-August 23, 2021 at 8:07 AM Pacific Time

Bodyboarding in the old-fashioned way is fun, but what if the sea is too calm (or you are in a swimming pool or lake)? Then, no matter what type of water you are in, the electric body board can give you the same excitement. I just had the opportunity to test Firduo's electric bodyboard and I have been laughing since then!

The Firduo electric bodyboard is different from anything I have tried before.

I have ridden electric surfboards and electric hydrofoil boards, but both require a certain learning curve to persist.

They also need a wallet thick enough for you to sit aside.

The Firduo electric bodyboard here is not only a small part of the price of an electric surfboard, but also easier to use. There is basically nothing to learn, and there is no balance requirement-you just need to press the accelerator and hold on!

The ride is really great-check it out in my video comment below, then continue to scroll through my in-depth comments.

I'm not sure how to describe the Firduo electric bodyboard. When I think of bodyboarding, I think of those cheap foam materials that we stole from my nephew when we went to the beach.

But Firduo is not like that. It looks more like a reduced version of a motorboat. It is basically a small, highly buoyant electric tug with a pair of handles that can be hung on it. There is a foam surface behind the bow, your skin feels good when you lie on it, and a small LCD screen to view your power level, battery percentage, motor temperature and other key data.

A pair of buttons on the right thumb allows you to select the working power of the motor, and the trigger of the left index finger can start the power.

The two propellers located under Firduo are connected to a pair of 2 kW motors and a waterproof electronic speed controller. Both motors run at full power, and this boat can generate a maximum of 4,000 watts, or about 5.3 horsepower. This produces a maximum thrust of 340N (76 lbf or 34.6 kgf).

At full power, it can pull medium-sized riders at a speed of approximately 5-6 mph (4.3-5.2 knots or 8-10 km/h). It doesn't sound like much, but it feels very fast when you are dragged to the surface.

The coolest part is that you are not limited to the surface. You can also dive, although it is not easy. The protection level of the whole equipment is IP68, and it can work at a depth of up to 30 meters (100 feet). The only problem is that Firduo's buoyancy is so ridiculous that it is difficult to make it dive. You must push your nose down, and then use your upper body strength to keep it facing down until it starts diving.

Once you are one or two feet under the water, it becomes easy because it will move where you are pointing, but you do need to keep a slight downward direction to counteract the positive buoyancy.

It is definitely not a scuba diving scooter, extreme buoyancy is actually very useful for safety, because if you are tired, you can lie on it and float effortlessly all day. They emphasized writing "This is not a life-saving device" in about a dozen places, although in a critical juncture, I would like to throw one of them to me. Just don't hit my head with it (it weighs 15.5 kg or 34 lbs).

Of course, the fact that they specifically stated that it is not a life-saving device makes me want to use it to realize my ultimate beach ambulance fantasy-please check the video review at the top of this article to see if I am pulling my best David Hassel Hough.

Speaking of riding, I found that there are two basic postures, and they do affect riding. You can extend your arms fully and place your chest on the board so that you will basically be dragged behind Firduo, or you can bend your arms and put your face behind the bow so that you Most of the torso is on the board.

The position of arms extension is slightly easier, but as more non-hydrodynamic bodies dangle in the water, it seems to drain the battery faster. When you choke on the device and ride more on it, the battery seems to last longer, and it feels like you might even walk faster. It also makes turning easier because you can really lean on the turn and sculpt more like a speedboat. On the downside, you are also more likely to surface, and you get less and less of the beauty of splashing water.

When you are underwater, the method of arm extension seems easier and less tiring, although it is much more difficult to turn underwater with the arm extended. Pull Firduo into your chest to make underwater turns easier.

Another cool feature that I haven't covered is the GoPro stand on the bow. I added an extension arm that allows me to photograph myself when I place the camera backwards, or you can place it forward and photograph things ahead.

Although the Firduo electric bodyboard is fun, I have two complaints. The first is battery life. They claim to have a running time of 60-120 minutes, but I have never seen such a close time. Although I only use the maximum power mode, I can get 25-30 minutes of battery power. The low power mode is great, in fact, when I asked my little nephew to try it, that's why I put Firduo in it. According to the size of their smile, it is fun even in low-power mode. However, when you rip at full power, you will certainly not see one to two hours of usage time.

The battery is removable, so you can easily pick up one or two spare batteries for replacement. The waterproof connector can easily open the battery cover and remove the battery, even in humid environments. Although this also leads to my next complaint: weight.

Firduo itself is not necessarily heavy. But there are shutters on the battery door to drain water like drain holes. When the device is in water, they also do the opposite-they fill the battery box with water. This is not an electrical problem due to the waterproof connector, but it does add about 10-20 pounds (4-8 kg) of water, and you will feel it immediately when you pick up Firduo after leaving the water. It takes about a minute for the water to drain completely, so you have an extra heavy-duty water ski that the farmer can bring back to the towel on the beach until the water finally drains.

Nonetheless, these complaints are trivial compared to the joy of the matter. I like that I can take it anywhere, from a nearby swimming pool to the open ocean. It feels good and should last for many years (although a good rinse after any salt water use is a good idea to extend its life). It's not even as expensive as I feared, the current price is $1,900.

Yes, it is definitely not cheap. But I have never ridden electric surfboards and electronic surfboards that cost less than five figures. So when it comes to electric water sports, everything is relative!

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Micah Toll is a personal electric car enthusiast, battery fan, and the author of Amazon’s top best-selling books "DIY Lithium Battery", "DIY Solar" and "The Ultimate DIY Electric Bike Guide."

You can send him a reminder via Micah@electrek.co

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