Powerslide Hardcore EVO Sam Crofts - Grey Inline Skates

The Powerslide brand continues the trend of releasing pro skates of their aggressive inline riders and after Zoom 110 Pro Nick Lomax and Next 80 Mery Munoz, Germans have prepared quite a special skate. This time, a honour of creating his pro-model went to Sam Crofts, one of the most talented skaters in the world. You may not be aware of the fact that Sam is not only a superb street skater, but a big fan of freeskating on bigger wheels, too. His favourite skates are Hardcore Evo Trinity and he has been customising them to his needs for years now. It is not surprising that he picked them as a base for his pro-skate.

Sam is not only a great skater, but enthusiast of the hardware too and loves to tinker with it. He even wrote a “press release” text of sorts for the occasion of his skates hitting the shops. Read it below:

For my first signature urban skate, I worked alongside the Powerslide design team to create my own personalised version of the brands flagship skate, the Hardcore Evo. I modified the design to meet my exact requirements, creating a skate specifically bred for intense urban and freeride skating. I'm very proud to present the Sam Crofts Evo 2022.

Using the 2021 Hardcore Evo silhouette as the designs base, I firstly chose to remove the toe straps and toe caps as I don't do slalom and I'd already been removing these from my other HC evo's for some years now to help give the skate a more classic sneaker aesthetic. Having always loved skating at night and also taking inspirations from some of the my current favourite shoe designs I created a 3M reflective based design. Including full reflective side panels, hockey style waxed laces with 3M reflective flecs and reflective carry handles and accents.

This created a dual look skate, a cool grey and silver model in the day, but with a completely unique 3M reflective look that really pops at night. I also added a slightly softer than usual clear cuff for increased comfort on longer sessions but still giving ample support on gaps and slides ect. The complete version comes with the latest urban Trinity mount masterpiece from Powerslide, the Combat Rocker Frame in 4x80mm. For myself, given the frame's new rocker system, the 4x80mm Combat is the optimal set up in terms of balancing both agility and stability, with its 260mm length and multiple rockering options.

The Powerslide Combat Rocker Frame is designed to be the ultimate inline freeride frame, at the heart of this new frame are the revolutionary HXG rocker spacers. The hexagonal spacers can easily be adjusted to six different positions, meaning each wheel can be rockered individually creating an almost endless range of rockering options so you can really tailor the skate to your own personal needs. The frame is light and strong, constructed from 6061 aircraft aluminum and CNC machined to perfection. The minimalist design and unique triple void construction give the Combat frames exceptional performance. I chose this in a classic industrial silver finish to complement the skates overall look.

Finally as an Undercover Wheels pro rider I of course added some of their high speed Raw White 80mm wheels and Wicked Abec 9 bearings. This is without a doubt the best urban model I have ever used, it's a real dream come true to see this design come to fruition and share my vision of the HC Evo with the urban world

- Sam Crofts

We would like to add some information Sam didn’t mention in his summary.

The story of Hardcore Evo has begun in 2009 when the very first version has reached shops worldwide. In their day, these were nothing but a revolutionary skate – even though Powerslide tinkered with integrated padding concept in skates dedicated for freestyle before (S3 Skali for example), the HC Evo were the very first to use carbon fibre, heat-mouldable shell.

Ten years passed and Hardcore Evo Trinity hit the market. 2018 model was the first that received an upgrade to Trinity mounting. Now three points connect the frame to the boot, instead of usual two. Because front screw in line with wheels was replaced with two screws place on the sides, the centre of gravity could be lowered, which results in easier control over skates. Two mounting points at the front create a solid platform to stand on, enhancing stability and responsiveness.

If we were to pick the most sophisticated and technologically advanced boots among Powerslide skates, Hardcore Evo Trinity would place on the podium right next to specialised speedskating models. The skates are fully heatmouldable – not only the shells, but also padding. Thanks to it, you can achieve perfect fit, comfort and control without extended break-in period and eliminate pressure points. Even the boot tongue is special – it has been made with cuts that allow it to adjust to your anatomy better and in turn, securing your heel in place as best as possible. The heel position is raised higher than in most skates to make certain tricks easier.

The new Combat Rocker frames Sam’s pro model come with are top tier gear and anyone who knows what’s up with technology in skating will have to agree with his opinion about these. The already mentioned triple void extrusion process is brand-new tech in freeskating frames – Combat Rocker models are first ever to be made with it. There are two levels of internal bridges between the frame walls, making whole construction super rigid.

Even when it comes to rockering, Powerslide have prepared some surprises. In contrast to prior rockerable frames made by Powerslide, there are six positions to choose from instead of two. Interestingly, even though these frames do use hexagonal spacers, the axles are one-piece with threaded head, instead of two-piece like in similar solutions from the past. This greatly simplifies the process of tinkering with rockering options. In addition, the spacers have numbered corners, allowing you to easily set them to desired configuration.

Furthermore, these spacers are made of stainless steel - a very important characteristic, making them not only super strong, but also preventing threads damage. The racing axles used here are made out of aluminium, which is a softer material than steel. Thus, the risk of damaging a spacer's thread is minimal!

As you can see, HC Evo Sam Crofts Pro 80 are made for freeskaters who pursue perfection and highest quality gear they can get. It is top notch stuff, without any compromises!