USD Sway skates are one of the three main models for aggressive skating offered by the leading brand on the market - Universal Skate Design. It is a relatively "new" skate, which has undergone a number of modifications and improvements over the last few years. By transforming from an affordable, beginner skates into a proven equipment which meets even the most sophisticated needs, USD Sway skates can really shake up the market in the upcoming 2022 season.
The beginnings
The first versions appeared on the market back in 2015 (based on the shell of Powerslide Bronx skates, with shell size ranges - 40-41,42-43 etc.) and immediately filled the missing gap of entry-level boot in USD offerings. Fans of the brand with, wider feet , were not having much choice before - apart from USD VII, which were considered 'beginner' skates, that is. It was quite difficult to fit into the tight and compact USD Carbon or the very specific USD Aeon shell. So, all of a sudden, we got USD skates that indeed had universal fit and could accommodate almost every kind of foot.
Evolution
2016-2017 period brought significant increase in the popularity of the Sway model. The skates worked perfectly for street skating and thanks to their simple construction template, they were very durable. The well-designed Sway Soulplate was definitely their strongest point. Wide, thick, with a strongly shaped groove (integrated backslide plate) as well as even width along the boot, made all grinds, slides and (very popular at that time) cess slide tricks much easier to perform. More and more skaters started to use Sways. They were available in both standard colors (white, black) and more flashy ones, which attracted even more attention (blue, silver), thus enabling interesting customization options. The icing on the cake was the first PRO model based on the original Sway boot - USD PRO Montre Livingstone.
Since then, our community has "accepted" the boot for good. The "cheap starter skate" label has gradually started to vanish. Subsequent models received new upgrades - higher quality frames, wheels or liners, constantly attracting new followers.
USD Sway also gained great popularity on our local scene - Polish rider Krystian Zarzeczny flooded the Internet with gnarly footage presenting the skates in action - strong street tricks and incredible park stunts convinced a lot of bladers to at least give them a try.
New shell
USD did not slow down the pace - in 2020 aggressive skating icon Chris Farmer received his PRO Sway model, this time based on a brand new shell (Powerslide ZOOM). The size of the shells returned to the more standard ranges (39-40,41-42 etc.), thanks to which the skates gained a lot in the visual aspect. Soulplate has been unchanged, but the skate introduced further improvements in the form of a dedicated 45 degree straps and high-end MyFit Crown liners. The new shell is also a nice tribute to older USD fans - USD Sway skates resemble the legendary USD Classic Throne - what more could you ask for?
What's new in version 2022
Sway enthusiasts have another reason to be happy - in the 2022 season, some models of these skates will be equipped with a brand new soulplate designed together with their faithful user Chris Farmer. The new soulplate has a more compact shape, a better fit to the shell, but still a large contact surface with a ledge or a rail and of course, perfectly profiled backslide plate. The more basic models with old style soulplate will be available for a while, for those who prefer it.
The future looks bright for Sway model, so if you are looking for something fresh go ahead and try a pair! You will not be disappointed!
