The Transition to Xsjado, by Oli Benet
quoting Oli Benet:
Before joining The Conference I would be a massive fan of constantly trying new products or skates, and would do so until I found the perfect skate for me, and after a few pairs of that model I would begin to start investigating new skates once more.
For me, when changing skates you get a great chance to learn new tricks. Theres no doubt that some skates are better for some tricks, and worse for others. In this way I would perfect new moves before moving onto another pair of skates.
When I joined Deshi it gave me the chance to really focus on one model, and learn to use the skates to the best of my ability. Occasionally I would get the itch to try other skates, and spend some time skating USD Realms, USD Legacy and USD VII skates.
For some reason I never had the urge to skate Xsjados. I once tried a friend’s Xsjados in a park and thought they felt terrible.
However on this last tour we did, we were sent one pair of Xsjados too many. I had me beautiful Deshi Carbons, which I was more than happy with, but realising we were going to be in front of many skaters wishing to see new skates, I decided to give them a try. [...]
Check the Article: The Transition to Xsjado, by Oli Benet.
English & Spanish Language.
December 2nd, 2009 at 11:32 am
In short:
Xsjado = great skate concept!
try them, you will like them.
I use them a lot on days when Im skateboarding.
Stap them on my Vans and attack the whatever I
have learned a new skateboard trick on that day!
December 2nd, 2009 at 11:33 am
do it oli!!
nice to hear that youve brought the joy back to your feet!!
i cant wait to have my new red stockwells….( hint)
December 2nd, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Very happy for Oli, I am, but for those of us who can’t afford to constantly update our skates due to the constraints of trying to find an affordable mortgage/run a car without sponsorship, articles like this can be somewhat disheartening and lead to concerns about the trustworthiness of skate reviews.
The Carbon skate got promoted as “perfect” yet Oli was into that weird USD set-up he mentioned a while back, now the Xsjado’s etc.
Only saying it to highlight a general point: we need less biased skate reviews on an all-round basis, from everyone.
Too many “this skate is perfect” reviews out there. At the end of the day:
Salomon soul spaces were very small, negatives very tricky.
Xsjado’s don’t feel like skates.
Remz go floppy.
Yadda yadda yadda.
Less biased product promotion (from everyone-not trying to directly criticise Oli) pleeeeease?
December 2nd, 2009 at 3:16 pm
I appreciate your response on this, although in my defence (allthough it wasnt an attack, I know) The Carbons are the best skates out there as far as im concerned, in terms of technicality and advancement to rollerblading. They are precise, light, and have the most incredible control. However, I found myself skating Xsjados and more confident and happy than i have been in many years. Maybe it’s the wider groove, or bigger soulplate, but I just really, really enjoy them. I want to add also that I have a very defined taste, I like wide grooves, I do a lot of royale, backslide, unity, torque and nugen tricks, and having a wide groove like Xsjado helps a lot. In the past I have been a big fan of CH1 soulplates, Rollerblade TRS (old ones) Psirus….and although I did promote those USD VII skates with Throne soulplates, I promoted the pics, and the chance to make a setup like that. However I didnt like skating them at all, and went back to my Carbons after one session. However, Allan B, Adrien Clairaz, Roman Abrate when he was on USD and more have all sworn by that setup. Its just not for me though.
As I say, I stand by the Carbons being the most exciting skate out there, and I do love them to bits. For me though, right now, its all about the Xsjado.
December 2nd, 2009 at 3:18 pm
That was an open and honest response.
Thank you very much.
December 2nd, 2009 at 4:30 pm
great to see some constructive debate on this hate-ridden site. pretty strange for rollernews ay? did christmas come early for RN?
December 2nd, 2009 at 5:49 pm
i think i have just been talked around to trying some shadows!
I have only ever tried a friends at parks also, and felt they were not for me, although i cant help but think i should have known better than to judge a used skate.
this truly is the most informative post in yonks…
cheers oli! and darth roller for your valid point…
how sick would free skates be,
oli you must be quite the skate connoisseur!
And i imagine your correct, small shell, bigger wrap!
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:03 pm
oli just wants a combat green skate. that’s all.
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:26 pm
Honestly when i tried Xsjado for the first time (the first DL) i hated them, they were too hard, they were out of shape (my friend was skating them for some time) and i couldn’t do anything with them. 6 months ago i got a good deal from Vertigo-skates.com and i wanted to try them (at that time i had the Razors SL Brian Aragon 2 skates) and i was amazed by the skate, i started lacing new tricks the first day and the other ones were more stable then before and i’m still skating them this very day. For me those skates are one of the best skates i ever skated and i tried almost every skate at the market. My next goal is to try the Carbons, so i’m planning on getting those next month and try them. So to really feel skate you need to try a new pair or one that haven’t been skated much, it does make a difference!
December 2nd, 2009 at 9:32 pm
really nice to see a discussion runnin without the word gay and disgusting and ugly thank you
but i must say i liked the shadow way more when they wasn`t part of powerslide
they had strange but cool colours for instance the brown or green but it was really cool and fitting
but now i just can`t help they come with red and kizer frames and thats not how i like the xsjado skate and i also heard that they fuck up really fast with the new production dunno but it`s not a good development
December 2nd, 2009 at 9:57 pm
The first time I saw the release of the Xsjado skates I felt that I needed them. That was quite some time ago. I didn’t get around to buying the skates until a few months ago. I bought the Damien Wilson boot and some Mooks. Honestly I haven’t had much confidence in my skating in the last few years until I strapped them on at a park. I don’t get to skate much for the reason for family-adult responsibilities, but, on that day I felt like a teenager again. It was absolutely fun. My friends were skeptical but, seeing me ripping it up may have changed their minds, I don’t know I don’t get out much. Anyways I’m glad I chose Xsjado for my skate this time. I knew I’d love it!
December 2nd, 2009 at 11:21 pm
@ phoenix out the ashtray
Didn’t had any problems with the skate yet, and i’ve been skating it on rough ledges and honestly i was skating them a lot this last 6 months i’m having them and they still still feel like “new” skates, i mean they are not deformed, broken, torn or anything yet. I don’t know about the other Xsjado skates (while they were still under Salomon) but by the quality part i’m really satisfied by them. The cuff and cuff stopper on the SL Aragon 2 skates i had before fucked up in like 10 days hence the cuff was moving backwards a lot and they became less stable after that so compared to them (a 300 euros skate) the new Xsjado are way better in quality (and for me they are better skates overall, but that’s individual).
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:21 am
Ive been riding xsjados exclusively since the DL’s simply because they are the most comfortable,responsive skate out there. I come from the days of TRS lightnings(Im talking 1990) and then M12′s and have rolled pretty much every skate except the carbons. Does anyone remember people saying k2 fattys were cheat skates(because they had heel souls)lol. If you are a size 9 1/2 to 10 get the small shell like Oli suggest and move it to the largest setting. They look small on your feet instead of all bulky. It is no accident that the best park skater(line wise) in the world (Jeff Stockwell) and the most technical street skater in the world (Chris Farmer) ride xsjados!
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:22 am
Looking to get a pair of Xsjados myself! I enjoyed reading that btw, great pictures too very nice.
You said you wen’t filming edits as well? Hopefully we can see some sooner or later
December 3rd, 2009 at 9:47 am
This is the first one! http://www.vimeo.com/7191604
Thanks guys, this is quite a refreshing conversation!!
December 6th, 2009 at 10:18 am
Please, can you PM me and tell me few more things about this, I am really fan of your blog! I just subscribed to your feed.