The Phaze remote explained: how Evolve put control where it belongs

The remote is the part of your setup most riders think about last and feel most acutely when something is off. Evolve built the Phaze from scratch to fix that. It sits in your hand with the weight and finish of a precision tool, and after a few rides it stops feeling like a controller and starts feeling like an extension of the board.

Here is what it does, how it works across different riding modes, and why it changes the way you think about confidence on an electric skateboard.

What the Phaze remote actually is

The Phaze remote is the current standard controller across Evolve's lineup, compatible with Diablo, Fusion, Stoke X, Renegade and the GTR Series 1 and 2. It replaced the older R2 remote and brought with it a CNC aluminium-reinforced body, an LCD screen and a dual trigger layout that separates throttle and braking into two distinct inputs.

That dual trigger design matters more than it might sound. On a single-trigger remote, acceleration and braking share the same input, which means your brain is always doing a small translation step between intent and action. With the Phaze, you squeeze one trigger to go and the other to slow down. In the early stages of riding, that clarity removes a layer of hesitation. On a fast descent into a busy intersection in Brisbane or cutting speed on the downhill stretches around Perth's coastal paths, the instinct to brake needs to fire without a second thought.

Reading the LCD screen mid-ride

The screen on the Phaze is small but genuinely useful. It shows your current riding mode, battery level for both the board and the remote, speed and trip data. You can glance at it without breaking your riding posture once you know where your eyes are going.

Battery percentage for the remote is easy to overlook until it suddenly matters. The Phaze shows both simultaneously so you are never caught out with a flat remote halfway through a session on the Fernleigh Track or mid-commute in Melbourne. The remote charges via USB-C, which means you are not hunting for a proprietary cable.

Riding modes and what each one does

Mode selection sits on the remote and controls how the board interprets your inputs. The four main modes across Evolve boards are ECO, SPORT, CORSA and CUSTOM, though availability depends on the board model.

ECO limits power delivery and caps speed. It is not just for beginners. Experienced riders use it for dense urban environments, slow beach paths or when they want to stretch range on a longer commute. The throttle response is gentler, which keeps the ride smooth even with abrupt trigger inputs.

SPORT is the everyday default for most riders. It gives you access to the board's real performance without the edge-of-envelope responsiveness of CORSA. Acceleration is confident and braking is firm without being aggressive.

CORSA is full power, full sensitivity. On a Diablo with dual 3500W motors and a 45%+ hill rating, CORSA gives you everything the board can do. It rewards smooth inputs and punishes jerky ones. It is the mode you work up to, not the one you start in.

CUSTOM mode, accessible through the Explore by Evolve app, lets you dial in your own curves for acceleration, braking and speed. You can soften the throttle response while keeping braking firm, or raise the speed ceiling in specific increments. Riders who commute daily tend to land on a custom setup that sits between SPORT and CORSA, tuned to their route and body weight.

How the remote builds riding confidence over time

Confidence on an electric skateboard is not just about power. It comes from predictability. Knowing that squeezing the brake trigger at 40 km/h on a smooth Sydney cycleway will result in the same response every time is what allows you to push harder on the next run.

The Phaze contributes to that predictability in two ways. First, the CNC aluminium body gives it a consistent grip and feel regardless of temperature or ride duration. It does not flex under pressure. Second, the trigger throw distance is calibrated so small inputs produce proportional results. You are not toggling between nothing and everything.

New riders often spend their first few sessions focused on the remote rather than the road ahead. The Phaze shortens that adjustment period because the layout is logical and the feedback is immediate. By the third or fourth ride, most people stop thinking about it.

Compatibility and setup

There are two versions of the Phaze: Bluetooth and WiFi. The Bluetooth version is the current standard and works with all current Evolve boards. The WiFi version is for older GT and GTX models only. If you are buying a replacement or a spare, confirm your board generation before ordering.

Pairing is straightforward. Hold the power button until the remote enters pairing mode, then power on the board. The LCD confirms the connection. Once paired, the remote retains the connection and reconnects automatically on subsequent power-ups.

Riders with a GTR Series 1 or Stoke Series 1 can upgrade to the Phaze Bluetooth remote, which is worth doing if you want the improved ergonomics and screen readability over the older R2.

Getting the most out of it on local terrain

In practice, the value of the Phaze shifts depending on where you ride. On the Gold Coast's long foreshore paths, riders tend to settle into SPORT and hold a comfortable cruise. The consistent throttle response means you can hold speed without micro-adjusting constantly.

In Sydney's inner suburbs, where you are navigating pedestrians, traffic lights and frequent speed changes, the dual trigger layout earns its keep. Braking hard is a separate physical action, not a reversal of the throttle, and that distinction matters when the situation changes quickly.

On steeper terrain around Brisbane's hills or on longer unsealed tracks, CUSTOM mode with a tuned braking curve gives you finer control on the way down, where regenerative braking can feel abrupt if the default settings are not adjusted for your weight and speed preference.

If you are in Queensland, the Evolve store at Mermaid Waters is worth a visit for hands-on guidance if you want to set up your remote config alongside someone who knows the boards.

What to know before you buy a replacement

The Phaze is a consumable in the sense that it travels everywhere you do. If you ride daily, keeping a charged spare is a reasonable insurance policy. The USB-C charging and cross-board compatibility across the current lineup means one spare covers your whole quiver if you own multiple boards.

The leash attachment point is functional, not decorative. It is easy to skip, especially once the remote feels natural in your hand, but on downhill runs or rough terrain a wrist leash prevents a dropped remote from becoming a problem.

The bottom line

The Phaze remote is one of those components that does its job so cleanly it becomes invisible, which is exactly the point. Riders who have used older controllers notice the difference immediately. Riders who start with the Phaze often do not realise how much the ergonomics and layout are doing for them until they pick up something else.

If you are upgrading, replacing or simply want to understand your setup better, the Phaze Bluetooth remote is the current benchmark for Evolve boards and the clearest expression of how much the riding experience lives in your hand, not just under your feet.