5th Element ST-110 Urban Inline Skates

I decided to get back into rollerblading and found my old pair of K2s super unsatisfying and frustrating to use to I decided to try a hard boot and different wheel size.

These are a great pair of rollerblades if you're looking to relearn and do some chill urban skating.

The wheels glide over pretty much any surface and roll smoothly. I got a size 8 - my street shoe is usually an 8-9 and they're snug without being tight. The boot needed a little heat molding to adjust for pressure points but it was a relatively easy fix and with a nice pair of thick socks they fit great now!

I was a little concerned about not having a heel stop because I've never been without one but these are easily maneuverable and great for learning!

I'm hoping they last me a long time! They're a great set for the price.Hide

My size 9's fit like a 10 so I'd recommend sizing down. Threw some 125mm wheels and some spray paint on these things and they are a blast. They're light and pretty durable, a great "urban" boot. The soles are narrow on the bottom of the boot so don't expect to be pulling off any soul tricks (this doesn't effect the fit.) High value at this cost.Hide

5TH ELEMENT INLINE TRI-SKATE REVIEW

I ordered these skates after a friend told me about tri-skates and all of their advantages over traditions 4-wheel inlines (such as speed and maneuverability), so I researched around and found these. The price was great, the style/details are exactly my style, and they fit pretty well.

I’ve been skating around in mine for a few months now and love these blades so much. They definitely are made for urban skating, as the wheels glide over cracks in sidewalks, twigs, little debris, etc with ease. Hopping around on concrete feels smooth and responsive. The big wheels took a bit of extra practice to master maneuverability and balance since they’re a bit higher off the ground than I was used to, but they’re excellent for gaining and maintaining high speeds. It can be a little difficult to slow down or make quick stops due to maintained momentum of the 110mm wheels and lack of brakes.

I can wear them for upwards of two hours before my feet start to feel fatigued. I added in additional insole padding to give the footbed a bit more comfort. The frame is sturdy and durable metal and the wheels seem durable so far after many indoor and outdoor rides.

I have very wide feed and found that they were extremely tight on the sides of my ankles when I first tried them on. I was worried I ordered the wrong size after the first few rides were pretty painful. The plastic sides were very stiff at first and pinched my ankle so much that they left indentions and tender spots on the bone area. I looked into the issue and found that using medium heat from a hairdryer or heat gun could soften the plastic enough to allow you to manually expand the sides enough to help (also called heat-molding). Doing that, plus wearing them in through a little over a week of skating ended in a pretty decent fit for me and they have been perfect ever since.

PROS:
–Styling looks great. Love the all matte-black with white minimal accents.
–Big wheels allow for faster speeds and smoother rides over rougher surfaces.
–Maneuverability is great
–Some pieces of the skates, such as the skid plates and cross-foot strap, are modular and can be replaced.
–Decent ventilation around the footbed
–Lightweight on the feet compared to some other blades I’ve worn

CONS:
–Some of the plastic feels a little cheap, squeaky, and could wear easily. The cross straps have small areas where the tread is already warping (see photo)
–Fit could be really uncomfortable for the first few wears/without additional modification or molding
–I had to add additional insole padding to get the right fit for the liner
–Big wheels make it more difficult to slow down or make quick stops if inexperienced (no brakes)

Overall, these skates are awesome and I hope they will last for years to come!Hide