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Hypno Stealth inline skate review2003 modelby Bill HicksNovember 2003
Background to this Hypno Stealth reviewI have been skating for over 50 years now, starting on quads and taking to inline skates in 1994. I enjoyed inline skating so much that I got certified as an IISA instructor in 1996. I average 50-75 miles per week between teaching and fitness skating. For those of you familiar with the Washington DC area, I live about 50 miles West and work in downtown DC. To save wear and tear on my vehicle, I take a commuter train into work each day. I have always wanted to try skating from the train station to work, but carrying a pair of normal skates plus helmet and work related items was really out of the question. I have read about Hypno skates for some time, and know a few people in Europe that use older models and swear by them. I felt that they would offer a viable alternative for me and allow me to skate to and from my train station without having to carry a lot of excess stuff. This year, they came out with the Stealth, a top of the line, aluminum frame with 80mm/80a wheels, and ABEC 7 bearings. I decided that I must try these out.
First Impressions“The 2003 Stealth features ABEC-7 bearings, large 80mm 78A Hyper wheels, and an ultra-light boot with a cooling system to lower internal boot temperature. It was specially designed for heavy-duty skating (note not designed for Hockey), and an ultra-comfortable walking experience - the best of both worlds.” My Comments:The above is a quote from Hypno. Upon removing the skates from the box, I was impressed with the overall weight of the skates. Certainly not as light as a good fitness skate, but lighter than most mid-range to lower end skates that I have seen. Overall, not a bad looking skate. But does it live up to their statement above? The Hypno bootOnce removed from the frame, I took a good look at the boot. Very strange looking as you can imagine, in order lock the frame to the boot. There is a lace covering that is held down by a ratcheting strap. When released, it only comes up on the outside. The inner side is permanently fixed thus making it difficult to get at the laces to tie them (very similar to the Rollerblade Lightning series). If the laces should happen to break and you need to replace them, I’m not sure how that will be accomplished. The lower end is down underneath the covering, and is very difficult to get at. That’s a question that I will have to ask Hypno! COOLING SYSTEM??? I’m not sure how that is supposed to work. There are no obvious air vents in the boot so no air can flow through the boot like a lot of the higher end skates. Yet, in my limited use of them so far, my socks/feet are no wetter than with any other skate that I use. Go figure.
The Intersole”Your feet will fall in love with the split personality of our new Intersole. In skating mode, the Intersole provides a rigid support interface for the frame connecting to the sole, resulting in super-precise transmission of skating power. In walking mode, toes wiggle with excitement by the shock absorbing flexibility of the Intersole. We consider this the "soul" of the STS line - where your feet meet the street.” My Comments:That sure sounds great doesn’t it? What I can tell you after skating is the support and rigidity between the foot and wheels is good. I do not feel any looseness at all. While skating they are very comfortable. I have worn these for a couple of days now, wearing the boots all day at work. The first day, I noticed a pressure point on the little toe of my right foot. The left was fine. These boots do run somewhat small, and per their recommendation, I ordered a half size larger than I normally wear (normally wear a US size 8, ordered 8.5). My big toe just brushes the end of the boot when sitting or walking which is fine, BUT, with an average U.S. shoe width of “D”, the toe box on these boots is SNUG. There isn’t any extra room. If you have a wide foot, you will NOT be happy with these skates. UPDATE: I emailed Hypno about the tightness in the toe box. While I am going to try and have it stretched at a local ski shop, they found a pair of US size 9 Stealth boots and have shipped them to me. I have worn them around the house for a couple of hours, and they feel MUCH better. Based on that limited wearing, I would recommend that you order a full size larger than you normally wear. IsoSupport (TM)“Hypno skates are more than just good looks. Beneath the surface, you will find as much support and control as any plastic boot. Our designers stripped all the hard plastic off the outside of our skates and isolated the support between the layers of SoftWear construction. It's simple - you get better support with less volume. Replacing bulky plastic with lightweight materials gives you better performance as well as a great looking skate.” My Comments:The sole of the boot is very stiff, and there is very good support around the heel and up to the ankle bone. Compared to the average hard plastic boot, the Hypno Stealth has as much or more support. There is a strap at the top of the boot that helps tighten the boot around the lower part of the calf, but it will not be tight. If you are used to a lower boot like the Vitesse or Lightnings, you will not notice this. If you are used to a higher boot, the Hypno will feel loose to you in this area. Skating in them is not compromised by this however. If your technique is relatively good and you skate on your center edge, they are fine. SoftWear (TM)”Compared to hard plastic molded skates, slippin' into Hypno SoftWear feels like walking on clouds in fur slippers. SoftWear gives skaters enough comfort to keep them going for hours while providing the optimum amount of lightweight support. Our SoftWear boots feature a combination of the rugged tolerance of durable leather and the breathability of nylon mesh. The padding creates a snug, performance fit to put skating power to the pavement. Whether you're walking or skating, the lightweight, flexible construction of the outsole, coupled with the intersole, absorbs road vibration and offers maximum performance. Try our SoftWear boots and you'll never go back to cumbersome injection molded skates again.” My Comments:I have to say that their first sentence is very true, but then most any skate on the market today is better than a hard plastic molded skate. Hours of comfort?? I can’t attest to that yet, as I have only skated in them for a total of a couple of hours, and worn the boots for a total of approximately 20 hours. My initial reaction however, is that these are NOT a skate to do a marathon in, but for what they are designed for they are comfortable. They do absorb road vibration well, and the overall performance has been pleasing so far. ConclusionSo far I am quite pleased overall with these skates. Even though the boots are somewhat snug, they are not uncomfortable but do take some getting used to. Walking around in a stiff boot does feel strange. Skating in them is great and they provide a solid feel, good power transfer, and smooth ride over rough areas. Taking them off is relatively easy, by simply turning the lock at the top of the lever a half turn, pull down the lever and the frames pop right off. Putting the frames on is another matter however, especially the right boot. The brake assembly gets in the way of the locking lever and makes it difficult to get the boot into the correct position. In addition, it is difficult to line up the frame into the proper position as you can’t see the bottom of the boot (unless that is you are very young and can bend in half!). While I can take the frames off in less than 10 seconds average, it has taken me as long as a couple of minutes to get the right frame on. Hopefully, as I get used to them, this time will decrease. I also purchased their Half Moon skate bag. It’s currently on sale for $29 US which is a bargain. It has a separate area for the frames (the dark mesh area), with enough room inside for some small items. I carry a couple of bottles of water there, along with a small first aid kit and skate tool. The outside pocket is large enough for a CD player or Walkman, but I use it to carry a couple of books. It also has a cell phone pocket built in on the strap. I highly recommend the bag if you get any of their skates, it’s very comfortable and easy to use. Makes carrying the frames much easier!
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