Is it just me, or does this look like a heckovalotta fun?
https://www.terrablades.com/images/scott.gif
https://www.terrablades.com/images/scott.gif
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Terrablades
- Thread starter ski diva
- Start date
I know! Don't they look great? Dangerous, but great. Seems like it'd be a good way to fix the skiing jones during the off season.
If you want to find out more, go here:
https://www.terrablades.com/
The guy who developed it posted on EpicSki.com. Here's what he said:
"Hi am the maker of the Terrablades. I am curious to know why you thought the skates are not maneuverable. Did you see the videos? Its an off-road vehicle basically so its not something to be ducking gates on a paved road at 40mph.
But at the same time the large air filled tires completely insulate you from bumps in the road and smooth the ride to a velvet feel. No chatter. Rollerblades for example like to chatter wildly on rough pavement. These just keep cruising.
We use kites, and motorized pusher, ski lifts, no intention of skating without some form of gravity, wind or motor with these. A great workout, great way to get those ski legs like iron.
The skater there is either me or Charles Sinek an Olympic figure skater. We are moving along pretty fast in most of the video over 20mph on average even on rocky broken up fire roads that would bury Coyotes. They turn about the same as grass skis. Grass skis don’t slide, they carve. Both have same length. If you like grass skiing than Terrablading would be about the same experience. Grass skis are faster and edge better on grass but they only work on that one surface. Grass skis probably flex some (camber as you mentioned) but not much. Grass skiing is really really fun. Its just a shame there is only a few places to do it, and if you live on the west coast no places to do it really, unless you like golf courses and little parks.
Terrablades keep on going after the grass is gone. They are at home on the road, in dirt, you name it. and they have brakes with grass skiis never had, so you can virtually rapel over sections where you can not turn but using the 4 brakes on the center wheels which turn the skates into a long rubber suction cup, which you can stick to the trail as pretty easily as long as its not pumace or soft sand.
The power you get from the ski boots and support more than makes up for being a few inches off the ground.
They do not perform like regular skates. But they do turn pretty easily that is because the middle wheel are 1 cm lower than the end wheels.
The ski boots don’t really get that hot as another post pointed out. More really helmet, body armor stuff like that makes the heat tough if in the desert for example.
I did not design these for beginner skaters, or beginner skiers, little kids, old people etc. They are full on off road, dangerous and fun and take time to learn.
Being up high only makes falls more spectacular, we have not found stability problems. But most of the higher speed skating we have done with these has been with the powered rig or on smooth grass so I can really speak for over 40 mph since they were not really designed for it. We have jumped of some things, maybe 4ft no problem. Basically this is a test idea, so far so good. So far one trip to the hospital with a few broken ribs and punctured lung. But that’s after using them for nearly 2 years now so knock on wood we are in our 40s though so its getting tougher.
Basically it is really hard to make something that will do everything. My experience with the skates so far is its lots of gear, but you can do much more than you expected, people freak out, and its fun. The best part is blasting by people on racing bikes on the road with the rollercycle, and passing begginer mountain bikers on trails, and keeping up with kite surfers on the beach with traction kites is fun. Its just another way to get around.
Anyone want to try them in S. Ca. let me know. I should have some nicer professionally made pairs done by CNC soon."
If you want to find out more, go here:
https://www.terrablades.com/
The guy who developed it posted on EpicSki.com. Here's what he said:
"Hi am the maker of the Terrablades. I am curious to know why you thought the skates are not maneuverable. Did you see the videos? Its an off-road vehicle basically so its not something to be ducking gates on a paved road at 40mph.
But at the same time the large air filled tires completely insulate you from bumps in the road and smooth the ride to a velvet feel. No chatter. Rollerblades for example like to chatter wildly on rough pavement. These just keep cruising.
We use kites, and motorized pusher, ski lifts, no intention of skating without some form of gravity, wind or motor with these. A great workout, great way to get those ski legs like iron.
The skater there is either me or Charles Sinek an Olympic figure skater. We are moving along pretty fast in most of the video over 20mph on average even on rocky broken up fire roads that would bury Coyotes. They turn about the same as grass skis. Grass skis don’t slide, they carve. Both have same length. If you like grass skiing than Terrablading would be about the same experience. Grass skis are faster and edge better on grass but they only work on that one surface. Grass skis probably flex some (camber as you mentioned) but not much. Grass skiing is really really fun. Its just a shame there is only a few places to do it, and if you live on the west coast no places to do it really, unless you like golf courses and little parks.
Terrablades keep on going after the grass is gone. They are at home on the road, in dirt, you name it. and they have brakes with grass skiis never had, so you can virtually rapel over sections where you can not turn but using the 4 brakes on the center wheels which turn the skates into a long rubber suction cup, which you can stick to the trail as pretty easily as long as its not pumace or soft sand.
The power you get from the ski boots and support more than makes up for being a few inches off the ground.
They do not perform like regular skates. But they do turn pretty easily that is because the middle wheel are 1 cm lower than the end wheels.
The ski boots don’t really get that hot as another post pointed out. More really helmet, body armor stuff like that makes the heat tough if in the desert for example.
I did not design these for beginner skaters, or beginner skiers, little kids, old people etc. They are full on off road, dangerous and fun and take time to learn.
Being up high only makes falls more spectacular, we have not found stability problems. But most of the higher speed skating we have done with these has been with the powered rig or on smooth grass so I can really speak for over 40 mph since they were not really designed for it. We have jumped of some things, maybe 4ft no problem. Basically this is a test idea, so far so good. So far one trip to the hospital with a few broken ribs and punctured lung. But that’s after using them for nearly 2 years now so knock on wood we are in our 40s though so its getting tougher.
Basically it is really hard to make something that will do everything. My experience with the skates so far is its lots of gear, but you can do much more than you expected, people freak out, and its fun. The best part is blasting by people on racing bikes on the road with the rollercycle, and passing begginer mountain bikers on trails, and keeping up with kite surfers on the beach with traction kites is fun. Its just another way to get around.
Anyone want to try them in S. Ca. let me know. I should have some nicer professionally made pairs done by CNC soon."
dburdenbates
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I used to be a competitive inline skater until I was sidelined by a condition that I won't go into here. Our team captain would never carry these off road skates in his shop because he thought they were hideous (just the kind of guy he was) and crazy dangerous. I've never been on any off road skates, but I have a really hard time imagining it. I can't imagine that with even those fat wheels a twig or rock wouldn't still sending you flying. I can vouch for the road rash a tiny road rock can give on asphalt. I'd hate to ruin my ski season because of those things. Falling would be much different than in the snow. All the padding in the world can't fully protect you.
That being said, for adrenaline junkies, it's probably a great rush.
That being said, for adrenaline junkies, it's probably a great rush.
The footage I have seen of the carvers show them on black top. No off the road application. Those who have done it and discussed it on PMTS forum referred to falling on 'black ice'.
I agree, it would be awful to break a wrist or arm. It would put off my ski season, but also I would not be able to do my job.
I agree, it would be awful to break a wrist or arm. It would put off my ski season, but also I would not be able to do my job.
Native Vail Gal
Banned
Ok...is it me.....or does this guy need to have a helmet on in the video? 
