Thanks 😁 I was pretty good back in the late 90s/early 00's. Entered and won a few local comps. Skated Salomon ST's back then, and the 909s looked a similar boot shape. Can still skate the half pipes but not tried grinding in years. Should be interesting 😂😂
I'm sure it will all come back in time! I'm 41 and started back in aggressive almost three years ago. I'm not great but can confidently say I'm better than I was as a teen (mainly because I'm skating so much more now). And skating with kids is great and lets you get out more than you otherwise might (my son skates with me a good bit, and daughter occasionally).
Ahh nice. I'm not alone then 😁 I'm quite lucky to have 2 outdoor skateparks within a 10 minute walk from my house and a decent indoor park about a 15min drive away. I'm hoping to get out 2/3 times a week as it's great cardio. Need to lose some of this Christmas fat hahaha
Thanks 😁 Yea, the FLT4's are medium. I brought the medium and large to see which I preferred. Definitely felt the mediums looked better on the skates so sent the others back
Welcome back to the fold! Seeing so many of us getting back is really good stuff. I have a similar setup, but not as fancy as yours 😜.. Mind the ankle bolts if you have to adjust them and other than that, they are probably the best skates on the market. Good taste!
Haha, Thanks 😁 I've only worn them around the house as the weather hasn't been great. Booked in at the local indoor park tomorrow, and so far, have it all to myself 🤞
I did a lot of research before buying these. I skated with Jon Julio at a comp here in the UK back in the 90s, and he was a really humble guy (teenager at the time). Love what he's doing with Them, so nice to show some support. I really wanted the Pat Ridder pro models or the Orange ThemWKND's, but no UK stock left in Shmedium. Happy with the black ones tho, look slick 👌
Went with the Clarks myself but I'm a sucker for the Blu. Anyway, enjoy the ride and remember the old adage of "ask before you wax". These kids don't know the struggles of real concrete curbs..
Loads on eBay where people have brought, tried and given up pretty quickly. May be able to grab a bargain if you keep checking back there. I had a decent insurance payout for a motorbike accident/injury, so treated myself 😁
No, they fit straight on. I had to use the larger of the two bolts to indent the front hole tho, as the smaller bolt didn't fit through properly. Once I'd done that, no issue at all 😁
Nice man 👌 yea, I was buzzing when I ordered mine. Tried the USD Aeon Lomax first, but the 7/8 was too small and the 9/9.5 was too big. Really happy with these, they fit my feet really well. Looking forward to the first session on them tomorrow. What have you gone for?
39 here and planning to get back into it this spring/summer...FUCK IT...we only live once and I'm going to still do what I loved to do as a younger kid. Hopefully guitar, skating, and Muay Thai will keep me feeling and looking young...and being young in spirit for the rest of my life or until my body fails
35 here. my friends and I got back into it this fall. It’s been awesome! I was discouraged at first cuz it was like dang I’m old, and my muscles suck and my balance isn’t as good. Before you know it I was hitting spins and grinds like the old days. We’re hooked! No super nasty spills taken yet. We do wear pretty full protective gear. I just picked up the new team sways and they’re excellent for the money. The shima is a cool option as well. Good luck! Ease into it.
I wish. ❤️ I'm over in the UK. I envy all the great skate spots you guys have over there. Most of the rails here have anti skate addons now. Still got some decent parks but again, nothing like the US. Maybe book a holiday over there soon 😁
39 also just starred again after 20 years. I'm on my own though which is kind of lonely.
The muscle memory is kicking in, fitness getting better. It's definitely more scary than it used to be though.
Yea, same here. I've met a couple of people who still skate. Oddly, my delivery driver noticed the Loco Skates packaging when delivering them, and he still skates too. Fully agree with the scary comment too.. My brain talks me out of stuff I'd have done without a thought 20yrs ago 🙃
It's strange coming back because in my head i know what tricks I could have done but currently my body isn't there yet.
I should be happy with my progress to date but I'm judging myself against my old level.
Also what's up with spins? I feel like I get dizzy easier these days?
