Is the Onewheel Worth It or is it Too Expensive?
Short answer: YES!
Long answer: Keep reading…
We took an airplane from Denver to Maui. Guess what, it was not cheap flying my family of 6, but it was worth it.
To transport my Onewheel Plus as a check in luggage we used this case by SKB. It got the Onewheel safely through TSA and the flight and the case did the job and keeping my Onewheel dry during a rainy day at the airport. The case by SKB is expensive. But it is durable and waterproof so to me it was worth it!
Once in Hawaii, because of the time difference compared to Denver I was waking up really early. We took advantage of this and did the road to Hana our first full day on the island to visit my cousin. You can check out my video of that adventure.
The question “Why is the Onewheel so Expensive?” is certainly valid. Yes, it is expensive. The Onewheel is not an impulse purchase that many can afford. Because the Onewheel is so unique and Future Motion is bringing us a product that has never been produced at this scale, there are a lot of costs involved.
If you consider all the research and development that goes into this new product and then add in the lawyer and legal fees being paid to help protect Future Motion’s patents and designs as copycats emerge it is easy to understand why the device costs as much as it does.
People will throw down $1000 dollars or more for the newest iPhone. Despite the high price tag the owners find joy in these products and they are willing to pay for them. To these people, spending the money on expensive Apple products is worth it.
So the other question to ask about the Onewheel should be, “Is it worth it?” Does the joy it brings you justify the cost? This is going to be different for each person. Unlike many people who feel the newest iPhone is worth it, I’d rather spend my money elsewhere so when I get a phone I usually pay no more than $300 for an Android phone.
Is the Onewheel worth it to me? HECK yeah! At the time of publishing this video, I will have owned my first Onewheel for 6 months. The Onewheel brought me so much immediate joy when I first got it that I started a YouTube channel which then led me to start this Onewheel blog just so I could spread the Onewheel gospel.
When I’m not riding, I’m working on videos or blog posts. And when I’m not doing that I’m offering to teach people to ride.
The Onewheel is so worth it to me, I now have three. I love that floaty feeling on my Onewheel and it has gotten me out of the house and exploring my surroundings. Because of the Onewheel I’ve found new places in my own neighborhood and city. I’ve met so many new and interesting people. I love it so much I’ve even taken it on my last 4 trips to Hawaii, New York City, and Southern California.
But like I said earlier, whether a Onewheel is worth it to you is all relative. Look at Slydogstroh who uses his Onewheel to commute regularly. You can tell through his videos that he loves his Onewheel and to him, the cost was worth it.
On the flip side, I’ve met and communicated with many people who do not think the Onewheel is worth it. I met most of these people during my searches for a used Onewheel. These people who feel the Onewheel is not worth it tend to fall into two camps:
- They got overconfident their first week on the Onewheel, tried to break a speed record, but ended up breaking some bones thus crushing their Onewheel stoke.
- They felt too unsteady on the board, didn’t really learn how to ride, and never gave the Onewheel a chance, saying “It just isn’t for me.”
People put their money into things that bring them joy. Living in Colorado, skiing and snowboarding are very popular activities.
The other day I went skiing with my family and I saw that the day pass was going for almost $200! Each year we get a ski season pass deal that is buy one adult, get one kid for free which has saved us a ton of money.
But if you were an individual buying a full season pass, say an EPIC or IKON pass to ski or snowboard the many resorts that are included in those passes, you would pay $900 for the full season pass. Then there is the cost of all the gear that you buy or rent and not to mention the cost and time to travel to get to the ski resorts. It’s expensive. But many find it worth it.
I bought my last used Onewheel for $900. You can see that experience on my last video about buying a Used Onewheel. If I take care of it, I hope to be able to ride it for many years to come, day or night, during the spring, summer, fall and winter.
When I want to Onewheel I’ll put on my helmet and wrist guards, walk out my front door, and be able to go for a ride. No long drive. No battling traffic. No waiting at lift lines. No paying for parking. No yearly costs other than the electricity it takes to charge the Onewheel.
Going to Hawaii may not be worth it to everyone. Especially if you just sit in the hotel playing Fortnite the entire trip. To me, spending the money to go on this Maui Vacation was worth it. We got to visit family in Hana, hike through rain forests, make friends with Polynesian wood carvers in Lahaina, snorkel with sea turtles and fish, visit an amazing blow hole, and enjoy time together as a family.
Whether or not the Onewheel is worth it to you is what you make of it. Take the time to learn, respect, and understand the Onewheel and you will have a great time making tons of memories. Disrespect the Onewheel rules and you will likely get hurt and give up the Onewheel.
If you own or have owned a Onewheel, is it or was it worth it to you? Why or why not?
If you are thinking about buying a Onewheel, why do you think it might be worth it to you?