Our review score is based on thorough real-world testing and is always held up against comparable models.
How We TestValues marked with '*' are based on our independent testing and may differ from those specified by the manufacturer.
This is the Maxfind FF Plus - Over the last few months, I’ve tested this off-road electric skateboard in all kinds of terrain across almost 200 kilometers to discover how good it is.
Using pro-grade performance gear, I’ve benchmarked the top speed, acceleration and range. Today, I'll share my exclusive full review of this board and share all the pros and cons I've come across.
Time for a quick overview: The FF Plus is the one and only off-road board by Maxfind. It has large 6.5-inch wheels, two 1200W motors, double kingpins, a hobbywing ESC, and an extremely flexy deck.
On paper, this may look like one of the very best affordable e-skateboards for off-roading out there but does it hold up in the real world? Let’s find out.
If you want to conquer all types of terrain and climb steep hills, a set of powerful motors is an absolute must. The FF Plus is geared with two 1200W rear wheel hub motors. It has a specified top speed of 24 mph (38.6 KMH) and according to Maxfind, it can handle up to 35% inclines.
I ran several tests at full battery to see just how fast I could go and as a 170 pounds rider, I topped out at 21.8 MPH (35.1 KMH). I assume lighter riders will be able to hit the full 24 MPH (38.6 KMH) though.
| Battery Level | Top Speed |
|---|---|
| 100% | 21.8 MPH (35.1 KMH) |
| 80% | 21.1 MPH (34.0 KMH) |
| 60% | 19.5 MPH (31.4 KMH) |
| 40% | 17.0 MPH (27.3 KMH) |
| 20% | 14.0 MPH (22.6 KMH) |
Even though you may initially expect a higher top speed from a set of 1200W motors, the majority of sub-$1500 off-road boards top out between 20-24 mph so the FF Plus holds up to the competition very well.
There seems to be a general consensus among e-skate brands that off-roading isn’t as much about speed as it is about having a smooth ride even when the road gets bumpy. And I totally agree with that - you don’t really want to ride any faster than this dirt and trails.
Much more important for off-roading than top speed is acceleration and hill climb ability. This is where the 1200W motors really begin to shine.
Even though some of my street boards have a higher top speed, the FF Plus instantly put them all to shame in terms of acceleration and torque. It has an incredibly good initial pull which means you can easily accelerate as needed whether you’re on an incline or on a loose surface.
| Run (#) | Time (s) from 0-15 MPH (0-24 KMH) |
|---|---|
| #1 | 3.71 |
| #2 | 3.45 |
| #3 | 3.55 |
| #4 | 3.43 |
| #5 | 3.51 |
| Avg | 3.53 |
In the acceleration tests, the fastest time from 0-15 MPH was just 3.43 seconds, with the average over five runs being 3.53 seconds. This beats any acceleration test I've done with street-minded boards so far by over half a second!
The impressive acceleration translated over to the hill-climbing ability as well. I tried it out on the steepest hill in my area and it absolutely demolished the challenge, holding an average speed of 14 MPH all the way up.
All in all, the motor performance is excellent. If you’re only in it for speed, you want to go for a different type of board. The FF Plus gets the off-road job done, and it does it well.
Now, the battery setup is where the FF Plus really differs from the competition. The Maxfind FF Plus uses a quick-swap battery system. When purchasing this board, you can choose to get either a one-, two- or three-battery bundle depending on the range you need. It’s a very interesting setup - but whether I like it and think it works in practice, I’ll answer a bit later.
