What Happened To These Strange Rollerblade Skaters
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- What happened to aggressive rollerblading? In-line skating? The X games presenting rollerbladers? It is a darn good question. It was such a big sport and was growing. 9,000,000 kids-mostly boys and some girls-considered themselves aggressive rollerbladers -- just in the USA. I got the chance to make a documentary with 2 top competitive aggressive skater teams-in New York City and in Los Angeles. These young people were very friendly to me and I could not have made the film without them. The feature film didn't make it financially but it was and still is popular with many of the skaters. All of the skaters in my film are of course adults now and their skating days are long gone.
Here is an article with some views on what happened -
entertainment....
I'm 38 years old and started inline skating again after almost 20 years. The sport is not dead, it is growing again.
It's true, there're many of us!
I’m 41 this year. Found my old USD Jon Julio’s in my parents garage in mint condition. The Hoax video got me completely hooked back then and now reading your comment here is so inspiring.
Took you that long to come out?
@@hjk6606 the joke lives on
@@hjk6606 l couldn't find my keys to lock the door behind me lol
I'm 36 years old, and started skating again last year. There is a new "olderblader" movement going on, and rest assured, the sport is still alive and well.
38 here, came back like 3 years ago. There's lots of us 😃
So what's it like now? Do you all still do tricks? I'm born in 1990, so you guys were just "cool older brothers who did scary stuff" to me.
@@speedstriker Still the same for the most part, but unlike when I was younger, I acknowledge my limits. Still doing tricks, but keeping it small time.
Kenny Johnson 36 as well. Came back 2.5 years ago after a 17 year layoff. Having more fun than ever!
@@emceecentauri same. My only regret is leaving the sport in the first place!
When I was skateboarding at my local skatepark in 2011 (My pre-teen years), these two ~30 year old guys came one day on roller blades. At first my friends and I were confused to say the least, then they got to skating, and it ended up being one of the coolest and craziest things I've seen in person. They were absolutely nuts, none of the skateboarders cared that they came and took up the whole park with two people for 35 minutes, because what they were doing was so fucking sick, and something us younger dudes hadn't ever seen before.
Buy some skates.. It is never too late to become epic.
I'm one of those 40 somethings that's doing that now. 🖤🖤🖤
im sure thats why inline skating got shelved the way it did because skateboarding companies felt threatened
@@tvbuuYou’re right.
LStar
You can see here it's clear that 90's was the beginning of the end of the sweetness times , people start to get mad , chasing after fame and money all day long. it's the internet age, and the only thing is good is people like you reminding the past,giving the old times a place, that is why you are fresh air here
I think a lot of people realize that they want to chase a living doing what they love....
@@PlantbasedRunners there's a phsichologic game behind it and controling politics system , it's not relate to happiness or pursuing a dream at all but only money.since than do people really do what they love?or it's just a minority? everyone can do what they love all day long? did people became more depressed or happier now that thay have more abundence? more "opportunities" to do what "they love"
@@077di6 I know what you're saying, I fight with it every day, even though I work for myself, I know that the mass population only get the crumbs ... What I'm really saying is finding a level of happiness in the system. You can also be aware of what the system is at the same time and wake people up to it along the way...
It started to die in 2010. The peak was in 2000s, but it went a bit over the top thanks to jackass and shit. Like I snowboard and it was MASSIVE in the 2000s, then the whole shaun white bs shown up and it went competitive uptil 2010 Olympics, then it slowly died as the style died for spin to win thanks to shaun white. JP Walker cries about landing the first double cork because he knows he contributed to the decline of snowboarding in recent years. Now skiing was made easy with stolen snowboard tech, all the kids do that because kids just want the easiest option. Lol
If you're not seeing how rad it is right now, you're asleep. The 90's get romanticised because you were YOUNG then, period. For young people right now, its amazing, and they will age and say that the next era is crap and their era was the better time.
Thanks for this David. I'm 42 and I decided to get onto skates again after 15 years, it was something that burned inside of me that I should have never stopped, I used to even have dreams of me skating in parks. I was glad to see when purchasing new skates that the sport is still going strong, and it feels so good to roll again and start learning everything all over again.
Don't worry , one day you'll get to skate a park
I’ve been skating since I was 7 and never stopped, I’m 32 years old now. It’s nice to see people coming back.
Im 32 and been back since 2018 after not skating since going hard 2001-2009.
After years and now with a Kid I started again on Agressive Inline!
