Who will love this:
Die hard fans of American football, so deeply passionate about the sport that they eat, drink, and sleep football can now use that beloved football shape to get around… after a bit of practice… and just not very fast… and only if conditions are ideal. Click here for current Hiboy A5 Hover Football pricing.
What I think:
Just when you think you’ve seen it all… something like this comes along to make you do a double take. Wait… what is that thing?
The neighbors got a kick out of seeing us riding around the neighborhood on the Hiboy A5 Hoverboard.
The Hiboy Hover Football looks like a traditional football but when it comes to the inner workings of the device, it’s more like a really nerfed down EUC in terms of speed, range, and ability.
But that’s okay because the Hiboy Hover Football will get some stoke juices flowing during your next tailgate party as people try to ride it. This will definitely get you ready to watch some football!
Pair the Hover Football with an EZ Beer Guzzler hat and you have the ultimate hands free setup for your next Football party.
Need more chips and salsa, have no fear, let me hop on my hover football and watch me glide over to get some more refreshments while I sip on my beer. Imagine wearing that hat while riding around serving appetizers at your next football party! Instagram will go crazy!
Despite the obvious petition to lovers of football and its slow speed, both of my girls were fighting over who got to ride it next when we got the hover football.
The Hiboy weighs 16 lbs and is very easy to carry using the footstands which doubles as handles. This is a relief for my girls who often struggle trying to pick up some of the heavier electric rideables we own like the Onewheel or the larger electric unicycles.
Power up the Hiboy and not much happens other than some beeps and some lights. The device doesn’t actually balance itself until weight is applied to the sensors on the footpads.
I recommend you hold on to something steady while first learning how to ride. Put one foot on a footstand, then put your opposite foot on and quickly level the device as if leveling a balance board and this will activate the hover football.
You’ll wobble back and forth for a bit as you achieve equilibrium. Once you’ve found your balance, rock back and forth by gently shifting your weight from your heels to your toes.
While still holding on to something steady, practice dismounting. I prefer just jumping off while my girls like stepping off. Whatever your dismount preference is, practice it.
Once you feel confident, ride around and enjoy the freedom of riding on the world’s first football hoverboard thingy.
While in some ways the Hiboy is similar to the electric unicycle with its forward facing stance, it’s more like the Onewheel in regards to the learning curve. Because of the Hiboy’s very wide tire, riders don’t have to worry as much about lateral stability which makes learning to ride much easier than EUCs.
Before long, you’ll be riding around in style. The Hiboy advertises a range of 6-8.5 miles and it is powered by a 350 watt powerful motor which has a 7.4 miles per hour max speed and is able to support a load of 220 lbs.
The Hiboy is meant for ideal riding conditions. Nice flat dry surfaces.
In terms of specs though, the Hiboy doesn’t compare to the Onewheel or electric unicycles. It’s not even close. Where a Onewheel or electric unicycle can be used for legit transportation and sport, the Hiboy is more of a fun novelty item.
So instead of comparing it to the Onewheel or one of the electric unicycles, I found a comparably priced Hoverboard from Amazon, the Swagtron Swagboard Pro to compare it to.
Not only does this hoverboard have swag, it’s the Pro model. Am I the only one who feels like the word “Pro” is used too loosely these days?
Anyway, the Swagtron Pro costs about the same as the Football Hoverboard with an 8 mph top speed (look out Tom Brady!) and a range of 7-12 miles powered by a 250 watt motor.
The specs between the two are pretty comparable. While one has swag the other has a football wheel, so both are pretty sweet.
Who is this hover football for? This is tough because on one hand the Hover Football is like a hoverboard that so many giddy school girls find fascinating. On the other hand, the Hover Football is shaped like a football which clearly appeals to those with a Y chromosome.
So, is the core demographic a bunch of giddy school girls with Y chromosomes?
I think die hard fans of American football will get a kick out of this.
The hover football is perfect for a place like Tampa Florida. It’s very flat there, has nice sidewalks, and if you ever spot Tom Brady, you can use it to chase him down and ask him to autograph your hover football.
And as a bonus, you won’t have to worry about Tom deflating your ball because the hover football needs no inflating.
I am wondering if this would be a good tool to teach someone how to ride an electric unicycle as the ride mechanics are similar. Stay tuned for that video.
The Flaws:
This is a novelty item, not meant to compete with modern EUCs but probably something you would find in the hoverboard section of your toy store.
From a spec and price comparison, the Hiboy Hover football is not too far off from the major hoverboards on the market. Other than hard core football fans looking for laughs, I just don’t know who is going to seek this out. Check out current pricing for the Hiboy Hover Football here.