Monday, March 19, 2012
Preview: Reebok 20K Skates

By Jeff Copetas, VP of Marketing & E-Commerce

The new products are coming down the line fast and furious now, people! We've had our demos of the Reebok 20K skate here in the office for a while but now the curtain of confidentiality has been lifted by Reebok and we are allowed to talk about them and show them off. Here's the details:

What's new: Reebok went ahead and added what they call a "Dynamic Support System" - this provides for a more solid skate all-around and offers better flex in tandem with the reinforced composite quarter package. The claim is that this will maximize your energy transmission with every stride. Time will tell, of course. Sounds to me like we're looking at a stiffer skate. When I tried them on, they certainly did feel a little more stuff than a new 11K, but who am I to say - most top-line skates feel pretty stuff on first wear. Given this is only a preview, we can't say anything about actual performance until we've tried them on and used them a few times. Those write-ups will be coming in a couple of months.

So......the Pump. Right? Seems like the people who love the Pump skate really love the skate and are devoted users. If you're one of them, you're going to love the 20K even more. The personalized performance options and custom comfort this affords you is the most unique feature of these skates. The Quarter Package is Reebok's Pro Armour IV, where they reinforce certain zones in the skate for better support and stability. Back is the dual-zone liner with their "tacky nash" and Clarino material which really does an excellent job keeping your feet dry and locked in.

The tongue offers a pro-felt and EPE foam hybrid. The foam core and molding also maximize comfort and minimize twist. The outsole boasts a lightweight, low-profile and vented outsole provides a very reactive feel. I have to tell you, I don't currently wear Reebok skates, but when I but these babies on my feet, I am reconsidering. As mentioned, they do feel more stiff than past Reebok skates I've tried but in the past when I tried on Reebok's and walked around with them on my feet, my arches hurt before I even got on the ice. I haven't gotten on the ice yet with these, but I can tell you that in walking around, any soreness in my arch has now disappeared in the 20K's.

As far as heel support, these didn't feel any different to me than past top-line Reebok's. Remember, this is a top-of-the-line skate here, so heel support and interiors are already excellent - the 20K's offer that same excellence and our on-ice testing will determine to what extent.

So that's what we have for you right now. Here's a nice big picture for you to spin around with your mouse and see all the angles, including up and down. Let us know if you have any questions.