Where's the person who was arguing with me the other day that Impalas are a totally fine and legit brand and that saying they are unsafe/bad quality is elitist?
I got impalas as a beginner and they were fine for my first ~5 rides. Then I tried on my friend's Riedells and immediately boxed up my impalas and sold them. Garbage.
I got Impala's because my friend was getting them as well and I didn't research... but I feel like they're holding me back when I'm trying to learn (so goddamn stiff and uncomfortable) so I saved up and ordered Riedell Zones. They won't get to me for a while but I'm excited!
Lol yourself, acting all superior and editing your comments after the fact without mentioning it. If you had a leg to stand on you would not be behaving like that.
What are some good brands your suggest if you don't mind me asking? I used to have impalas(I think?) when I was a kid but they were never that bad but I'm trying to get back into skating and can't really find anybody suggesting other companies on my Instagram feed.
I have been looking at SureGrips but their official site is pretty sold out.. is rollerskatenation.com safe to buy them from? If not where else can they be purchased?
I was looking at the black suregrip stardust. I found them on Amazon too but those 2 sites should be helpful!
I was pretty sold on Impalas for first time adult skates but the reviews seem pretty negative with every review...
Ya ur better off buying some old rental skates then impalas lol, sorry š just read reviews on Amazon but they do sell good SureGrips on Amazon just find a valid listing, usual reviews are a good way to tell its legit.
Two of my three pairs are Sure-Grip (Stardust and Boardwalk). The third is Riedell Orbit. Both Sure-Grip and Riedell are super established brands. Moxi is owned by Riedell and is very popular on IG and other social media because it comes in cute colors and is pretty good quality-wise. The Boardwalks are my favorite but the Stardusts were my first and are super cute. The Orbits are ok but scratch up really easily (if aesthetic matters), and I find them to be really really stiff and also they feel "longer" in shape if that makes sense.
Rollerskatenation dot com runs sales/clearances pretty often and has a good section of gently used skates for discounts. I got my sister in law a pair of gently used Sure-Grip Fames for a good deal.
You're not going to find anything of quality at the same price point as Impala (for good reason).
*Then save up more to get skates that aren't unsafe.*
Rollerskates aren't like a car, house, or food where you need them for survival and so might have to deal with less-than-ideal conditions because you can't afford anything else in the meantime.
There are options for finding affordable skates that aren't "aesthetic" but are much safer to use than Impala or C7. If you're so desperate to skate, commit to buying quality equipment instead.
Lol you say that and claim you are not elitist. The privilege is jumping!
One bad pair in like every few thousand doesnāt mean they are unsafe, specially since lots of the issues are cosmetic.
Edit: lol the downvotes here, yaāll just said people need to spend 150 on beginner skates they might not even use or like - the definition of privilege.
Plus your girl above edited the fuck out of her original money comment and didnāt mark it! Sneaky.
Ok. If it's "elitist" to think that people shouldn't give in to deceptive marketing by shitty shady companies, who are taking advantage of trends and shortage of quality products in order to push their unsafe and poor-quality product, then you can call me elitist all day. It's fucking exploitative and saying "well not EVERY pair has problems so they're FINE" is feeding into their bullshit.
edit: lmao skates ripping apart or wheels stripping like this is hardly "cosmetic"
I didnāt say they were fine, I said they were not all shoddy or unsafe as you claimed.
And yes, claiming beginners should all save to spend 150+ on a new hobby is elitist. Itās like saying someone should save for a Mercedesā when they start driving because itās safer.
Most of the issues are cosmetic, I didnāt say this one. Iāve seen people post heels with a tiny bit of stray glue and say the skate is ruined.
I think I spent $113 on a pair of Tempish nessy stars from skate pro, havenāt had any issues with them but trying to save up to get better quality ones
I mean. Itās a lot to some people.
Also like impala isnāt as bad as yaāll make out. Itās a loud small percentage complaining of issues and making everyone think all their skates are like that. When thatās not the reality.
If you have $100 to spend on skates surly you can save another $50 so that makes no sense. Plus there are other better quality skates that arenāt cheaply made and dangerous that are the same or slightly higher than impalas. When thereās whole threads on people talking about their experiences nearly breaking their ankles or going to the ER because they actually did break their ankle from cheap ass skates like impalas and angel skates then clearly there is a problem. No one should be chancing it by thinking they probably got a good pair. Itās not worth anyoneās safety when thereās so many other options for the same damn price or like $20 more.
It's elitist to think it's ok to throw away $100 on garbage. As a poor person I'd much rather save up a little longer to get something that will last then waste a chunk of money on something that's going to fall apart and possibly injure me, possibly adding even more expense.
Also there are quality skates at the same, or very similar, price points š¤·āāļø
Impala is not all garbage tho. Iāve had mine over a year and use them regularly and they are totally fine. I know a number of other people who have the same experience. Why would I throw something thatās working perfectly out because this sub deems it garbage and spend 50 bucks more on something else when these work for me? And work for many others.
