I purchased these skates to start derby after a 15 year break from skating (when I was young I was on a speed skating team for a few years), and they are definitely good beginner skates. The boot is pretty comfortable (sometimes I get blisters during speed practice though) and the wheels have good grip to make you feel stable. I've been on them for a few months now and I picked skating back up pretty quick. Now that I'm comfortable on skates again, I'm having some problems doing some harder maneuvers because of these skates. First, the plate is HEAVY and definitely makes it hard to move your feet fast which is a problem in derby. Another problem is it's extremely difficult to do proper T and plow stops because the wheels are very grippy. I had to put 2 slick wheels on each skate to make it easier and that has worked out well. I do recommend these skates for beginners and I am happy with my purchase, but if I could do it over I would have definitely gotten a lighter plate. Also, be sure to buy toe covers if you are doing derby because when you learn falls you will go through a lot of sets of laces.

I'm a complete beginner skater. I've been in cheap skates as most beginners go. I decided to test out the "you get what you pay for" argument and bought these. One word to describe them: INCREDIBLE. They are fast. I got on these bad boys and couldn't keep up. Took me a while to tame the beast. They are a bit heavy (I have a size 11 weighing in at ~10 lbs.) but if you're a tall guy like me it won't be a problem. The real leather boot will give you a few nasty blisters until you break it in. I love the polished aluminum plates. The bearings are smooth and keep you moving for a good distance. The Mojo wheels are magical. I do outdoor skating, typically on surfaces such as a tennis court. At first they seemed a bit slippery but after you've run them a good half mile to break them in, they grip. Out of the box these skates were near perfect. A couple wheel nuts needed a slight turn as a couple wheels were wobbly when moving at moderate speeds. I had to very slightly adjust my trucks (but everyone has to for a new pair of skates). All in all I love them and I highly recommend them. It is true, you do get what you pay for. Having these skates makes it easy for me to commit to learning how to skate. Cheap skates do not perform nearly as well making you want to give up sooner than you should. Allow for a good solid hour to break these guys in. After that you will fly.

These skates are so awesome, you won't believe it. The MOJO wheels are great, very very good grip but a little narrower than speed wheels.....which makes them SO maneuverable. I'm not kidding, I could do anything in these skates. They are like floating on a cloud :) I used to have some NICE custom skates, too, so I'm used to skating on quality. You WON'T be disappointed!!!!

These skates are so awesome, you won't believe it. The MOJO wheels are great, very very good grip but a little narrower than speed wheels.....which makes them SO maneuverable. I'm not kidding, I could do anything in these skates. They are like floating on a cloud :) I used to have some NICE custom skates, too, so I'm used to skating on quality. You WON'T be disappointed!!!!

Amazing the difference these skates make! Everyone tells you that if you're going to skate derby you need to invest in good equipment, and they are right! If you think you're going to skate for any length of time, buy these skates first! The aluminum plates make all the difference. My first skates were Carerras, and while they are comfy, they just weren't up to derby standards. The Wickeds are head and shoulders above. I also love the Mojo wheels. Grippy but still super fast. I'm a big girl, and these skates give me the stability I need without sacrificing speed or agility. Love 'em.