Powerslide Swell Stellar City 125 Inline Skates

Powerslide Swell have set a new benchmark in category of fitness skates. In times when sports equipment manufacturers must put emphasis not only on quality but also on aesthetics, Swell come forward to the expectations, offering durability, excellent performance and great looks which resemble running shoes design. This line of skates has come long way since the very first models hit the market – nowadays, Swell are almost completely re-build from scratch and better than ever.

Two new Swell Stellar models serve as a flagship skates of the line. These sport biggest wheels and top-tier components.

The Swell Stellar City is more urban-oriented of the two and perfect for all your workout and commuting needs in busy city environment – you get speed and great manoeuvrability in one package.

Every Swell model is built around a boot with integrated padding and stiff, composite shell. Glass fibre addition makes the shell stronger and gives it qualities which are not that widespread among fitness skates – namely, a great energy transfer and superior control.

The cuff used in new Swell skates has been tested thoroughly in USD Aeon aggressive models first. It has been designed to deliver a great amount of ankle freedom when it comes to front to back movement range. Thanks to it, even though it is a high cut skate, you can go lower and make deeper pushes, without sacrificing ankle stability to the sides. As a bonus, you can place the cuff a bit lower using canting system to have even greater range of movement. You can also use it to tilt the cuff to left or right, helping you mitigate any tendencies for pronation or supination, which may cause pressure points in the ankle area.

The upper is made out of durable, synthetic material which does excellent job at letting air in and moisture out of the skate. The inner padding is made using new, patented technology named 3DAP. Instead of standard, pre-shaped foams glued together, it is a single cast made out of low density, resilient polyurethane (PU). The boot tongue is made using the same technology and is not only pre-shaped but also comes which flex cuts, which allow it to bend to the shape of your foot in optimal way. These skates do not need break-in period – this revolutionary tech wraps around your foot perfectly the first time you put them on.

Furthermore, moulding the padding out of single material rather than making it out of layers of different density foams allows Powerslide to design the shape very precisely. Polyurethane acts as a shock-absorbing material, too - so it reduces foot fatigue by dampening vibrations.

PU does not allow for airflow, though – thus, a concept of air channels was introduced. The padding is perforated – multiple small holes let the heat and moisture to escape. It does the job so well, that these skates feel more “breathable” than counterparts with traditional padding! The boot closure consists of classic lacing, a really solid buckle with precise tightening system and Velcro strap.

If all of this sounds too like going beyond typical fitness skate template, it’s because it indeed does. Powerslide engineers have used the technology and experience developed and acquired while working on speedskates, freeskates, aggressive models and even high end MyFit liners to build Swell Stellar. These redefine what fitness skates are and you can say they fall into “fitness+” category, as they are made for much more than cruising park lanes. Skating in city environment, marathons, long distance, intense training – they can do it all.

Powerslide have introduced an innovative Trinity mounting, starting with second generation of Swell skates and it is still used there. It is revolutionary, patented frame mounting system. It uses three mounting points, placing two front bolts on the sides of the wheels. Thanks to it, the centre of balance is as low as possible, as wheels can be placed closer to your foot. This makes skates easier to control. Moreover, three mounting points make energy transfer more efficient, which translates to faster skating with less effort.

Another advantage is full compatibility with whole Trinity frames range – if you will ever decide to try a different wheel setup, you won’t have to worry if the frame will fit your boot. You can even mount long speedskating frame and convert these skates in to “full fat” 3x125mm marathon model if you wish. Or go for smaller wheels, for example 4x80 setup in 243 mm frame and have slower, but more agile and easier to control skate.

The frame used in this model is made out of AM 60B magnesium alloy, which makes it both lighter and more rigid than casted aluminium ones used in lower end Swell models. It measures 255 mm – the shortest possible wheelbase for three 125 mm wheels. For sake of comparison – it is significantly shorter than 4x90 mm setup used frequently in fitness skates, which measures 273 mm. Best part – 3x125 is both more agile and significantly faster!

Wheels do not disappoint either. Undercover RAW are top tier among models designed for urban skating and deliver ultra high rebound, allowing you to go really fast. As urethane is of highest quality, they are truly long lasting. ABEC9 bearings made by Wicked complete the package and provide great roll.

If you are aiming for top-tier fitness skates which will perform great not only on the road, but also in urban environment, Swell Stellar City are an excellent choice.