Backfire Zealot S Full Review Including Range and Top Speed Tests. 210lbs Rider. Electric Skateboard

I did a detailed comparison between the original and the new Zealot S in my unboxing video. Please check it out if you haven’t already!
• Backfire Zealot S: Det...
This board is amazing for the price! Backfire really outdid themselves on this one. It is beautiful, fast, and has range for days!
Subscribe so you don’t miss my next Range Test on Cloud Wheels video! Coming soon!

[@robertchapa5258]

Thanks for the great review. Beginner here about to make my 1st purchase

[@esk8mafia200]

Good luck bro! You going to go for the Zealot? It’s a perfect board to start with. I wish I would have been smart enough to get this as my first board.

[@colonelkush]

Funny how you address the “Z-lot” pronunciation. I really like how you mention the charging/usb ports being flimsy and not always staying put. This is too true but I just use some duct tape to keep them still. Nice vid, maybe I’ll come down to Venice on a Saturday night to see all the lights.

[@esk8mafia200]

It’s actually Sunday night! Every Sunday night at sunset. They meet right near the Venice sign by the flag poles. Impossible to miss. Lmk if you ever make it out. It’s a slower ride, but tons of fun. I butchered the pronunciation in my unboxing video lol. Had to get it right the second time around for you and the others who commented 😂

[@colonelkush]

Just got back from the Venice Electric Light Parade, so much fun! Thank you for sharing about it!

[@jonathanknight4107]

The range is spot on. got the same thing and I was doing it on turbo mode.

[@esk8mafia200]

Nice! I got it up to 28mph in sport mode with the clouds recently. Haven’t maxed it out with those in turbo yet. I am loving the range on this board so far! I did another range test on 105 cloud wheels. Will be posting it Monday or Tuesday. Thanks for watching!

[@harunerdogan6714]

saw you on my trending page and glad i watched

[@johnd9357]

Subbed from Facebook. The edit on this is totally fine to me. I like the riding clips inserted seamlessly into the commentary. Keep going!

[@esk8mafia200]

Thanks bro! I plan to! I’m enjoying myself lol. They’ll keep getting better I hope. I’m learning so much with these first few. Excited to see where I’m at after another few.

[@jimkarlosmusic6925]

Stoked on the zealot 2s and zealot x. They released it here in China already. And my friend and I will have a ride with it for review soon.

[@LukaDaudt]

Ordered mine a week ago. It's in some container coming from China. These videos kill me. can't wait.

[@esk8mafia200]

I have been there bro 😂😂 This board is worth the wait! You’re going to love it. I just did some filming for my range test on cloud wheels. It should be up tomorrow night! Check it out! Appreciate your support. If you have any questions on the board let me know

[@benjaminmorales1305]

I got mine in two days ordered from 🇺🇸 California.

[@LukaDaudt]

@@benjaminmorales1305 Damn... must be nice!

[@Prxsumo]

Hey how long did it take for you to get your board

[@LukaDaudt]

@@Prxsumo A long ass time. Like a month and a half. I think they may have some more stock now.

[@maxsuelusa2006YouTubeTv]

I got my today, I loved ❤

[@WayneWayne2437]

Nice review 👌 it was on point. Honestly I'm still undesided on what bored to get since there's so many options I have 1K to play with and this looks like a solid option still. Trying to make sure whatever I buy is a nice improvement over my Backfire G2 Black (2020) Budget edition but im so tempted to get the Zealot S I did see yoy did review another bored on the channel I ride almost everyday so really wanna make sure my money is spent well since I don't buy often have a nice day agian nice review keep it up 👍

[@esk8mafia200]

Thanks bro! I appreciate the support. At the 1k budget you have so many viable options. I have 5 boards, only one of which is over 1k. I love them all. That being said I would definitely go for something with belt motors if you have only had hubs. It is a dramatic improvement in and of itself. My first 2 boards were hubs and once I switched to belts I don’t think I’ll ever go back. The zealot is tough to beat within its price range. The exway flex is always a competitor here, but backfire wins out in my opinion due to customer service and range. Go belts whatever you do. The ride comfort, acceleration, and braking are vastly improved. It’s a game changer.

[@WayneWayne2437]

@@esk8mafia200 you make me super excited to try a belt drive moter bored for the first time I do notice with my weight and hub motors once in awhile on certain surfaces the board tends to pop up s little which is kinda scary at certain speeds other then that I think hub is not bad but agjsn never tried belt drive. Just for the fact customer service is really good the Zelaot S is really tempting agian nice review have a nice day 😊

[@WayneWayne2437]

@@esk8mafia200 oh I have one more question how often do belts brake and if I'm ridding should I have belts and tools on me all the time ?

