Sneakers on a Roll If you've ever wanted to get anywhere Dorothystyle, with
the click of a heel, Heelys are your ruby slippers. The newest fad for sporty
types of all ages, Heely transform from fashionable athletic sneakers into
"shoes that roll" at any given moment. By shifting their weight, Heelys' wearers
engage a small wheel below the heel that allows them to glide to their
destination. But because there's only one wheel, Heelys newbies might want to
test drive the skates before they pick up speed. "The learning curve depends on
your age," said Mike Staffaroni, a Heelys spokesman. "Most 8, 12, 16yearolds
pick it right up."
When Fox News took some Heelys for Christian
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a bone than picking up Christian
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little practice before they get their balance. Nevertheless, the sneaky skates
have struck an Christian
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"When we started we were expecting success with young males, ages 814," said
Roger Adams, founder of Heelys Sports. "But now 20 and 30yearolds are using them
in office buildings, and I live in them and I'm 47!" he said. He added that even
his 87yearold father wears Heelys.
The rolling shoes also appear to be bringing generations together. Shane
Smith, of The Colony, Texas, said his 7yearold daughter "never takes her Heelys
off," and the two of them have begun "Heeling" together. "They're good for both
fun and tra sportation," Smith Christian
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Heelys' most devoted fans are definitely teens, which doesn't come without
the usual problems. Adams joked that more than a few schools probably "have a
contract" out for him for inventing the sneakers. In fact, some schools, such as
those Christian
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a ban on the wheels.
"Some students are not able to afford more than one pair of shoes," said
Malcolm Turner, executive director of student services for the Arlington school
district. "Therefore we didn't ban them from the district. But we banned the
ability to Christian
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Kyle Berkemeier, a Dallas high school student, said most of his friends'
schools have flexible rules about the sneaker/skates, while rollerblades and
skateboards are completely banned. "The worst thing is they'll make you take out
the wheel, which easily pops out," he said. Heelys are speeding things up on
college campuses as well. Smith, Christian
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everybody's Heeling.
"I use them to get to class, the supermarket, the park, the mall," said the
Edison, Texas, resident. "I have all the Heelys, every single one." The wheeling
shoes come in four types: Predator, Shredders, Rage, and Stealth, and in a
variety of colors. They ring in at $89.95 to $109.95 a pair, but knockoffs can
be found for $25 in some areas.
While the trendy skates appear to be a bit more popular among men and boys,
Smith said Heelys have become a crucial part of girls' night out. They might
even inspire a modern version of roller discos. "You can dance in them if you're
really good. My girlfriends and Christian
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Heeling is also becoming a street sport. Impromptu competitions have sprouted up
on street corners and in parks, said Staffaroni.
"The types of competition we've seen haven't been an organized thing," said
Staffaroni. "It's a Christian
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railings, like with skateboards or roller blades . One skater does a trick, then
another one follows." But some selfdescribed stunt skaters said Christian
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good, especially for ramps," said 16yearold blader Ben Bromberg from New
York.
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