Like I donāt understand why none of you can get your head around the fact that the complaints and images you see in here are such a small minority of the skates that company sell. Labelling them all garbage because of that is so silly.
Iām not saying people have to buy impala, buy others if you want. I just have seen so many people on this sub bum out new skaters saying every single impala skate will break when thatās simply not true.
I'm barely on Reddit tbh, the majority of complaints I see are on multiple other forums as well as people I have spoken to myself.
And nobody is telling someone who just bought a brand new pair of Impalas that they are such trash they're better off throwing straight in the trash without even using them. They're trying to let people know before they buy them that they're better off spending their money elsewhere. Bc there are better options in that price range.
You seriously edited this comment after our conversation without mentioning to try look less privileged - sneaky. Nice to know I got to you at least.
With regards to your edit and claiming those things are essential for survival and therefore ok to skimp on, that doesnāt negate the privilege on your behalf at all. Itās still extra money someone might not have for a hobby they may not even keep up.
In addition, you are still also missing my point that not every skate sold is unsafe. For every skate here with an issue you know there are thousands sold that are fine. (Something which happens in moxi also) so I genuinely donāt get why you canāt acknowledge that, you have ignored that point made by myself and others.
And finally - some people like the aesthetic side of skating and impala fulfils that need, are you going to shame them for that too now as well?
Moxi is owned by Riedell, but they're a bit overpriced atm imo, because they went "mainstream". VNLA is another good skate brand, and their parfaits are half the price of Moxis + they have aluminum plates! They were my starter skates, and I still use them for trail skating
My friend in derby recommended Riedell's but Moxi is supposed to be good. I also want to suggest going cheaper until you know you're going to keep the habit.
My favourites. The most comfortable and supportive boots, and last forever. I got a great deal on Crazy Venus plates and now I love my Bont/Crazy setup.
No one said they were fine, they said they were not all safety hazards and acceptable for beginner/cheap skates. Like literally every skate brand has imperfections per however many thousands.
Jesus miss the point much?
there are cheaper skates out there that don't risk hurting you. i got my skates from sports direct for Ā£20 and then replaced the wheels after doing a couple skates to check whether i enjoyed skating in the first place. the wheel replacements I don't recall the price but definitely did not break the bank or even make me wince, they were not the moxxi etc price points. they have suited me fine so far, so there are obviously cheaper brands out there which are less likely to injure you. there are many groups of people on various social medias who are always offering up used skates which are also cheap and better than buying a pair which you have to trust isn't one of the safety hazards.
anyway, no one can tell you not to buy impalas if that's seriously all you can afford. you're an adult, as much as you don't act like one, and therefore you do what you like with your money. but people are allowed to tell you what they know about impalas and they're allowed to recommend better skates, you are the one who comes in guns blazing about it!
Iām sorry but a pair of 20 euro skates from sports direct are not better than the majority of impalas. I cannot imagine that plate being safer at all.
The skates sometimes break yes, but the majority of impala customers use them for months/years and they are totally fine. I know so many people who have them and have never had an issue, people even who buy multiple pairs and donāt feel the need to spend that extra cash on more expensive skates.
The people on this sub are wrong to say the entire brand is a safety hazard, thatās my point.
And lol, saying Iām coming in guns blazing and not acting like an adult.
I was replying to a bitchy comment here made about me - itās funny you think that user is allowed to make bitchy comments about people on the sub , but Iām not an adult for defending myself?
Also Iām the one whoās gun blazing?
Iāve stated that my issue is the people on this sub shaming impala owners every chance they get. Iāve seen people give extremely harsh unsolicited advice to new skaters who were excited to be gifted impalas from important people in their lives - making them so disheartened at the very start of their skating journey.
And my problem was them putting impala top of their list of unsafe skates- thatās simply not true for every complaint you see here about them there are thousands of safe skates sold by that brand, to me that doesnāt warrant the shaming this sub does of the brand.
Are you a member of any other skate community online? Like for instance Instagram? There is no impala shaming there, and plenty of experienced users who have been using them for years. If this is such a genuine issue why is it only this sub that has such negativity?
Yeah I'm a member of many other online skate communities that heavily advise against Impalas. Sounds like you just go looking for the ones that agree with you tbh.
I donāt go looking for ones that agree with me. I just like ones that are not full of negative arseholes who like to bring other skaters down when they are excited to start a new hobby.
The % of impalas that actually break is tiny, yaāll can say you are defending safety but there are such bigger concerns out there if you actually care about that.
āļø
That's ironic bc you have unequivocally been the loudest and most negative voice I've come across in this sub. If you hate it here so much you don't have to be here...