Ther is a growing comunity of oldschool Inliners apearing all over the world and the sport is coming back slowly from his hibernation, kids actually get really intrigated seeing us skating, like if we came from another planet, they see us and the curiosity begins... questions... searching!
Maybe now in the Internet era ther is an oportunity for Agrassive Inline return to the spot lights!
I'm from Portugal and here we actually have a growing comunity again and in the rest of Europe is the same!
WE ARE ALIVE!!
Thank you for the share
I was in middle school at the height of "aggressive skating." It was great, we had a lot of fun. Recently got back into it. Was really sad to see see what came of so many companies and great skaters. Now that it's been driven underground the skating community has turned into something really unique and interesting.
Same I had a heap of fun when I was a kid. Had a crew from my local area we would meet up after school and weekends hit handrails and parks all over Victoria, Australia.
You and all the other quitters killed rollerblading
Its stronger bc it cultivated and became skater owned again. Will be back in mainstream culture if feel sooner than later.
JSRF predicted it tho
I'm 37 and still rollerblade. The sport never died. Were underground and stick to our own. Whenever you go to a spot and see a rollerblader, you have an instant friend to skate with. Its a great and supportive small community. We never stopped ripping and the new kids are insanely good.
I started doing aggressive skating in the summer of 94-95 then stopped in 2002-2003. I’m 39 years old and them were some of the best days of my life . At times we would skate in groups of 20-40 skaters.
Such good times!! I started in 1990 and started aggressive in LB, LA and San Diego in 1992 with the Southern California group. Quit aggressive in around 1997. Great times. I sold what I won in contests. Skates every day and every night.
ever go to maximus in cambridge. i grew up skating in Boston im 36 now
I'm 39 and started rollerblading again last year after not doing it since 1999. Best decision I've ever made!
sounds like we all started around the same time👍
Man, I LOVED skating so much... shaped my whole career path. Thank you for making this video! (I rode for Team Rollerblader USA 2005-2008)
Wait wtf. I didn't know the science guy was a skater lmao
@@eidokun Nick was really good, saw him place top 3 at many competitions
Skated with you at the windy city riot! I've always enjoyed your skating Nick!
28 now! Definitely getting the itch again!! Been hyping myself up !
Same here loved it mid 90s to early 2000 was my era
your movie on this is legendary. A complete time capsule.
thank you James.
David Hoffman-filmmaker
Where can i watch that?
Memorable!!
Ever since phones, internet, and online gaming came into place, alot of these cool sports kinda died down, it's like the streets of NYC isn't crowded with kids playing outside like before anymore, so sad that kids are actually not enjoying outside fun like that era :/
I see it differently. I am glad there are less kids damaging private property which is the only thing I hate about this culture. Using other people's stuff without asking first.
What's sad exactly? It's not like kids today DON'T have fun. Its a different game. Just because kids don't have our childhood, doesn't mean its sad.
Cyber Defense yes, god forbid someone scratches a railing on a a set of 4 steps
@@LeoWang28 when concrete covers open fields where kids used to play, the kids adapted and skated the concrete.
I was in Helsinki recently, saw a bunch of kids skateboarding. Cool sight.
Thank UA-cam for recommending this. Such a throw back.
I'm Still a fruit booter at 32 years old, been skating since 94, it will always be apart of me.
It along with rollerskating are both making a big comeback. For inlines, its no longer just aggresive, its branched out. There's aggressive, slalom, freestyle, urban, etc. And they're all amazing.
And were all starting to come back to it, rediscovering something we had lost 10-15 years ago. Thanks especially to stuff like youtube.
I got back into it after discovering Tiago Inline Skater on youtube. 2 years later I'm following at least 10 channels about skating, I have like 4 pairs of skates, and I'm better than i was when I quit at 15. lol
When I was 19 I was on an aggressive in-line skating team. I used to go down 12 foot half pipes and grind on all types of fun boxes and rails. Lol 😂 can’t believe I did that!!
I used to skate till my wheels were down to the cores. I’d rotate, switch, rotate and switch, switch and rotate my wheels and they’d last me three maybe four months if I was lucky. My first set of fr wheels which also happened to be my last set of fr wheels lasted me a little less than a month. I remember taking white out and coloring in the “Y” on the “your wheels suck” tshirt. lol I miss the f*#% out of them days.
