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| Price | $265 |
Riedell - 265 Skate Boot
Trying to review the 265 Skate Boot is like trying to review your first true love. It isn’t the best boot on the market. It isn’t the cheapest boot on the market. There things about this boot that bug the fuck out of me. The 265 is my favorite boot not because of what it is but because of what it represents to me.
The first thing to say about MY 265 is that I got them in custom blue and yellow leather to match my previous jogger type roller skates. The two yellow stripes on the sides give them a lovely retro feel along with the actual retro Riedell logo printed on the back side of the skates.
My 265 are made by Riedell Skate Company in Red Wing, Minnesota. I drive by the factory every couple of months on the way to my father’s place and I wave at the folks who hand crafted my boots.
The 265 is a medium and wide boot for those of us who have wide feet it’s a true dream. The velcro heel strap might be my favorite part. I might be in mid bout and feel a bit loose in my feet and I’ll I’ve got to do is reach and and give a tug on my strap and I’m back in the game.
This boot was designed for roller derby before modern roller derby existed. It’s strong, durable, comfortable, and gets the job done. It’s a value for the money and in my opinion the starter boot for someone who wants a good leather roller derby boot. Yes, you can and should go up from here but I’d suggest not going any lower.
Love this boot, it’s in my current setup. I always, always feel like my heel is slipping out, and if it wasn’t for that ankle strap (which I feel as if I’m always playing with) I’d not like them as much.
That being said when I think of a derby skate, I think of this boot.
I skated on 265s for 2 years. We skate on gritty painted concrete, and the top outside of the left foot got ripped to shreds along w/ the speed strap.
I have a somewhat narrow foot, so wish someone would have told me that this boot is NOT FOR NARROW FEET. My right foot has a little bunionette now and after wearing for long periods of time, i would almost skate out of my skates :( Especially bad for coming off the jammer line. Just switched to the 595, which is a better more responsive skate for me.
I skated on the 265′s for about 2 years on a mix of sport court and concrete. I was ready to get out of these after my second season since I have feet that are a bit on the narrow side. I had to always wrap my feet and never felt quite comfortable in them. They did however hold up to derby wear and tear and I really liked the speed strap. Ended up switching to a custom derby bont boot this season and absolutely love them in comparison.
It is incredibly difficult to review these skates. They’re the ones I fantasized about when I was just starting out skating. I’d skate around in those god awful rental skates, thinking about how pretty these ones were, and how much I wanted them. To me, they’re the classic, the model by which all others are judged. Unfortunately, the longer I skate with them, and the better a skater I become, the more aware I am of their shortcomings. They don’t hold my feet particularly securely. The heel slip has never really bothered me, and since they’ve broken in BEAUTIFULLY, they don’t cause blisters or anything anymore, but initially they’d make my toes fall asleep on my right foot if I skated for too long.
I don’t really know what the point I’m making here is. I think it’s that the quality of these skates is fantastic, and that they improve over time, but that they are far from perfect. I’m still in love with mine, but I don’t know if I’ll be getting another pair of these when these wear out. I might switch to the Antiks.
I LOVE this boot! I have had mine for 3 years and counting, and I have never gotten blisters from my skates (though I have gotten blisters from just about every other shoe type I’ve worn, from heels to running shoes to flip-flops). When I got my skates, I was prepared for a strange and uncomforable break-in period, but that was not the case. They fit my feet like a glove from day one. I should note that I have wide feet, particularly through my toes, and in general finding shoes has been challenging. These boots are what my feet have always wanted! I would also rate them very well on durability, too. Absolutely well worth the price!