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I got my first wooden balance board over 15 years ago, in high school. My mom gave it to me as a gift, and I’d lug it to my friends’ houses where we’d spend hours sliding around the living room on a rainy day. While that balance board has long been abandoned (likely sitting in the corner of a distant friend’s garage), we recently got a chance to try out the Revolution Swell 2.0 balance board.
Safe to say, balance boards have made some major upgrades in the past few years. In this guide, we’ll be reviewing the Revolution Swell 2.0 balance board. Revolution gave us this balance board to review, and all opinions are our own.
Table of Contents
Quick takeaways: The Revolution Swell 2.0
What we liked
Overall, the Revolution Swell 2.0 balance board is a durable, well made, and customizable balance board. You can easily change the balance board to suit your goals and needs. The soft cushion grip is a welcome change from most balance boards which have an abrasive grip-tape deck, especially since we like to ride our balance board barefoot. It’s priced to similar balance boards in its market. You can expect the Revolution Swell 2.0 to hold up, even with heavy use–it also comes with a three-year full replacement warranty.
Could be better
You’ll want to use the balance board on a mat or rug, as it will scuff hardwood or tile floors. The scuffs can be buffed out, but it’s a pain to do. The Swell 2.0 is made from plastic. We’d love to see Revolution make their Swell 2.0 in an eco series wooden version.
The Revolution Swell 2.0 in depth
The Revolution Swell 2.0 balance board comes with a plastic deck and a roller. Two magnetic stoppers allow you to configure the balance board for nose-to-tail or rail-to-rail riding. Or, you can remove the stoppers completely. This is one of the biggest perks of the Swell 2.0–as other balance boards, like the trusty Indo Board and even Revolution’s 101 version don’t have these options. Most balance boards have fixed stoppers on the nose and the tail.
With the removable stoppers, the tricks you can do on the Swell 2.0 are essentially limitless. You can ride nose to tail or rail to rail. Families or friend groups with different skill levels will also like being able to quickly adjust the board to suit their needs.
The board is also very durable and stable. As I’ve mostly used thick wooden balance boards, I wondered if the plastic deck of the Swell 2.0 would feel flimsy. Fortunately, it doesn’t. The Swell 2.0 is lighter and much more agile than many of the clunkier balance boards.
The length of the roller is longer than most other balance boards, including Revolution’s 101 balance board. This is a major advantage if you want to ride the balance board parallel to the roller, rather than simply perpendicular. It’s a great way to fine-tune your balance if you’re a longboarder, standup paddler, or want more of a challenge. The versatility of the Swell 2.0 can’t be understated. You can always work on a new skill, style, or trick with this advantage.
The edge of the balance board will leave black scuff marks on tile or hard wood, so you’ll want to stick a mat or rug underneath it. It’s also not as stylish as a wooden balance board if you’re like me and tend to leave your toys out in the living room as makeshift décor. Their Eco 101 series is much more chic, but I wouldn’t give up the functionality and versatility of the Swell 2.0 and wouldn’t downgrade to the 101 for this aspect alone.
The Swell 2.0 is priced $169 USD at the time of writing, similarly priced to other higher quality balance boards in its category (Indo Board, Goofboard). This is a fair price given the quality. If you’re going the budget route, their 101 version is a bit more affordable at $129 USD. The perfect balance board would be the Swell 2.0 as an eco-friendly option, potentially made from wood. Perhaps a wooden deck would add extra weight or cause issues with adding the magnetic stoppers, but we can dream!
Who the Revolution Swell 2.0 balance board works best for
The Revolution Swell 2.0 is marketed towards surfers and standup paddlers, but it’s a great all-around balance board that offers more versatility and room for growth than a traditional balance board. So even if you’re not a surfer or standup paddler, it’s a worthy pick.
The Revolution Swell 2.0 is an ideal all-around balance board, even if you’re not looking for surf or SUP-specific training. It’s simply fun to play with! If you want the side-to-side balance action of a typical balance board, it can accommodate that. But, you can go also go further as your skills progress. You can use it for core training, leg exercises, and stability for push ups. Some people complain that they outgrow their balance boards, but this is less likely to happen when you can configure it in so many ways.
While I’m not sure how much balance board skills transfer in a practical sense to a surfboard or standup paddleboard, there’s no denying it does help your balance and mind-body connection to a board. Overall, it’s a great way to spend your time when you’re not in the water.
I’ve yet to land an ollie or brave rail-to-rail riding without the stoppers. So, consider my next few flat-surf day sorted.
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