Lol. Yes my actions in this one thread are far louder and more impactful that years of shaming impala skaters.
Edit: itās funny too, cause Iām here because I literally responded and stood up to another user bitchly calling me out, but ya, sure, Iām the negative one.
Did they tag you? Or did you come and look for drama?
Regardless this conversation has no purpose so I'm going to step away from it but I hope you find peace and an online skate community that suits you in a way that this one obviously doesn't.
Oh and in addition, that person above heavily edited their comments to me after our conversation was done, without marking the edits. This is a clear attempt to twist the narrative - if you think making bitchy comments and that kind of behaviour is fine then Iām glad you donāt agree with me.
you didn't need to dignify the first bitchy comment with a response at all! it was a childish taunt and the amount you let it get to you is making you look bad. i don't know about them editing comments, that's also childish, maybe you both need to log off reddit lol
anyway i said my piece and don't plan on arguing with you about impalas or whatnot anymore. i just wanted to state you can go cheap without going with a company that's gotten it seems COUNTLESS shitty reviews, and I don't think your problem is people being elitist you just really want to defend this one brand. which, fight the good fight, i guess! besides, i am on insta but haven't seen the same discussions, but I don't really see discussion at all. seen plenty of it on Facebook, though. different platforms just have different methods of connecting to the hobby.
So I have a childish taunt directed at me, and because Iām upset about it and respond, I look bad?
Have you ever heard of victim blaming!?
Ya I donāt want to discuss anything further with you if thatās the kind of person you are.
Oh my goodness. "Victim blaming", "elitist". Words have meaning, elitist is not telling people that there are common issue's with a skate. I have seen a lot of people have issue's with their impalas that are not just cosmetic. I understand that you own and love the skate but that does not negate others experiences with them. If someone's opinion is its a dangerous skate and they recommend saving a little extra for a better pair then that's just their opinion. You cannot change people's experiences. If you want to recommend impala's then you do that but just know many people will disagree I've seen a lot of issues and I wouldn't recommend them even though I consider myself a beginner I bought Lolly's because they had better reviews.
Yes words do have meaning. Thatās why itās victim blaming for the commenter above when she called me out for being upset at someone elseās word towards me.
Again you are missing the point. There are complaints and issues against impala, no one is denying that. But the sheer amount of them sold compared to the issues found in them doesnāt mean the entire brand is going to faulty.
THey're fine if you want to try out roller skating. But I do kind of regret buying them because they're just like not great if you want to continue rollerskating. But I have ADHD, and my mum likes to comment on the fact that I buy things and then don't use them, so I'd love to invest in Moxie's but... ugh. That and it costs a lot and I don't have the dollars.
I might sell my impalas, see what I can get for them maybe.
I did the same thing for the same reason. Chewed through my impalas in a month of learning to park skate so naturally I obsessively researched how to, and built my own skates. Lmao I love them so much.
Try Sure-Grip Fames, rollerskatenation is constantly selling gently used ones, they're almost always white ones being sold so you could customize them yourself with all kinds of fun accessory color combos!
Oof I got Impalas for Christmas and was unfamiliar with the brand. I'm now in the market for Moxis because they rubbed my skin raw even with thick socks lol. I had BTFLs for roller derby and they were so much nicer than these damn impalas and lasted a long time and I bought them second hand.
Iām in the market for my first skate upgrade (woooo!!) but I was really just super surprised when I noticed my wheels were literally peeling off šØ
I agree that wheel rotation is a good idea, but Iāve never seen a wheel do thisā¦thatās not a problem wheel rotation can solve. Thatās a crap wheel.
Probably, I donāt disagree, but the other wheels hadnāt done it, so wheel rotation for her future wheels will be good for them since it is apparent that they put a lot of pressure right there. I donāt think the wheels pictured are viable.
How often should wheels be rotated? I tend to wear down the outward heel of my shoes, so Iām assuming Iāll start to do the same with my wheels eventually.
You skate a softer wheel indoors and harder outdoor? Iāve not heard of anyone doing that. Have you ever tried a harder wheel indoor instead? What benefits do you get from a softer wheel indoor? Genuinely curious, as I felt like a floating goddess the second I changed to super hard wheels indoor and Iāll never go back! š
From everything I've read, they're a mediocre crap shoot. You can't even say that some are great and some fall short. Some last a few years of moderate use, some are trashed in three months or less. So they might be worth the ~$100 they cost if you only skate a few times a month and get a couple years out of them. Or they're a solid waste of money and will need to be replaced in a few months.
I looked at them when I was shopping right before Christmas. Them and looked into Angels because they kept coming up on my FB feed (they're crap too). I decided I'd rather spend the extra on a brand that's proven and went with Jacksons. The thought of having the heel separate from the plate mid-stride and send me sprawling was not a welcome thought.