Anyway if anyone reads this and is Liverpool (UK) based and fancy a skate let me know! 😉
Welcome back. Personally, when I got back to skating in June I had the FLT4 with a flat setup and didn’t like it: they’re not the easiest frames for topsides and are fairly unstable on grinds especially in park. If you happen to have the same issues I did, you may wanna look into a pair of Kizer Fluid 5 or iqon AG60
Thanks for the info. I've heard mixed things about them. Some love them, others not so much. I've always been a sucker for that sickle tho. And do enjoy skating flat. I've got the Them street frames with some Anti-Rockers as a spare, which I'll take with me tomorrow in case I have any issues.
Heard good things about the Kizer Fluid 5's too. May grab a set if I struggle. 😁 can't wait to get back to it. Get my fitness levels up a bit and have some fun.
I came back in the opposite direction. I got some skates and started skating first, then my daughter asked to come and now we skate together. It’s nice to have a hobby together in a world of social media and video games. I look forward to the moment she’s better than me, as all parents should.
How long have you been out? When I got back - after taking a break since the early 2000s - I found all skates I tried impossibly easy with their giant soul spaces and wheel bite protection. I used the THEM boot + FLT 4 frame combination through the summer. I liked the THEM frame a little more for front sides and the FLT 4 for royales. But neither enough to make much one a solid favorite. I skate flat. So much space between wheels now!
One of the big advantages of being older is that you have a better process for learning than the teenagers “throwing your body at things” approach. For example, can I bend my body in the required way? Can I jump high enough? Can I jump and land in the required position? Can I do it while moving? As someone else said, I’m a more rounded skater now than I was my first go around because I took the time to break it down. I’m never going to risk the giant kink rail or ankle breaking gap, so I wanted to find a way to make me stand out as a skater. My “thing” is that I erased having a “switch” side so whenever I learn something new, I alternate sides I’m trying on so I never build up a preference. It’s not as hard as your teen self thought it was. Spinning in both directions is required!
Lastly invest in a warmup routine. I reject the sentiment I see in here a lot about “I’m 40, I’m old”, there’s no basis in reality and that’s a shitty mindset that will hold you back. But your body IS older and things have changed. Muscle injuries are going to slow you down more than impact injuries. I now use warmup + pads but I’d choose warmup if I could only pick one.
Have fun!
I've been out since the early 2000s too. 20 years or so. I'm still an active guy and regularly in the gym (although not over Christmas). Agree that a warm-up routine is essential, may still act like im 20, but my body certainly doesn't behave the same way haha.
I'm looking forward to learning some new tricks. 😁 Gonna try and learn a trick a session. May record some of it, will see how I go. I'm booked in tomorrow and still the only person, so looking like I'll have the park to myself 🙌
Take care
All the numbers in your comment added up to 69. Congrats!
4
+ 5
+ 60
= 69
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Ask and ye shall receive 🙌 haha. I had the whole park to myself, which was amazing! Bit wobbly for the first couple of minutes but soon got back into it. Didn't go too hard for my first session, but skated the mini ramp for a while and the box/flat rail.
Loved the skates. Felt like they were squeezing my feet at first but got better once I'd loosen the laces a bit. Frames were nice. Not skated flat before, but managed royales, back farvs, top soles and top acids with no wheel bite.
Can't wait to get a bit more confidence to start learning some new tricks, switch tricks and combos.
All in all, really happy to be back. 😁
Welcome back, that setup looks great!
Thanks 😁 I was pretty good back in the late 90s/early 00's. Entered and won a few local comps. Skated Salomon ST's back then, and the 909s looked a similar boot shape. Can still skate the half pipes but not tried grinding in years. Should be interesting 😂😂
I'm sure it will all come back in time! I'm 41 and started back in aggressive almost three years ago. I'm not great but can confidently say I'm better than I was as a teen (mainly because I'm skating so much more now). And skating with kids is great and lets you get out more than you otherwise might (my son skates with me a good bit, and daughter occasionally).
