some weeks post surgery…

When I found out about the wrs uploaded competition I just started getting back into skating, mostly curbs and small stuff. Anyway I decided to try and come up with an edit and heres the result.

You should definitely check the wrs page and watch all the edits!
http://www.wrsuploaded.com/

After being injured for nearly a year I guess im finally back on my skates – right in time for winter with its lousy weather. I still have to go to the gym and work on my shoulder but its way better already.
The pics are from a filming session for my upcomming WRS contest entry.

photo: x-grind on a steep plastic “rail” in an abandoned factory.
photography & post: Wladislaw Sokolowskij, S44
high res: flickr

photo: royal luikang 180
photography & post: Wladislaw Sokolowskij, S44
high res: flickr

Check out this pic of our funbox landing – the launch is movable – this thing is a monster.

an overall description on how to vote!

Here is an description on how to confirm the email.

these 1000€ we are going to use to build new/better obstacles in the indoorskatepark we are currently building (in augsburg/germany).

we opened a facebook event – there you can find all the informations you need.

if you want to know more you can also send me an email Daniel.Prell@grindhouse.de

So what is there to do?
1. Vote – IMPORTANT – you can vote 3 times with one email
2. approve the approvement email youll get
3. tell your friends about this – make your mom and dad vote – its a good thing to support and it doesnt take much time to help some fellow skaters

This HUGE foam-pit is the last addition to the park – but we need more wood to add a good street area.

after testing the jeans for a while and really liking them I now am officially part of the bulletprufe skate denim team.

check out some pictures of me shredding the jeans + some pictures of the bp gear I took.

you can find out more about bp on facebook.
also be-mag posted an company profile some days ago.

READ THE REST OF THE ENTRY

This is my attempt of a comparison between the Usd carbon II and the Usd carbon free. Im not going to state much facts but talk about my personal opinion and experience. Yours obviously might differ but this might help you if youre considering buying a carbon II or an carbon free.

click here to read the rest of the story or you simply want to see more pretty pictures.

looks.
When I saw the skate online I didnt like it too much – I thought the white stitchings where too much. But as it happens quite often it looks way better live. Also you can just take a black marker and paint over the stitchings to get rid of some of the details. Beside that the skate pretty much looks “the same” as a carbon 2. The main difference is that there is no carbon in the heel area but black “plastic”

weight.
Ive read that the skate is not as light as a carbon – but holding a carbon II in my left and the carbon free in my right hand (both size 42) Id say I cant notice any difference. Both skates are extremely light weight.

size.
The skate feels exactly like my carbon 2 – My shoe size is 42 and so is my carbon II and carbon free size. Also I have pretty wide feet – I remember having a lot of problems findinng a good liner for my ufs thrones back in the day, but the carbon free (and the carbon II) fit perfectly. As its kind of a hybrid skate (part soft part hardboot) you can control the fit pretty good with the laces.

flex.
In my opinion thats the main difference – the carbon free is way more flexy when it comes to topsides. I put on a carbon II on my left and a carbon free on my right foot and the difference is immense.
To be honest the first few minutes I was afraid the skate would have too much flex for me – but after tightening the laces, powerstrap and buckle a bit – and probably getting used to it it felt perfect. Id even say topsides on curbs are too easy with this skate.
Both skates – the carbon II and the carbon free have an extremely sneaker like feel. You can move your foot pretty naturally to the front and back. Thats pretty awesome and in my opinion really helps to get a natural unforced style – Skates that restrict your natural movements too much suck.
Usually during skating I have pain right next in my small toe – probably from 100 years of topside grinds – this got better in the carbon II but skating the carbon free I nearly didnt feel it. I guess its because of the “softer” material used for the shell.
Id say if you like skates with a lot of support the imperial is perfect for you – for people who like skates that are flexy but not too much the carbon II is a good choice – and for people who like their skates pretty flexy the carbon free is the perfect solution.

buckle & receptor.
Where the carbon II has a metal buckle the carbon free comes with a plastic one. I dont know when but usd changed the receptor. The green carbon II and the carbon free eisler both come with an overworked receptor. After testing it a few weeks I have to say its a nice improvement – nothing too exciting but its easyer to open and does just what you expect an receptor to do – though twice I managed to somehow get caught up and opened the buckle. Its not even a problem I just thought Id mention it.

frames & wheels.
The skate comes with the brand new kizer fluid 4 frame, Plastic grindwheels, Undercover 58/90A wheels and abec 7 bearings.
Ive always loved the fluid and I have to say the new fluid 4 have gotten even better. It still slides super fast and looks pretty much indestructible. Actually Ive been skating Fluids for as long as I can remember and I never managed to break a single frame. The frame has a new overworked groove that workes really well for me. I cant say to much about the wheels bearings and grindwheels – they roll pretty fast and look good, the grindwheels/rocks are made from hard plastic, they slide fast and are not too big or too small.

soulplate.
The carbon free has the same soulplate as the carbon II. Its got a big but not too big soulspace and the negative soulplate is big enough to do negatives even on “bigger” rails. It slides really fast on soul and royals. Even if I could I wouldnt change a thing.

shockabsorber.
The skate comes with a good shockabsorber that works perfectly even on big gaps.

“liner”.
Neither the carbon II nor the carbon free come with an exchangable liner – that makes them a lot less bulky. To ensure direct control the padding is not too thick – but that doesnt make the skate less comfortable. I didnt notice any difference between the carbon II and the carbon free here. Carbons are the most comfortable skates (beside salomon) I ever skated (but thats just my opinion).
Ive heard that it doesnt make sense to put the skate in the oven and heat it to make it fit better – I dont know about that but Id say if you want to try it and you dont let it in too long its not going to “hurt” the skate.

prize.
At grindhouse you can get the carbon free boot only for 249,95 and complete for 299,95 while the carbon II olive is 299,95 boot only – So you would save like 50€ on a carbon free.

conclusion.
I would not recommend just buying the carbon free cause its cheaper – for me it actually felt like a completely different skate. Id say the carbon free is a high quality product so you dont have to worry about it being inferior to the carbon carbon but the + on flex makes it a different skating experience – so if you think your carbon II is just perfect you should stick with it cause the carbon free definitely has more flex. I really like the extra flex but Im not sure if im going to continue skating carbon IIs or if im going to skate the carbon frees from now on. On the one side I really like the flex of the carbon free on the other side it might just be a little bit too much for me. Im definitely going to skate it a few months and decide then. But thinking about it now I guess im going to stick with the carbon free. Its an amazing skate – quite similar to the carbon 2 but with more flex.

I wrote about the carbon II some time ago – if you want to know my opinion on that skate check LINK
The same goes for the Imperial. LINK.

If I missed something important that youd like to know more about let me know, best on facebook…

this is how we do it.
black powerstrap, kizer frames <3

I wouldnt change my carbons against any other skate on the market.
if you want to know more about the most amazing carbon 2 check out my review.