Roller skating has evolved over hundreds of years, and enthusiasts continue to explore new techniques and gear to better their experience. One piece of hardware that has gained lots of attention over the past years are slide blocks.
But slide blocks aren't a new product! Watching Air Attack you'll be able to spot some sliding action amongst the gigantic airs and crazy spins. Back then, we hear, most slide blocks were DIY items made by these OG skaters. But these days, with the "rebirth" of "aggressive roller skating" (aka trick skating aka ramp skating etc etc....), we've been seeing more and more brands bring out their very own versions of slide blocks. But what are they and who are they for!?
Slide blocks are, just like their name denotes, blocks that go in between your skate trucks and their primary purpose is to enable skaters to slide on rails, ledges, coping.... Allowing roller skaters to perform a variety of tricks and slides that were once limited to skateboards and aggressive inline skates. Slide blocks are typically made from plastic, although we've seen some made out of metal, and even timber! They usually have a little fork structure that attaches to your kingpins, in between your bushings and plate. If you are still unfamiliar with the different parts of your skates you can learn about them here!
With an increasing offer of slide blocks in the market, it's often hard to know what product is best. Of course, there's no straight answer for this as different skaters will like different products based on their own preferences, and it might take some time to find the blocks that work best for you!
At Chuffed our slide block of choice is made by our aussie sibling brand Brunny Hardcore. Over the years, we have tried and tested multiple blocks, and we think Brunny's PO blocks are the slideyest and best shaped of all! There's something about their material that is particularly different to many other blocks we have tried, and we really rate it!
This year, they released their first ever signature product with Carolina Hernández, who as you may know also skates & works for Chuffed! We are so stoked to see more pro products for roller skaters popping up, and are super proud of Caro! If you want to support her you can buy the King Cobra block in our site! Oh, and don't forget to watch the edit she made for the block release.
Always remember to check size charts and compatibilities of the slide blocks with your plates, as it can be a tricky issue! If you aren't sure or have questions, our best advice is to contact directly the slide block manufacturers to have first hand information about these details!