K2 SK8 Hero Boa Alu Inline Skates

K2 brand focuses on making comfortable, lightweight skates for recreational skating and fitness. The brand has introduced the whole idea of a “softboot” to the market, and they hit the jackpot here – nowadays, every major skate manufacturers produce their own fitness models according to this blueprint.

For sure you have seen a pair of K2 Skates for adults in the wild – but did you know that the brand also makes very good skates for children? The K2 Sk8 Hero Boa and K2 Charm Boa are made for boys and girls using the same philosophy and technology as models for adult user. As always in case of American company, the comfort is put on the spotlight. Simultaneously, these skates are stronger built and more advanced than K2 Marlee and Raider – nothing strange, considering that they are made for more experienced and older kids.

Both skates come in two adjustable sizing variants: EU32-37 and EU35-40.

The adjustment mechanism is super simple and works with a press of a button located on the inner side of the skate. Then just move the front part (toe cap) forwards or backwards to desired position, release the button and that’s it! Thanks to each skate covering five full sizes, they will keep up with growing feet of the children and serve them for longer.

As expected from K2, these skates are based around softboot concept. A comfortable boot resembling a sneaker is attached in rigid outer skeleton which provides excellent ankle support. Skates come with BOA lacing system – it’s takes very little time to put them on, thanks to clever mechanism that requires you to simply spin the ring, which pulls metal thread to tighten the boot. The boot padding is built from anatomically shaped foams, giving children the level of comfort K2 Skates are famous for. The plastic buckle on the cuff secures the ankle while 45 degree Velcro strap keeps the heel locked in place.

Base of the skate is connected to a two-piece, embossed aluminum frame in a way which ensures a low center of gravity. Having a more rigid, aluminum frame instead of a plastic one gives certain benefits: better control, energy transfer and higher maximum speed. These skates are “snappy” in feel. In addition, they come with 76 mm wheels, making for an excellent roll. The 80A hardness is perfect for children who weight much less than adults (80A is considered a soft wheel for grown-ups). What makes wheels roll are reliable ABEC 5 class bearings. The skates come with detachable brake – the shorter axle is packed in the box.

The only difference between Sk8 Hero and Charm skates are colours. Nothing innovative here: certain skates for boys, other ones for girls. Still, nothing stands in the way for boys to wear ones intended for girls and the other way around, as both give the same fit and have the same parameters. It’s just a matter of aesthetic choice.

These skates come highly recommended for older children, who either want to have a more headroom when it comes to possibilities granted by skates, or have been skating on lower end models for some time and are ready to upgrade.