Rollerblade Skate to Ski program and recommended inline skates?

[StayWarm]

Has anyone out there done the Skate to Ski program from Rollerblade? I started today, and I really like the combo of videos and written instructions in the app. It's endorsed by PSIA and US Ski & Snowboard. The progression seems good, and at every step they're explaining how the exercise relates to skiing. I'm only in the first phase, but enjoying it. It's been good distancing exercise, too, since I can do it in empty parking lots.

Here's my question: My skates are beginner model, semi-soft shell, and the app recommends a full hard shell skate. Obviously, they're recommending their own skates, some of which are about $300. I'm wondering if anyone who has more experience with this has recommendations of their own?

 

[Jilly]

Our local sport shop is closed, but I didn't think anyone made a "hardshell" boot. I saw my Salomon skates in the storage room the other day....thinking...but if I need new bearings....where?

 

[Jilly]

Oh, do you have all the protective gear...knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist guards?

 

[StayWarm]

Oh, do you have all the protective gear...knee pads, elbow pads, and wrist guards?

Yes! Helmet and wrist guards, every time, or my husband will give me a death glare.

The Rollerblade link I include in the first post connects to the skates they recommend for the program -- they're all hard shell. I hadn't seen anything like that before, but I guess if the point is to make it as similar to skiing as possible, it makes sense?

 

[Jilly]

I suppose the idea is that, that boot is similar to a ski boot.

 

[SarahXC]

I have done some of the progression in a soft boot roller blade (I posted the model I have for @bsskier in a thread I’ll try to find) — haven’t had any trouble really with the exercise so far but I don’t really “get them” or haven’t had that “click” moment yet either... the new soft boots definitely feel different than my super old hard boot rollerblade and also different than hockey skates (my other comparison). For me the forward lean (or not) in the skates is the biggest thing I notice.

ETA: The skates I got were the Rollerblade Macroblade 100 3WD.

 

[MissySki]

I’m impatiently waiting for it to stop being so rainy in MA so I can get out on my skates and try out the skate to ski lessons as well. I have powerslide skates that are a hardshell. They are very similar to a pair that Rollerblade offers, but these just fit me better.

I’m tempted to work on some of the easy drills in a mostly empty room in my house. However, it reminds me too much of a childhood incident where my mom adamantly told me not to roller skate in the house, and then I did it anyway while she was in the kitchen washing dishes.. I ended up losing my balance, grabbing onto a piece of furniture with a sharp edge as I fell forward, and had to go to the hospital for stitches in my forehead. Definitely don’t want to relive that!! Lol

 

[StayWarm]

I’m tempted to work on some of the easy drills in a mostly empty room in my house. However, it reminds me too much of a childhood incident where my mom adamantly told me not to roller skate in the house, and then I did it anyway while she was in the kitchen washing dishes.. I ended up losing my balance, grabbing onto a piece of furniture with a sharp edge as I fell forward, and had to go to the hospital for stitches in my forehead. Definitely don’t want to relive that!! Lol

That's awesome; I'm glad you recovered to skate again!

You can definitely work on some of the jumping/hopping exercises indoors, especially in a carpeted area. In fact, the app recommends that (or grass) when you're starting out with small jumps so that you don't roll so much and can get a better sense of your balance on the skates.

I've learned to parallel turn since starting the program, which is great! But I also am starting to think that I really should upgrade to a hard shell skate. Trying to learn to jump with the soft shells, which have so much less support, is really hard.

 

[Weekend Warrioress]

I have done some of the progression in a soft boot roller blade (I posted the model I have for @bsskier in a thread I’ll try to find) — haven’t had any trouble really with the exercise so far but I don’t really “get them” or haven’t had that “click” moment yet either... the new soft boots definitely feel different than my super old hard boot rollerblade and also different than hockey skates (my other comparison). For me the forward lean (or not) in the skates is the biggest thing I notice.

ETA: The skates I got were the Rollerblade Macroblade 100 3WD.

Long-time lurker, first time poster reviving this thread. I've been suffering from analysis paralysis regarding which skates to get for the skate to ski program and hard boot skates are less common. I foresee a lot of dry land activities in my future in the coming months as this season it's supposed to be a warm / dry winter where I live in the southwest, I'm recovering from a torn Achilles (at this point my PT approved skating and mellow half-day skiing) and COVID travel restrictions. I ordered a few different skates online since there aren't any shops in my area that carry a big selection.

There are several great threads on the S-2-S program on this forum - I think your post convinced me I'm best off keeping the hard boot skates I ordered assuming they fit well. These are the hard boot skates I ordered: https://www.roces.com/us/prodotti/fco/ - my hesitation was they have small wheels (76mm), but that might be a big plus for maneuverability and I'm not looking to go fast. I haven't been on in-line skates since the 90's.