Backfire Boards – All you Need and Want to Know

Backfire is one of the leading Chinese eskate budget board companies. Together with Meepo and Exway they dominate the Budget Board market. Hence it makes sense to take an in-depth look at the Backfire Boards. This is what this blog post is about.

Backfire Boards all models

Contact Information

Sales (Orders) Support[email protected]
After Sales Support[email protected]
Tech Support[email protected]
Marketing and Sales[email protected]
Website Chat and Contact Formbackfireboards.com/contact
Worldwide Tel Number+86-13649827278
US Tel Tech Support1-804-404-3371
US Tel Sales Support1-804-935-8525

History of Backfire

Backfire Skateboards is one of the veteran electric skateboards company on the market. While most electric skateboard companies have been founded in the past 3-4 years, Backfire was established back in 2009 by Randy and Jerry. The guys began with a “mission for the company to deliver high quality, affordable skateboards, and fun to all skateboarders in the world.” They started officially designing boards in 2011 and finished their first model in 2012.

Backfire’s Old Logo

The following year the first Backfire electric skateboard hit the market, which was the G1. Randy graduated from college with a degree in mechanical electronics and is an engineer as well, leading the research and development team of Backfire and executing most of the performance and quality tests himself. Jerry got his business degree and moved to The United States to lead the company’s strategic planning and marketing – a smart move, considering the United States is one of the top ten countries driving the sales of electric skateboards worldwide.

Backfire Boards Website Screenshot 2015
Backfire’s Website in 2015

First Eskate Models

Backfire’s G1, a single motor belt-driven board, hit the market in 2013. The shape of the debut deck was much different than what is currently available, but don’t all appearances change with age? This early iteration was made of a flexible maple with bamboo layering, and that flavor can still be tasted in the bamboo laden decks they’ve offered since.

Backfire G1
Backfire’s G1

The battery in this model took a full three hours to charge, and that timeframe hasn’t changed much in recent years. It came with 83mm polyurethane wheels, and a braking system often described as very “jumpy and jolty”. The real-world max speed on this board was about 12 mph (20kph). While these specs were pretty impressive for the industry in 2013, since then Backfire has built upon this strong foundation to offer some truly noteworthy skateboards! Considering the chinese market and how clones of the G have been sold via Amazon, Aliexpress, etc., the Backfire G1 might actually be the most sold electric skateboard until now.

Current Models

Mini

Coming in at $699 USD, Backfire’s only available shortboard is marketed as best for short distances or city commute due to its 11-mile range. The top speed is an impressive 26mph, which is pretty gnarly for a shortboard! Most people will tell you that control is limited at these speeds, and it’s a bit overpowered for such a short deck. The deck has no flex due to its carbon fiber construction, but includes a kicktail which makes for some awesome turning abilities. It comes with the smaller 85mm wheels, and has the shortest charge time of all Backfire boards at 1.5 hours. Rider’s looking for a thrill may find what they are looking for here, and would be well-advised to gear all the way up!

Backfire Mini

Ranger X2

The Ranger X2 is currently Backfire’s only All-Terrain capable board. Coming in at $1200 USD, it is also their most expensive board. Although it is marketed as an all-terrain board, it is driven by hub motors – not a common contender in the off-road scene. Backfire states that this is an ideal setup, keeping dirt and debris out of the motors. The Ranger X2 has a stiff maple deck, with almost no flex. It has 165mm airless rubber tires (whereas most all-terrain boards offer pneumatic air-filled wheels) which are replaceable, so no need to worry about the tread running out. The Ranger is also Backfires only board with double king-pin trucks, allowing for sharp and responsive handling. This board will get you about an 18-mile range and a top speed of 22mph on-road, and these numbers have been verified by multiple sources. Keep in mind that trekking off the beaten path will see a drop in those specs, but you are buying this to hit the dirt, right?

Backfire Ranger X2 - Electric Skateboard

G3

Backfire’s mid-tier board, the G3, comes in at $799 USD. This will get you a range of around 18 miles on this board, and you’ll reach top speeds of 28mph. The combination of twin 450w hub motors strapped to a bamboo and fiberglass deck makes this board smooth, comfortable, and a blast to ride. It comes standard with nice big 96mm wheels, is great for beginners, and advanced riders looking for a good reliable board will find this board has a place in their collection. It’s not uncommon to see these boards with several thousand miles on them, and the forums are full of fans who swear by them.

