Rollerblade Thunder - Black/Blue Inline Skates

Rollerblade is widely known for high quality, advanced equipment, also in kids’ skates segment. The company does not forget that every journey needs to start somewhere, though – this is why you can also find really solid skaters for newcomers in their catalogue. Rollerblade Thunder, the skates designed for the very youngest, are among them.

There’s not a bit of exaggeration when we say “very youngest”. Thunder sizes are starting at EU26 which equals 16 cm foot length. This is the size worn by a lot of three year old children. Considering the age of the skates target group, they’ve been given vivid colours which will surely appeal to any kid.

Rollerblade always put pressure on quality and even though Thunder are coming with modest price tag, it was not sacrificed there. The boot is super solid and gives great ankle support. The composite structure is reinforced in most critical areas and softer upper gives high level of comfort. The skates wrap around the foot thanks to lacing, Velcro strap and upper buckle. Inner lining is made out of Performance foams, just like in many of Rollerblade’s skates for adults.

The boot is adjustable and comes in four size ranges, each of which can accommodate four EU sizes (i.e. EU26-29). This way the skates can grow with children’s feet and will last them for longer. The adjustment mechanism is easy to use – just push the button on the skate’s side and move the front part of the boot. No additional tools required.
The skates are based around unibody concept – the frame and boot skeleton are one piece, which makes the whole skate lighter. Another benefit is lowered distance from the ground, making Thunders easier to control. The other parts like cuff, strap and buckle are attached using rivets, which makes these skates almost maintenance-free – no need to worry about checking if screws haven’t got loose, because there are no screws. The only things the skate need are rotating/replacing the wheels with a check if axles are done tight, from time to time and adjusting the size when need arises. That’s all.

Rollerblade use 72 mm wheels in Thunders. Seeing that these come in 80A hardness, the compromise was achieved between smooth rolling, speed and comfort – after all, kids weight far less than typical adult and 82A-84A is typical wheel hardness used in fitness skates for grown-ups. SG3 bearings, lubricated with silicone gel, are long-lasting. Of course, skates come with a brake (it can be detached).

If you are after a pair of skates which will serve as great introduction into the world of skating, the Thunders are superb choice with great price to quality ratio.