At Deep Cove Outdoors we have just received the Onewheel.  The self-propelled, skate-board like transportation tool.  We’ve had it in the store for about 2 weeks now and I have been taking it for rides a couple of times per day and it just feels………magical!

OneWheel riding

It’s been a while since I’ve been so excited about a product.  A product that takes such big leap forward that it doesn’t really seem to fit with current technology.  The last time I felt like this about a product was when I received my first iPhone.  My previous smart phone was a Palm, with real buttons, a green/gray screen and such.  The iPhone seemed out of this world with the ability to play music, stream video, record video and other things that never seemed possible.

I first saw it a few months back when I bumped into my friend, Declan, at the Hyannis Trail head in North Vancouver.  “What is that?”  I exclaimed.  It seems to have no means of power.  I was reminded of the kids book “Wrinkle In Time” where brother and sister are transported into the future and witness a bike rider moving up hill at a seemingly un-natural speed.  Declan let me give it a try and I was amazed at how intuitive it was to ride.  As a disclaimer, at work, I ride a long-board to get coffee, but its not without trepidation and fear that one day I will crash and break something.  I’m no skateboard star!

Onewheel on boardwalk

Since buying stock for our retail store, which included a demo model, I have been letting people try it out.  Most people have some form of instant success, some people are pretty wobbly but improve quickly, and people with skiing, snowboarding, skating boarding or surfing backgrounds will take to it instantly.  The one thing they all have in common is a silly child-ish grin on their face when they are done.

Onewheel does it all.  It rolls over, pavement, gravel, grass, and your skill is the limiting factor.  As your balance and control improves you can do more with Onewheel.  For quick trips to the store, I can see people grabbing Onewheel instead of firing up the car.  Walking the dog?  Grab Onewheel.  The other day I was shuttling gear from my car to Deep Cove Kayak.  I used Onewheel and reduced the walking time by more than half and had fun.

If you are interested in Onewheel, stop by Deep Cove Outdoors and take it for a introductory flight or check out details on our website here.

  • 20 minutes to give a full charge
  • about 8 km range per charge
  • 20 km/hr
  • smartphone apps allow you to shape the board
  • intuitive control
  • dynamic stabilization

 

Bob Putnam, store co-owner