Backfire G3

G3 Plus

Stepping up to the varsity leagues, we have the G3 Plus. $999 USD will get you a much longer ride time with this board, with Backfire claiming a 25 mile range and a top speed of 28mph. That’s a serious dollar-to-speed value. This board comes with a carbon fiber deck, which has very minimal flex – an important factor to consider when purchasing a board, as it drastically changes the feel of the ride. It comes with both 85mm and 96mm wheels, both featuring replaceable urethane.

backfire g3 plus

Zealot

The company’s second belt-driven board starts at $899 USD, and claims a 22 mile range with a top speed of 28.5mph – FAST. We have reached 29mph on this board, and thats plenty of speed even for an advanced rider or thrill seeker. The Zealot’s deck is the same as the G3; bamboo with fiberglass layers, giving it that traditionally flexible longboard feel so many of us enjoy. It comes with 96mm wheels, but since it is belt-driven changing wheels is a breeze. It is powered by two 750w belt-driven motors, making it Backfire’s most powerful street board yet (the only board with more powerful motors is the RangerX2, an all-terrain offering).

Backfire Zealot from various angels

G2 Black

This is Backfires “budget” board, coming in at only $499 USD. This was one of two Backfire boards ever available for purchase on Amazon, although that is no longer the case. You can ride up to 12.5 miles on this board and reach speeds of 24 mph. This board comes with a flexible maple deck (not as flexible as bamboo and fiberglass) and has 96mm wheels. This is a great board for beginners at this price point. The shorter range may not be ideal for advanced riders looking to go those extra miles on an adventure, but those looking for a neighborhood runner may find this sufficient.

Backfire G2 Black 2020

G2 Galaxy

Take the G2, beef it up a notch and throw some spacey custom grip tape on the deck and what do you have? The G2 Galaxy. You can pick up this intergalactic deck for a cool $549 USD, and in turn you will find a bigger battery with a 15 mile range and a top speed of 26 mph. It has the same maple deck as the G2, and comes with 96mm wheels. This board is great for beginner or intermediate riders who want that extra flair, and crave some individuality on their next group ride!

Backfire G2 Galaxy 2020

The Backfire App

On the Zealot board page, Backfire states that there is an app in the works for Android and iOS, which is a very intriguing proposition. It came out some days ago, you can already download it.

Backfire App Screenshot

Customer Service

Customer service for Backfire has been praised across multiple platforms. For a company of their age and experience, this should be expected. But like any other growing company, there are still some people having bad experiences. You can reach them on their website contact page, they have a live chat, or you can email them at [email protected]. For worldwide support, you can also call Tel: +86-1364982727 or email After Sales Support at: [email protected]. For United States support you can reach them at Tel: 1-804-404-3371, Sales (Orders) Support: [email protected]  or Tech Support: [email protected].  

Shipping Time

Like anything else requiring postage, the more you pay the less you will wait. If you choose sea shipping and live in the United States, you can expect to wait about 2 months for your board. If you are willing to fork out $100 USD for air shipping, you should have your board in about two weeks! If you have another board to ride in the meantime, saving that $100 or applying it to a set of lights and protective gear might make it worth the wait. Backfire has warehouses in Germany, LA, and China; so depending upon where you live and the warehouse stocks of the board you are ordering, shipping times may vary.

Warranty

All Backfire boards come with 180 days (6 months) warranty from manufacturer defects. This is not the longest warranty on the market, nor is it the shortest. This is a good amount of time to work out any kinks that may have happened on the manufacturing side. If your board does break, they will try to diagnose the problem and send replacement parts before they send you a new board. Replacement parts are usually sent with air shipping, so you don’t have to worry about being off your board for a few months if something breaks. After you send Backfire a quick video of the problem, and they deem it a manufacturer defect, they will email you a prepaid shipping label. 

Return Policy

Backfire’s return policy is 7 days on new boards. You will need to pack and ship the board back to their nearest warehouse. Once received, they will confirm everything is in new condition and you will be refunded for the transaction, minus the shipping cost. The board must be in brand new condition. You cannot ride the board then decide you don’t like it and send it back – an unlikely scenario anyway, since after the first ride most buyers find themselves hooked!

Discount Codes

Most boards in Backfire’s catalog have a discount code on the page that you can insert at checkout, and all the prices listed on this page reflect the adv. This may seem odd, but it’s a marketing tactic used throughout the industry…seemingly to make everyone feel like they are getting a good deal. Simply enter then code when you check out to receive your discount, and browse the rest of this website while you wait for your new board to arrive!

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