The quick-swap batteries are 36-volts 6-amp-hours Samsung 30Q packs with an effective capacity of 216 Wh. Samsung 30Q batteries are known to be very reliable and the battery pack itself is well-sealed against moisture and dust, carrying an IP65 rating. According to Maxfind, one battery will give you a range of about 10 miles, two batteries give you 20 miles and so 3 batteries give you around 30 miles. Before we get into my range test data, let’s compare the battery capacity value versus other popular off-road boards.
| Model | MSRP | Wh | $/Wh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maxfind FF Plus (1 battery) | $854 | 216 Wh | $3.95/Wh |
| Maxfind FF Plus (2 battery) | $1,090 | 432 Wh | $2.52/Wh |
| Maxfind FF Plus (3 battery) | $1,327 | 648 Wh | $2.05/Wh |
| WowGo AT2 | $1,099 | 504 Wh | $2.19/Wh |
| Evolve Bamboo GTR | $1,499 | 504 Wh | $2.97/Wh |
| Evolve Carbon GTR | $1,849 | 504 Wh | $3.77/Wh |
| Backfire X2 | $1,199 | 454 Wh | $2.64/Wh |
| Backfire X3 | $1,499 | 518 Wh | $2.89/Wh |
| Skatebolt Breeze 2 | $901 | 216 Wh | $4.17/Wh |
| Exway Atlas AT | $1,599 | 518 Wh | $3.09/Wh |
The base-version with only one battery is one of the most expensive in terms of battery capacity out of the bunch, but if you choose to add an additional battery pack to your purchase, you instantly get a lot more for your money’s worth. If you opt for the triple-battery pack bundle, the price versus battery capacity actually beats all the other contenders.
In my opinion, if you care about range at all, definitely get either the 2 or 3-pack bundle. The value is just a lot better and I think most people will find having very limited range on such a fun board is kind of a bummer.
Okay, on to my range tests. I rode a single battery empty from full charge at three different speeds to find out how much real-world range can be expected.
| Test (#) | Avg Speed | Range |
|---|---|---|
| #1 - Speed Priority | 18.7 MPH 30.1 KMH | 6.6 miles 10.6 km |
| #2 - Regular | 15.2 MPH 24.5 KMH | 7.8 miles 12.6 km |
| #3 - Range Priority | 13.0 MPH 20.9 KMH | 8.9 miles 14.3 km |
In the first test, I ride full throttle as much as I can and really try to push the speed as much as possible. At an average speed of 18.7 MPH I got a 6.6-mile range. It’s not alot but considering the small 216 Wh capacity, I was pleasantly surprised by the result.
In the second test, I ride around like I normally would when I’m just out cruising and this is what I consider to be the most accurate real-world test to compare other boards to. At an average speed of 15.2 MPH, I got a 7.8-mile range.
Finally, in the last test, I try to push the range further by riding slowly and efficiently. At an average speed of 13 MPH, I got an 8.9-mile range.
It’s not quite the 10 miles Maxfind states on their website but I was still pleasantly surprised at the performance for such a lightweight battery pack - the battery quality itself is definitely solid.
Adding the numbers up, you can expect about the following range results depending on how you ride and rider weight.
| Batteries | Fast | Regular | Slow |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (218 Wh) | 6.6 miles 10.6 km | 7.8 miles 12.6 km | 8.9 miles 14.3 km |
| 2 (432 Wh) | 13.2 miles 21.2 km | 15.6 miles 25.2 km | 17.8 miles 28.6 km |
| 3 (648 Wh) | 19.8 miles 31.8 km | 23.4 miles 37.8 km | 26.7 miles 42.9 km |
Okay, so let’s keep talking about the battery setup for a bit.
These are the main advantages of having quick-swap batteries:
This design comes with a few drawbacks as well:
The first thing that I was skeptical about when I saw the board was the housing for the battery compartment. I was a little scared that water on the deck would be able to creep its way in.
I decided to test this by pouring some water over it and wait a few minutes. I poured a cup of water over the battery compartment to the point where all the edges were fully covered by water. To my relief, I saw that no water had entered the compartment.
I would say that if the deck was submerged in water over several hours, it’s likely that some water would be able to make it in so always dry your deck after riding if any water splashed onto it. In truth, a little water in this compartment isn’t really a big threat because the battery pack itself is really well-sealed. The only issue I could see would be if water somehow made it into some of the connectors.
