Last year (2000) Salomon announced the release of two new skates, the ST90 and the ST80. For some reason Salomon decided to scrap production of the ST80 and released the ST70 (a cheaper model) instead. Last summer Salomon decided to sell off all of there sample models of the ST80 so now these ... Read review
A review by duncbarton on Salomon ST80 June 9th, 2001
Author's product rating:
Durability
Design
Value for money
Comfort
Advantages:
Good looks, great price, great overall performance .
Disadvantages:
Only available in one size (8 . 5 UK) .
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Last year (2000) Salomon announced the release of two new skates, the ST90 and the ST80. For some reason Salomon decided to scrap production of the ST80 and released the ST70 (a cheaper model) instead. Last summer Salomon decided to sell off all of there sample models of the ST80 so now these samples are available. Since these are sample skates they were only ever made in one size (uk 8.5) so if this size is too large or too small for you then forget about buying these skates as riding wrongly sized skates can be detrimental to the health of your feet. Out of the box these skates look amazing. The cool blue-grey colour used for the boot is definitely the most aesthetically pleasing of on any of the recent Salomon skates. This is highlighted by the white frame which gives the skates a very clean, stylish appearance. These skates come fully equipped with Salomon ABEC 5 bearings and Medium Matt Andrews wheels (57mm 90A) so you can skate them straight away without having to replace anything. The bearings are reasonably fast and smooth as are the wheels, neither of which were especially great but did the job nicely. As soon as you get your feet inside these you will appreciate all the work Salomon have put into their liners. These and the other Salomon skates I have used have always exceeded all possible expectations when it comes to comfort and have never caused any problems with sore feet, blisters, etc. Grinding in these skates at first is a joy. The new wider soul space and harder frame make grinds easier and faster, but, after a number of falls the soul space does begin the wear away (this is easily fixed by replacing the soul plates available from http://www.salomonthestore.com) and as the frame is worn in grinds do become a bit slower (but more controlled). For airs and gaps no-one can fault these skates. The Salomon shock absorber has taken away all the pain I used to feel when landing gaps and now i can roll away from large gaps and launches pain free. Overall, i would recommend these skates to anyone, whether you are just starting aggressive rollerblading or you are an experienced veteran because off there outstanding looks and great performance over all disciplines of rolling.
