Backfire Ranger X3 Review – worth the price?

Thinking about getting a Backfire Ranger X3? You have come to the right place! After riding the G2 black and G2G by BackFire, I knew this was the company I wanted to go with. I was initially going to purchase the Ranger X2… until I saw the Ranger X3. The Backfire Ranger X3 was the board I wanted. In this review, I will go over everything a person should and need to know about owning a Backfire Ranger X3.

I absolutely love this board. The freedom those wheels give you is a whole new world of riding. Not to mention the funny looks I get riding this monster from the pavement to going up a grass hill. I have had quite a blast within my short time of owning the Backfire Ranger X3. This is all you want to know before hitting the “Buy Now” button.

Check out the Ranger X3 at Backfire’s Website

Backfire Ranger X3 with lights

Pros and Cons

ProsCons
Most powerful hub motors on the marketwheels are not pneumatic
12 months warrantyNo wheels swap possible
hub motors need less maintenancecan’t change speed modes while accelerating
smart turn-on featurehub motors have less torque
accent tail lightstrucks are loose upon arrival
flexy batterypretty heavy

Pros

  • Accent tail lights
    • The white and red tail lights under the board are a great addition and pair well with a lot of accessory companies. In Eco mode they will flash white, but when in turbo they flash red.
  • Flex battery
    • Personally, this was the deal-breaker for me when considering the X2 over the X3. I thought the battery on the X3 was more appealing because of the flex and lights. Even though the battery adds a good amount of weight to the board, it is definitely worth it
  • Auto Turn On
    • You can turn on your board by turning on your remote. You don’t have to bend over to turn it on seperately.

Cons

  • Changing speed modes while accelerating
    • Having the ability to change from one speed to another would be a smoother transition, rather than having to let off the acceleration
  • Ability to change wheels
    • Although I purchased the X3 for the off-road capabilities, the option to change to regular wheels would be a great addition
  • The tightness of trucks upon arrival
    • I think the boards should be sent with tighter trucks upon arrival. Anxious riders like myself, tend to hop straight on their boards and the loose trucks could lead to accidents, but we will get into that later…

Backfire Ranger X3 vs X2

Model

Backfire Ranger X2

Backfire Ranger X3

Image

Price

$ 999

$ 1499

Battery Size

454 Wh

518 Wh

Range

15 miles (24 km)

17 miles (28 km)

Top Speed

22 mph (35 km/h)

25 Mph (42 km/h)

Motors

2 x 1200 Watt 

2 x 1500 Watt 

Warranty

6 months

12 months

Ground Clearance

3 inch

3.9 inch

Reasons to buy the Backfire Ranger X2:

  • Cheaper
  • Deck if more flexy
  • Battery can be swappable

Reasons to buy the Backfire Ranger X3:

  • Stronger hub motors
  • Faster
  • More range
  • 12 months warranty

Overall riding experience

This board has taken me on a wild ride, let me tell you. I’m 150 LBS and it has no problem going up to 30 MPH with me on it. With that said, I suggest tightening your trucks. I didn’t and managed a hospital visit my first ride, with full gear on. One moment I was cruising, and the next I was waking up in an ambulance. Ended up with a concussion and a hernia on my first ride with the X3 and my first big accident like this ever. This board definitely means business but will keep you safe if you ride it responsibly. I may have been just a little too fearless and excited my first ride.

Backfire Ranger X3 with lights

Now with a new respect for the board, I continue to explore and surf the road on the X3. I do not use the turbo mode anymore because I can’t justify going up to 30 mph again and can’t think of a situation where I will need to. (crosses my fingers) Other than the scary story my other riding experiences have been very relaxing yet exciting!

Backfire Ranger X3 top view
Backfire Ranger X3 top view

I have a lot of fun exploring my town and seeing new areas I normally wouldn’t walk to. I also have particular fun bringing this board out in grassy fields and riding it almost like a go-cart! I sit on it criss-cross and ride around using my body weight to turn, it is something you cant do on most electric boards.

Weight and Portability

The X3 comes in at a total of 28 lbs (13 kg). I don’t carry the board a ton, I tend to wheel it around like luggage if I need to walk inside somewhere. The board is a lot heavier than X2, as to be expected, but when you factor in the overall capabilities of the board it’s worth it.

Backfire Ranger X3 side view

Build Quality

When I’m cruising in the park the 6.5 inch thick honeycomb airless tires make little to no sound when the rubber glides on the pavement. The board is equipped with front and back double king pin trucks and it truly feels like you are surfing on land. Perfect for carving, we all know how much fun that is.

Backfire Ranger X3 trucks and drive train

Behind the wheels are two 1500 W high-performance motors. I prefer these over belt drives, simply because the only thing I need to worry about is if my board is charged and if I have my gear. I don’t have to check my belts constantly and that’s a huge plus. Powering the hub motors is a battery that is literally the size of the board. This flexible battery is a 518 Wh power bank that charges the board in under 4 – 5 hours. This fits comfortably at the bottom of the deck. The deck is carbon fiber and rumored to not break at all (we shall see). I don’t weigh much, so I probably won’t put a dent in it, but we will see with other customers.

