Several months back, Skatekings sent me a set of their new Slasher wheels. They are 60mm tall, about 38mm or so wide, 98a duro, and they have an offset core... not, centerset. This does a few things: One, it shifts the bulk of the wheel over the axle nut, protecting it from hitting curbs, the ground, or anything else that would otherwise bash it to bits. Secondly, it gives you a little more "grind room" on the truck, as more of the hangars are exposed than would be with a centerset wheel. Lastly, it changes the flex pattern and sliding qualities of the wheel, as the protruding "lips" are allowed to deform more than on a centerset wheel. The rule is that, offset wheels tend to grip a bit more, and it takes a bit more work to break them into a slide. Skatekings compensates for this by using a relatively slippery urethane, so the wheel still grips well, but slides very, very easily. Almost too easily, at first.
Here they are!
The wheels are extremely fast. They allowed me to get to places in bowls, that I have never been able to get to before. Even with plain 'ol, greased Quickies, they were ridiculously fast wheels. They were really slippery at first, until the outer skins got roughed up a bit. Then, they were just right. Perfect, really.
Another view...
Would I buy another set of these, or recommend them to others? Absolutely, on both fronts. They did not flatspot, they wore evenly, and they allowed me to do stuff that I'd never in a million years thought that I'd be able to pull off. That, is the mark of not just a good skateboard product... but, a great one. The only bummer was the sketching around and the slipperyness, while I was waiting for them to break in. Which is common on many other wheels, anyway. So, that's manageable enough. And, for what you get out of 'em, in the long run... it's definitely worth the patience.
The test unit: A Real Aces III prototype, with Indy 169's, 1/2" risers, and greased Quickies.
