
- Four speed modes plus reverse:
- Lo, Mi, Hi, Pro
- Top speed: 15.5 mph (25 km/h)
- Rated power: 140W (x2)
- Peak power: 280W (x2)
- Torque: 0.7-1.4 Nm
- Max range: 9.3 miles (15 km)
- Battery specs: 18650 lithium pack (29.4V 3Ah)
- Battery capacity: 90Wh (x2)
- Charge time: 2 hours
- Max slope: 13°
- Net weight: 3.5 lbs/each (1.6 kg)
- Dimensions: 309 x 66.5 x 126 mm
- Wheel size: Front: 2.1 in / Rear: 2.4 in
- Compatible shoe sizes: Male: 5-12 / Female 6-12
- Waterproof rating: IPX3
- Max Payload: 220 lbs (100 kg)
In addition to performance perks, the A1 Pro e-skates are customizable when you purchase them on the Airtrick website. For example, you can choose between silver or black skate frames, grey or orange quick straps, and you can swap out the decals on the side of each skate. Mine were camo which made them tough to find in the grass… kidding.
Now that you’ve got an idea of the performance capabilities of these electric skates, let’s dig into my overall thoughts riding them, followed by my brilliantly comprised video.
Testing the A1 Pros
My initial thought when actually beginning to test these electric skates is how easy they are to use. The silicon quick straps go on in a snap (literally), and you simply need to roll the rear wheels of each skate to turn them on, no buttons required.
Turn on the 2.4G remote control and you’re ready to cruise. As you’ll see below, I was very wobbly on these skates at first. I grew up playing roller hockey on these same streets, but have admittedly always ridden inline skates. The rides on the A1 Pros were my second time on four wheel skates in my life… unless of course you count these bad boys from our childhood.
In all seriousness, Airtrick’s electric skates are in many ways a modern day, electrified upgrade to the Fisher Price model from the ’90s, and I am here for it. I started in “Lo” mode but that very quickly became too slow for me. I was then onto “Mid” mode, where I could start kicking a bit and mixing it up with some turns. Turning was admittedly easier if you let the motors do the work, but if you want to turn tightly, you’re gonna have to do it the old fashioned way.
The brakes were more than adequate, but by no means stopped on a dime. This is probably for the best because these machines are attached to your person, so if you happen to take a tumble, you’re going down… hence why I’m wearing a helmet and knee pads in my video.
I got the Airtrick skates all the way up to “Pro” mode at a certain point, where I was pushing 15 mph. I enjoyed it, but dialed it back fairly quickly – mostly because I would have preferred a smoother surface and had two separate cameras in my hand and didn’t want to risk a fall. Still, the abrasion resistant wheels did their part for a relatively smooth ride, even over pebbles and cracks.
As I mention below, I must have been super tense when riding and getting used to these electric skates, because my legs started hurting after awhile. It’s a strange position to skate in, so it definitely takes some getting used to, but I’d say the learning curve on the A1 skates is significantly shorter than other skates I’ve tested.
Where to find Airtrick electric skates and my video review
All in all, I think Airtrick’s first product is worth checking out for multiple reasons. First, their compact size and weight makes the skates easy to transport, unload, and zoom on and off. The quick straps are easy and effective, and you don’t even have to take your shoes off. Convenience is a huge selling point here.
Additionally, the A1 skates can perhaps bring more value than other products, because most other people can use them. These skates don’t have to necessarily be a product you buy for just yourself – you and your family and friends can share them and take turns cruising around. Maybe you each put one skate on a single foot and try a three-legged race! On second thought… DO NOT do that.
In all seriousness, these are a simple, easy to use form of mobility that can be shared with others, all for a relatively affordable price compared to similar products in the segment. Right now, you can take advantage of some discounts the Airtrick is offering. The A1 skates currently come in three different variations ranging in price from $479 to $599.
The A1 Pro skates I reviewed can be yours for $499, but if you use promo code ELECTREK, Airtrick will take an extra $30 off.
That’s my spiel for now. Look for another review very soon. In the meantime, check out my full video testing out the Airtrick A1 Pro electric skates while trying my best not to fall on my caboose. Enjoy!
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