New Electric Skateboard Owner Checklist
What to buy alongside the board, what to check before each ride, and what can wait. The essentials come to about $150 to $250 on top of the board.
Two things new owners consistently underestimate: how much protective gear matters at these speeds, and how often a flat remote gets blamed on the board.
What we cover
The essentials · If you ride belt drive · Worth adding soon · Skip for now · First week · Every ride · Monthly · FAQ
The essentials
| Item | Cost | Why it is essential |
|---|---|---|
| Helmet | $67 to $260 | Non-negotiable. Skate style with rear coverage, not a road cycling helmet |
| Wrist guards | $55, or $80 in a pack | Hands go out instinctively. Most common beginner injury |
| Skate tool | Around $10 | Truck tension, axle nuts, wheel changes |
| Spare belts (belt drive only) | Varies by board | A snapped belt means walking home |
Prices current as at August 2026.
Why protection matters more here than on a push board. On a push skateboard, most low-speed bails end with you jogging it out. On an electric board at pace you cannot outrun the fall, so you are going to the ground. That is the whole argument, and it is why the helmet is not a suggestion.
If you ride a belt drive board
Belt drive gives you the best torque and braking in the category, at the cost of one maintenance item nobody warns you about.
- Carry a spare set of belts if you ride any distance from home. A board with a snapped belt does not roll freely, because the motor is still attached. You walk.
- Learn to change one before you need to. It is not difficult and it is much easier in a garage than on a footpath.
- Check tension monthly. Too loose and it skips and strips teeth. Too tight and it drags, costing real range and wearing bearings.
- Inspect for cracks between teeth, missing teeth and glazed patches. Belts are consumables.
Hub and direct drive boards have none of this, which is one of their genuine advantages.
Worth adding soon
- Knee and elbow pads, in a pack from $80. Most valuable while learning and any time you ride quickly.
- Slide gloves, $80 to $95. Once you ride hills or carry real speed.
- Proper shoes. Flat soles that grip the deck. Not thongs, not running shoes with rolling soles.
- Second charger. One at home, one at work.
- A board bag or strap. Electric boards are heavy and awkward to carry any distance.
- Onewheel riders: rail guards. The first accessory worth buying, because rails scuff every time you set the board down.
Skip for now
- A second battery. Significant cost, and most riders find their range is fine once they stop sitting in the fastest mode.
- Upgraded wheels. Ride the stock ones until they wear, then choose based on the surfaces you actually ride.
- Performance modifications. Often affect warranty, legality and safety together.
- All-terrain conversion kits. Worth it eventually if your routes need it. Not on day one.
- A second board. Learn on one.
First week
- Charge the board and the remote fully. Separate batteries, and the remote is easy to forget.
- Pair the remote with the wheels off the ground. Some boards lurch when they connect.
- Confirm throttle direction before you stand on it. Two seconds, prevents the most common first-ride surprise.
- Stay in the lowest speed mode for several rides, not just the first.
- Practise braking before accelerating. Roll gently, brake, feel the distance. Ten times.
- Practise stepping off at low speed.
- Check truck tension and axle nuts. New boards settle.
- Work out where you can legally ride. Rules differ by state and Victoria is more restrictive than most expect.
Before every ride, under a minute
- Board charge. Enough for the trip both ways, with margin.
- Remote charge. The single most common cause of a mid-ride dropout.
- Remote connected before you step on.
- Wheels and trucks. A glance and a spin.
- Belts, on belt drive boards. Visual check for damage.
- Helmet on before you leave.
Remember braking is weaker on a full battery. Regenerative braking has nowhere to put the energy when the pack is full, so give yourself room on that first descent after charging.
Monthly
| Check | Why |
|---|---|
| Belt tension and wear | Belt drive only. Costs range and strips teeth if wrong |
| Truck tension and bushings | Electric boards are heavier, so bushings work harder |
| Wheel wear, rotate if needed | Coning makes the board pull to one side |
| Bearings | Clean every two to three months, sooner after wet rides |
| Charge port and enclosure | Grit and moisture collect underneath |
| Onewheel: tyre pressure | Every couple of weeks. One tyre, nothing to compare against |
Battery habits matter more than any of this. Never leave a pack flat, store at partial charge if it is sitting for weeks, and use the supplied charger.
New owner FAQ
What do you need to buy with an electric skateboard?
A helmet and wrist guards are the genuine essentials, plus spare belts if you ride a belt drive board. Budget around $150 to $250 on top of the board. You cannot run out a fall at electric board speeds the way you can on a push board.
What should you check before every electric skateboard ride?
Board charge, remote charge, and that the remote is connected before you step on. Then a quick look at the wheels and, on belt drive boards, the belts. Under a minute, and a flat remote is the most common cause of a mid-ride dropout.
Should you carry spare belts for an electric skateboard?
Yes if you ride a belt drive board any distance from home. A snapped belt means walking, since the board will not roll freely with a motor attached. Belts are consumables and a spare set is inexpensive insurance.
Do you need slide gloves for an electric skateboard?
Only if you ride fast or on hills, where they let you put a hand down deliberately. For everyday riding, a helmet and wrist guards matter far more. Buy gloves when your speeds justify them rather than at purchase.
What should you do in the first week with an electric skateboard?
Charge the board and remote fully, pair the remote with the wheels off the ground, practise braking before accelerating, and stay in the lowest speed mode for several rides. Also confirm where you can legally ride before building a routine.
What can new electric skateboard owners skip?
A second battery, upgraded wheels and performance modifications. Ride it for a month first. The exception is protective gear and, on belt drive boards, spare belts, both of which you want from the start.
Sort the list with us
Come to 435A Bridge Road, Richmond and we will go through it, fit the helmet properly and set the board up. We are an official Evolve repair centre and Frosty runs the electric workshop here, so servicing stays local.
Call 03 9421 2293. Free shipping Australia wide on orders over $90.
Keep reading: Your First Electric Skateboard Ride · Problems and Fixes · Which Onewheel Should You Buy? · Onewheel Tyre Pressure · Protective Gear
Shop: Electric Skateboards · Onewheel · Helmets and Protection · Pad Packs