Whether you’re in the market for your first electric skateboard or just your latest, finding the right board can be overwhelming. Who knew there were so many brands out there?

But electric skateboards are not as new of a trend as you might think. They have been around for decades. While electric skateboards may seem like a relatively new concept to some, the first wireless one was created over 20 years ago in 1997 by Altered Electric Skateboards.

While Altered isn’t as big of a name as it once was, they’re still providing boards to the masses by selling them via your local big box store. And Altered is not just for adults, they’re for kids too. Their Fantom 1.0 is perfect for kids looking for a bit of freedom to ride around the neighborhood.

The Company Background

Altered was started by a group of friends and in 1997 became the first company ever to make a wireless electric skateboard. With just the use of a small remote, Altered ensured the rider no longer had to use their feet to gain momentum on their board. Now, they just needed to press a button to speed up or slow down.

In 2015, Altered along with Bravo Sports, a supplier in recreational and sporting goods, partnered to provide their latest electric board for kids. Since then, Altered doesn’t appear to have a website or any active social media of its own despite still selling its boards at Walmart.

New Products and Innovations

Unfortunately, Altered has not come out with a new electric skateboard since 2015. The Fantom 1.0 came out in 2015 and was made specifically for kids with an age range of 8 years and up. It could be used by an adult, but with a maximum weight limit of 120 lbs, it wouldn’t work for everyone.

After they partnered with Bravo Sports to create the Fantom 1.0, the brand seemed to disappear. They still have a website up for the Fantom 1.0 but the Altered website has not renewed their domain. Any links to their website takes you to a blank page.

Our Final Verdict

While Altered was a big brand name when they first started and still were a couple of years ago, that seems to have waned a bit. They’re still selling one style of board but with their website down and their social media inactive, it appears they’re not the leader in electric skateboards they once were.