R3 Demon and Solaris/ Arius Review (thoughts and opinions of a returning skater)

I started skating again regularly just over 4 months ago after being away for nearly 20 years. I rented for my first 2 sessions before deciding to purchase my own. I chose the Riedell R3 after quite a bit of reading based on their popularity and low cost. I wanted something nicer, but at that point I wasn't sure I would stick with it and continue to skate regularly.

R3 Review

I session skate and do a healthy mix of cranking out fast laps, jamming, and toe work/ tricks. I adjusted to the R3's after about an hour of skating. I was amazed at how much better they felt compared to rentals. I rolled for almost 2 hours getting used to them but they felt a bit to squirelly so I tightened the trucks some. After another session and cranking the trucks to the point of bulging the cushions, I realized the stock cushions were way too soft for how I skate. I put on some purple magic cushions (hardest of the range) and they were way more stable and to my liking. I also had alot more confidence doing crossovers. The next thing I did was replace the Demon wheels for 98a 62mm Sure Grip Titans. I liked the grip of the Demons (95a), but even with rotating the wheels after each session, 3 wheels were badly coned. They also got to the point of being unskatable from flatspots (some of that is due to me re-learning). I wanted a wheel that was a bit harder for better roll and more slide when doing footwork. I chose the Titans due to not wanting to spend alot without knowing what hardness would work on the floor, but still wanted a decent quality wheel. The combination of the harder, narrower wheel and quality bearings made a huge difference in roll time. I skated that setup for 5-6 sessions but wanted a bit more agility so I put in red magic cushions (softest of the range) on the bottom. That gave me a good compromise for how I skate so I stuck with it. I was quite happy with that setup, but the R3 boot was hurting the ball of my right foot, even after trying different insoles. The right boot also stretched out at the heel, causing it to move around when pushing hard. Those issues led me to look into a higher quality boot that was more comfy and built to last.

I researched for several weeks and narrowed it down to the Antik Jet Carbon, Bont Carbon Racer, and Solaris. I was already set on getting an Arius, so I was leaning more toward the Antik and Solaris to get a package discount. After reading the few well written reviews on both boots, I was sold on the Solaris after watching Deez Skates excellent review on YouTube.

Solaris Review

My local rink was running a promotion of 12 free admissions with any skate purchase, so I ordered my Solaris/ Arius combo through them. The night I picked them up, I only got to skate for about an hour after getting them laced up, my wheels swapped over, and the rink regulars were done checking them out. I had skated an Arius the weekend before (thanks a ton Marshall Mort) on a boot a couple sizes too big, but still had a good idea of how they react. After a couple easy laps of weaving and slow crossovers, I started to push it some. One thing I noticed immediately was the amazing transfer of power from the boot/plate combo. I was a little clumsy doing fast crossovers, but I was very happy with how the boot felt and the plate performed. That Friday evening while cleaning the wheels before heading to the rink, I noticed some slight damage on the outsole of the right skate next to one of the rear mounting holes. This prompted me to fully scrutinize both skates. The left skate was perfect, but the right skate was another story. There was a small scuff in the leather directly below where the sole was damaged (looked like the drill bit walked when they tried drilling the hole). The plate was also mounted 3-4mm further forward than the left skate, and it was slightly crooked (pointing to the right).

I contacted Riedell Customer Support to find out my options, and they put me in contact with Paul, who handles all return and warranty issues. I sent him pictures of the problems, and was provided a return shipping label the next day to send them back. While boxing everything back up, I looked closely at the issues again and asked myself if I could live with them (didn't really want to have to wait to enjoy my new skates). Had it been a pair of budget skates, I would have just lived with it. For a boot/ plate combo that cost me over $600, I could not. 2 weeks later I received my skates back, along with a letter explaining the repair work. They fixed the scuff in the leather, replaced the outsole, and remounted the plate. The plate is still slightly crooked, but is at least mounted the same front to back as the left skate. It is easily noticeable that my left boot points further in when standing with my wheels touching, but it isn't enough to feel a difference.

The best way to describe how the Solaris fits and feels is to compare it to how a well made glove feels on your hands. When you slip them on, your heel slides into generous contoured padding that holds your ankle somewhat snug and in place. As you lace them up, the thick padding of the tongue allows you to get them tight without any discomfort. When you tighten the V-lock strap, you can really feel the boot anchoring your heel and ankle in place. I have normal to small sized feet, and have zero heel lifting or slippage issues. Without the V-strap, I do get slippage, but no lifting. I had read some users don't use it for more agility. Having tried both, I feel there isn't much of a difference, and prefer the more snug fit with it. One reason for choosing the Solaris was its generous sized toe box. After 45-60 minutes of hard skating, my R3's felt like they were going to rip the skin off the ball of my foot. Skating hard for 2+ hours in the Solaris only causes minor discomfort, and no lasting soreness after removing my skates. I do have slight arch pain for the first 30 or so minutes, but it goes away, and I have no pain or discomfort after removing my skates. Overall I am very happy with the fit and comfort of the Solaris. I measured out to be slightly over a 6 1/2 on the sizing chart ( I wear a size 8 street shoe). I chose a 7 so my toes wouldn't be cramped. Even being close to a half size too big, my whole foot feels secure, have zero heel movement, and no sliding issues when up on my toes.

Arius Review

I plan to do a full in depth review after I have more time on them and try different cushion setups. I did a ton of research on various plates while trying to decide what to purchase. I was searching for something light, agile, and had excellent power transfer. After reading pros and cons of the most popular plates, I delved into the world of more specialized setups. Unfortunately, most views I was seeing were very polarized and had lots of what I would call FanBoy opinions. That made understanding how these setups actually perform in various roles very hard and decided that wasn't the route for me. For my upgrade, cost wasn't really a factor, but I did want something that was quality made and would suit my needs. With the Arius being so different to everything else on the market, and reading some positive reviews explaining their abilities, I decided to give it a try and sell it on if I was unhappy with how it performed. I chose to use my old wheels to remove that as a variable, as I already knew how they felt and reacted. I will go into details in a separate review, but they definitely feel and skate alot different to a traditional plate. With that said, I adjusted fairly quickly (an hour or so) to how they react, but it took several sessions to be confident pushing them hard. I'm still not confident pushing 100%, but getting there. More on the Arius later.