Backfire Ranger X3 bottom view

Backfire also claims that the board is waterproof but I don’t ride in the rain, so I don’t plan on testing that theory with an expensive board. Unlike the battery of the X2 sitting above ground at 7.5 cm, the X3 sits higher at 9.8 cm.

Backfire Ranger X3 ground clearance
Ranger X3 vs X2 ground clearance

I personally haven’t run out of battery life so far in one ride. Luckily the battery life provides us with 17 – 21 miles depending on the speed mode and weight of the rider. I feel very confident when riding this board. It makes me feel very stable and in control of the situation. I would describe it to be like surfing on a land rover. It is really another kind of feeling if you have never experienced an all-terrain board let alone an electric board.

Backfire Ranger X3 hub motors

Remote

The Backfire Ranger X3 comes with a remote with an integrated LED display that shows a lot of information. Holding the top main button that looks like an O will turn on your remote and board at once, quite convenient!

Backfire Ranger X3 remote

The middle button marked S/E will switch you in and out of speed and eco mode. Speed mode brings you to a top speed of 19 to 25 mph and ECO mode will bring you down to a more comfortable cruising speed of 10 to 14 mph. I suggest using speed mode for grass cruising and trail riding. I often use eco mode to go through areas with a lot of traffic and people. Located under the S/E button is the Turbo button that looks like a cautious exclamation point. This icon is ther for good reason too, this button means business. advertised at 28 mph top speeds, I easily got up over 30 mph. Please use this mode with high precaution and respect.

Backfire Ranger X3 charger

Just like all other remotes you have your throttle up top and a wrist loop behind. The lever on the bottom controls front/back mode to back up if need be.

The taillights on the end of your board located on your battery enclosure are switch colors with different speed modes you are using at the time. In S/E your board will flash white when in Turbo your board will flash red. To activate the night light battery mode (self-made name, cool right?) press the main power button twice. This should keep the lights on as you change through modes and to turn them off do the same action.

Shipping Time

Personally, my board took 2-3 weeks to arrive but I have heard other stories depending on where you are ordering from. Your best bet is to put in the payment and give it some weeks. Pay attention to your shipping information for when it gets to your door. Wouldn’t want porch pirates riding off on your new board.

Customer Service

This company not only offers a year warranty for this board but they answer any of my messages in under 20 minutes and are always helpful and professional. This is one of the main reasons I chose this company.

Price

Quality doesn’t come cheap. Much like tattoos, tools, cars, and so on. This board is pricy, currently sitting at $1,500 but comes with a year warranty. compared to other all-terrain board companies this is still a manageable priced board.

Model

Backfire Ranger X2

Backfire Ranger X3

Image

Price

$ 999

$ 1499

Battery Size

454 Wh

518 Wh

Range

15 miles (24 km)

17 miles (28 km)

Top Speed

22 mph (35 km/h)

25 Mph (42 km/h)

Motors

2 x 1200 Watt 

2 x 1500 Watt 

Warranty

6 months

12 months

Ground Clearance

3 inch

3.9 inch

Reasons to buy the Backfire Ranger X2:

  • Cheaper
  • Deck if more flexy
  • Battery can be swappable

Reasons to buy the Backfire Ranger X3:

  • Stronger hub motors
  • 12 months warranty
  • Faster
  • Bigger battery

Recommended Upgrades

On my X3 I use a combination of shred lights and backfire products for lighting. For headlights, the X3 comes with Backfire’s own Cannon 2 electric skateboard lights. I pair those with the slanted mounts SL-200’s from shred lights. In the rear I use Shredlights SL-200 with Backfire X lite 100 smart lights. The result is a pretty mean looking board If I do say so myself. Backfire also offers new wheel covering mudguards. Not only do they keep you from getting wet, but they also make the board look a lot more professional.

Backfire Ranger X3 with lights

Closing Statements

In conclusion, I find the Backfire Ranger X3 to be an amazingly fun board with little maintenance and high rewards. This board will take you remotely anywhere within reason, perfect for outdoor explorers. I wouldn’t suggest using it on sugar sand or muddy ground but all other trails, grass, dirt, and even shells and mulch will hold up to this board. I just wouldn’t go too fast haha. Hope to see you out there soon surfing some trails and discovering your town in a whole new way.

Check out the Ranger X3 at Backfire’s Website

Backfire Ranger X3 with lights

1 thought on “Backfire Ranger X3 Review – worth the price?”

  1. hello me too I bought an x3 and I tried it without touching the pivot and I too lost control but unlike you without too many consequences. Now they are tightened more than not enough because it leads to mistrust on the stability. Did you tighten them a lot?

    Reply

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