KidsToys and Games

Skates.co.uk Heelys Propel 2.0 Shoes Review

Reviewed by Louise Totton

Heelys seem to be everywhere at the moment – it seems impossible to go to a supermarket or shopping centre without seeing at least a few kids appearing to be gliding down the aisles. Of course, if I, as an adult, have noticed them, it’s a given that my children will have seen them, fallen in love with them and be planning their ‘pester power’ strategy. So, my eldest daughter, aged 8, was over the moon to be roped in to help review a pair of Heelys from skates.co.uk.

As is often the case with these things, choosing which pair she wanted was half the fun. Skates.co.uk stock a massive range of Heelys, starting from £39.95 for simple canvas options, up to £64.95 for some of the funkier and more substantial styles. The website is really easy to use and we were able to set it to only show styles that were the right size. This was great as it removed the frustration of Abigail falling in love with a particular pair, only to find it wasn’t available in her size. There is also a Heelys buying guide on the website to help you decide between the one or two-wheel options (the one wheel option is faster and more manoeuvrable, whilst the two wheel version is easier to learn on and more stable, but a little less steerable).

As Abigail is a keen roller-skater and has a decent sense of balance, we opted for the single wheel option. She wanted a cool and funky design, and pretty quickly decided on the Heelys Propel 2.0 Shoes in Black/Neon Multi. At £54.95, they are pretty much in the middle of the price range. She normally wears a size 1 in trainers, but as we wanted these to last, and I had heard the sizing can be on the small size, we went for a size 2. Skates.co.uk offer free next day delivery (on orders over £40), so she didn’t have to wait long to play with her new ‘toy’.

She was delighted with them when she opened the box. They looked just as cool and funky in the flesh as they had on the website, and she couldn’t wait to try them on. The box contained the shoes, the wheels (which need fitting), a fitting tool and a sheet of stickers. Out of the box, the shoes have a plug installed – this needs removing with the tool and the wheels are then snapped into place. There are full instructions for this; it is very easy and done in less than 2 minutes. You can then switch between the wheels and the plugs as you choose. This is great because it allows the Heelys to be worn as normal trainers as well as with the wheels.

The quality of the shoes is great. They’re very substantial and well padded – I have to say that I am pleased that we decided to order the size up as they fitted perfectly. There is a sticker on the lid of the box with a QR code – this is scanned with a mobile phone or tablet, and you are taken straight to an instructional video so you can learn to ‘heel’ by watching, rather than reading instructions or just being left to fathom it out yourself. It isn’t an easy technique to learn and is quite different to roller skating. Abigail had had a go on her friends’ Heelys so had a bit of an idea how to do it anyway. She was soon up and Heeling. Heeling needs a flat, hard surface; it’s not ideal in the garden or even on the paths local to me so I took her to the local tennis court to try them out.

We really are delighted with them. They look great and the quality is fantastic too. So far they haven’t scuffed and still look as good as new. I really like the fact that it’s so easy to swap in the plugs for the wheels. It means that if you’re out and about and find yourself somewhere that doesn’t allow them, it only takes a minute to remove them. She also likes them as trainers, without the wheels which is great as it makes them even better value.

They would make a fantastic present, and skates.co.uk have a brilliant range for both boys and girls, to suit most budgets.

Rating: 5/5

Prices from £39.95 to £64.95 (with free UK next day (Mon-Fri) delivery or order over£40).

For more information or to buy visit www.skates.co.uk.

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