As an avid watcher of “Shark Tank,” I was enthralled with one of the latest unique products to hit the market: ZUUM tech hover shoes. The gadget enthusiast in me was excited to get my hands on a pair of these hover shoes and hit the streets. Here’s what I discovered when reviewing ZUUM shoes.
About ZUUM Tech
Behind ZUUM Tech are two near lifelong friends, neighbors, and burgeoning entrepreneurs who dreamed of owning, and managing their own company. Over many meetings, they developed their product — ZUUM shoes — and went to work making it into a business.
Since those initial meetings, the pair of founders launched a successful Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign and debuted on “Shark Tank.” Now, they are, and now we are scrambling around fulfilling orders. It’s something we could have never imagined, and we’re just getting started.
ZUUM Hover Shoes
These tech shoes are actually what is known as self-balancing electric skates. They have twin 350-watt motors. Both lightweight (they only weight seven pounds) and portable, ZUUM shoes are made for kids and adults.
The shoes slip on and have a power button for easy control. They are TSA-certified so you can take them on planes to use in other parts of the country or world.
ZUUM shoes have cruising distances of up to eight miles and reaches a top speed of eight miles per hour. When you are on these self-balancing electric skates going that speed, I can verify that it feels faster than that. ZUUMs can continuously be ridden for up to an hour and a half. A full recharge takes up to two hours.
The durable shoes have a thoughtful design, ensuring that they can go the distance. A fireproof casing holds the battery. Unlike other electronic transport devices that previously reported catching fire, the ZUUM shoe design ensures that it doesn’t happen.
The company reports that the ZUUMs have been rigorously tested for risk of fire, water damage, and drop damage. The shoes passed with flying colors on all tests. The shoes were also tested on all types of surfaces to confirm durability.
How to Ride ZUUM Shoes
The self-balancing electric skates let you ride through and over objects. You can ride them inside or outside.
The company recommends wearing proper safety gear before riding as you would with inline skates, skateboards, etc. Once placing them on your feet, turn on both ZUUM Shoes by using the power buttons on the side of each device.
To maintain balance, put your dominant foot on one of the ZUUM Shoes first. Once you feel you have some balance, then place your other foot on the other device. From there, lean forward when you are ready to move forward. Or, if you want to go backward, then lean backward.
I’m a little older at the office — so I held on to someone’s arm first. Then I used the desks to hold onto when first using these shoes — and that works well. Seriously, you feel like you should be in “Back to the Future,” for anyone who saw that film. I also didn’t want everyone making comments — so I went into the office early to practice. I’d say you can get better quickly using these shoes if everyone isn’t standing around trying to shame you so they can take over and get a turn.
Pros and Cons
These tech shoes are much easier to figure out how to use and ride on than I thought, especially compared to when I tried hoverboards and similar technology. My entire family figured it out in minutes and the peeps at the office continually take too many turns on them. We tend to fight over who gets the ride next. The “skates” provide a smooth and quiet ride along with good speed. Plus, they have an integrated strap that makes them easy to carry. I like going straight on these shoes, rather than sideways on some of the hoverboards.
There are similar options out there that are lower cost albeit they don’t have the same enjoyable ride and technology as ZUUM Tech. Also, I realize they aren’t necessarily a low-cost must-have for many people, but they are perfect for the tech lover that has a little expendable income.
Purchase Options
Numerous promotions and discounts are now available on the shoes, making them a fairly good deal for the technology and fun they offer. Once priced at $499.99, they are now $299.99 on ZUUM’s website and through Amazon.
Overall Thoughts
I would recommend ZUUM shoes to anyone looking for something unique and fun for getting around and enjoy a different experience than any other electric or manual transport device. With the lower pricing, the ZUUM shoes are much more accessible to a larger audience.