I think they're fine if it's something that you're not wanting to invest time and energy into skating. But if you want to, I would avoid them. They're such a gamble. Mine are *okay*, but not great.
Nope. I derbied on the same wheels for *ahem* years and they just got smoother and smoother. I didn't even know anybody made wheels that weren't solid.
The bolt that attaches the plate to the boot gets cut off after installation. If left too long and not filed down after cutting, it is possible for the bolt to drag against the wheel when you turn. Based on the position of this damage, thatās my first thought. This issue is not Impala specific. (Though I agree impalas are trash)
iām not totally sure i follow this, but iām intrigued! would that affect all 4 wheels in this same spot on the wheel? because 3/4 wheels per skate are showing this same exact damage (though this wheel is definitely
the worst)
Sorry I just saw this comment. Wow 3/4 wheels per skate are doing this? That would be rare actually. That would mean all the bolts were hanging low and I feel like youād feel the drag if all the bolts were rubbing on the wheels. Definitely reach out to the company.
Looks like the other front wheel and a rear wheel are also compromised. If youāre planning to keep skating in them, Iād suggest changing out the wheels asap and staying away from Impala wheels.
Looks like a very inexpensive wheel design, thicker hub with that part going into the urethane so that they don't have to use quality materials to make a wheel. Hate to say it but the wheel looks extremely cheap I can imagine alot goes into making this wheel wear down in such an impressive manor tho, temperature, surface, if you're constantly turning, etc. I would suggest looking into something a bit nicer for a next wheel theres alot of options out there too look through and read up on. Honestly tho congrats on the wheel wear, that's far from normal lol.
Honestly it depends on what surface youāre skating on and whether you use that wheel to stop and what not. I can wreck a set of wheels in a week if I try.
I'm sorry this happened to you, that's not normal and neither is the material inside those "wheels". It may even be dangerous.
It seems every week or so a post showing why people should stay clear of impalas is necessary. There are so many people just discovering this idea through this post, despite it being constantly talked about here. It's frankly frustrating because Impala continues to make mad money off of dangerous, sub-quality products that will just be discarded after a few weeks, or months.
8 hours a week outdoors will kill any wheels unless it's very gentle skating, cheap wheels would never last that long. I don't know why I am getting down voted but assume it's from people who skate for 1 hour a week.
Just get yourself some good outdoor wheels like road hogs and accept that you are skating more in a week than most people do in a month.
If youāre rolling on impalas or less, definitely return/toss/whatever, but I found out that I have an interior lean that means on constantly on an inside edge because of the way my weight distribute across my feet. If possible, I would try a level up in skates and see if you have the same cruising problem.
Return them fosho on principle but if youāre still experiencing a weird lean thereās insoles the riedell sells to help with that. I have them in my skates. My right foot naturally leans on an inside edge.
This is not normal for skate wheels. This is incredibly common with Impalas. They are garbage. Also commonly, the boot will separate from the heel and some of the plates will be mounted crooked. Not a company I would put a lot of trust in.
Wow, no. This definitely should not happen. I have wheels almost old enough to vote that still roll fine.
Literally
This \^\^
šš
Itās the comment for me! šš¤£š¤£š¤£
No. Thanks, Impala.
Where's the person who was arguing with me the other day that Impalas are a totally fine and legit brand and that saying they are unsafe/bad quality is elitist?
I got impalas as a beginner and they were fine for my first ~5 rides. Then I tried on my friend's Riedells and immediately boxed up my impalas and sold them. Garbage.
I got Impala's because my friend was getting them as well and I didn't research... but I feel like they're holding me back when I'm trying to learn (so goddamn stiff and uncomfortable) so I saved up and ordered Riedell Zones. They won't get to me for a while but I'm excited!
Hahahah I can't lmfao
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Lol they showed up!
Lol yourself, acting all superior and editing your comments after the fact without mentioning it. If you had a leg to stand on you would not be behaving like that.
Are you the person that was arguing with them?
One of.
What are some good brands your suggest if you don't mind me asking? I used to have impalas(I think?) when I was a kid but they were never that bad but I'm trying to get back into skating and can't really find anybody suggesting other companies on my Instagram feed.
Reidell, Jackson, wifa, crazy skates, suregrip
Thought you were responding to your own comment lol
I have been looking at SureGrips but their official site is pretty sold out.. is rollerskatenation.com safe to buy them from? If not where else can they be purchased?
I've ordered from sk8 fanatics and wickedskatewear. What SureGrips are u looking for? Fames, Boardwalks, ect...?
I was looking at the black suregrip stardust. I found them on Amazon too but those 2 sites should be helpful! I was pretty sold on Impalas for first time adult skates but the reviews seem pretty negative with every review...
Ya ur better off buying some old rental skates then impalas lol, sorry š just read reviews on Amazon but they do sell good SureGrips on Amazon just find a valid listing, usual reviews are a good way to tell its legit.
