It was always a weird ambition of mine to own shoes that would turn into little electric cars at the flip of a switch. Probably a lazy one. So I jumped at the chance to try Razor’s Turbo Jetts. They’re like the advanced version of Heelys that I wanted when I was 11 years old. I’m much older now, and so naturally, I hurt myself with these motorised shoes.
The $US130 ($181) Turbo Jetts come from the same company that makes kick scooters and hoverboards, a fact that should have scared me away. As previous Gizmodo posts have revealed, I’m not super coordinated when it comes to futuristic modes of transport. With a top speed of 16km per hour and 30 minutes of battery life, Turbo Jetts really could get you around town. You just strap the one motorised wheelset to one foot and the unmotorized wheels to the other. To activate the engine, you just start walking and then lean back on the motorised wheels to get a boost.
Based on my experience, this is fun for about 10 minutes. After that, I grew overconfident and tried to do basic stuff like steer and wave at pedestrians, maneuvers that sent me careening into bushes and onto the footpath. You might have more luck! Your 11-year-old kid definitely will.