Text by Jeremy Townsend
Edit by Anthony Rowe
Kaltik, based out of Ireland, has been in the skating industry since the turn of the 21st century. Freestyle frames and now flat frames? Honestly I can’t remember the last time I saw someone with all 8 the same! Personally I haven’t ridden on a flat set up since the mid 90’s! So being able to skate flat again is a blast from the past. Let me tell you more.
Unlike most of today’s anti-rocker and freestyle set ups, riding all 8 wheels the same solves a lot of issues. Issues most of you reading this didn’t even realize you have! Taking large gaps with only 2 wheels per skate is harder on your feet and your body. With all 8 down this helps on impacts dramatically. Not to mention riding on crappy ground is much smoother and easier to handle. Another thing is with all 8 wheels you go faster and your wheels last longer! The large groove that is just as deep as any other frame lips out and flares over the 2 middle wheels. This intern obviously helps you to grind just about anything and it also makes for locking onto the usual stuff much easier. You lock on and stay on! There is a low friction design for soul tricks and the material seems to hold up well to park skating and rails. You will hardly notice wear and they are really fast!
These frames aren’t for everyone though. I have never tried freestyle frames but for the people that like them I’m pretty sure you’re probably grinding things like fallen trees n’ stuff. I do however encourage that you try them. In the edit you probably will or noticed I skate a lot of ledges and things that traditionally with a flat setup you couldn’t. I can tell you that I had no problems at all!
I’ve rotated my wheels once now and there is still plenty of flat riding for me. As the frames wear down this could be a different story. If skating ledges is your thing you might notice wearing through the materials used in the construction of the frame quicker than most. This would also depend on how chunky the ledge is.
1 out of 10 I would give these frames an 8. They are good but they could be great! Kaltik flat frames lose 1 point for being a soft frame. Not sure what would be needed to make the frame harder. Maybe a glass, teflon, or silica compound but whatever it is the frame would hold up better on ledges and slide even faster. The other point lost is because they cost so much! This is probably only a problem for the US kids out there but after manufacturing and shipping costs there’s almost no way around this. I say get a job and quit complaining!
In all honesty out of all the frames out there this one has one of the best designs out! I wish that every one of my future skates has a pair of Kaltik frames!
I’d like to thank Conor Manweiler of Kaltik for letting me do this review and Anthony Rowe for working with me being behind the camera and also editing the joint! Another shout goes out to Isaac Oltmans of Eulogy for equipping this setup with the best wheels in the business, Kato Mateu for the proform Remz and Justin Hertel of Trust.
Pros
- Longer Lasting Wheels
- Roll fast and easier
- Independent Skater Owned
- Low Friction Design
- Long lasting perfect groove (parks/rails)
Cons
- Heavy with all 8, otherwise light
- Can’t ride flat forever
- Expensive (Importing-/Exporting costs)
- Soft material; fast grinds but fast wear (ledges only)
This review is completely none bias, I do not ride for Kaltik, and everything you read is from my personal experiences and my opinions. Keep in mind the skating in the edit is more about the frames and what they are capable of. Because they are a flat frame I wanted to skate things and places I wouldn’t or couldn’t usually skate with a flat setup. Done so only to prove to myself and the viewers what these frames are capable of. Enjoy!
