Collection of women´s skates K2 2017- which model to choose
From the position of authorized shop of inline skates K2 we would like to introduce you collection of official women´s models from American brand K2 for season 2017. In this article we will focus on women´s recreational and fitness skates. The serie of fitness with the label K2 Alexis and serie x-trainng with the label K2 VO2.
Next to official models you can also meet with lower quality, therefore with so called SMU models, which you know from various flyers and discount events, but at these we take a look next time. Now we focus on original quality and we help you to orientate at individual models.
Collection of women´s fitness skates from K2 for season 2017 contains 6 models from them every model is intended for different performance skater.
Complete women´s collection (6 models)
Serie K2 Alexis 2017
The main serie K2 Alexis has 4 models and is intended for beginners up to medium advanced skaters. All models have the same construction, so called Stability Cuff and very comfortable shape of shoe (you can see on the picture). They are different mainly with type of tying and mostly with chassis, therefore with material and length of frame. They are also different with size of wheels and bearings.
Construction (skelet in which is placed textile soft shoe) is intended more for beginners up to medium advanced skaters loving more recreational style of skating. Skelet is little higher. This is more for classic recreational position upward. Ideal for recreational skaters, or skaters who usually love classic position with straight back and not sport position in bend with arms more up front over the skates. This is not strict rule, skate will allow you up front thanks to good processed hip part, but skate makes more resistance than higher serie K2VO2 about which we will write below and the shoe is little higher.
Intended for - Model K2 Alexis 80 is basic model from original serie K2 skates 2017. Skates are intended for beginners and recreational skaters, who prefer comfort and stability and have respect from higher speed or have lower budget.
Shoe - is having famous comfort K2 and have higher construction for support of stability. It has sewn shoe concurrently to arch and material is relatively good breathable.
Chassis (frame) - is from plastic composit, which is very resistant and solid, in long time there was no complaint over the broken frame. From experience is better than cheaper metal frames on cheaper skates. For beginners and recreational skaters is its function rich enough. Higher model with solid aluminium frame should choose people with higher weight and skaters who prefer strengh reflection.
Wheels and bearings - are in size 80 mm and are softer 80A. These are the smallest wheels from the offer of adult´s K2. They are not good in speed, but very adherent, very good mute uneven surfaces and skates are thanks to this very stabile and maneuverable, which again underlines already mentioned focus. Skates have basic, but quality bearings ABEC 5.
Intended for: Beginners, not demanding recreational skaters.
Shell: Stabilita Plus
Wheels: 80 mm/80A
Bearings: ABEC 5
Frame: F.B.I plastic composit
Tying: Classic laces and standard 2 buckles
Construction and shoe - construction and shoe is the same as at model Alexis 80, only has little more comfortable foam insole (insert in skate).
Chassis - the main difference is in chassis. Quality aluminium frame is more solid and stabile. The advantage is better transfer of strength to wheels and better stability when you ride, mostly at the higher speed. To the future we can guarantee with cooperation with quality wheels higher speed comparing to the older model. Skates are thanks to relatively foam metal frame more suitable for skaters with higher weight or skaters with strong reflection, where is more and aggressive reflection. We can also recommend these to beginners and recreational skaters, who are willing to pay more for more solid frame comparing to the basic model.
Wheels and bearings - are the same as had model 80mm/80a, they have the same characteristics, don´t belong to the fastest, but skates are thanks to this very stabile and good maneuverable.
Intended for: beginners, recreational skaters.
Shell: Stability Plus
Wheels: 80 mm/80a
Bearings: ABEC 5
Tying: classic laces + 2 standard buckles
Construction - the same as older models, again with higher construction making stability better. Also here, the same as models K2 Alexis 80 Alu are foam soft insoles allowing comfort.
Tying - this is instead of older models more comfortable, which ensures Speed lace, therefore speed lace with fuse. You can grab the lace at buttonhole between the fingers and pull it up. Thanks to the fuse the shoe will stay tightened, so skate is very fast tightened. From experience we recommend before everything to tighten the top on the third cross from top of shoe and after that to grab the buttonhole, skate is then perfectly tighten from the top and leg fits in skate perfectly. Tying is faster and more comfortable comparing to classic laces. But also classic lace functions reliable.
