replacement for revision variant gold

[Fred49 0]

Hi

As a start, a small presentation, i am 51 and i started inline skating 6 months ago and inline hockey 2 months ago thanks to my 10 years old son :)

My skill as skating is still very low but its a ton of fun.

Due to very limited choice the only inline skates that fitted my narrow heel wide forefoot feet were bauer vapor X800 EE, thats overkill for my skill but very comfortable even if they (barely ) fail the pencil test on the 4-5th eyelet, so i do not regret buying them.

I intend to take the opportunity of our summer Holiday in the US to buy some accessories including some replacement wheels ( no choice were i live and its much more expensive )

With my skill level, i dont think there is a point to buy a set of revision variant gold like i have on my skates, what could be a decent cheaper alternative ?

( sport court / 165lb , low skating skill )

second question our trip will include Los Angeles / Las Vegas / San Francisco , any recommended hockey shop ?

Thanks in advance

Frederic

[kmfdm86 112]

Are the wheels damaged? After 2 months unless they're damaged or you are having a very specific issue I don't really think wheels would be the best investment.

If you're just looking to upgrade, I'd probably go with new bearings before wheels. Though I'm not sure what comes stock on those vapors.

[krisdrum 233]

Sounds like he is looking to stock up on spares while in the states, instead of trying to buy locally (less selection/more expensive).

I am new to roller as well, but don't think skill level really has much to do with wheel choice.  You are looking to balance grip, durability and speed.  None of those factors really require more or less skill.

The Labeda site has a great comparison chart that recommends their different wheels based on the surface, your weight range, and the above factors I already mentioned.  I'd probably start there.  My understanding is Labeda is basically the gold standard in roller wheels.  It should give you some ideas that you could likely translate over to other brands as well. 

[Fred49 0]

1 hour ago, krisdrum said:

Sounds like he is looking to stock up on spares while in the states, instead of trying to buy locally (less selection/more expensive).

 

 

Yes thats it. After 4 months at 2h/week and 2 months at 4h/week, my wheels are still in good shape. But as prices i see on US websites are way cheaper than where i live, i am not looking  to replace them yet or for an upgrade, just to have one or two sets ready for when i need it.

Just had a look at Labeda mattrix, seems Labeda millenium gripper soft are half the price of  new Rv variant gold.

 

[MD56 10]

At your level I would just be looking for an appropriate wheel that's the best bang for the buck. Variant Gold's are Xsoft, and way overkill for someone just starting out. I'm not a fan of super soft / grippy wheels for people who are still getting their skating dialed in. You have to have really good footwork and strong skating for these really soft compounds. 

My recommendation would be Labeda Grippers, the Red (74a) or the White/Red (76a). You can usually pick them up for $5-6 a wheel. They have always been my bang for the buck pick. Best of luck

[Fred49 0]

Thanks !

[althoma1 574]

For sport court, multi-pour wheels are ideal. For someone your weight a 74a or 76a wheel makes sense. You don't need the latest models; so I'd look out for clearance model multi-pour wheels. The Revision Gold wheels you already own fall into this category. I know I've seen Hockeytron clearing them out during their weekend sales (you can sign up for their promo emails to know about these) for as low as $3 and the regular price is $6.99 on their site, but they only seem to have 76mm wheels left: http://www.hockeytron.com/Revision-Variant-Classic-Gold-Inline-Hockey-Wheels.html

I wish they had $3 Variant Steel or Variant+ wheels as for that price as a 74a wheel is too soft for me at 200+.

[Fred49 0]

Seems they ship outside the US, but i just did a test : 53$ shipping. So i think i will limit myself to what i can find during my US holiday.

[althoma1 574]

Yes, international shipping through Hockeytron isn't cheap. I've ordered from there a few times, but only when I can have it shipped to someone I know in the US or am ordering with a friend who has the order shipped to a US relative. Shipping directly to Canada (and most other countries I assume) kills any deals.

With that said, Hockeytron is located in California; so you can check there while you're visiting that area. Inlinewarehouse and Hockey Giant are the other big shops I'm aware of in that area. I'd look at Revision, Labeda and Rink Rat multi-pour wheels in a 74-76a durometer they have on clearance in your size. Ideally you'll be able to find a good clearance deal for less than $7 per wheel.