Me too. What years did you skate and where
I wish it was still cool. Skateboarding took over.
doubt
@@zanderperkalator9129 skateboarding was already cooler, more important, more structured, stronger industry, etc... the kids were chosing rollerblading as an alternative, makes me sad to say that but it somehow compare to what scooter is nowadays. I have this feeling that "agressive" is coming back though. it makes sense in the world we experiencing at the moment ( I am talking from my European/French perspective, in 1996 Rollerblading here was being a punk and a loser)
Sk8 life was life. This made me go down a rabbit hole of old blading videos. Started skaeting again.Grew up skating in NYC late 90s to mid 2000's these guys were who we wanted to be. Thanks for the dopeness.
We're still out here rollerblading. Alot of us have a really good time, great community, full of interesting and creative people. Theres always guys and gals getting back into it.
I think when someone coined the term “fruitboots” they became instant kryptonite for cool kids
aaahahahaha thats funny
how? millions of kids giving up on something because of someone else's definition of cool? this shit still happens today. i live in san francisco, arguably one of the most open places to all things weird, and yet random people still put me down for rollerblading. where does this animosity come from? its permeated so deeply into our culture that even my friends who know nothing about rollerblading just have the implicit assumption that rollerblading is gay.
to answer david's question, people are cruel and cannot stand to see people happier than they are
DNYSS I guess you were never a teenager. They are very interested in fitting in and not being an outcast.
That's my exact sentiment about fanny packs. Except it wasn't a nickname for those, it was the standard term! haha. Personally, I embraced the fruitboot term, almost like Americans adopted the term Yankee.
Bruh. I am kryptonite for cool kids (and I've always been kryptonite for cool kids), and "fruitboots" turned it into kryptonite *for me* man.
1:20 "life is not about fun when you're 16"
What a sad perspective.
Indeed. You can have fun at any age.
I enjoyed watching this. The community is still pretty active, inlineskating is far from dead right now. It’s just no longer in the big spotlight anymore.
I think the promoters dropped out of it, so it lost the draw. It was in 'X Games' one summer and gone the next. :(
@@WRXBase - One summer?? Try 8-9 summers, buddy...
“And I had to find the positive or else I couldn’t make the movie”
love it!
I'm 39 years old and started rollerblading again last August after not doing it for 22 years. I skated hard in the 90's, did quite a few ASA competitions but quit in 1999 to work and party too much. Getting back on inline skates was the best decision I've ever made, especially now that I'm almost 40 years old
Same here, thinking about getting back on my skates and I’m 42
I was an in-line skater in the 90s from Stamford Connecticut. I used to meet these kids from White Plains at Kensico Dam. The best I ever got was being able to do a 540° and unity grind the rail at SUNY purchase College.
I'm bringing it back at the ripe age of 36... its been nearly 2 decades since I've skated! Just got my blades a few weeks ago and hit a couple of parks already. I'm definitely not doing the crazy crap I use to do though.. regardless it's a good workout.
I had a few friends that were skaters this really is a cool. So glad I got to be a teen in the 90s last of no internet to the 1st.
yea man, the days of no internet were so much more active and meaningful.
I'm glad I grew up in the 2000s because fuck the 90s, we pirated our music, we did jackass stunts, and made local underground music cool thanks to the internet. We even had some of the best times for "action sports" as it was at its peak before the 2010s where people got their first iphones.
Red1676 underground music has always been cool dumbass
@@Red1676agreed glad to be a 2000s kid. 90s kids are the biggest losers there whole personality is that there older then the internet. guess what the 1000’s of generations before you can say the same thing and it sound just as lame when the boomers do it
I already apologize for using the Google translator. What a movie David! A work of art, a page of history. I come from Argentina, south of the world, and I can tell you that here the aggressive inline skate does not die, but is reborn. Every day more children practice this beautiful sport and we, the biggest ones, are responsible for transmitting our history and the history of the sport thanks to your contribution. You are a genius, greetings and thanks again.
Thank you.
David Hoffman - filmmaker
I'm here representing P. U. S. H crew from Williamsburg Brooklyn (also known as Southside Brooklyn)
Hitting any rail we seen as we skitched (holding on rear panels of cars, like hitchhiking on blades for those that don't know what that means).
Brooklyn banks, pit pool when it was drained during fall and winter use it as a ramp, going down stairs backwards 20+steps, overloading every edge we see with wax to grind it,
The passion of our crew was nonstop, every day was a journey, we'd go anywhere and everywhere. We were just a pack of about 25 members. Our drive was so intense, I loved it.
