In awe : Adidas Skating Pro

Just got these in, off UK eBay. Agreeable shipping costs to the mainland.
For the boots alone, I paid roughly 1/4th of the MSRP some odd sizes still to be had.

They seem like an Adidas take on the RS Carbons. More refined than the 2008 RS Carbons. Tall cuff is what I notice. Like 3cm taller than the Atomic Race Skates I have handy here. Weight a few grams more. Stabilty is awesome.

I got free overboots with them. Exactly to the boots size. Wonderful.

Great product, odd they seem to not have sold well.

Get the odd sizes, even if they don't fit you, one of your friends will, and will be thankful.

Regards,

J

Jan,

I'm really curious to see how these work for you.

I saw these at the end of last season, but waited too long and my size
sold out (they included the booties which I would often use). My
understanding is that the boots are a little wider than the
corresponding Salomon Pilot models. I would have loved to have a pair
as they also make stylin' rollerski boots. Too bad Adidas XC equipment
isn't readily available in NA (at least not much appears in Canada).

Let us know how they work out and post a picture.

Pics

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...nskatepro2.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...freeskate2.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...freeskate3.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w...didasonder.jpg

Forgot the bootie.

Keep in mind, it's a US13/EU48. Ice skate is the biggest I could cheaply get (my first), 55cm or a bit less overall.
Cool stuff, and with the stock 105 Profil bumper (115 ordered didn't fit), it actually claps nicely. Can't wait to get safe ice here!

On Jan 7, 2:49*pm, Jan Gerrit Klok Jan.Gerrit.Klok.
wrote:
Pics

http://tinyurl.com/yab2xcmhttp://tin...didasonder.jpg

Forgot the bootie.

Keep in mind, it's a US13/EU48. Ice skate is the biggest I could
cheaply get (my first), 55cm or a bit less overall.
Cool stuff, and with the stock 105 Profil bumper (115 ordered didn't
fit), it actually claps nicely. Can't wait to get safe ice here!

--
Jan Gerrit Klok

I considered buying nordic skates but I'm very glad I got my Graf 502s
instead: they're *extremely* fun on the ice that I have available. Is
there a reason (besides saving money on a boot) to get the nordic
blade on an XC skate boot?

Bob

@Jan, thanks for the pics...makes me wish I snagged them when I had
the chance. I remember seeing a lot of Adidas skate boots during the
Torino Olympics.

Coincidentally, Nordic skating is on my wish list for this winter.
Found a bunch of youtubes on it awhile back and quite inspired to
check it out. I think it's one of those sports that can become quite
addictive.

Originally Posted by Bob[_4_]

I considered buying nordic skates but I'm very glad I got my Graf 502s
instead: they're *extremely* fun on the ice that I have available. Is
there a reason (besides saving money on a boot) to get the nordic
blade on an XC skate boot?

Bob

Grafs are Hockey skates?

Ok, nordic skates, for me the reasons (keep in mind I have yet to try)
- warm boots
- comfy boots
- stable boots (I'm not into low-cut leather socks)
- clap mechanism of binding (more natural push-off on the toes possible)
- convenience: walking around on boots, wearing blades only on the ice

Yesterday I found a review by an avid Dutch marathon skater, that had reviewed them as a favor for a nordic skate shop. He had previously laughed at these things. He was surprised that apart from a slight technique adjustment, is was better on all account. Comfort, cracks in the ice, distance they would work for, etc. Speed was not less, heart rates not higher. He wrote that he'd not doubt about doing a 200k on the Nordic skates the same day, but would have strong doubts having to do it on his more traditional Viking.
Imagine on a long tour the ice goes bad, or missing. You get off the ice and have decent boots to walk on. Or, you drop out of a race, and get to wait for the bus home with warm feet, jogging around a bit.

Typical XC bindings are not super stiff, so you won't see it being used for inline skating just yet I think, too tall with wiggly.

