When it comes to questions about products coming to us via emails, the ones about differences between bearing models are common. Many of you ask what are differences between Bones bearings types, considering that there are several of them. The most popular ones are REDS and Super REDS. So, what’s the difference?
Why Bones?
It is worth to start with explaining why you should consider picking up bearings made by Bones in the first place.
The brand was established in early 80’s by George Powell, a skateboarder who realized the limitations of bearings available at the time and wanted something better. He saw a value in bringing a product meeting strict requirements of ever evolving street skateboarding to the market.
His search for faster and stronger bearings has led him to a Switzerland, where he found a factory making higher spec and faster machine bearings than anything on the skating market. He needed to cross the ocean for that, as Bones HQ is located in USA. But it was worth it – the durability, smoothness of the roll and speed were much better than in case of any bearings made by skating brands at the time.
Soon after, the very first bearings made by Bones hit the market – Bones Swiss. They have really shaken things up and felt like a next-level hardware. The bearings turned out to be so good that rollerskaters have started to pick them up. Since then, Bones Bearings have expanded its focus beyond skateboarding and worked on providing the best parts for all roller-sports. The requirements of those are taken into account at the design phase of any Bones bearings model.
The Swiss made bearings come at a price, though, and the brand has quickly started to look for a way to offer a more affordable option without compromising quality. This is how REDS came to be – they are made in China, but are far from being generic bearings with Bones branding printed on shields. First of all, Powell has opted for one of the most renown bearing manufacturers in the country. Secondly, the production line parameters were customised and adjusted to make the end product as close in quality to Bones Swiss as possible. REDS are inspected twice to make sure they are meeting quality requirements before being shipped from China.
Very good and even better
Regular REDS serve as a base, reference point in company’s catalogue. This does not mean that they are weak bearings – far from that. Powell has set the baseline quality bar really high.
REDS have clearances, tolerances and materials grade carefully chosen with roller-sports in mind. They come with nylon ball retainer and single rubberised shield for easy maintenance. Just like other Bones bearings, they are lubricated with Bones Speed Cream, which gives excellent roll.
So, this is a starting point. The Super version of REDS has been improved in two areas and come with:
- Higher quality steel races with superior surface finish
- Higher quality and grade balls
As a result, we are getting bearings which are as fast as regular REDS, but are quieter, longer lasting and provide smoother roll.
Bones REDS vs Super REDS
It is safe to say that even basic REDS should satisfy needs of most skaters out there, no matter the style they skate – including speedskating on amateur level. These are so good that you really need to have very high expectations and specific needs to find them inadequate.
The Super version, being an upgrade, especially in terms of smoothness of the ride, is a good pick for those who skate freestyle slalom or are serious about competing at higher level in speedskating. Of course – they will do just fine in urban skating or street/park, so if you aren’t bothered by a higher price and would like to get a bit more premium experience, by all means go for them.
Do not forget spacers!
Most of spacers which come stock with skates are too wide to be used with Bones bearings. This results in clicky noise, can damage the wheel core and makes the bearings underperforming. This is why we highly recommend to get dedicated Bones spacers, which ensure that bearings have proper working conditions.