Rollerblade RB PRO X W - Black/Aqua Inline Skates

Rollerblade are known for making great urban skates. Their dedication to freeskating is obvious when you consider that they are the only company to ever release a pro-model for an urban skater, and not just one, too. Three pro skates for Greg Mirzoyan and one (so far) for Danny Aldridge speak for themselves – Italian brand treats freeskating very seriously.

In recent years the amazing Twister Edge skates serve as the “flagship” skates of Rollerblade urban line. The company has not forgotten about customers with slimmer wallets, too – they also offer a very well-made, cheaper RB line of skates, the very same ones which Danny has used as base for his incredibly popular pro-model.

We won’t describe a story behind RB 80 skates here, as it’s a subject for another article. As the piece you are reading right now is a product description, we’ll just focus on technical details of the RB Pro X W skate here. It is a new edition of the skate and putting Danny Aldridge’s pro-model aside, the most advanced one released so far (next to regular RB Pro X).

What makes current edition different from ones that came before? First, new, improved liner that now can be laced in the upper part. It is a High Performance liner too, which means that it is made from the same quality materials as one found in more expensive Twister Edge skates. Rollerblade have also remodelled foams to offer better ankle support and heel lock. Inside the liner resides an insole with additional shock-absorber underneath the heel.

Liner resides inside a strong, well ventilated shell which have metal plates embedded in places of frame mounting points. This makes the boot and frame connection very rigid and strong, improving energy transfer and making the skates really fast. On top of the cuff you’ll find a plastic buckle and the shell itself can be laced above the ankle, providing a great, snug fit. The 45 degree buckle is another difference compared to previous editions – the skate now uses the same one as Twister Edge skates. This model has better protection of lever mechanism, making the buckle more resistant to damage during falls.

The boot offers a high level of comfort and comes with a wide toe box, giving plenty of space for toes. There are six vent holes in upper part of the shell: two by the toes, two big ones on the sides and two by the heel. The underneath of it also have holes in central area, giving a superb air flow inside. A replaceable slider protecting the side of the shell from damage is a nice touch.

The frame is strong and proven model known from earlier versions of the skate. It is extruded and CNC machined, with single-piece 8 mm axles. As expected, its length is 243 mm, resulting in versatile, agile skate perfect for urban adventures. You can adjust the frame position to the sides thank to wide slots for mounting bolts. The skate comes stock with four 80 mm wheels in flat setup, but all it takes to make it a rockered setup is replacing outer ones with 76 mm diameter and the skate is ready for freestyle manoeuvres.

Stock wheels are Rollerblade Supreme Urban, a good mid-range offering. They will be up to the task of dynamic skating with jumps and slides. The Twincam ILQ-7 Plus bearings make them spin very fast.

All of this comes in stylish colour scheme – light pink colour of the frame with matching details on black shell. RB Pro X W are one of the best looking urban skates aimed at women.

Last part worth to mention is the brake. A lot of companies forget about less advanced users and do not include one with their skates. After all, advanced freeskaters do not need one, and will be quick to take it off. However, if someone is learning how to skate, a brake is a great help before person will gain enough confidence to learn other stopping techniques.

The past RB 80 and RB 80 Pro editions were very popular thanks to their great quality at good price point, but RB Pro X and RB Pro X W have raised the bar even higher. They are great skates at attractive price and can go toe to toe not only with competition, but also their younger, more expensive sibling Twister Edge. Highly recommended to all urban skating fans!