Author's product rating: 
| Advantages: |
fun, something different, comfortable |
| Disadvantages: |
a bit pricey, takes practice |
| Recommend to potential buyers: |
yes |
Heelys are the trainers with the wheel in the heel which were invented by a (now very rich) man called Roger Adams They have been popular in America for a few years and they even have Heelys pro teams as a lot of the skateboarders have got into it. Heelys only really became popular in the UK at the end of last year and everywhere you go it now seems there are kids flying around on them. However its not just kids who buy them, trust me, i work in a shop that sells them and have sold them to plenty of adults, as they are available up to adults uk size 11.
The wheels are completely removable and are taken out by hand so that they can be kept clean and dry and also to turn the Heelys into normal trainers but you can walk in Heelys in between skating with the wheels left in in a similar way you would walk in heeled shoes with the weight on the front of the shoe. With the single wheeled versions of Heelys you get a plug which will fit into the gap left by the wheel and you also get a tool to remove the plug, however Heelys do not currently make plugs to fit the two wheeled verion of Heelys but the wheels are still removable. All wheels can be replaced and Heelys make faster wheels for more advanced skaters.
You will probably have seen many kids flying about on Heelys but its not as easy as it looks, it does take practise to get used to (4 days in my case!) as the technique used is different to roller skating or
inline skating as you always have to have one foot in front of the other (this is how you keep your balance) rather than side by side. You have to figure out which foot feels most comfortable in front and you lift your toes up so that you are balanced on the wheel. There is a video which shows you how to get started on Heelys website but the best ways to learn are by holding on to somebody to keep your balance until you get used to keeping it on your own or by taking your back wheel out and practising your front foot first. To stop you can just put your toes down or if you are going quite fast tip your foot back to slow down, however this can cause wear to the back of the shoe.
Some people think that Heelys are dangerous, which they can be if they are not used correctly, no more than roller skating or skateboarding. Heelys have rules that must be followed: dont skate faster than you could run, wear safety helmet and knee pads as you would with any other type of skating, dont skate near traffic or stairs and dont skate on wet or uneven ground (cracks in the pavement, rocks, sand, soil or gravel).
I've had a pair of Heelys for about 5 months now and I can't go as fast as most of the kids but i'm having fun trying. Heelys have remained popular all through the summer and new designs have recently been released for christmas and some children are now buying their second or third pair as they have been doing it for a year or two. Heelys are no longer seen as just a fad, but a new
sport.
