New season, new Powerslide Next skates. I (as author of this piece) value them as one of the best designs of hardboot freeskates on the market. I use mine as a primary pair of skates for a few years now and they have „ruined” other boots for me to the point in which I wish I would have Next on my feet while skating anything else.
Why I love Next?
A big selling point of Next is the shell sizing. While most skates have shells coming in power of two (i.e. EU41-42, EU43-44) Next go against this trend and offer sizing EU40-41, EU42-43 and so on. This was a game changer for me, seeing that I wear size EU42.5 – of course, this may not be a best solution for everyone, but the fact is people like me were losing on a shell sizing lottery more often than not, and Next are among minority of skates that break this trend.
Another thing I just love about these skates is lacing. It’s hockey-style high laced shell and tightening is super efficient. I’ve thrown in CCM (or Bauer, cannot remember) waxed hockey laces and the boot holds my foot so well when laced properly, I could replace my buckles with USD Aeon Velcro straps (lighter, more convenient and look better, imo). The there’s the cuff – it follows movement of the ankle much better than any cuff on any skate I’ve used before or after Next (and I’ve used dozens). It comes with a canting option, too, so you can tilt it or place higher/lower according to your needs. It is a huge help if you have pronation or supination issues.
I could really go on and on about this. How big difference the Trinity frame mounting makes (not to mention opening doors to go crazy with speedskating frames on these), how customizable the boot is, how good stock liners are. Instead, I’ll just say that Next are the best hardboot skates for me. Your mileage may vary, but I encourage you to give them a chance, too! Here’s a photo of my setup, so you can see how cool it is for yourself:
Powerslide Next for season 2021 – which ones to choose?
Below you can see a short breakdown of all Next models available in our shop. Be aware that not all of them are from 2021 collection – some have been released back in 2020 and their stock is limited. Nonetheless, all of them share exactly the same boot (apart from different colours) and are high quality skates. You can check out a whole Powerslide Next collection here.
Powerslide Next Black boot only – as the name says, it’s just a boot. Good pick if you already have Trinity frame for it, but purchase also makes sense if you plan to set up a pair of Next with a frame that is not available as stock option (be sure to check our Trinity frames selection in that case).
Powerslide Next Black Core 80, Rose 80, Grey 80 and Black/Red 80 – all four versions are the same skate, with Rose and Grey being targeted at female audience (with nice colourways I wouldn’t object wearing as a man) and thus coming in sizes up to EU43. They have a classic 4x80 mm wheel setup and short 243 mm frame. Black Core 80 in sizes starting EU44-45 are equippped with longer 273 mm frame that can fit up to 4x90 mm wheels – a kind of bonus for people who have bigger feet. These skates are strongly recommended for people who are sceptical about the whole triskating craze and looking for something more conservative when it comes to freeskating setups.
Powerslide Next Black White 90 – Next on 4x90 mm wheel setup, simple as that! Personally, a concept of having four smaller wheels in longer frame has grown on me lately because of how easy it is to get these up to speed thanks to super stable wheelbase while pushing. A big advantage of Next 90 is that they are still sit relatively low above the ground, making them a joy to skate. When it comes to turning, you have to adjust to 273 mm long frame – learn how to shift your weight between back and front wheels, put some more effort in legwork like crossovers and the likes, but after adaptation period, you’ll soon forget that you are on such long wheelbase. I have PS Imperials set up with 310 mm long frame now and even though my skating skills are rather mediocre, I still have no issues in handling the skates. Thus, I encourage you to give 4x90 mm version a go, especially if you are after dynamic urban setup.
Powerslide Next Black Core 100, Rose 100, Grey 100 and Black and White 100 – the same situation as in case of 4x80 mm models when it comes to colours and sizing differences. Skates come with short 231 mm frame fitting three 100 mm wheels (it’s 243 mm long frame in case of Black Core 100 in sizes from EU44-45). Personally, I’m not a fan of such short frames and prefer 110 mm wheels, but know plenty of people who just love this setup. It’s both more agile and faster than 4x80 wheels in 243 mm frame, making for a perfect introduction point (gateway drug?) in to world of triskating setups. These will satisfy skaters who like to weave in a bit of freestyle moves in to their skating, as setup height is still low, which results in great level of control when coupled with super manoeuvrable frames.
Powerslide Next Black Core 110 and Next 110 Black/Red – a modern classic of an urban skating setup. Three 110 mm diameter wheels in 243 mm long frame make for fast, dynamic skate. I’ve been using this setup (as frame length and wheel size, not this exact skate) for years and still use 110 mm wheels, although I’ve moved on to longer, 255 mm frame. If you have not used this wheel configuration in the past, you will be amazed how fast you can go in these. Plus, there’s a super nice feeling of carving on the big wheels, going super low at sharp angle without worrying about scratching the boot. 3x110 is the most widespread triskating setup for a reason.
Powerslide Next 110 Pro – a „pro” version of skate described above comes with upgrades in three areas. For starters, they come with a higher quality, extruded and CNC machined frame. It looks nicer and is more rigid than gravity casted ones in other Next models. Safe to say, that this frame has potential to outlive the boot itself. Then we have wheels: while standard Next models come with pretty decent Powerslide Spinners, Pro have Undercovers – one of the best freeskating wheels on the market. The SKF bearings are also an upgrade over ABEC9 in other variants. Please note that these are not 2021 season model – we have some stock left from last year, so if you consider grabbing this pimped-out version of Next 110 skate, better hurry and hit that buy button.
Powerslide Next 125 Brown – a „megacruiser” type skate. Three 125 mm diameter wheels in short 255 mm frame will allow you to cover long distances and to go really fast. At the same time, the skates are still very agile. I have used such setup in the past, but eventually went back to 110 mm wheels (in the 255 mm frame) for one reason – it’s noticeably faster to accelerate on 110’s than on 125’s and this plays a big role in the city, where I have to slow down and stop frequently. I cannot deny that 125 mm wheels have their charm, though – once you get them rolling up to speed, skating is almost effortless! This is why I recommend going for this wheel size if you have possibility to skate long distances on good quality roads and pavements, without having to stop very often. But! Even if you’ll get these skates and won’t like such big wheels, you can always set them up with 110 mm ones in the same frame – works like a charm and gives a nicely balanced setup for urban ride. What’s new in this version of the skate are Undercover RAW wheels. The RAW line uses the same amazing urethane compound as flagship Undercovers, but are made in China instead of the USA. As a result, you get superb quality wheel at price falling somewhere between Spinners and USA-made Undercovers.
Powerslide Next SL 80 Grey Pink - a new addition to the line-up, released for 2022 season. Next SL are simplified models targeting a lower pricepoint, but with a twist. They hit the retro-vibe tones, kind of like what people living back in the 90's could imagine skates thirty years later to look like. The lower buckle is gone, but it is not a big deal, seeing that hockey-style lacing works wonders when it comes to holding feet in place and locking the heel. Skates come with slimmer liner, which may make them better fitting for those who previously found the boot to be too narrow. Overall, a slightly downgraded, but nonetheless good quality skates with fresh looks.
To finish this up, a word of advice. The absolutely most important aspect of the skate is the boot. Next are amazing design, full of adjustment options and it really shows that Powerslide wanted the skate to appeal to as much people as possible. However, they won’t ever be perfect for everyone and it may be the case that some other boot will fit you better. That’s normal. It took me 10 years of skating to find a perfect skate for me, after trying dozens of models from various manufacturers. I hope that it won’t take you as much time. Who knows, maybe Next will be such skate for you?