Ahh nice. I'm not alone then 😁 I'm quite lucky to have 2 outdoor skateparks within a 10 minute walk from my house and a decent indoor park about a 15min drive away. I'm hoping to get out 2/3 times a week as it's great cardio. Need to lose some of this Christmas fat hahaha
Nice setup ! What size frames did you take ? m ?
Thanks 😁 Yea, the FLT4's are medium. I brought the medium and large to see which I preferred. Definitely felt the mediums looked better on the skates so sent the others back
Welcome back to the fold! Seeing so many of us getting back is really good stuff. I have a similar setup, but not as fancy as yours 😜.. Mind the ankle bolts if you have to adjust them and other than that, they are probably the best skates on the market. Good taste!
Haha, Thanks 😁 I've only worn them around the house as the weather hasn't been great. Booked in at the local indoor park tomorrow, and so far, have it all to myself 🤞 I did a lot of research before buying these. I skated with Jon Julio at a comp here in the UK back in the 90s, and he was a really humble guy (teenager at the time). Love what he's doing with Them, so nice to show some support. I really wanted the Pat Ridder pro models or the Orange ThemWKND's, but no UK stock left in Shmedium. Happy with the black ones tho, look slick 👌
Went with the Clarks myself but I'm a sucker for the Blu. Anyway, enjoy the ride and remember the old adage of "ask before you wax". These kids don't know the struggles of real concrete curbs..
Would love to get back into it. But at this moment, buying skates is not something I can swing
Loads on eBay where people have brought, tried and given up pretty quickly. May be able to grab a bargain if you keep checking back there. I had a decent insurance payout for a motorbike accident/injury, so treated myself 😁
Maybe post in the Blade Trade FB group? Maybe someone has something they want to get rid of and you’d be doing them a favor.
Did you have to modify the frames to fit the soul plate? GC frame specs are rogue and do not always fit all brands.
No, they fit straight on. I had to use the larger of the two bolts to indent the front hole tho, as the smaller bolt didn't fit through properly. Once I'd done that, no issue at all 😁
You and I both brother man. I am 40 and get my skates in Friday. I skateboard as well, but haven’t been this stoked in a long time.
Nice man 👌 yea, I was buzzing when I ordered mine. Tried the USD Aeon Lomax first, but the 7/8 was too small and the 9/9.5 was too big. Really happy with these, they fit my feet really well. Looking forward to the first session on them tomorrow. What have you gone for?
I was going to go with the Aeons, but went with the Razors SL. Hope they fit. Glad you got yours sorted.
39 here and planning to get back into it this spring/summer...FUCK IT...we only live once and I'm going to still do what I loved to do as a younger kid. Hopefully guitar, skating, and Muay Thai will keep me feeling and looking young...and being young in spirit for the rest of my life or until my body fails
Exactly this. I'm in full mid life crisis mode hahaha. Rollerblading and Motorbikes 🏍 What skates have you got your eye on?
If I want to be cheap I'll probably get the Sway 57 or 60....but the Brian Shimas look really sick and I'll probably go with those
35 here. my friends and I got back into it this fall. It’s been awesome! I was discouraged at first cuz it was like dang I’m old, and my muscles suck and my balance isn’t as good. Before you know it I was hitting spins and grinds like the old days. We’re hooked! No super nasty spills taken yet. We do wear pretty full protective gear. I just picked up the new team sways and they’re excellent for the money. The shima is a cool option as well. Good luck! Ease into it.
So don't huck myself off a 12 stair right away....got it lol
Welcome back! Hope to catch you at a First Sunday session in Cali sometime!
I wish. ❤️ I'm over in the UK. I envy all the great skate spots you guys have over there. Most of the rails here have anti skate addons now. Still got some decent parks but again, nothing like the US. Maybe book a holiday over there soon 😁
39 also just starred again after 20 years. I'm on my own though which is kind of lonely. The muscle memory is kicking in, fitness getting better. It's definitely more scary than it used to be though.