[@esk8mafia200]

Hubs are not bad at all! Belts are just better 😎 Have a good one! Love your channel!

[@esk8mafia200]

I have never busted a belt. Never. I change them about about 500 miles and I’ve had zero problems. I do carry a skate tool and extra belt with me on longer rides, but I’ve never needed to use them. At least not yet haha.

[@AlphaPlants420]

mine comes in two days im soooooo excited

[@esk8mafia200]

You will love it man! It’s a great board. I can’t speak enough about how much you get for the price. Can’t be beat from a value perspective.

[@mangokraken]

Honestly, fantastic board. The quality for the price can not be beat. I own the original model so this one is probably even better.

[@marktheguy]

been waiting for this vid 🤪

[@esk8mafia200]

My man! Thanks for supporting. Let me know what you think of it. I am still new and trying to improve these videos as much as I can as quickly as possible!

[@derreckbuck3493]

Did anyone ever realize he’s on the gta beach. Honestly jus an awesome video all around

[@jamiecarter59]

A great review well spoken

[@esk8mafia200]

Thank you! It’s a great board!

[@jowesticles]

Excited to see how mine does riding fast and hard with lots of hills

[@esk8mafia200]

It’s a champ of a board man. Still love mine

[@hayalettimi2296]

Extremely interesting

[@minecrafttv62]

KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK

[@esk8mafia200]

Thank you!! Appreciate the support.

[@nathanthompson949]

I'm 135 lbs. So this is gonna be the most wild ride ever. I'm gonna end up hitting 34mph and 25 mile range

[@emmuccio6397]

Ordinata, e grazie della bellissima spiegazione.. ciao😝🤙🏻

[@esk8mafia200]

Thanks for checking out the video!

[@nightassassin6451]

GO HARD 😍

[@steveevangelista2936]

hello, thank you for the great video! i just purchased one up here in canada land and hope it ships as quick as you have mentioned, just a quick comment in regards to the fast charger option, I purchased a fast charger from backfires site, that from what i understand works great with this setup. not sure if i can post a link however check out their site and hopefully that'll work out for you.. thanks again!

[@esk8mafia200]

Thanks Steve! I know they have one, but I didn’t know it worked with this board! I will look into it now! It’s a fantastic board! You will love it! Such an enjoyable ride! Canada rocks!

[@ian-wr1hk]

awesome review and board also. makes me feel really sad for having no way at all to purchase that board in EU

[@esk8mafia200]

Thanks for watching ! I appreciate the support! It’s a great board. I love it. I believe backfire has a warehouse in Germany. Can you not buy it from their website? Or potentially look for a used one. I know for a fact there will be some used ones for sale within a month. A lot of people in this hobby buy new boards and ride them for a month and then sell them to out towards other boards.

[@ian-wr1hk]

@@esk8mafia200 yes they have warehouse in Hamburg i believe but i have seen only one time Zealot there and it was still winter then. Now they have G3 plus, ranger x2. even other companies dont have some better boards. wowgo has only 3 and 3x in eu warehouse, exway has only flex. hard to purchase board here. I hope Backfire will have Zealot or Zealot S soon. Every day i m warching their site and hoping i ll see one of those boards. thanks for info mate 👍

[@esk8mafia200]

Happy to help! The exway flex is a great option too. You lose some range and customer service, but you gain technology. That board has some amazing tech perks that no other company can offer. Being able to customize your board within their app makes for a truly customizable experience. Just depends what you value more... range and power and customer service, or a high tech board that is customizable. Good luck!

[@kevinchan4951]

I have the deck for my revel kit . It's great 😊

[@esk8mafia200]

Agreed! I love it. I want to try a revel kit so bad! Have heard great things. Thanks for watching and supporting!

[@LgKrazy101]

Is this board reliable? I've had a boosted board that's lasted me years and I've never run into a problem with it. Other than regular maintenance I never had to send the board in for any major manufacturer problems. Sadly Boosted is no longer in business and I've reached a point where I do want to upgrade. Knowing that you've had multiple versions of this board I wanted to get your honest opinion. Also, I love the vids keep it up!

[@esk8mafia200]

Thanks for the kind words, bro! This board is as reliable as they come and the customer service is great so if you did have an issue Backfire would quick to fix it. I have not had a single issue yet. I highly recommend this board. For the price I think it’s the best you can find.

[@LgKrazy101]

@@esk8mafia200 I appreciate the reply man thank you!

