New Skates!

I've decided if I am really going to getback into skating, I need proper equipment. I was doubly motivated after the guy at the skate park dogged on my old skates. But he wasn't wrong about how ghetto they were. Take a look at the pictures and compare for yourself.

Old Rollerblade CI5's. These were awesome way back when. I bought this pair at Play It Again for a steal because they were pretty worn out already, but the wire around the buckle and the disconnected cuff were my doing. These things are falling apart. Plus, they're size 13, and I wear an 11. I just got used to them being too big.

The new skates aren't exactly "new". They're Salomon STi Pro's, and they're about 3 years old. $300 brand new, but I got them for $60 on e-bay. They are in great condition, but they went for next to nothing because Salomon exited the aggressive skate market over a year ago. Nobody wants a pair of skates from a non-existent

manufacturer...except me that is. I skated them
for the first time today, and they're like a dream. They have UFS (Universal Frame System) frames, so I can switch out the frames in no time, and they have a combination hard/soft boot that has awesome support. When I grind, the skates feel locked onto the rail. It's fantastic.

Now for the next bit of good news. I raised my rail by another 8 inches! More videos to come...