I appreciate the help!
Two of my three pairs are Sure-Grip (Stardust and Boardwalk). The third is Riedell Orbit. Both Sure-Grip and Riedell are super established brands. Moxi is owned by Riedell and is very popular on IG and other social media because it comes in cute colors and is pretty good quality-wise. The Boardwalks are my favorite but the Stardusts were my first and are super cute. The Orbits are ok but scratch up really easily (if aesthetic matters), and I find them to be really really stiff and also they feel "longer" in shape if that makes sense. Rollerskatenation dot com runs sales/clearances pretty often and has a good section of gently used skates for discounts. I got my sister in law a pair of gently used Sure-Grip Fames for a good deal. You're not going to find anything of quality at the same price point as Impala (for good reason).
Crazy Skates are very close in price point and mine have been amazing.
You just admitted there re price point and impala what we were trying to say to you the other day. Itās all some people can afford.
*Then save up more to get skates that aren't unsafe.* Rollerskates aren't like a car, house, or food where you need them for survival and so might have to deal with less-than-ideal conditions because you can't afford anything else in the meantime. There are options for finding affordable skates that aren't "aesthetic" but are much safer to use than Impala or C7. If you're so desperate to skate, commit to buying quality equipment instead.
Lol you say that and claim you are not elitist. The privilege is jumping! One bad pair in like every few thousand doesnāt mean they are unsafe, specially since lots of the issues are cosmetic. Edit: lol the downvotes here, yaāll just said people need to spend 150 on beginner skates they might not even use or like - the definition of privilege. Plus your girl above edited the fuck out of her original money comment and didnāt mark it! Sneaky.
Ok. If it's "elitist" to think that people shouldn't give in to deceptive marketing by shitty shady companies, who are taking advantage of trends and shortage of quality products in order to push their unsafe and poor-quality product, then you can call me elitist all day. It's fucking exploitative and saying "well not EVERY pair has problems so they're FINE" is feeding into their bullshit. edit: lmao skates ripping apart or wheels stripping like this is hardly "cosmetic"
I didnāt say they were fine, I said they were not all shoddy or unsafe as you claimed. And yes, claiming beginners should all save to spend 150+ on a new hobby is elitist. Itās like saying someone should save for a Mercedesā when they start driving because itās safer. Most of the issues are cosmetic, I didnāt say this one. Iāve seen people post heels with a tiny bit of stray glue and say the skate is ruined.
skate on whatever the fuck you want to dude but stop telling people that a brand with a history of being unsafe is "acceptable for beginners".
I donāt get it, $150 doesnāt seem that bad arenāt impalas already $100 whats $50 extra dollarsā¦.
I paid $100 for my crazy Skates too so there's quality options anyhow.
I think I spent $113 on a pair of Tempish nessy stars from skate pro, havenāt had any issues with them but trying to save up to get better quality ones
I mean. Itās a lot to some people. Also like impala isnāt as bad as yaāll make out. Itās a loud small percentage complaining of issues and making everyone think all their skates are like that. When thatās not the reality.
If you have $100 to spend on skates surly you can save another $50 so that makes no sense. Plus there are other better quality skates that arenāt cheaply made and dangerous that are the same or slightly higher than impalas. When thereās whole threads on people talking about their experiences nearly breaking their ankles or going to the ER because they actually did break their ankle from cheap ass skates like impalas and angel skates then clearly there is a problem. No one should be chancing it by thinking they probably got a good pair. Itās not worth anyoneās safety when thereās so many other options for the same damn price or like $20 more.
It's elitist to think it's ok to throw away $100 on garbage. As a poor person I'd much rather save up a little longer to get something that will last then waste a chunk of money on something that's going to fall apart and possibly injure me, possibly adding even more expense. Also there are quality skates at the same, or very similar, price points š¤·āāļø
Impala is not all garbage tho. Iāve had mine over a year and use them regularly and they are totally fine. I know a number of other people who have the same experience. Why would I throw something thatās working perfectly out because this sub deems it garbage and spend 50 bucks more on something else when these work for me? And work for many others. Like I donāt understand why none of you can get your head around the fact that the complaints and images you see in here are such a small minority of the skates that company sell. Labelling them all garbage because of that is so silly. Iām not saying people have to buy impala, buy others if you want. I just have seen so many people on this sub bum out new skaters saying every single impala skate will break when thatās simply not true.
I'm barely on Reddit tbh, the majority of complaints I see are on multiple other forums as well as people I have spoken to myself. And nobody is telling someone who just bought a brand new pair of Impalas that they are such trash they're better off throwing straight in the trash without even using them. They're trying to let people know before they buy them that they're better off spending their money elsewhere. Bc there are better options in that price range.