One thing though, everyone in the group was into rock.. Green day etc,.. While I was into bone thugs n harmony and Nas.
I miss those days.
Funny thing is about five days ago, I was walking and this one corner was selling things (little thrift shop) and they had a pair of K2 fattys for $25 bucks and it was my size, a 9.. I definitely bought them and instantly put them on and skated home from there but when I got home I'm the front of building, I tightened the clips on top and I guess by its age and sun damage it broke, both sides broke, then when I pull one off my feet, the whole ankle area to the top clip just snapped off completely, literally mean the whole plastic area from ankle area to the top of the Rollerblade just cracked. So I only used it from where I bought it til I got home..
It was still worth it 👍
Will you be at the comp tomorrow? Hamilton skate park?
Funny you mention, I've never had a pair old enough still in my possession for that to happen, but my father had a similar thing on ski boots a couple winters ago, and maybe five years ago my mom went out skating with me and she had her old skates of many years, I swear the damn things just slide right apart, like they were cut in half. Good times. The materials they're using these days are great though, really durable stuff.
@@keyrecaceres-zelaya3479 no, I just came to upstate, actually moved up here yesterday :/
Umm I'm adrian from push cr3w..I was the buddha grind creator and the misty flip guy.
What's your name
If you weren't born in the 80s or early 90s you wouldn't truly understand it. Even skateboarding was slightly anti-establishment in the 80s & 90s. Many cities banded skateboarding or frowned upon it!
These type of guys paved the way for the X Games!!
Damn them JNCO Jeans went hard back in the day
I still like how they look 🤔
I still have a tote full of JNCOs and Kikwear
@@madgigahz me too... only wear 'em on special occasion now.
The baggy pants days
Haha I was just looking for some jncos on Amazon and Ebay like 2 days ago
Thanks a lot David, I remember watching this video 3 years ago and again now, reading the comments and also myself you brought memories to a lot of us, great memories!
I even slapped a pair on and showed my ten years old son what his dad used to do being creative using public property grinding and going backwards down the stairs , he couldn't believe his dad can do these tricks.
when I took him to the half pipe ramp, he was stunned.. felt so good to bond with him.
Again, thank you.
We're still out here riding, David! While the sport may never hold the same market share that it once did, the industry has matured: the grifters are gone and both the technology of the skates and the styles of skating have improved under the care of passionate participants. Perhaps it's time for a follow-up film ;)
Follow up. I like that idea Jacob.
David Hoffman - filmmaker
@@DavidHoffmanFilmmaker Yeah please do a Follow Up Film! I am right at the begining to learn aggressive inline Skating. Greetings from Germany!
Thank you for uploading this.. I grew up rollerblading and did it for 10+years.. I saw it die out, or become less popular during my time (2000-2010) I still go out every now and then but life just gets in the way. It also hurts a lot more now and is much harder to get back up quickly.
Funnily the skateboarding community recently started showing love to rollerblading with Braille Skateboarding (one of the biggest sb channels) featuring rollerbladers in their videos. These videos are some of their most clicked ones and that shows the Growing mutual respect. Its dope cuz it finally brings the two communities closer which at the end of the day have the exact same lifestyle. I can also tell that skateboarders in parks are more open to blading these days. I think its because rollerblading was always on the edge of dying and theres literally not a single soul in it cuz its cool or you can get fame or sponsors. You are just doing it cuz u like it and dont give no shit what others think of you. That makes it very real. And maybe thats what FR really stands for lol. Its the same attitude all these street sports come from (bmx, skateboarding, scooters...) and its that attitude that I like the most about it. Keep on rolling everyone and if you need some music for your skatevideos peep mine, they are free to use for all sorts of skate videos.I been rolling and doing vids for 20+ years now and still going on. One Love
Yes, Braille is very respectful of all sports. Great group. My favorite ones have the blader B Free in them. He is amazing.
@@bojyles yeah same his style is dope
back in the late 90s early 2000s, the beef was HEATED. woodward back then was one big shit-talking fest between wood pushers and fruit booters lol.
Funnily? Really? 😭
@@omegamanGXE sure man would be dope! If u find some would be cool if you let me know would love to see the edit
what a wonderful world you have shown us, David. thank you for this film. Blading is bigger under ground coming up again with a vengeance and maturity
God looking back at nyc in the 90s bring back memories! Thank you for providing this content
Yeah reminds me of hardcore skating in Chicago when I was young.