On another forum, it was mentioned these boots are actually on the narrow side. I think I have to side with that. If my socks are only just not right, I feel my foor being laterally compressed a bit. The RS Carbon and Atomic Race Skates are a tad wider.

I did some ice skating on the pictured combo. I am now really in awe, of these boots' lateral stability and comfort. They're definately up to very agressive skating where power gets the better over technique.
In terms of quality, I think I need to rate them between RS Carbons (can't speak for the new version with white in it) and S-Labs. The Race Skates are no comparison, fit, stiffness and especially not build quality wise.

These Adidas' are darn good, and you don't look like a geek in them. I will add that I don't need geeky boots to look like one.

I was also impressed with the skates, admitting that they are the first of their kind I've sampled. Also keep in mind, these are the Huffies, the TecnoPro's, the Lada's of ice skates. Earlier versions got bad reviews for failing, and the Swedes just say "you get what you pay for". Later product is said to be better.
Anyway, with a random binding placement, and proven to be very mediocre skating balance, I was soon making long glides at high speeds. Long and bulky looking doesn't equal slow gliding, folks. The effort of 12-15kph no-poles skiing (barely any more than leaning on a leg and then switching over and back) would have you testing 30kph and more. A few strides to get some speed would force you to lean forward, or the skates would away from you.

The ice I tried (ice club's over-skated flooded grassland) had lots of cracks, holes and crystal messy ice, but the blades just glide on through unfazed.

The clapping mech is audible, but not bothering me thusfar. It's a most natural clap I'm getting, not too fast or slow, and not real noticible hit trying to throw me off balance.
The blades being low, it's barely a lateral wobble such a Norwegian skates with leather boots. There is some "hang", especially inward (may depend on which boots you use), but it's natural feeling.

My blades seem to been shipped off factory with a barely passable finish. I'll need to have them sharpened, that will likel make them much better still. I was often getting some unextected twists from them, or asymmetrical sliding. Switching left and right blades (supposed to be identical) actually made a difference. So that's that.

To me the blades are a huge success. Priceless, to get to the ice, and be skating second later. And to gets off them, and be finding yourself walking with warm feet in your ski boots. ON any winter holiday, you'd be mad to not bring these. Such a small package. If you happen to get across nice lookin gice, you're out of the car and skating in no-time. You already know skate boots and bindings.

The bindings really make the skating "natural" for the snow skater I am. The push-off felt a bit like a grown man's ice hockeys, with the tip of the blade, but NOT, thanks to the clap.
Also I could draw comparison to inline skates, were you get to push off on the most forward wheel, and get away ith it. That feeling.

I can SO see myself skating these things til my endurance limit. With the speeds they allow, and the slightest of trainings, km centuries become an acceptable prospect.

Oh my... should I buy some more???

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/lesports/m.ht...kate&_osacat=0

You owe me one for posting this :-)
UK sizes still available : 4.5 , 5.0 , 12.5 , 13.0.

I SO hope a lady friend of mine will know a use one of the small ones, but I am not sure of her size anymore. She has RS Carbons too, but who ever had too many shoes, let alone a hip lady?

The other nice deals there won't fit my clumsy hands and go-go Gadget limbs.

I am in no way affiliated with the ebay vendor linked above. I'm just a sucker for 1/4 price deals.

This is a great discussion! Thank you for the hands-on insight.

On Jan 8, 2:08*am, Jan Gerrit Klok Jan.Gerrit.Klok.
wrote:

Typical XC bindings are not super stiff, so you won't see it being used
for inline skating just yet I think, too tall with wiggly.

Your photos show a Salomon Profil "automatic" binding on your nordic
skates blades. "Automatics" are significantly less laterally stiff
than a "manual" Profil binding because the clamp mechanism is not as
robust. Pilot bindings are another small step forward in lateral
stability, IMO.

I have a pair of Almgrens (now called Lundhags) nordic skates (55cm)
that I ordered from http://nordicskater.com in 1999. I use them with a
manual Profil binding and Salomon S-Lab skate ski boots. Fantastic.

Kevin Miller
Winnipeg, Canada