Hot Holiday Gift Idea: Rockboard Original and Rockboard RBX Scooters {Review}

Disclosure: I received the Rockboard Original and Rockboard RBX scooters in this post to facilitate this review. All opinions are 100% my own.

Not that I am ready by any means, but the holidays will be here before we know it.  I am one of those people who likes to have the majority of my shopping done before December 1st so that I can actually enjoy the holidays without the stress of battling crowds and spending precious time waiting in long lines.  Usually by now I am starting to think about gift lists for my children and family but this year I keep finding myself hitting a wall when it comes to great gift ideas for my kids.  With so much technology all around us, I feel like electronics, iTunes gift cards and remote control everything are overtaking the gift pile.  I want to find gifts that are fun – and keep the kids active – gifts that make them want to go outside and play!  So when I find something that is all this and then some, of course I get excited to share!

Introducing the Rockboard Scooter.

Hello.  Where have you been all my life??!!

This scooter is not your average scooter.  If you look closely, you will see it has a chain like a bicycle, a slanted foot board and a handle bar break for stopping.  In order to make it go, riders must balance and rock the board back and forth with their feet. Once they get started, they can really pick up some speed.  Unlike electric scooters that do the work for them, this scooter uses the legs to keep it moving, allowing for some great exercise!  That’s right!  No batteries or gasoline required – just some good old fashioned body power!  It’s also a bit bigger than a regular scooter, making it perfect for older kids and adults alike.

Made for kids ages 8 and up, my 8 year-old daughter is enjoying the Rockboard Scooters as much as my 12 year-old son.  Even I have been getting in on the action from time to time.  We had the opportunity to test both the Original and RBX Rockboard Scooters and they are both insanely awesome!

The Original Rockboard Scooter seems to be the scooter of choice for my 8 year-old-daughter.  What I love most about the original Rockboard Scooter is that it can convert to a regular foot powered kick scooter by simply pulling on a pin under the board and adding pressure using your knee and body weight to shift the board downward.  Since riding the Rockboard Scooter in the slanted position required a bit of balance and some good leg power, my daughter is thrilled that when she begins to tire, we can simply turn it into a regular scooter where she can go slower and have more foot control.  So in essence, the Rockboard Original is like getting two different scooters for the price of one! Believe it or not, The Original Rockboard Scooter can also handle up to a 200 pound person, making it a great choice for young and old alike!  (Don’t be surprised if Mom and Dad get in on the fun – I did!)

I would say it took my daughter about 5 to 10 minutes to get the hang of balancing and powering the scooter with her feet.  Once she got the swing of it, I found myself yelling at her to slow down as she was pumping and pumping faster and faster. (I need to keep reminding myself that she’s not a baby anymore!)  She absolutely loved the thrill of riding it and was in a complete sweat after about 15 or so minutes of looping around the street.  We did find that the hand breaks are a little wide for her tiny hands, but with some practice, she has been able to teach herself to maneuver the break as well. She loves that the scooter has a kickstand for when she decides to take breaks;  it keeps the scooter upright and the pretty paint on the scooter intact.   Previously, my kids have been known to throw their regular scooters down on the ground when they were done with them. Thanks to the kickstand this is no longer an issue! My daughter’s only complaint about the scooter was that the break can be a bit difficult to squeeze.  If it was easier, she would give the board a “10”!   As a Mom, I also love that the Original Rockboard scooter can fold in half to store, making it easy to store in a closet or shed without taking up too much space.   Made of an ultra-strong aluminum frame, an aluminum front fork, and a die-cast aluminum deck, it is a bit on the heavy side, but my daughter is surprisngly still able to carry down the steps herself.  The size and weight is otherwise a tad awkward for her tiny frame. The original Rockboard scooter also comes fully assembled making Mom and Dad’s life much easier when you receive it.  Just pop it out of the box, unfold and go!  That’s my kind of toy!

My son, on the other hand, is head over heels for the Rockboard RBX Scooter . Unlike the Original Rockboard, this scooter does not convert to a regular scooter.  It is actually made to accommodate persons up to 220 pounds and it requires a bit of assembly on arrival. My 12 year-old-son was able to complete the assembly himself, so I can attest that the assembly is not very difficult at all.  It is powered the same way as the Original Scooter, with the rocking motion of the board. My son found the hand break much simpler to use than my daughter did and it fits his tall frame very well. (Did I mention that I love that the handlebar is able to adjust easily up or down as needed to accommodate the rider’s size? Love it!)  He took no time at all to get used to powering the scooter and has been pulling it out on every nice day he gets so he can take a ride and get some “fun exercise” as he calls it.  He is determined to get it to its optimum speed – as it can go up to 10 MPH!  That’s crazy, huh?  The only negatives we found with the Rockboard RBX is that it does not fold, requiring more space for storage and it does not convert to an original scooter making it less useable for kids who do not like the rocking motion or are having difficulty balancing and controlling the board.

For those of you with children under 8 whom you think would enjoy this type of scooter, Rockboard also as a Rockboard Mini, perfect for kids ages 5-7 and up to 90 lbs.  The Rockboard mini also converts to a regular kick scooter and folds easily for storage.  It’s a great option for younger ones looking for the same type of fun – I highly encourage checking it out!

Check out the Original Rockboard Scooter in Action:

If you are looking for a holiday gift that will get your kids excited about getting outsde and enjoying some fresh air and exercise, this is that toy.  Who knew exercise could be so much fun?

Have you started your holiday shopping yet?  What do you think of the Rockboard scooter?