There are some skates for kids which are a permanent part of our shop’s offer and it doesn’t look like it is about to change anytime soon. Skating companies develop and introduce new products almost every year and yet, it is rare to see them really hit the nail on the head and make a skate which almost instantly becomes a cult classic.
The Powerslide brand has managed to do this more than once, but their most popular and highest rated skates for kids are definitely Phuzion Universe. A new skating season came and with it, new editions of these skates. It is a good occasion to remind ourselves what makes them so special.
First of all, even thought Phuzion Universe’s design is almost decade old, it has not stopped being relevant in terms of functionality and aesthetics. Truth to be told, skates for children can often be visually noisy to the point of being borderline ugly, but it’s not the case here. The shell lines flow elegantly in futuristic organic style, giving the boot a timeless look, which is as far removed from realm of kitsch as you can possibly go.
However, when looking at the skate, you may be under an impression that their outer shell is a bit too minimalist, especially in cuff/ankle area. A lot of people who have an experience with cheap, “general store” grade skates which bend even though they have much more enclosed construction, may have concerns that it will not be strong enough to deliver a proper ankle support. Powerslide have an ace up in their sleeve which makes sure there’s enough support and structural rigidity.
What could it be?
Let us introduce you to GFRP!
GFRP stands for Glass Fibre Reinforced Plastic. It is not a laminate (case in which glass fibres are intertwined and form a cloth, connected as layers with resin or plastic), but similar concept to a concrete with addition of glass fibres. They reinforce the molecular net structure and make it exceptionally stiff for a plastic. Of course, there are multiple types of plastic (polypropylene, polyethylene, PVC, ABS and so on) – Powerslide keeps the exact type of polymer (or blend of those) in secret.
GFRP is commonly used in German brand’s skates. It is performing exceptionally in skates designed for adults. In case of skates for children, which are put under much less strain (as kids weight less and apply weaker force), their parts can be more streamlined and minimalist while still maintaining a necessary level of support.
In fact, the Phuzion Universe skates (as well as their simplified sibling, Stargaze) are universally recommended by instructors working as a part of the biggest inline skating schools network in Poland, the I Love Rolki project. By recommending them to their students, they back it up with their own reputation, which is everything in this business, so we can take it as a solid guarantee.
Coming back to boot’s rigidity for a bit – after reading above paragraphs, you may be worried that shell will be too stiff to be comfortably laced, especially if a child is the one to do it. Powerslide thought about this, too and the boot comes with notches between lace holes, which make the lacing area more elastic and allows for a better fit.
The “toe cap”, which is a moving part we can slide back and fort using size adjusting mechanism, is noticeably lower in height than in many other skates for children. This makes a lot of sense considering that juvenile feet are shaped with different proportions than adult ones.
Considering all of the above, the liner is almost a matter of formality. It is made out of thick, comfortable and anatomically shaped foams. There are no advanced features here, but they are not necessary. In conjunction with a super solid shell, the liner works perfectly. See for yourself:
The boot won’t roll alone.
Another key element of these skates is frame. Once again, what Powerslide did when it comes to balancing the price-point and quality is worth praising. The frame is made out of two halves, which are cut out and embossed from a thick aluminium sheet. It is worth to point out that embossed frames are used in some skates made for adults, too! It is a relatively cheap manufacturing process which allows for bringing down the cost of usually expensive part, while preserving a desired level of rigidity, greater than what composite frames can deliver (and weighting less than them, too).
This also means that it was extremely easy for Powerslide to equip the skates with different frame types. Thus, one can get 3 or 4 wheel variants of the skate and what is more, both will have frame length adjusted to shell size. It is a very important feature in skates for children, as it allows for the best compromise between agility and stability. Furthermore, shorter frames made for younger children use smaller wheels, which translates to lower center of gravity and slower roll. This makes the skates easier fpr them to handle.
The last piece of the puzzle are Powerslide Infinity wheels. These are some of the best fitness wheels on the market, a true leader in terms of price and quality ratio. Furthermore, they are the same wheels as ones made for adults, meaning that they will last longer when used by a lighter, younger skater. On a side note, we know several examples of people using them as a budget urban skating wheel model and still, we never had any refund claim related to cracked cores or urethane detaching from them.
Are Powerslide Phuzion Universe the perfect skates for children?
The answer is obvious: no. There are no perfect things out there. When it comes to skates, it boils down to the fact that everyone has a slightly different foot, so no skate will be perfect for all. But this applies to every single model on the market, not just Phuzion Universe. Apart from that, it is difficult to find any downsides.
For season 2022, Powerslide offers two colourways: white-pink and black-green. Both are available in 4 and 3 wheels configuration.
Interestingly, the latter come with HABS brake, which allows you to adjust position of stopping rubber through passage of time, according to wear, to keep it close to the surface skated. Below you can find hotlinks to all four versions.
- Powerslide Phuzion Universe 4W - Pink
- Powerslide Phuzion Universe 4W - Green
- Powerslide Phuzion Universe - Pink
- Powerslide Phuzion Universe – Green
If you want to check all Phuzion Universe skates available in our shop, you can do it here.
