I went skating last night. There were three take-aways.
First, I am officially off the board for an undetermined period of time. I am sure is going to be at least a few weeks. The reason? I have a pulled groin muscle, and I need to stay completely off the board for a bit to let it fully heal. I’ve been skating (a bit), but keeping it on the mellow-side. It appears that this approach has (a) not really made the strain much worse, and (b) but also allowed it endure beyond what it should have. This morning it feels a bit worse than it had been. So, as of today, I am off the board until it’s healed. The only silver lining? All of this is taking place during the winter, and not the warming months.
Second, I like the Nuke Boy set-up with 159s a bit more than 149s (see previous posts). The 159s just make the set-up feel a bit more stable/solid, and feeble/smith grinds were a lot more “natural” feeling on 159s. Yes, this set-up can work with 149s, but I’m just feeling the 159s more.
Last, I took out the 187 Fly Knee Pads for an actual use (street) test (see previous posts). I was not a fan, and I will be getting rid of them. What did I not like about them? A lot.
-Compared to the Pros, you feel knee impact a lot more. The Pros have significantly better padding. I knew this was going to be a factor going in. But unless the Flys are going to excel in some other area (and they do NOT), then it makes no sense to compromise on safety. On the occasions that I am wearing pads, I want them to actually work (e.g. provide protection). The Pros are the clear winner.
-There were pressure points on my shins at the bottom of the pads, even with knee gaskets on. The Pros do not have this issue. Overall, the Pros are just more comfortable to wear.
-Finally, I just hated the way they looked. They are longer, and narrower than the Pros, and the caps are more squared off (in a bad way). Something about the ratios and proportions of their design just didn’t sit well with me. When I look down at my board or shoes (or pads), I don’t want to hate what I see. If I do, it’s going to bum me out a bit, and put me in a bad mood. No one wants to go skating in a bad mood—it’s supposed to an activity full of fun and stoke, not malaise and contempt. I want to be stoked out my equipment. Like, why the hell would you hang a painting/photo in your living room that you hated? You simply wouldn’t. So, likewise with (my) skate equipment.
-Combine all of these factors, with the reservations mentioned in my previous post about these pads, and the game is over.