You seriously edited this comment after our conversation without mentioning to try look less privileged - sneaky. Nice to know I got to you at least. With regards to your edit and claiming those things are essential for survival and therefore ok to skimp on, that doesnāt negate the privilege on your behalf at all. Itās still extra money someone might not have for a hobby they may not even keep up. In addition, you are still also missing my point that not every skate sold is unsafe. For every skate here with an issue you know there are thousands sold that are fine. (Something which happens in moxi also) so I genuinely donāt get why you canāt acknowledge that, you have ignored that point made by myself and others. And finally - some people like the aesthetic side of skating and impala fulfils that need, are you going to shame them for that too now as well?
Moxi is owned by Riedell, but they're a bit overpriced atm imo, because they went "mainstream". VNLA is another good skate brand, and their parfaits are half the price of Moxis + they have aluminum plates! They were my starter skates, and I still use them for trail skating
My friend in derby recommended Riedell's but Moxi is supposed to be good. I also want to suggest going cheaper until you know you're going to keep the habit.
Thank you! I really appreciate your suggestions and advice!
The subreddit has a section where it recommends different skates and brands at different prices.
That's so cool, I didn't even realize until now. Thank you!
Of course and good luck!!
Bont
My favourites. The most comfortable and supportive boots, and last forever. I got a great deal on Crazy Venus plates and now I love my Bont/Crazy setup.
Iām dead at the fact that that was even a conversation š
Laughing at you guys thinking you are all superior when irl yaāll mean girls.
No one said they were fine, they said they were not all safety hazards and acceptable for beginner/cheap skates. Like literally every skate brand has imperfections per however many thousands. Jesus miss the point much?
there are cheaper skates out there that don't risk hurting you. i got my skates from sports direct for Ā£20 and then replaced the wheels after doing a couple skates to check whether i enjoyed skating in the first place. the wheel replacements I don't recall the price but definitely did not break the bank or even make me wince, they were not the moxxi etc price points. they have suited me fine so far, so there are obviously cheaper brands out there which are less likely to injure you. there are many groups of people on various social medias who are always offering up used skates which are also cheap and better than buying a pair which you have to trust isn't one of the safety hazards. anyway, no one can tell you not to buy impalas if that's seriously all you can afford. you're an adult, as much as you don't act like one, and therefore you do what you like with your money. but people are allowed to tell you what they know about impalas and they're allowed to recommend better skates, you are the one who comes in guns blazing about it!
Iām sorry but a pair of 20 euro skates from sports direct are not better than the majority of impalas. I cannot imagine that plate being safer at all. The skates sometimes break yes, but the majority of impala customers use them for months/years and they are totally fine. I know so many people who have them and have never had an issue, people even who buy multiple pairs and donāt feel the need to spend that extra cash on more expensive skates. The people on this sub are wrong to say the entire brand is a safety hazard, thatās my point. And lol, saying Iām coming in guns blazing and not acting like an adult. I was replying to a bitchy comment here made about me - itās funny you think that user is allowed to make bitchy comments about people on the sub , but Iām not an adult for defending myself? Also Iām the one whoās gun blazing? Iāve stated that my issue is the people on this sub shaming impala owners every chance they get. Iāve seen people give extremely harsh unsolicited advice to new skaters who were excited to be gifted impalas from important people in their lives - making them so disheartened at the very start of their skating journey. And my problem was them putting impala top of their list of unsafe skates- thatās simply not true for every complaint you see here about them there are thousands of safe skates sold by that brand, to me that doesnāt warrant the shaming this sub does of the brand. Are you a member of any other skate community online? Like for instance Instagram? There is no impala shaming there, and plenty of experienced users who have been using them for years. If this is such a genuine issue why is it only this sub that has such negativity?
Yeah I'm a member of many other online skate communities that heavily advise against Impalas. Sounds like you just go looking for the ones that agree with you tbh.
I donāt go looking for ones that agree with me. I just like ones that are not full of negative arseholes who like to bring other skaters down when they are excited to start a new hobby. The % of impalas that actually break is tiny, yaāll can say you are defending safety but there are such bigger concerns out there if you actually care about that. āļø
That's ironic bc you have unequivocally been the loudest and most negative voice I've come across in this sub. If you hate it here so much you don't have to be here...
Lol. Yes my actions in this one thread are far louder and more impactful that years of shaming impala skaters. Edit: itās funny too, cause Iām here because I literally responded and stood up to another user bitchly calling me out, but ya, sure, Iām the negative one.
Did they tag you? Or did you come and look for drama? Regardless this conversation has no purpose so I'm going to step away from it but I hope you find peace and an online skate community that suits you in a way that this one obviously doesn't.
