I got these with the idea of travelling to the bus stop or a nearby park. With many years of rollerblading experience behind me balancing on the hover shoes was a pretty natural transition. After 5 minutes, I was able to go forward, backward, and turn in place. After 15 minutes, I was going top speed. I took the shoes to my office and riding them was very much like floating. It's very much what I imagined powered rollerblades would feel like, except I don't have to worry about left/right balance. The wide wheels offer plenty of sideways stability. I rode them from one building to another, taking elevators up and down. No issues there. I've never tried a hoverboard before but the subtle motions that my body sends to the Drift is mostly subconscious. You don't have to think about how to control the Drift - it just happens. It's very much like coasting on rollerblades but you're not interrupted by having to kick and push yourself around.
When I took them out on the street, with driveway ramps and sidewalk ramps, I really started to feel the limitations of the Drift as a commuting tool. The Drift works as advertised - they work well when the ground has less than 10 degrees of inclination. But the real world can have sections of small hills where the Drift will struggle and you'll have to carry them.
But nevertheless, they're super fun to experience and own. I'll be taking them to new places to float around on. Maybe in the future, someone will make commuter versions of these.
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 12.4 x 10.6 x 8.5 inches |
|---|---|
| Package Weight | 8.05 Kilograms |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 11.5 x 6.4 x 4.8 inches |
| Item Weight | 15.5 Pounds |
| Brand Name | Segway-Ninebot |
| Warranty Description | 1-year limited warranty |
| Model Name | W1 |
| Color | White |
| Material | metal plastic and rubber |
| Suggested Users | Unisex and 8 years+ |
| Manufacturer | Ninebot (Tianjin) Tech Co Ltd |
| Part Number | 30.01.0000.60 |
| Style | W1 |
| Included Components | charger |
