Skating is back

It can be safely said that inline skating is having a huge comeback in 2020 – thousands of people all over the world are picking up the sport for health and fun. Skating itself has changed a lot during the past two decades: there was explosion of new styles not present in the 90’s and the equipment quickly followed the suit. It’s not surprising that people coming back after long break may feel a bit lost. The fact that practically half of the skates released these days have just three (comparatively) big wheels surely doesn’t help.

The thing about classics is that they become classics in the first place because of their qualities. Lightweight, breathable fitness skates on four wheels are an example of a classic, ever-popular skate setup. Not everyone needs latest and greatest inventions in skating technology, not everyone wants to skate on wheels of 10cm (or more) diameter. Not every skater need a stiff composite or carbon boot and most importantly – not everyone wants to pay a premium price for a pair of skates.

There are brands out there that tuned a process of creating the fitness softboots close to perfection. One of such brands is, without a shadow of doubt, Rollerblade – the pioneers of the sport, who made a name for themselves thanks to quality of their products.

Guess what just arrived at our warehouse? A fresh shipment of nice Rollerblade fitness models (skates, not people!): Spiritblade 80 W, Macroblade 80 and Spark 80. All of them have certain aspects in common:

• four 80mm wheels of 82A hardness
• lightweight softboots
• low centre of gravity
• a brake

These are nice skates for anyone looking for a solid pair to just enjoy the ride, with Macroblades and Spark having a chance to satisfy a taste of more demanding, workout-oriented skaters.

Rollerblade Fitness skates

Spiritblade 80 and 80 W

This skate comes in two flavours: unisex and for women. It’s a basic model made for recreational skating, with frame integrated with the outer composite skeleton. The soft upper wraps around the foot thanks to lacing system and the heel is held down with Velcro strap. The plastic buckle on cuff provides stability over the ankle.

An important part is that Rollerblade is one of few brands which don’t just splash a coat of pink paint over skates and add the “W” letter to the name, calling it a day – they make the boots slimmer, better fitting to female anatomy. We highly recommend Spiritblade 80 skaters who look for a comfortable pair for calm, recreational cruising, without ambitions to break any speed records.

Macroblade 80

Macroblade boot is currently the most widely used base for Rollerblade fitness skates. Thanks to reinforced outer skeleton, Macroblade boot is used from recreational models on smaller wheels up to more workout-oriented skates on 3x110 mm wheels. It’s a really solid skate – the upper is modelled after sneakers, with lacing wrapping it securely around the foot, Velcro strap prevents any heel lift and the buckle on top of the cuff secures the ankle. The 5 Star fit padding gives a high level of comfort to the user.

Macroblade 80 are aimed towards beginners and moderately experienced skaters. The frame is made out of embossed aluminium, providing adequate level of stiffness for faster skating. A nice bonus is ability to use 84mm wheels with the skate, opening a path for upgrade later on, when user is ready for it.

Spark 80

Spark 80, available in two colourways in our shop, for all intents and purposes are a sibling of Macroblade 80 described above. It’s a refreshed version of classic Rollerblade softboot skate, which dominated rec/fitness field for years and introduced thousands of people into our favourite sport. For a long time, Sparks were unmatched, and competitors couldn’t create skates offering similar level of comfort, quality and value. Nowadays, Macroblade is the main fitness skate in Rollerblade’s catalogue, however their predecessors are still available in some territories, both to satisfy the increased need for skates of this type and because of trust people put in Sparks.

The main differences compared to Macroblade are outer skeleton, which is a bit more low-profile and cuff, which is more enclosed at the back. The padding is also not shaped in the same way. It’s impossible to say which of the two is better – the most important part is how each of them will fit user’s anatomy. Sparks also come with aluminium frames taking up to 84mm wheels.

To sum it up

If you are looking for a pair of rec/fitness skates that won’t break the bank, it’s hard to find better options than the models listed here – their quality, finish and level of comfort are all top-notch. We live in times when it may be hard to wrap your head around all options available on the market, but know this: an investment in a pair of Rollerblade skates is always worth it. Arguably, there is no better setup to start skating on than classic 4x80mm, so these skates come highly recommended for beginners, but more advanced skaters will also have fun with them, no doubt. You can find these skates (and more) in our shop, of course!