The story of how Russell Day became an Adapt rider keeps reminding me of an old Chris Haffey interview in Daily Bread. Chris talked about buying his first skates from his now longtime sponsor.

For some reason, that felt right to me. The idea that one of the biggest superstars in blading once bought his skates from a small company just because he wanted to show his support strikes me.

There is nothing more flattering then a rider who buy’s the product just because he loves the brand and wants to support it. Russell Day wrote me an e-mail when we just started out with Adapt. Telling me how he liked the brand and wanted to try it out.

Already afraid we had another rider asking for free skates, he just replied he wanted to buy them. 5 years later, that same person who wrote us that e-mail, just received his first Adapt pro skate and had been a member of the Adapt family since day one.

Upside Down (USD) Skates, magazine ad, featuring Thrones skates as well as Arlo Eisenberg, Jon Julio & Josh Petty pro models. Photo: Coma Blade.

Valo Brand proudly introduces Soichiro Kanashima’s 2nd Pro Skate: the SK2. 6 years after his first pro skate. Made in Italy - All Italian Materials. 35 Years of experience in developing skates. Lana Cotta (Cooked Wool) and Synthetic Leather Upper, Plastic V13 Shell, 2016 Soul Plates made with PA (NYLON) & GLASS FIBER, Lower cuff aluminium buckles strong and light, New anti-shock footbeds, Cuff and shell are made in PU (POLYURETHANE), 2016 Liner, Synthetic material and neoprene for padding. Back View of the skates (Facebook).

Valo V13 – Alex Broskow Pro Skates (Cream Jawns).

“Just my luck, on the dawn of (what would have been) my first pro skate, I find out that Shima Skate Manufaturing has gone out of business. Oh well, here is what it would have looked like…” - Dave Lang (Photo).

Mathieu Ledoux USD Carbon 3. Available now in the USA, and available from from next week in Europe. Are you REDy? ;).

Larger Picture on Facebook.