[@AntoineMariani-om8mh]

Je l'ai achetée... Je l'attends

[@Hunterrr.]

Is this board good for me if I’m 228, 6’4

[@notdxvis]

I’m between this and the flex which is only 500 right now. What should I get?

[@WayneWayne2437]

have to comment again and after all the deciding i finally decided to buy the Zealot S and i get it next month long time but i hope its worth it can you answer one more question i know backfire gives you free belts in the box but were would you buy belts if they broke because i looked on both the usa website and global website and seen no belts you could buy? thanks again for all the help also i will do a review / Unboxing on my channel because i love supporting estate ill also do a compression between the g2 black 2020 and the zealot s i also wanted a belt drive board to really try other types of boards so i have all styles under my belt haha anyway thanks for all the help

[@esk8mafia200]

I’m pumped for you! You’re going to love it! Let me know how you like it when it arrives! You can get belts anywhere. I use Amazon. You just have to be sure to order the right size. Backfire will supply you with an extra set and between that and the set that is on the board you will be covered for a long, long time. And once you replace it the first time then you can order the next set. They ship in a couple days from Amazon. Do the review! It’s fun and you learn even more about the board because you analyze it differently. It’s awesome.

[@JustinL777]

Can you ride it like a regular longboard say if the battery dies you could use your foot for power?

[@esk8mafia200]

You could, but it’s not as easy to push as a normal longboard. Odds are if the battery dies you would just pick up one of the trucks and pull it like a suit case. The battery lasts a long time so that shouldn’t be an issue as long as you’re paying attention though. Thanks for checking out the video! I appreciate the support!

[@WayneWayne2437]

So I finally got my board unforcently do to bad weather can't ride anytime soon maybe in 2 weeks my question is it it normal when the board is in just idle turned on it makes a very small hiss I mean its very small almost not noticeable just wondering if it's normal because my hub motor bored doesn't make any noise when idle and this could be normal for belt driven boards should I be concerned? thanks

[@esk8mafia200]

Yes completely normal! You’re going to love it! When is the weather supposed to clear up?

[@WayneWayne2437]

@@esk8mafia200 thank you very much I didn't wanna haft to return it have a nice day

[@esk8mafia200]

You too bud

[@rhysphillips2489]

Although they are different price points and different style boards, how would you compare the zealot s with the eovan gts carbon?

[@esk8mafia200]

That is a great question! It really depends what you’re looking for. I have multiple boards and they all serve a specific purpose for me. The zealot is much more portable and more multi purpose. The zealot has good range (not as good as eovan, but very good for this price point) and can serve as a long distance rider while also serving as a fun short distance rider for carving and just messing around. The eovan is more for longer trips and more of a niche board. You wouldn’t want to take it to lunch with your buddies or to the store. It’s just too big, the zealot on the other hand is much more practical. I would go eovan if you want max range and power and something very unique. If you want something more for everyday use or if it will be your only board I would go for the zealot. They are both great boards. I have no affiliation with either company so this is my honest opinion. Eovan for the range, power and aesthetic, the zealot for practicality and easier riding. The eovan requires your full attention at all times. Zealot is just an easy everyday rider. I hope this helps!

[@kemckelv]

Yea a great board for beginners. Entry level board.

[@jinhaoliu8290]

Hi so I just got a zealot S, and I am interested in your helmet, where can I get a same one?

[@esk8mafia200]

Bro they are really hard to find. You have to really search. They sell out right away. It is called a TSG Pass. I got mine on muirskate.com. You’ll probably have to search the internet tho. Good luck!

[@jinhaoliu8290]

@@esk8mafia200 yeah I figured that out by browsing the comment area, I end up buying the predator , which looks kind the same,but I think the pass looks better

[@bisonhoproducoes7474]

did you use another pulley or the original one to put the cloudwheels?

[@esk8mafia200]

I used different pulleys. Amazon currently sells the cloud wheel conversion kit for backfire. Make sure you order the one specifically for backfire! They have multiple and you want to get the right one. It was about 30$ I think.

[@Dafty23]

Im new to eskating and skating in general and I just got this board yesterday. Starting to get comfortable going 15mph but I feel like I cant carve as easy as I'd like and sometimes I have to get off the board and flip it to turn around and change directions. Did you loosen your trucks when you got the board if so which ones and how much?