All in all, good job by Maxfind to make this design work so well in practice.
Now, the ride quality is hands down the most important aspect of any off-road electric skateboard. If you want to conquer challenging terrain, slippery surfaces and uneven roads, you need large wheels with plenty of grip. Now, the FF Plus is geared with four 6.5-inch rubber tires. They have a large contact surface with the road for strong grip and their size gives you plenty of ground clearance so you can ride over sizable obstacles.
Some people swear by pneumatic tires but when you’re going off-road, I think it’s nice to have the peace of mind that you won’t get punctures or leaks with these solid ones - they’re just way less maintenance. Air-filled tires generally help dampen the ride but the FF Plus does so many other things right to provide a smooth riding experience that I don’t mind it at all.
The large double-kingpin trucks make it easy to carve and navigate up and down uneven slopes in tougher terrain while maintaining stability. The 98A PU bushings are fairly hard which makes sense for the kinda terrain and struggle they’ll be put against but if you aren’t a heavy rider, you may consider purchasing slightly softer bushings. The stability at high speeds is good and I did not really notice any speed wobbles while riding. The rebound to center when carving could be slightly better, but it’s not an issue at all.
The FF Plus has a sizable deck with about 27.8 by 9.4 inches (70.5 cm x 24 cm) of usable space to plant your feet. The board itself is 37.4 inches long, 12.5 inches wide and 6.5 inches tall (95 cm x 31.7 cm x 16.6 cm). Because of the small interchangeable batteries, the battery compartment does not take up very much space. This results in a whopping 4.8 inches (12.2 cm) of ground clearance which is extremely good. This way you avoid scratching the beautifully carbon-fiber-style underside of the board when going down curbs or over stones.
I was surprised to see that the deck was so flexible. It really aids in dampening road vibrations when riding off-road but it still provides enough strength to keep you in control. To my knowledge, the deck is made from fiberglass and some other material I am unfamiliar with. I don’t know what kind of magic this is, but it’s extremely fun to ride.
The deck does not have a concave like we’re used to seeing. Instead, it has what I’d call dropdown areas. This makes it easier to carve and helps keep your feet firmly in place which is really nice as the deck surface itself doesn’t provide that much grip.
The board weighs 24.7 pounds (11.2 kg) and has a max load capacity of 220 pounds (100 kg). Compared to other off-road models, it’s relatively lightweight. There are lighter options out there, but there are definitely also notably heavier ones too.
A nice design choice that deserves to be highlighted is the carrying handle at the top of the deck. I’m a huge fan of this. It’s a smart design choice I haven’t really seen any of the other all-terrain board manufacturers use. It makes carrying around the board so much easier, as you can essentially let the majority of the weight of the board rest on the rear wheels. Big props for that.
All in all, the design and ride quality is two of the biggest highlights of the FF Plus. It’s an absolute blast to ride and it really dampens road vibrations a lot. I’m not sure if I’m completely sold on the quick-swap battery setup but admittedly it works quite well. I recommend you decide for yourself whether you feel the pros outweigh the cons in that regard.
The ESC is the brain behind the electric skateboard. It ties all the electronic components together and provides all the functionality to you via the remote control. Some ESCs are better than others. There’s a difference both in functionality, build quality and riding performance.
The FF Plus, like all the other Maxfind boards, uses a hobbywing ESC. You’ll see hobbywing ESC utilized by a wide range of brands including Backfire, WowGo, Ownboard and Lycaon.
I find that the hobbywing ESCs are generally a lot smoother to ride with than the cheaper YingLi and Wahndt ESCs that are seen on a lot of entry-level boards. Particularly the acceleration and braking are a lot smoother on these hobbywing boards. The cheaper ESCs have a tendency to kick in abruptly when you brake and they generally feel a little more unpredictable. With the hobbywing ESCs, it’s smooth sailing from start to finish.