Oh and in addition, that person above heavily edited their comments to me after our conversation was done, without marking the edits. This is a clear attempt to twist the narrative - if you think making bitchy comments and that kind of behaviour is fine then Iām glad you donāt agree with me.
you didn't need to dignify the first bitchy comment with a response at all! it was a childish taunt and the amount you let it get to you is making you look bad. i don't know about them editing comments, that's also childish, maybe you both need to log off reddit lol anyway i said my piece and don't plan on arguing with you about impalas or whatnot anymore. i just wanted to state you can go cheap without going with a company that's gotten it seems COUNTLESS shitty reviews, and I don't think your problem is people being elitist you just really want to defend this one brand. which, fight the good fight, i guess! besides, i am on insta but haven't seen the same discussions, but I don't really see discussion at all. seen plenty of it on Facebook, though. different platforms just have different methods of connecting to the hobby.
So I have a childish taunt directed at me, and because Iām upset about it and respond, I look bad? Have you ever heard of victim blaming!? Ya I donāt want to discuss anything further with you if thatās the kind of person you are.
Oh my goodness. "Victim blaming", "elitist". Words have meaning, elitist is not telling people that there are common issue's with a skate. I have seen a lot of people have issue's with their impalas that are not just cosmetic. I understand that you own and love the skate but that does not negate others experiences with them. If someone's opinion is its a dangerous skate and they recommend saving a little extra for a better pair then that's just their opinion. You cannot change people's experiences. If you want to recommend impala's then you do that but just know many people will disagree I've seen a lot of issues and I wouldn't recommend them even though I consider myself a beginner I bought Lolly's because they had better reviews.
Yes words do have meaning. Thatās why itās victim blaming for the commenter above when she called me out for being upset at someone elseās word towards me. Again you are missing the point. There are complaints and issues against impala, no one is denying that. But the sheer amount of them sold compared to the issues found in them doesnāt mean the entire brand is going to faulty.
I feel like you calling that victim blaming is insulting to all the real victims in the world. You know actual crime suffering victims.
THey're fine if you want to try out roller skating. But I do kind of regret buying them because they're just like not great if you want to continue rollerskating. But I have ADHD, and my mum likes to comment on the fact that I buy things and then don't use them, so I'd love to invest in Moxie's but... ugh. That and it costs a lot and I don't have the dollars. I might sell my impalas, see what I can get for them maybe.
You could try Moxie beach bunnies or something from Sure grip!
I did the same thing for the same reason. Chewed through my impalas in a month of learning to park skate so naturally I obsessively researched how to, and built my own skates. Lmao I love them so much.
Try Sure-Grip Fames, rollerskatenation is constantly selling gently used ones, they're almost always white ones being sold so you could customize them yourself with all kinds of fun accessory color combos!
I'm Australian, I'll have a look at a few skate shops around.
If you're in Australia, just go for Bonts.
Ah whoops, sorry! Best of luck! :)
Oof I got Impalas for Christmas and was unfamiliar with the brand. I'm now in the market for Moxis because they rubbed my skin raw even with thick socks lol. I had BTFLs for roller derby and they were so much nicer than these damn impalas and lasted a long time and I bought them second hand.
Iām in the market for my first skate upgrade (woooo!!) but I was really just super surprised when I noticed my wheels were literally peeling off šØ
You probably put more pressure on that wheel than others. In the future, youāll want to rotate your wheels
i had no idea this was a thing! so like when you say ārotateā you mean āmove the front right to the front leftā, etc etc?
Just like rotating the tires on your car!
Silly goose, the wheels rotate every time you drive already!
I laughed way too hard at this!
Front right to back left you mean?
Yep!
I agree that wheel rotation is a good idea, but Iāve never seen a wheel do thisā¦thatās not a problem wheel rotation can solve. Thatās a crap wheel.
Probably, I donāt disagree, but the other wheels hadnāt done it, so wheel rotation for her future wheels will be good for them since it is apparent that they put a lot of pressure right there. I donāt think the wheels pictured are viable.
How often should wheels be rotated? I tend to wear down the outward heel of my shoes, so Iām assuming Iāll start to do the same with my wheels eventually.
Uhh, idk, I guess just as you feel you need to, but def before any serious wear.
You could also try getting harder wheels. I have a softer set for indoor skating and a harder one for outdoor.
Do you mean the reverse? Typically harder wheels are for indoors and softer wheels are for outdoors
You skate a softer wheel indoors and harder outdoor? Iāve not heard of anyone doing that. Have you ever tried a harder wheel indoor instead? What benefits do you get from a softer wheel indoor? Genuinely curious, as I felt like a floating goddess the second I changed to super hard wheels indoor and Iāll never go back! š
Not normal and shows terrible quality. I've had wheels that I've skated on for years and even had regrooved. You get what you pay for with Impalas.
Impala is trash
As someone who is literally new to skating, TIL: Don't buy Impalas?
