Visiting Taiwanese Vendors (MetaSurf and Haggyboard) + Product Update / Preview
I had the pleasure of meeting the owners of MetaSurf and Haggyboard during my trip back home. Here’s the 3 lovely gentlemen responsible for the Taiwan based esk8 product development.
After spending a whole day riding with them and more time with them at their workshop and store I have to say that these are some of the most passionate yet humble individuals that I had met in the Esk8 circle. They are committed to a good customer experience, takes the time to fix issues with their product and most importantly when you purchase from them, they have stock at hand and they will promptly deliver the goods.
Metasurf https://www.metasurfesk8.com
Metasurf have two physical storefronts, I visited the one in taipei.
On top of selling white label boards they are have also developed their completes with modular battery and direct drive.
They also regularly host group rides here in Taiwan to promote better understanding of Esk8 and help new riders understand what exist outside of the mass produced chinese starter boards.
Current Product Line Up:
While they do some white label boards and resell others I am going to focus on the boards that they have developed.
MetaSurf have 2 in house board:
RTX (https://www.metasurfesk8.com/product-page/rtx-1-combo-package) RTX-P (https://www.metasurfesk8.com/product-page/rtx-p-crossover)
- The deck of both boards feature a slight w concave.
- RTX-P has a usable kicktail and fits in a large luggage!
- Both boards have modular battery in 2 formats that could be swapped out without tools
- 13s1p, 18650 - 117 Whr - (https://www.metasurfesk8.com/product-page/metabattery-air-18650)
- 13s1p, 20700 - 199 Whr - (https://www.metasurfesk8.com/product-page/copy-of-metabattery-plus-20700)
- They both top off around 30 mph and the 20700 did last around 15 miles during our ride.
All the parts, the drive, the wheels, the batteries and enclosures are for sale and could be purchased separately.
Future Product Preview:
-
The trucks - Metasurf is working on strengthening the trucks. They will be tackling it in a two step process. First by replacing existing axles with titanium. Early adopters should expect a replacement set of trucks once this is tested and available. That means if you have purchase a set of trucks or drive kit from them you will be receiving a brand new set of reenforced trucks once they are completed. Since this will not require retooling of the motors it is something we could expect in the near future. Next they will be redesigning the motor and the hanger with a step down axle. As this requires significant rework it will be further out in the future.
-
Sensored Motors - No more kick start easy hill start.
-
Kegel adapter + Kegel wheels - This opens up more options for urethane wheels as well as smaller airless tires
-
Adapters for pneumatics - Partnership with other vendor who creates smaller pneumatics. Due to the low KV (high torque nature) of the motors. I am excited to see how they perform with 6 inchers.
-
Lastly a 4WD complete
My personal thoughts:
The RTX-P is a really strong concept. As someone who travels internationally I am always looking for a board that I can throw into a suitcase but still have some performance. The specs of the RTX-P hits the mark. Since the batteries are easily swappable one can easily bring two along and should cover most riding needs.
Their drive really has alot of potential. The design means you can pretty much slap it on any deck and turn any board into an eboard with decent power and range. The super wide trucks allows for a much larger selection of deck without the worry for wheel bite without the need for risers.
Both owners of Metasurf had been very open to feedback and are committed to ensure that their customers are happy and get the best experience. If something does go wrong like the trucks, they will stand behind their product and make sure it’s made right.
While they did stumble during the initial product launch they are hard at work fixing the issues. I am really excited for what they will release this year and would define be in line to try out a pneumatic setup on their sensored direct drives and reinforced trucks
HaggyBoard https://haggyboard.com
HaggyBoard currently have a single location in Taipei that serves as an office and workshop.
On top of producing the really high quality and affordable bergmeister all terrain wheels, they also sell various other components including a complete drive system, motor mount, urethane wheels, trucks and decks, all very high quality and well priced.
Current Product Line Up:
Haggy currently does not sell a complete but carry alot of ESK8 Parts
-
Bergmeister 6 inch wheels (https://haggyboard.com/collections/wheels-tires-tubes/products/bergmeister-all-terrain-complete-pneumatic-wheel-set-150mm-diameter) - These shouldn’t need any introduction in this forum. These are superb, very well balanced and are currently compatible with Haggy’s Kahua Forged + Precision Milled Trucks, SurfRodz, Evolve Trucks and if you download and print the universal pulley file provided free of charge any standard skate trucks. The hubs are CNCed and the tires were developed in house. If you are looking for small AT wheels, I would give these a very hard look they are superb for the price.
-
Mana one - 07 deck (https://haggyboard.com/collections/griptape-guards-decks/products/mana-one-07-deck-9ply) - On the quick rides I had with the deck my impression was that it was an excellent long distance cruise deck. It is nice and wide with a slight “w” concave that was super comfortable to stand on. There is plenty of real estate on the bottom of the deck and it comes in 2 thickness giving folks the option for a flexier deck or a thicker deck that allows for routing. The deck had also been designed and tested to ensure that you would have no issues with wheel bite using his trucks even with pneumatics.
-
Trucks and Motor Mount (https://haggyboard.com/collections/trucks-accessories/products/kahua-precision-milled-trucks-front-back-truck) - Once again these are very well thought out and executed. The hanger has a groove cut into them which allows the mount to grab and hold itself in place the same way every time. They sit straight have zero play. Furthermore, the motor mount is designed in such a way that any angle can be chosen, depending on the deck.
Future Product Preview:
The Mana-one-07
Haggy’s first complete - designed to be your surfboard on land.
I had the chance to ride the prototype board that was powered by 10s4p and vesc 6 variant and was impressed at the ride. Its not the fastest board but its certainly one of the most comfortable. This is a board you take out on long leisure trips, where you relax and enjoy the time it takes for you to get to your destination.
Once at his workshop I had a chance to taken a closer look at the parts. Careful thoughts were given to all the parts that comprised this beauty.
The enclosure was designed with separate compartments to hold the battery, BMS, BT module, remote receiver and ESC (fits 2 vesc 6s) with integrated heat sink. There are pre drilled holes in the usual 3 phase wire format. The sensor JST sensor connector was swapped out for vibration \ water resistant connector. The front houses integrated LED that plays double duty both for illumination as well as to display any error code. A layer of foam \ rubber sits between the enclosure and the deck making it water tight. The motor was a pair of 190kv 6374s with 6380s and 6364s also being tested and assessed. The level of finish was extremely high. You won’t find any wobbly parts or misfit part here.
-
Enclosure - All that goodness above? It will be available as parts once its completed.
-
Precision CNC trucks - If the standard trucks were not good enough for you Haggy is also looking to produce completely CNC’d hangers in the near future
-
Trampa compatible tires - In the very near future there could be potential support for trampa ultimate and mini trucks.
-
Battery Components - From enclosures to pre pressed \ cut nickel strips to help folks make their own batteries
My personal thoughts:
Haggyboard’s owner Timo is friendly, humble, open to feedback and obsessive about detail. You will not find tire hubs with loose bearings, you will not find wheels that rock sideways on the axles, you will not find enclosures that don’t sit flush with the deck. In his workshop you can find mass amount of failed prototype that others would considered passible for not for Timo. For that reason I fully recommend the products that Timo have to offer. His prices are a bargain for the quality you get and I can’t wait for him to make his deck along with the enclosure available for purchase. Although I would love to get some idlers on those motor mount if you are reading this 
More pictures below~~~~
So cool 
You had to spend a wonderful day!