The Hobbywing ESCs do lack a few features that the cheaper ones provide, though. The most notable feature is push-to-start, which saves you from bending down to turn on your board. Additionally, you cannot customize the braking modes on the hobbywing ESCs either.
That out of the way, the hobbywing ESC just operates a lot smoother which makes for a safer and more pleasant ride.
Moving on to the remote control. It’s a fairly standard remote but with all the information and functionality you need at your fingertips. It feels nice in the hand and is relatively sturdy and it’s a big plus that it has a wrist lanyard so you don’t accidentally drop it mid-ride. The throttle and braking wheel at the top feels smooth and responsive and the LCD screen shows battery levels, speed & speed mode, riding direction, trip and total mileage. When riding, you can enable cruise control by clicking the power button once. While the throttle is released, you may also click the second button to circle through four different speed modes. By clicking the second button two times in a row, you can change the riding direction.
The remote control is smooth to operate and it works together nicely with the ESC. There seems to be no latency at all and it’s easy to make fine speed adjustments. It would be nice to have push to start functionality but hopefully, we’ll get that in the future.
To sum up, the Maxfind FF Plus is amongst the best all-terrain electric skateboards at its price point. I particularly enjoyed the awesome shock absorption and the strong torque and acceleration. The FF Plus takes a very different path than most with its hot-swappable battery setup. Some will hate it, some will love it. I personally think it’s pretty cool - it has both pros and cons and which outweighs the other is up to each rider and their situation. I highly recommend getting the 2- or 3-battery version because it’s much better value range-wise. A single battery is not gonna be enough for most riders and it’s cheaper to buy extra batteries bundled with the board as opposed to buying a battery separately.
The hobbywing ESC performs really well but I would’ve loved to see push-to-start functionality. The board is skinny, sleek and flexy and the weight is very reasonable for the hardware it’s packing. The carrying handle makes it one of the most portable off-roading electric skateboards. It’s definitely something for the competitors to take note of.
* The below specifications are based on our tests and measurements and may differ from specifications shared by retailers/manufacturers.
| Motor Power | 1200W*2 hub motors |
| Motor Torque | 12 N.m*2 |
| Top Speed (Manufacturer) | 24 mph / 38 kmh |
| Top Speed (Our Tests) | 21.8 mph / 35.1 kmh |
| Hill Climbing Ability | Max 35% |
| Acceleration 0-15 MPH (24 KMH) | 3.53 seconds |
| Acceleration 0-20 MPH (32.2 KMH) | 7.20 seconds |
| Battery Type | Samsung 30Q 10S3P 6.0Ah, 36V |
| Battery Capacity | 216 Wh |
| Range (Manufacturer) | 10 miles / 16 km (Per battery) |
| Range (Our Tests) | 7.8 miles / 12.6 km (Per battery) |
| ESC | Hobbywing (HW9005) |
| Riding Modes | 4 |
| Cruise Control | Yes |
| Push-To-Start | No |
| Braking Modes | No |
| Deck Material | Super-Flex PPS / Glass Fiber |
| Trucks | Double Kingpins (CNC-Machined) 13.4 inches / 340 mm |
| Braking System | Electronic Regenerative Braking |
| Waterproof Rating | IP65 |
| Wheel Size | 6.5 inches (165 mm) |
| Usable Deck Size | 27.8" x 9.4" (70.5 cm x 24 cm) |
| Full Dimensions | 37.4" x 12.5" x 6.5" (95 cm x 31.7 cm x 16.6 cm) |
| Ground Clearance | 4.8" (12.2 cm) |
| Weight (Manufacturer) | 24.7 lbs (11.2 kg) |
| Weight (Our Tests) | 24.9 lbs (11.3 kg) |
| Max Load Capacity | 220 lbs (100 kg) |
| Charging Time | ~ 3 hours |
