Rollerblade Lighting 05

Rollerblade’s newest speed skate strikes nice.


By Jordan Burchette
Maxim.com

If anything can offset the nancy-boy stigma associated with in-line skating, it’s Honda-comparable speed and the subsequent potential for serious bodily harm. With this in mind, the folks at Rollerblade have engineered a footcoach for the man who demands a skate that’s lighter and more comfortable, yet suitable for highway driving.

Loaded with every possible advancement they could cram in a boot, the Lightning 05 combines speed-skate velocity without resorting to the five-wheel frame that ordinarily hampers maneuverability—essential for terrorizing elderly pedestrians and out-of-town drivers. Our only complaint involved the wheels, which we managed to shred after a half-dozen uses. To be fair, speed wheels are not as conducive to aggressive street skating.

Overall, this skate warmed our gravy. Light, comfy, and faster than a rabbit on Viagra, the Lightning 05 is a skate we’d be confident to wear in prison.