[@esk8mafia200]

Truck tightness is a very personal thing. A lot of factors impact how tight your trucks might need to be. For example heavier people need to tighten their trucks a little bit more than lighter people in order to get the same level of handling. Also people who ride faster like tighter trucks to keep their board stable at high speeds. The general rule of thumb is to have the front trucks a little bit looser than the back. The tighter back truck keeps your baord stable at higher speeds while the looser front truck allows for good Handling. My advice would be to start with them tight and take your skate tool with you out when you ride and slowly loosen them a little at a time until they feel right for you. As you get more experienced you’ll feel more comfortable with looser trucks. Keep it safe and stay tighter for now though. Thanks for watching! Like and subscribe ! I would really appreciate it !

[@mumenflyer181]

Yes, was looking at this exact board and a few others. Honestly want a trampa but maybe I should dip my toe before I get in. Lol what helmet is that?

[@mumenflyer181]

I found it lol, the tsg pass full face? 😁

[@esk8mafia200]

Yes sir! TSG Pass is somewhat of a staple in Eskate. You’ll see a lot of people wearing it. It’s light and looks pretty cool as far as helmets go lol. You can’t go wrong getting this as your first board! It’s powerful, has great range for the price, and has the trusty backfire customer service behind it which is huge for your first board or two. These are skateboards so they will break from all the beatings they take. Backfire will be there to help you and make sure you’re up and riding again ASAP. The value in that alone is worth it. If you’ll be riding on dirt trails a lot than you’ll need a board with AT wheel capabilities. Trampa is definitely that, but there’s a ton of options out there man. Keep researching and join the big Facebook group. Lots of good boards being talked about in there.

[@mumenflyer181]

@@esk8mafia200 im glad they got a great track record. I actually built my first board from 5065 motors, some aluminum motor clamps I made off my mill, and kydex for the enclosures, the plastic stuff they make knife sheaths out of if your unfamiliar. Lol im just finally ready for a proper build that is. 😆

[@esk8mafia200]

if you’ve built a board then you know better than most what you’d need. I want to venture into DIY at some point, but will probably start with a kit so I don’t mess anything up. I have ridden dozens of these things, but never built one. I want to try tho. What’s your budget for this new one?

[@mumenflyer181]

@@esk8mafia200 at most about 2400 for the trampa I picked out. The battery box they got is pretty ingenius where you simply swap out bad 18659 cells, and it's completely solderless which is nice. But if I can get a dual motor setup with a helmet for around 2k I'd be extremely happy. Any suggestions good sir?

[@mikeroom7180]

Hello, I have a question about the Zealot S so let’s say the battery‘s dead and you want to push it to get to your destination since it is belt drive does that make the wheel harder to push? Or is it possible.

[@esk8mafia200]

It’s possible, but it’s def harder to push than a hub motor. You won’t have to worry about running out of battery much. You’ll know well before it’s dead that you need to start heading back. The remote notifies you when there is 25% battery left and then again when there is 10% left. Plus this board has fantastic range!

[@mikeroom7180]

@@esk8mafia200 I purchased the Zealot S last Wednesday I was really trying to decide weather I want the meepo AWD pro because the shipping for the zealot S to USA is 40-45 days, in your opinion what do you think is better?

[@esk8mafia200]

Zealot 100%. I do not like hub motor boards at all, so zealot is an easy choice for me there. It’s an amazing board and definitely worth the wait!

[@mikeroom7180]

@@esk8mafia200 why is it that you don’t like hub motors? what’s the down side of hub motors from belt.

[@esk8mafia200]

Hubs have a much less comfortable ride due to the motors being built into the wheels. The belts have a much smoother ride due to the larger amount or urethane that you have cushioning you from the ground, they also provide much better acceleration and braking! Ask any experiences eskater and they’ll tell you to go for belt boards. Also meepo uses Ling Yi ESC which is not as good as backfire’s hobby wing ESC. Backfire>Meepo all day long.

[@AlphaPlants420]

Whered you get the green helmet?

[@esk8mafia200]

I honestly don’t remember. It was a website that someone referred me to. I just tried searching my emails for any clues, but I could not find it. Helmet is called the TSG Pass. It is a very high quality helmet and has a high price. If you like the look, but want something cheaper go for the SteelBird Air 2. It’s beautiful and a fair price. Both are sick and most importantly will keep you safe. The TSG Pass is often sold out. I only got the green one because there was not many other colors available. I do love it tho!

[@eBoard3R]

👌🏼

[@karapence425]

Is this ur only vid like this or do u have more

[@esk8mafia200]

I have a few more I have already posted, but am still building up my channel. I will be making many more videos like this. Please subscribe so you don’t miss a thing! Thanks for watching !

