Chaya Melrose Elite - Love is Love Roller Skates

The Chaya brand is (relatively) a newcomer to rollerskate market but people behind it pack plenty of experience. It is a division of German company Powerslide, which has acquired multiple rollerskating talent from all over the world – this includes people who skate park and roller derby players. From the very beginning, the project is overseen by Kenneth Dedeu – a Powerslide’s creative director, photographer, designer, talented inline skater and rollerskater (he does have a cool nickname: Ragnaroll). As you can see, the foundations are solid (not just nickname) and coupled with company’s dedication to deliver best possible equipment, it has resulted in really solid line of rollerskates.

One of the more popular models from Chaya lifestyle line are Melrose – afforadble rollerskates made for crusing, jams and dancing. No matter if you find happiness in rolling through the streets or dancing all night to disco music, Melrose will be just perfect. The line of Melrose rollerskates has been such a runaway hit, that Powerslide have decided to introduce upgraded models dedicated towards more demanding users. The Elite version is one step above basic model and comes with upgraded plate, trucks and wheels.

The skates have classic style, high cut boot. It is characterised by medium level of rigidity, providing good amount of ankle support without restricting movement. It is fully vegan – does not contain any animal-derived materials. The outer skin is made of artifical leather and inner is covered with textile material. The anatomically shaped, dual density foams provide excellent level of comfort and keep the heel locked in place.

Plate is made of plastic reinforced with glass fibre (GFRP), giving them excellent rigidity and durability at low price. Elite models are equipped with upgraded Chaya Shari plate – designed for demanding conditions of roller derby, this part can withstand a lot of abuse, so you do not need to worry about durability at all.

In addition, it comes with anatomically offset toe stopper – placed closer to a big toe, giving you much more natural feeling on push and better balance on tricks. It is actually puzzling, how no one came up with it earlier, considering that rollerskates exist for over 150 years!

While basic Melrose models have trucks made out of GFRP material, Elite comes with higher end, aluminium casted ones. They still have the same width of 105 mm, ensuring great maneuverability.

When it comes to other parts, Chaya provide a fine balance between quality and price. The cushions are made of 92A hardness PU while the stopper uses the same material, although a bit harder. The high quality 62 mm wheels used in Melrose have 78A hardness urethane compound and small core – meaning there’s more “meat” on them and they’ll last you longer. They are super comfortable to ride and provide excellent grip. The Wicked ABEC 7 bearings made out of carbon steel roll fast and smoothly.

The upgrades over basic version add to the weight a little, making Elite a bit heavier (1520g instead of 1315g in size EU39).

The Elite version is a breath of fresh air, making a classic Melrose rollerskate even better. We receive an upgraded hardware without a big jump in price point. At the same time, Melrose Elite will suit the needs not only of beginners, but the more advanced skaters alike. If you look for a pair of quality rollerskates to have fun with, look no further.