Chassis - here is frame little longer and center of gravity little higher comparing to older models, which means little worse stabiity and maneuverability, but you won´t see the difference so much. Thanks to larger wheels with diameter 84 mm the skate is little faster and better mute uneven surfaces than smaller 80 mm wheels. The difference in fast ride is recognizable, not so significant, which underlines also soft muting and adherent wheels 80A, which belong to the softest in the market. Skates have bearings ILQ5, quality basic bearings intended for recreational skating.
Skates are therefore little faster than older models, but they are still intended for beginners, also for more advanced recreational skaters, which are not looking for high speed. They still belong to slower, stabile and maneuverable skates. They are the second smallest used wheels in the market. Skate has quality, but comparing to highest models little slower bearings (but attention, they are better than any other cheap bearings ABEC 7 or 9, always matters on material and processing than just the number or norm ABEC).
Intended for: beginners, recreational skaters, more advanced or more demanding skaters looking for higher speed.
Frame: Aluminium frame
Shell: Stability Plus
Size of wheels: 84 mm
Hardness of wheels: 80A
Bearings: ILQ 5
K2 Alexis Boa
The highest model from basic recreational serie Alexis.
Construction - the same as older models, again higher stability cuff (upper plastic construction tightening ankle) with support stability, again sewn support of arch, breathable and foam insoles.
Tying - at this model is used comfortable tying Boa. By spinning the wheel on the tongue you can equally tighned rope (at this model from synthetic fiber), which is in shoes instead of laces. Tightening is fast, reliable, comfortable and doesn´t require so much of strength (mostly women will appreciate it). American brand Boa with which company K2 cooperates is today probably the best commercial producer of rope systems in the world. It is quality and reliable mechanism. But it is still mechanism, where you don´t need to worry about quality, but who wants to be sure 100 %, that nothing will be wrong, then can choose classic laces. Who prefers comfort at tying, Boa system will be a great choice.
Chassis - here we already have little longer frame and higher center of gravity, it is because skate can have also faster wheels with diameter 90 mm, but basically wheels are smaller, the same as older model 84mm-80a. It is constructed that frame and height of center of gravity to have also faster wheels with diameter 90mm, basically skates have smaller wheels, the same as older model 84mm/80a. They have frame and height of center of gravity designed so larger wheels fit there, in practice it means little smaller stability and maneuverabilty, than older models, but also the difference is not significant and skates are suitable also for patient and little gifted beginners. It is because skate has quality construction. Just clumsy beginners or not experienced skaters without ambitions for higher speed in the future can choose one of the lower models.
There is little higher speed than at older models and except of wheels 84mm is made thanks to better bearings ILQ7, which belong in their category of skates with 84mm to the best. But they are still the second smallest wheels in the market. You don´t need to worry that skates will be too fast, they are still recreational fitness skates. Skates can be very fast, but they still belong to slower (of course for comparing, skate is not slow but who wants higher speed will choose larger wheels). But of course for the future you can put on larger and more solid 90mm wheels, speed will be rapidly higher.
Intended for: Demanding or ambitious beginners and recreational skaters, more advanced skaters not looking for high speed. Medium advanced skaters, who want to have better technique and in future have larger and faster 90mm wheels.
Frame: Aluminium frame
Shell: Stability Plus
Size of wheels: 84 mm (size 4-5 wheels with diameter 80 mm). Possibility to put on wheels with diameter 90 mm
Hardness of wheels: 80A
Bearings: ILQ-7
Tying: Boa Clouser System
Serie X-Training with label K2 VO2
Higher models with label K2 VO2 are different from model Alexis in construction, shoe and faster chassis, but they are still suitable for usual recreational ride on cyclo path, comparing to older models however is more suitable for sport orientated skaters, who like to ride in bend in sport´s position and they try to make longer reflection. Thanks to larger wheels they are not suitable for total beginners. But they are still not technical difficult sport´s skates.