[@HowTo-qu3sy]

Hello I have a question how good are these for new riders and are electric skateboards really worth the price should I buy this or something cheaper im so confused thanks

[@esk8mafia200]

Hello there! I recommend this board 100% for new riders. It is very, very easy to ride. The acceleration and braking are very smooth and the board is very stable at all speeds. I would recommend going for this board over a cheaper option for a couple of reasons. 1 this board company provides top notch customer service and that is very important for someone new to this. Also people who buy cheaper boards usually end up wanting something better within a month. By buying this you will be set for a long time. You won’t need to upgrade unless you want an All Terrain board in the future. This board has tremendous value for the price.

[@HowTo-qu3sy]

@@esk8mafia200 you my friend have convinced me to buy a Zealot now im a little confused I see 2 websites for Backfire and 2 Zealots Zealot bamboo and Zealot S hopfully you can reply before I buy it to know which one to buy since I'm new at all this thanks 😊

[@esk8mafia200]

Zealot S!

[@esk8mafia200]

Both are great tho. Zealot S has slightly better range and a tiny bit more power. Bamboo version is a flexier deck.

[@huckleberryfinn338]

@@esk8mafia200 ESC on/off is remote on Zealot s which is really nice. Purple lights are probably nicer than white. I heard Zealot s deck is more stable at 20 mph than the bamboo.

[@bakersw0rld847]

My zealot s only gets 10 miles and it’s brand new.

[@knas5567]

when it dies, how is it like kicking it?

[@esk8mafia200]

I have never completely drained the battery and had to ride it home manually, but it wouldn’t be easy. I would most likely pick it up and carry it or cal an uber.

[@maximdyachkin1700]

I ordered one 4 days ago, how long do u think it will take to come to the United States from China

[@esk8mafia200]

Congrats! This thing is awesome! I still love mine just as much as the day I got it. The board will most likely get to you within 3 weeks. Backfire ships very fast and they usually do not make you wait very long. Mine got to me within 1 week, but it was being shipped by their California warehouse and I live in California.

[@maximdyachkin1700]

@@esk8mafia200 that’s great to hear, and I meant to also say I just got the zealot , not the S type, think it will still come in that time range?

[@Prxsumo]

@@maximdyachkin1700 hey how long did it take to receive your board?

[@maximdyachkin1700]

@@Prxsumo 2 months , cuz it wasn’t restocked in California, and since one month ago, it was restocked

[@Prxsumo]

@@maximdyachkin1700 just got mine on Friday now just waiting on my T8 Helmet what elbow and knee pads did you get

[@metaljew4456]

Got delivery today!

[@esk8mafia200]

Sweet! No better feeling! Be safe and enjoy !

[@hayattakigundem4511]

I just subbed

[@esk8mafia200]

Thank you! Glad you liked the video!

[@soraisfinallyhere1305]

Is this worth it over the regular zealot? Trying to get my first board...

[@nicholasdrysdale6042]

No not value wise but it is a better board so it's like buying a new iphone

[@esk8unity]

#NoCloudWheelsNeeded lol.. great idea with the fast charger

[@esk8mafia200]

Ya man when I run it down to near 0% battery it has taken 3 full hours to charge. Not a huge deal, but faster is better lol. Thanks for watching and sorry for the low resolution! KZbin takes it sweet time getting the higher res videos processed!

[@esk8unity]

@@esk8mafia200 yea they tell me after 3000 followers they turn up the resolution for the youtubers channels

[@Mudfarmerrc]

What helmet is that?

[@esk8mafia200]

TSG pass! It’s awesome! On the more expensive side tho

[@under90seconds]

Watch video in 1.25x speed thank me later. Cheers

[@esk8mafia200]

I will give it a shot! Is that a recommendation to shorten the video? I am always looking for feedback to improve. Thanks for watching!

[@under90seconds]

@@esk8mafia200 Don't sweat it man. You are doing awesome, just you are natural laid back, so for that I like to watch it little bit faster. Nothing against you or your style. Keep up the good work.

[@esk8mafia200]

Thanks bro! I have been trying to get a bit more energy in these things. I usually start strong, but after a couple minutes I lose it 😂 Same thing happening in the current video I’m working on! They’ll get better! I swear. Keep tuning in. Thanks for the support.

[@laststrikeofficial1572]

niiiiicccceeeeee

[@esk8mafia200]

Thank you!

[@cooperhurin7853]

Looks like im buying now 🥴

[@kemckelv]

Sub. Good job.

[@esk8mafia200]

Thank you sir!

[@freevids6541]

Just ordered mine lol

[@esk8mafia200]

You’ll love it! Board is amazing

[@freevids6541]

@@esk8mafia200 what's the charge time

[@esk8mafia200]

2-4 hours depending how low the battery is