22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect for fitness and comfort, but look elsewhere for performance., July 13, 2011
This review is from: Rollerblade Spiritblade Xt Men's Skate (Sports)
After not using them for a few years, I recently started skating with a 15 year old pair of Rollerblade Fusion skates that I used to use for hockey. Those skates were great, but were causing me a lot of pain in my shins. I bought these bottom-of-the-line Rollerblade Spiritblade Xt skates mainly as an experiment to see if my old skates were causing the pain, or if was a problem that I would have with any skates.
I just got home from my first skate with these, and they worked great. They are very comfortable and didn't cause me any pain at all even after twelve miles of skating. They reminded me of the sort of skates that a skate rental store would give you (Rollerblade actually sells a version of these tailored to the needs of rental businesses). They are comfortable, but definitely not performance skates.
Comfort. They are soft, highly cushioned, and contour to your feet.
Ease of use. I was in these and skating within minutes of opening the box. They are simple to use and foolproof. The laces and strap combination take a little longer to put on then skates that just have three buckles, but the difference is negligible and I think the fit is better with these than with just buckles.
These are definitely not performance skates. The bearings and wheels are smooth rolling, but there is definitely more effort needed to go fast than on more expensive skates. Based on how hard the wheels feel when turning and trying to hockey-stop, I think the main culprit is the bearings.
The wheels are very hard. That will probably make them last a long time, but is not good for fast turns or hockey stops.
The brake works alright, and the new simple design is great. I'd like to get back to the point where I don't use the brake, and instead hockey-stop, but having it is a nice confidence builder. The brake is a very hard plastic as well, and did not stop nearly as short as the softer one on my old skates.
I am very happy with this purchase, especially at the $99 price. If you are looking for skates to work-out in, these are perfect. If you are looking for something to race, do tricks, or play hockey in, you should look elsewhere.
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16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good pair of Rollerblades, April 7, 2011
This review is from: Rollerblade Spiritblade Xt Men's Skate (Sports)
Now I haven't been rollerblading in about 10 years, I haven't even touched a pair of blades in that time either, but these are a good pair. Nice comfortable fit, smooth ride, just waiting for the weather to warm up. I swear, I thought I was gonna trip and fall when I put these on after so long, but it all came back real quick. Good rollerblades if you are a beginner I guess, I'm still going to order pads and gloves. I would recommend these rollerblades.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful Skates, August 27, 2011
Bought the skates to learn roller skating. The package arrived on time and was well packaged, and without any apparent damage.
In the few weeks I have had them, they have been brilliant, and really inspire confidence, something important to a beginner like me.
I would definitely recommend these shoes.
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