First there were roller skates, then came roller blades. Now if you want to be in with the cool crowd, you’ll sport a pair of Heelys. Heelys are a hybrid of tennis shoes and roller skates. The wheels are in the heel of the shoe, hence the name Heelys. With Heely’s, the wearer can walk, run, or roll by shifting their weight to their heels. To brake, lower the back of the foot so that the sole contacts the ground. The wheels can be removed and the wheel cavities replaced with caps to convert them into plain shoes.
The Heely Hx2 is made for beginners and the younger crowd. With two wheels in each sole, less balance is needed to maneuver in “role” mode. Once two wheels are mastered, one can be removed for a more challenging ride.
Think Heelys are just for kids? Think again! They now come in adult sizes so you can cruise is style with the kiddos. Each pair of Heeylys comes with a wheel tool and cavity replacements.
Heelys are not only cool in the functional sense but they are stylish too! I was surprised at their design. Looking at them you’d never know they have wheels on the bottom. They look like skate shoes — you know, like Converse or Vans — they style skateboarders wear.
When I was younger I used to love roller skating. My mom was a roller skater as a girl too so maybe it runs in the family. In my late teens I tried rollerblading and it was a disaster. I think Heelys will be a lot easier to master especially with the Hx2. We have a really nice paved “trail” that expands a few cities long. It’s scenic and used by bicyclers, walker, joggers and hopefully next summer by my son and myself, “Heely-ers”. I can’t wait!
Heelys are sold in sporting goods and specialty stores nationwide and in more than 70 countries around the world. An instructional video on how to get started can be found at www.Heelys.com.
A complimentary product/service was provided for this review, however, all opinions expressed are our own. We were not compensated in any other way. See Mommies With Cents disclosure policy for more details.