VMAX - VX5 Pro

I think you already found one of the very few candidates that meet your criteria in the VX5 Pro. Only thing to look out for is the latch is a bit funky, so you might want to get a bungee cord or something to prevent it from coming loose when carrying the scooter around. I think plenty of youtube reviews complain about the latch. Only other option I might suggest is the Inmotion Climber, which I think is about 10lbs heavier, but is dual motor and should get more range, about 1.5-2X the range. It is available right now for $419 on their website which includes tax, so should cost less. I'm sure there are Segway/Ninebots too that may also fit your criteria, but I'm not as familiar with the line. Probably like F3/pro or E3/pro or some such. A search of recent recommendations should pop those up pretty easily.

How about the VMAX VX5 pro. Relatively light, and much higher build quality than your typical parts bin scooter.

You should probably do a search on these forums for others' experiences with the costco one. I believe it's called the phantomgogo? For the same price I'd go for the VMAX myself, as it should have better build quality and go up any hills that I should encounter better. I think it also has better water resistance, IPX6 vs whatever the costco one is, probably IPX4 or IPX5 at the best. Also I'm not sure does the Costco one have solid tires or pneumatic? Pneumatic is preferable as it's got better ride quality and traction.

Did they buy it from a local store, so you can actually return the scooter easily? Your actual weight is going to make a big difference here. VX5 pro is rated for 264 lbs, but if you're say 180 lbs, it's not going to have any problems taking you up the 21% grade hills. If you're say 250 lbs, then yeah, it may struggle a little bit more. Which scooter do you see that's 40%? I don't see such a scooter from VMAX a step higher than the VX5 pro. If you're not completely enamored with VMAX, the Inmotion Climber is dual motor and will be able to handle the 21% grade with no problems. It cost pretty much the same as the VX5 pro, $519 on their website taxes included. I'm sure there are coupon codes you can find to bring it down even more. Finally, how do you know the roads you have are 21% in the first place? I only ask because a lot of people have overestimated the grade of their local roads, and when they look it up on google maps or something, punch in the numbers, and it turns out it's a much lower grade than they had thought.

Ah OK. In that case, you may want to keep the Inmotion Climber in mind if you find the VX5 isn't sufficiently powerful. The VX2 Extreme will definitely work, but it costs $750 vs $519 for the Climber. You can see test results in this video for various scooters on a 23% grade and 210 lbs or so rider: [https://youtu.be/acqpX92OfTU?t=374](https://youtu.be/acqpX92OfTU?t=374) You can see climber and vx2 extreme are almost tied 7/8 8/9 mph at the slowest. The vx2 hub and new vx4 do better, but they cost a lot more. He hasn't tested the VX5 though. If I were to guess, I'd say the VX5 would make it up on his test near the bottom, maybe 2/3 mph or 4/5 mph.

If OP is willing to go up just a few lbs, the VX5 pro suits all the other criteria and is 35 lbs, $450 or so, $400 open box: [https://vmax-escooter.us/products/refurb-vx5-pro-vmax-electric-scooter?variant=49524932018462](https://vmax-escooter.us/products/refurb-vx5-pro-vmax-electric-scooter?variant=49524932018462) I'd imagine if you can lift 30 lbs up some stairs, you can also lift 35 lbs.

Why do you want it to be seated? Seated is going to weigh more and much more awkward to carry up stairs. I'd suggest a lighter weight stand up scooter like the VMAX VX5 pro or NIU KQi Air, about 36 and 26 lbs respectively. If you really must have seated, there's the iScooter i14 for $300, about 65 lbs: [https://www.amazon.com/iScooter-Pneumatic-Adjustable-Handlebar-Suspensions/dp/B0FR4F1N36](https://www.amazon.com/iScooter-Pneumatic-Adjustable-Handlebar-Suspensions/dp/B0FR4F1N36) They also have the F2 and F3 about 45 lbs: [https://www.iscooterglobal.com/products/f2-electric-scooter-with-seat-10-pneumatic-tire](https://www.iscooterglobal.com/products/f2-electric-scooter-with-seat-10-pneumatic-tire) [https://www.iscooterglobal.com/products/f3-1000w-motor-electric-scooter-with-seat](https://www.iscooterglobal.com/products/f3-1000w-motor-electric-scooter-with-seat) Personally I'm leery about buying scooters directly off their website unless I've done a ton of research about the scooter and company. So I'd do some searches or ask advice from people who have bought directly from iscooter before.

Vmax VX5 Pro. Has the best waterproof rating out of any e-scooter out there, 2 year warranty, sleek Swiss like design, easy to fold and lock and relatively lightweight compared to competitors in that price range.

Definitely check the elevation on that route first - hill climbing ability varies wildly between models and some of those budget options will struggle hard on steep grades For your weight priority the VX5 Pro sounds solid, just make sure it has enough torque for whatever grade you're dealing with. Carrying 35lbs up stairs when the elevator's down is way better than 45+

I am a scooter rider and it really depends on your budget. It is highly recommended to get a scooter from a reputable brand and that come with some basic safety features like a turn signals and a proper rear facing light. Although they can be somewhat expensive, its very much worth the extra dollar, so you can stay safe while having the freedom of micro mobility. For my recommendations: NIU, VMAX, Segway have really good scooters. Avoid the cheap ones that don't have the safety features. They have decent range and have a built in gps locator, so even if someone steals it, you can find it. However, I would not worry about theft because gradguard will cover it. Other reputable brands include Gotrax and Apollo. Both are pretty good, but I don't have much experience with Gotrax. Apollo, on the otherhand, is also a great brand if you can stomach the cost. However, before you set your eyes on an escooter. Range anxiety is a real issue. The reported ranges and top speeds are the brands testing under very good conditions and very light riders and often times on the slowest setting. They are not accurate most of the time. Do not buy from non reputable brands. I do not want to see someone's dorm or house burning down because they bought a cheap scooter from a random company. I also recommend to buy a full face helmet, knee pads, and gloves even on entry level scooters. PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. ADHERE TO TRAFFIC LAWS. YOUR NOT A PEDESTRIAN WHEN YOU STEP FOOT ON THAT SCOOTER OR BIKE. I see too many people on campus not adhering to basic traffic laws on both scooters and bikes. Also watch how to properly ride a scooter and make sure to practice on the weekends. Although I am currently injured from falling off my own scooter (broken arm because I was being an idiot and tried to do a trick on it). If you want I can still teach you how to ride a scooter. Just privately message me about the time and date and I'll let you know if I can. Edit: I went through the gradguard policy again, they will not cover anything motorized, so invest in a good lock.

That's incorrect. I've posted about my fender clip falling off mid ride and being told it's a wear and tear part. They're dead to me.

VMAX are the equivalent of sleeper cars, they look basic but man they have power I own one and have over 2k miles on it

I have an f2 and a E kick from ninebot. I do believe you're paying a little bit for the ninebot name, but from my experience it's worth it. I picked up an F2 that had only been rode 4 times by the previous owner for $200 (a steal) on marketplace. The build quality is definitely there, I absolutely love the f2. It's not even in the same league as my new vmax, yet I still use it for trips I can't bring the max inside or if it's rough riding. I'm 170 and ride the scooters like I stole them. Our Gotrax is also solid reliability wise, as my 8 yrs old nephew hasn't destroyed it yet, despite trying his hardest lol