Skates have construction Vortech, which ensures perfect ventilation, thanks to suction openings in construction and mesh ventilation textile shoe. Skate has little softer flex to front, but still offers perfect stability to the sides.
Skates are equipped with bearings ILQ 9, which belong to the best and the most quality bearings, which are today used in fitness skates.
Shoe and construction - The same as older models very comfortable textile shoe with foam insoles, which belong to the most comfortable in the market (which applies also to models Alexis in their category). Against models Alexis we can find here more cut construction in part of calf, shoe is little lower and thanks to this lower weight (shoe alone without chassis, whole weight of skates influences larger wheels). But still have perfect stability.
Softer flex in front allows easier bending of knees and let you more in sport´s bend, then you can easier train longer reflection and get better sport´s technique (sport´s bend you can surely try too on models Alexis, thanks to little higher construction but it gives larger resistance). Of course you can ride by usual recreational style of ride in upright position. Construction Vortech is interlaced with air canals, skates have then very good ventilation.
Chassis - frame is labeled by VO2, it is alloy of aluminium and titan, it is little more solid than metal frames from serie Alexis, but the difference in practice you won´t see. It is the same long as models K2 Alexis Boa, it is little longer, than at lower models, so it is more stabile even at higher speed and can have wheels 90mm, but still is very maneuverable (then it depends on experience of rider and strength proportions of skater. Small, light and tiny skater has different requirements than normal built Miss or Lady)
Wheels - wheels with diameter 90 mm belong in fitness category more to faster, allowing fast ride, also better muting uneven surfaces and better hold the speed. Hardness 83A is higher than at wheels Alexis (80A), they are more resistant and little faster, in their category 90mm therefore belong in comparing with competition brands more to softer, you don´t need to worry, that they will chute or don´t mute uneven surfaces.
They are normally used fitness wheels, don´t be afraid, these are not skates for experienced racers, those use much larger wheels and more solid shoes. Bearings ILQ 9 belong to total fitness top, you don´t get better bearings in regular fitness skates, fast, quiet, quality.
Intended for - skate is suitable for medium advanced skaters who love fast ride or longer rides and for advanced skaters. It is also ideal for skaters, who don´t want to put so much effort in skates (better inertia). Skaters, who want to ride fast, but don´t want sport skates or skaters, who already know basic of skating and want to have better technique of skating. But these skates are also suitable for gifted little experienced skater with ambitions to have better skills.
Frame: aluminium alloy with admixture of titan VO2
Shell: Vortech
Size of wheels: 90 mm
Hardness of wheels: 83A
Bearings: ILQ-9 classic plus
Tying: Speed Lace
Parameters and characteristics are the same as previous model. The difference is in tying, skate uses Boa Closuer System therefore tying with rope. Against model K2 Alexis Boa is rope from steel, which K2 uses in the best of their products. By spinning the wheel on tongue you will equally tighten the rope, which is in shoes instead of laces. Tightening is fast, reliable, comfortable and doesn´t require so much of strength (especially women will appreciate this). American brand Boa with company K2 cooperates is a part of the best commercial producers of rope systems in the world. It is quality and reliable mechanism. But it is still mechanism, you don´t need to worry about quality, but who wants to be sure 100 % that won´t destroy something will choose rather classic laces. Who prefers comfort at tying, Boa system will be a great choice for them.
Frame: aluminium alloy with admixture of titan VO2
Shell: Vortech
Size of wheels: 90 mm
Hardness of wheels: 83A
Bearings: ILQ-9 classic plus
Tying: Speed Lace
All recommendations are more orientative. Different expectations will have person with weight of 75 kg with strong reflection and different will have small and tiny skater with weight of 50 kg without strength reflection. Of course you can get our advice anytime in our shop or send email or you can call us :-)
SMU models
Next to these models you can also meet with models with lower quality or specific modification, which you will find in official catalogue K2. However you will find them in the offer of our shop and other sport shops, quality is often at lower level, so these skates can be sold cheaper. Often you can see them in discount and commercial events, but to these K2 models we will take a closer look next time.