WOW what a great documentary. I grew up in that rollerblading era and I was a blader myself. As I move town, me and my best friend were the only blader in that town, most of the kids were skateboarders, so we were the outsiders until one day me and skateboarder became mates cause we're both using the Sk8 park and we're always skating all the time so our friendship slowly grew. One day me and this guy decided to challenge each other known that we were good in our own craft but not the other, so we swap gear (skateboarder on blades, bladers on skateboards) and from that day we really respect each other and were considered as equal. So I took up skateboarding a little more (once a blader always a blader. That skills will never leave you😂) now I've got mates who are diehard skateboarder and they give me shit for blading but they respect because I can do both pretty good. So in some ways I felt I was a bridge between skateboarder and blader and that was such a good feeling. Also I wanna leave something that might be easier for people to understand what is the difference between skateboarding and rollerblading (PS. This is from a diehard skateboarder who hated rollerblading but really enjoyed a rollerblading video I showed him one time) The difference between rollerblading and skateboarding is this: Skateboarding= Unlimited Tricks, Limited Boundaries. Rollerblading= Limited Tricks, Unlimited Boundaries. That is the best way to describe the difference between rollerblading and skateboarding. Thanks for reading this, let me know what you think and do you agree?
JET SET RADIOOOOOOO!
YES!
❤❤❤❤
@@julsie3195 ALL of the yes!
My childhood
all the haters who put down blading and used homophobic slurs against bladers themselves? They just didn't understand. UNDERSTAND.
Thankyou for making and posting it on youtube. Thank you sir. The video is a piece of rollerblading history. I can't believe no skaters came.
i was same in 90's...now i am 36 and still skating with my 5 years old son... life is nothing without rollerblading...
your quote "life is nothing without rollerblading " related really hard to that man , i skateboard 15 years ... in the morning hours on my day off, if i dont skate something is very wrong with rest of my day .. your quote inspired me thanks man , never too old , to enjoy ourselves ~
i am 46 and been blading for exactly 1 year this week. great documentary. i bet every skater on youtube has been sent this video as a recommendation. (i hope so) all the best. good health.
Just started blading this year, best decision I've ever made. Love this community, love the freedom. For someone who's wanted to but has never been into sports, this was practically made for me 🙏
Good memories. I got my first pair in 1993. Loved them!
Sir, blading isnt dead, community is showing up some of the most gifted bladers ever witnessed. Just take a look at Alexander Broskow or Danny Beer, these are the realest rolemodels that could come out of this sport, they are massively massive 💪😂
Yeah its huge in certain countires...Canada for example.
Yepp check out the shoptask crew in Toronto! The just went out yesterday for a skate sesh
b free is a kick ass skater. He's amazing!
@DNBPORVIDA get educated, u have no idea ... Even in Africa they're blading and posting shit ... 😂
I started aggressive rollerblading 3 years ago at the age of 52. I was hooked in no time. The sport, although very small has a hard core of passionate people. There is an event here in Europe every February called Winterclash, where all the aggressive inliners of the world meet. It's an amazing event and you should check it out. One thing you'll know... after three days of winterclash... there is no way aggressive inline is dead. It's so very much alive.
the italian hot dog guy was like a NPC from a game 😂😂😂
This was a good one. Rollerblading really was my life back in the late 90s, I grew up in Orange County and am VERY familiar with Senate and even FR, and although I was a west coast kid I always had love for the east. I can tell you did some thorough research, and I wanted to say thanks for putting in the work. Part of me wishes skating had become more popular in the US, but I've always been into obscure stuff so I'm proud it stayed so low key. I learned a lot about discipline and determination, and many other lessons that the kids in your video were trying to express, but were too young and stubborn to articulate. I admit, I was glued to the screen watching this.
Anyway, thanks again David, I'm really looking forward to the next clip!
Thank you. Search on my UA-cam channel the word rollerblade and you will find other clips from the film.
David Hoffman-filmmaker
I'm in OC, 48. Even tried to get a job at Hyper in the 90s... Haha
We probably skated together. I skated LB, San Diego YMCA, the ranch...
I think skateboarding just became so much more popular, most kids who are going to pick up an extreme sports these days are going to gravitate toward skateboarding
yeahh it kinda sucks sometimes but i think that’s just how it is now
Skateboarding looks cooler, even stuff like a kickflip looks better than most things you can do on blades at a skatepark.