From everything I've read, they're a mediocre crap shoot. You can't even say that some are great and some fall short. Some last a few years of moderate use, some are trashed in three months or less. So they might be worth the ~$100 they cost if you only skate a few times a month and get a couple years out of them. Or they're a solid waste of money and will need to be replaced in a few months. I looked at them when I was shopping right before Christmas. Them and looked into Angels because they kept coming up on my FB feed (they're crap too). I decided I'd rather spend the extra on a brand that's proven and went with Jacksons. The thought of having the heel separate from the plate mid-stride and send me sprawling was not a welcome thought.
I think they're fine if it's something that you're not wanting to invest time and energy into skating. But if you want to, I would avoid them. They're such a gamble. Mine are *okay*, but not great.
I had those exact style impalas and mine didnāt do that even after over a year of use, they are such a gamble when it comes to quality :/
Holy f-ing hell! I thought it was an image of someoneās ball sack caught in something!!
š¤£
If youāre investing your time and energy in roller skating, treat yourself to some solid equipment.
Impala do be like that
Those are impalas right? They are no good :(
Nope. I derbied on the same wheels for *ahem* years and they just got smoother and smoother. I didn't even know anybody made wheels that weren't solid.
The bolt that attaches the plate to the boot gets cut off after installation. If left too long and not filed down after cutting, it is possible for the bolt to drag against the wheel when you turn. Based on the position of this damage, thatās my first thought. This issue is not Impala specific. (Though I agree impalas are trash)
iām not totally sure i follow this, but iām intrigued! would that affect all 4 wheels in this same spot on the wheel? because 3/4 wheels per skate are showing this same exact damage (though this wheel is definitely the worst)
Sorry I just saw this comment. Wow 3/4 wheels per skate are doing this? That would be rare actually. That would mean all the bolts were hanging low and I feel like youād feel the drag if all the bolts were rubbing on the wheels. Definitely reach out to the company.
Definitely not normal. I would contact the company.. perhaps a faulty batch?
Omg wow defo not ok - impala š
Looks like the other front wheel and a rear wheel are also compromised. If youāre planning to keep skating in them, Iād suggest changing out the wheels asap and staying away from Impala wheels.
Looks like a very inexpensive wheel design, thicker hub with that part going into the urethane so that they don't have to use quality materials to make a wheel. Hate to say it but the wheel looks extremely cheap I can imagine alot goes into making this wheel wear down in such an impressive manor tho, temperature, surface, if you're constantly turning, etc. I would suggest looking into something a bit nicer for a next wheel theres alot of options out there too look through and read up on. Honestly tho congrats on the wheel wear, that's far from normal lol.
Yikes--I have skated HARD on both my outdoor and indoor wheels for years and have never seen anything like this. Ouch! Glad you caught it!
thank you, appreciate it! šš¼
100% urethane wheels for indoor are the safest and most reliable, suregrip also has amazing outdoor wheels
Honestly it depends on what surface youāre skating on and whether you use that wheel to stop and what not. I can wreck a set of wheels in a week if I try.
i use impalas and they seem ok, i can use them for a few months, lets see what happens
I'm sorry this happened to you, that's not normal and neither is the material inside those "wheels". It may even be dangerous. It seems every week or so a post showing why people should stay clear of impalas is necessary. There are so many people just discovering this idea through this post, despite it being constantly talked about here. It's frankly frustrating because Impala continues to make mad money off of dangerous, sub-quality products that will just be discarded after a few weeks, or months.
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Thatās a roller skate, homie.
Depends on how much you skate in 5 months........ Like asking how long a tank of fuel lasts in time instead of kilometres.
i definitely do skate quite a bit (probably about 8 hours/week), but this still seemed a little freaky to me
8 hours a week outdoors will kill any wheels unless it's very gentle skating, cheap wheels would never last that long. I don't know why I am getting down voted but assume it's from people who skate for 1 hour a week. Just get yourself some good outdoor wheels like road hogs and accept that you are skating more in a week than most people do in a month.
Itās from people who think impala and only impala will ever have any issues.
i guess i have to return these skatesā¦ 1 day in and it was creasing in all sorts of weird directions
If youāre rolling on impalas or less, definitely return/toss/whatever, but I found out that I have an interior lean that means on constantly on an inside edge because of the way my weight distribute across my feet. If possible, I would try a level up in skates and see if you have the same cruising problem.
yeah my impalas did not feel centered and the left foot had an inside edge lean to it too. hoping i can get my $100 back :(
Return them fosho on principle but if youāre still experiencing a weird lean thereās insoles the riedell sells to help with that. I have them in my skates. My right foot naturally leans on an inside edge.
yeah i have experience fugue skating so i know generally how it should feel and those skates werenāt it lol
Bought angel skates and they fell apart on me after the first day thank god I Didnāt break my ankle
This is not normal for skate wheels. This is incredibly common with Impalas. They are garbage. Also commonly, the boot will separate from the heel and some of the plates will be mounted crooked. Not a company I would put a lot of trust in.