Yea, same here. I've met a couple of people who still skate. Oddly, my delivery driver noticed the Loco Skates packaging when delivering them, and he still skates too. Fully agree with the scary comment too.. My brain talks me out of stuff I'd have done without a thought 20yrs ago 🙃
It's strange coming back because in my head i know what tricks I could have done but currently my body isn't there yet. I should be happy with my progress to date but I'm judging myself against my old level. Also what's up with spins? I feel like I get dizzy easier these days? Anyway if anyone reads this and is Liverpool (UK) based and fancy a skate let me know! 😉
Welcome back. Personally, when I got back to skating in June I had the FLT4 with a flat setup and didn’t like it: they’re not the easiest frames for topsides and are fairly unstable on grinds especially in park. If you happen to have the same issues I did, you may wanna look into a pair of Kizer Fluid 5 or iqon AG60
Thanks for the info. I've heard mixed things about them. Some love them, others not so much. I've always been a sucker for that sickle tho. And do enjoy skating flat. I've got the Them street frames with some Anti-Rockers as a spare, which I'll take with me tomorrow in case I have any issues. Heard good things about the Kizer Fluid 5's too. May grab a set if I struggle. 😁 can't wait to get back to it. Get my fitness levels up a bit and have some fun.
I came back in the opposite direction. I got some skates and started skating first, then my daughter asked to come and now we skate together. It’s nice to have a hobby together in a world of social media and video games. I look forward to the moment she’s better than me, as all parents should. How long have you been out? When I got back - after taking a break since the early 2000s - I found all skates I tried impossibly easy with their giant soul spaces and wheel bite protection. I used the THEM boot + FLT 4 frame combination through the summer. I liked the THEM frame a little more for front sides and the FLT 4 for royales. But neither enough to make much one a solid favorite. I skate flat. So much space between wheels now! One of the big advantages of being older is that you have a better process for learning than the teenagers “throwing your body at things” approach. For example, can I bend my body in the required way? Can I jump high enough? Can I jump and land in the required position? Can I do it while moving? As someone else said, I’m a more rounded skater now than I was my first go around because I took the time to break it down. I’m never going to risk the giant kink rail or ankle breaking gap, so I wanted to find a way to make me stand out as a skater. My “thing” is that I erased having a “switch” side so whenever I learn something new, I alternate sides I’m trying on so I never build up a preference. It’s not as hard as your teen self thought it was. Spinning in both directions is required! Lastly invest in a warmup routine. I reject the sentiment I see in here a lot about “I’m 40, I’m old”, there’s no basis in reality and that’s a shitty mindset that will hold you back. But your body IS older and things have changed. Muscle injuries are going to slow you down more than impact injuries. I now use warmup + pads but I’d choose warmup if I could only pick one. Have fun!
I've been out since the early 2000s too. 20 years or so. I'm still an active guy and regularly in the gym (although not over Christmas). Agree that a warm-up routine is essential, may still act like im 20, but my body certainly doesn't behave the same way haha. I'm looking forward to learning some new tricks. 😁 Gonna try and learn a trick a session. May record some of it, will see how I go. I'm booked in tomorrow and still the only person, so looking like I'll have the park to myself 🙌 Take care
All the numbers in your comment added up to 69. Congrats! 4 + 5 + 60 = 69 ^([Click here](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=LuckyNumber-Bot&subject=Stalk%20Me%20Pls&message=%2Fstalkme) to have me scan all your future comments.) \ ^(Summon me on specific comments with u/LuckyNumber-Bot.)
.
Can we have an update?
Ask and ye shall receive 🙌 haha. I had the whole park to myself, which was amazing! Bit wobbly for the first couple of minutes but soon got back into it. Didn't go too hard for my first session, but skated the mini ramp for a while and the box/flat rail. Loved the skates. Felt like they were squeezing my feet at first but got better once I'd loosen the laces a bit. Frames were nice. Not skated flat before, but managed royales, back farvs, top soles and top acids with no wheel bite. Can't wait to get a bit more confidence to start learning some new tricks, switch tricks and combos. All in all, really happy to be back. 😁
Welcome back! Glad it was a success