Tags: aaron feinberg, aaron feinberg food foundation, afff, anthony rowe, conor manweiler, flat, frames, hardware, ireland, jeremy townsend, kaltik, starving artist
For the last few months now I’ve been pleasuring myself – or should I say Kaltik’s new flat frame has been pleasuring me? Either way it doesn’t quite sound right! The truth is I’ve been skating this revolutionary frame and they’re surprisingly amazing! Amazing I tell you!
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
Cons
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!
I have one pair at home and can't wait for testing it! Can't do now but hope it will be soon. I ve been riding flat with kizer/s slimlines for long time but hope these would be better. I tried anti some time but with my weight the wheel were after 2 sessions unusable. I'm fade up with slimlines cause the problems with axles. Who was ridding them will probably known. When compering to kizer's slimlines the H block is not so big but the shape is different-hopefully better. Comparing to kizer fluid the frame is higher. I personaly prefer lower frames but this is probably cause the ability to mount 60mm wheels. Comparing price you payd for these 60E and for other/older frames about 40E or less but for new product is I think o.k.
Just one thing-> the small peace of metal put between bearings of wheel is from kaltik really shity so I have use that from kizer and the rotation of wheels is much smoother now.
ps: your skate setup looks realy nize. I have tried remz but I have really bad feeling that i will brake my ankles but with your high cuf and custom liner is looks great. But I will probably stick to shadows.
What an old ninja turtle.
Loved the ending!
LOLZ @the AFFF. DO IT. BUYDEMFRAMEZ
yo you heard aaron so go and buy this frame!
yeah dope review
Great review. Loved it.
haha. The AFFF