With fall in full swing and hockey season well underway, it’s time to get your last minute outdoor playtime in, and there’s no better way to get in shape for the ice than with the Newron Axion skates.  Designed to make the transition from pavement to ice as smooth as possible, Newron Axions incorporate a unique Canadian built split aluminum frame design that creates the feeling of ice on any surface – concrete, asphalt, etc. – all while allowing you to enjoy the gorgeous fall air.

The foundation of the Newron Axion is genius:  the Axion’s polyurethane 90mm 82A wheels and ABEC-7 bearings are mounted in pairs to two lightweight frames, each of which has a suspension system built directly into it. This allows each pair of wheels to pivot independently of one another, meaning obstacles and surface imperfections are significantly more manageable than with traditional inline skates.  Newron notes an increase in speed of 10% when using the Axions, and after spending a few months with them, I have to agree:  they’re damn quick.  Not only is speed improved, but the suspension creates a more comfortable ride (lessening your chances of injury) while also substantially improving your overall agility.  Toe-kicks can be executed with premium efficiency, just like on ice, which means your stride extension replicates skating on ice.  Gone is the slower acceleration, lessened extension and shorter stride recovery normally attributed to inline skating, replaced with a seamless transition from pavement to ice.

Complimenting the aluminum frames, Newron Axions feature boots with a shell molded cuff, equating to greater lateral support.  Also present is a ratchet closure, laces and a power strap that offer an incredibly secure fit regardless of foot shape, along with the ability to fine tune the level of fit, depending on your personal preferences.  Inside, a high performance ventilation system Coolmax liner, an antimicrobial insole and a memory fit design keep your feet ventilated and comfortable, no matter how much time you spend in them.

Ultimately, if you’re a hockey fan looking for inline skates that mimic the feel of ice, you can’t get better than the Newron Axions.  They allow you to train exactly the same muscles that you use on the ice; they allow you skate on a variety of surfaces with ease (I’m skating with the fall leaves and they’re working beautifully); and most importantly, they allow you to use exactly the same extension that you use with your hockey skates.  Priced at just under $230, they’re also a fantastic bargain.  To learn more about the Newron Axion skates or to purchase a pair, head over to Newron’s website where you can find more info and their online store.

Inline skating is one of my favorite fall activities.  Strange, I know, as most people typically relegate skating to summer months, but I love getting out and seeing the fall leaves at an accelerated pace.  On a bike, you’re traveling too fast to really take in the scenery, but running is a little too slow for my personal taste, and I never feel like I ran far enough.  Skating is my happy medium – fast, but not too fast, allowing me to cover a significant distance, but still enjoy everything around me.  When heading out for a longer skate, there’s a pair of skates that I picked up earlier this year that I absolutely love:  2010 Rollerblade Speedmachine RX 110’s.  Designed and built as a marathon skate, they’re a small step below an all-out race skate (due to their slightly larger boot), but for anything other than racing, they offer the absolute perfect blend of support and speed for a long distance day out.

At their heart, Rollerblade Speedmachine RX 110 skates feature an incredibly precise, incredibly stiff fit, thanks to their ingeniously designed boot.  The shell is constructed from Rollerblade’s Fiber Tech carbon fiber material, providing an insanely stiff base to transfer power to the frame.  There’s absolutely no flex between the carbon fiber boot and frame, meaning power is perfectly transferred to the wheels with each stroke.  Paired to the carbon fiber boot, a precision 5 star fit liner is in place, providing a remarkably comfortable fit for longer rides.  It’s also removable, so if you’re out and need to take off the skates, it’s like having an extra pair of shoes with you.  To properly secure your foot in place, Rollerblade has incorporated a performance asymmetrical lacing scheme into the Speedmachine, which offsets lacing to the side and offers a more natural contour around your foot.  The result is improved energy transmission during skating, due to the boot becoming what is in essence an extension of your foot.  Just as importantly, the lacing, because it contours around your foot, doesn’t cut off circulation, despite the tailored fit it offers.  It’s a brilliant design, the most comfortable I’ve used, and power transfer is simply superb.  Completing the peedmachine RX 110 boot design, a ratcheting cuff buckle and 45° buckle with micro-adjustment are both in place to provide extra layers of support, each of which can be tweaked on the fly depending on your personal support preferences.  Other skates use one ratcheting buckle with a velcro 45° power strap, but after skating with both, the 45° buckle with micro-adjustment is a significant improvement, as it allows a much quicker, simpler way to fine tune the fit.

Of course, when shopping for inline skates, boots are only half the fun.  While it’s true Rollerblade Speedmachine RX 110’s are incredibly stiff and comfortable, their defining attribute is their speed.  These things are fast.  And I don’t mean a little fast, these things are like rockets for your feet.  Making the magic happen, Speedmachine RX 110’s feature a Rush extruded aluminum frame (4×110, 13,30”) that’s both incredibly light and incredibly rigid – skating with them the past few months, flex is nonexistent during skating.  Complimenting the aluminum frame, Hyper 110 mm wheels with HTO PRO bearings are both present.  The 110 mm wheels are, in no simpler terms, the biggest wheels you’re going to find on any production skates, and the bearings offer an ideal blend of speed and durability for longer rides.  While they’re not quite race skates, Rollerblade Speedmachine RX 110’s give you an exceptionally exhilarating ride (i.e., fast, fast, fast),  but they’re comfortable and supportive enough to give it to you all day long.  I love ’em – I find myself going out almost every afternoon for an extended ride – and for anyone else looking for the perfect way to enjoy the lingering fall air before winter’s frigid temps kick in, you’ll love ’em too.  They’re simply fantastic.

2010 Rollerblade Speedmachine RX 110 inline skates retail for about $450, but you can pick them up in the mid-$300’s on sale right now.  I paid full retail for mine and absolutely adore them, so to get them for a hundred bucks less is an absolute steal.  You can find more info on the Rollerblade Speedmachine RX 110 skates at Rollerblade.com or buy now from Amazon.com.