As a big kid that plays with a lot of toys, I tend to see a lot of radio controlled vehicles here in The Toy Testing Facility at Rock Father HQ™. For the most part, it’s always the cars and trucks that score the biggest points, with the more unique ones (motorcycles, for example) tending not to live up to expectations, or coming with a learning curve so big that kids lose interest. Sure, they look cool, but I’ve seen so many R/C vehicles fail to perform as advertised that when the prospect of an R/C skateboard came up, even my wife scoffed at the notion. Now, I’m here to tell you that when it comes to the new XPV Xtreme Performance Skateboard from JAKKS Pacific, there’s finally a unique R/C ride that not only works as-promised, but completely blows the expectations right out of the water. Simply put: this thing is badass!
Sent to us for review in association with The Toy Insider, the Xtreme Skateboard is a miniature board (about a foot long) that features hobby grade R/C wheels, a flaming skull “rider” and a clear rollbar that runs across the top. Right out of the box, the board has some weight to it – and if you’ve ever played with an off-the-shelf R/C, you’ll appreciate this. The plastic is durable, capable of taking some high-impact – for real. We’ve all seen the commercials for R/C cars where they’re flying through the air and taking a beating, but when you actually buy one, you find that it’s made of thin, brittle plastic that cracks the first time your kid hits a curb with it. Not so on this, as the Xtreme Skateboard hits a top speed of 14mph on a fresh charge and can get some serious air and take a beating without breaking!
Ready to rock the skatepark…
Of course, since this is a skateboard, what better place to properly test it than an actual skatepark*? The Rock Daughters and I set out to the best skatepark in our area – one with proper in-ground bowls, rails and ramps.
Our XPV Xtreme Performance Skateboard handled the terrain flawlessly. Massive jumps, big air and killer grinds, all controlled by a simple trigger-grip controller with wheel – very similar to some of our R/C cars. While pulling off certain tricks may require practice, my girls (5 & 8) had no problem ripping up the skatepark with this. In fact, the video posted above features a mix of shots where the whole family was at the controls at different times. The rollbar is a key feature that works really well, with the skateboard able to right itself whenever it happens to miss a landing. With the exception of when we hit grass (the enemy of all R/C), not once have we had to pick this up to start over. It does it on its own.
Getting some big air during a transfer between two bowls!
The XPV Xtreme Performance Skateboard comes with a USB rechargeable battery and two AA batteries for the controller. Charging time is around 2.5 hours (can take up to 4) for around 30 minutes of action depending on speed and conditions. This is a Rock Father (and daughters) approved toy, and an early pick for my 2017 Holiday Wish Guide! MSRP is just $49.99
*About the Skatepark: Did you know that skaters are at war with BMX riders? Apparently they are locally. As we were filming our video, we were asked to leave the skatepark as it was “a bike day.” It was explained to us that constant battles between skateboarders and bike riders led to the establishment of “no-skate” days in which the BMX crowd gets full run of the place. Apparently our R/C board ruffled the feathers of two kids with a bike, a scooter and a GoPro and they complained. #TheMoreYouKnow?