Rollerblading is at it's best blasting through streets at high speed or the sort of extreme Aggressive flow stuff you see at FISA.
@@KironVB ua-cam.com/video/i6XceyU_u5c/v-deo.html it's becoming more of an art these days. Try to enjoy this video. It's not skateboarding but it doesn't have to be. It's Rollerblading.
@@KironVB They both look cool in their own respects. There is some amazing stuff inline skaters do too. If you check out Valo skating videos for example, the guys in those have so much style and skill it makes me want to start doing aggressive inline
@@KironVB That's pretty much how I see it. Skateboarding is about the tricks, blading is about the flow.
born in the early 90s i grew up watching tons of skating vids/documentaries like this as a kid. They're what got me into skating. So much nostalgia it brings back so many good memories! Thank you for uploading this!
I think I'll stick with my park bench and duck pond. Less chance of getting broken bones! David, you did well capturing the spirit and urban survival skills of these aggressive roller bladers. Well done.
We never left. Fabiola still skates also. she’s getting a signature skate sometime this year
Hate to tell you David, but aggressive rollerblading isn’t dead, there’s just less of us now than back then
A lot less
Thanks for sharing this David . Our sport didn’t die but is absent in the mainstream. It still strong in other countries. 🙏🏻
Oh wow - just came across this. Can't believe it! Your documentary was so important for me. Not sure when, where and how I came across it, but for the first time besides maybe magazine stories and if you ever got to meet one, there was an insight into our sport, the movem, the people, the mentalities. Such an important document of our sports journey. I salute and command you for your efforts!
If you want to check out the progression, there were loads of unimaginably talented riders who came after - some already mentioned before, like Aaron Feinberg, Brian Shima, Jon Julio (still very active) and greats like Alex Broskow, Dustin Latimer and of course Brian Aragon!!
The big hype back then died down, the people involved got far too self-absorbed in their importance, greed and immens attitude and egos.
A catharsis of sorts.
It went back underground and had a few amazing years, growing stronger from within, without too much outside interference and much more skater owned companies.
You picked an interesting time to talk about it and on the topic - this year seems to become the unofficial come back of all of us 30+ year old (ex) skaters getting back into it.
We are still around, some never even left.
We nowadays understand how important it is to look after ourselves, our health and aware of what to teach youngsters in regard to acceptance, respect, culture and safety.
Myself - I am rolling with a pack mixed of oldies and younglings, some skateboard, some skate, but we all love being on wheels, out and about, push each other and pay respect.
And again, as some have mentioned before - Winterclash has become our own inofficial championship and it seems like the whole rolling world congregates there once a year.
Maybe you check them out, get in touch with JoJo - head organizer, if there is a chance to show your film next year, talk about how it was then and open the dialog on how things are right now and what we want to to in the future, because only if we know where we came from - can we know where to go.
Would love to see and meet you there, shake your hand and thank you for what you did for me and my sport.
All the best to you!
Seriously, you've got a video for everything. Been looking up skating videos for the past couple days to avoid studies. Here i am back on the Hoffman channel
This era fills so many funniest home videos in rollin skatin
I wish I could see more of these skaters in NY nowadays
there are but not enough
Big Apple Roll is an annual event, just happened recently for 2019, we're talking like 150 skaters bombing the streets of NYC. Was a blast.
There's a pretty consistent group New York City Street Skate on Facebook that has skate nights every week (weather permitting lol)
What? I'm a NY skater
follow my instagram ROLLERTHERAPY i live in brookln skate every day
Q:What kinda animal do you want to be when you grow up??
A: Cannabis Sativa so I can grow nice and tall in the sun!! ~Ryan Jackalone *Team FR/K2
Still remember that line lol - which skate video was that from?
Thank you for making this film! It is a gift to the inline world!
This was fantastic to watch! I used to skate everyday as well. For me it fell off because of how popular people like Tony Hawk became, kids started skateboarding more often then skating. Also skateboarders always harassed skaters at skate parks, plus it was really dangerous when you because good because you really had to have the confidence to do some risky tricks. I ended up with a few broken bones and concussions. I would never trade those years of skating for anything though! I’m actually thinking about buying another pair for fitness now that I’m an adult. Too bad there are no local skate shops selling blades these days. Anyways thanks for sharing, it really took me back to the good days before all this technology took over.
Came back 2 years after my first comment, where I mentioned skating advantage over indoor "relaxation" classes.
It took people to be booted out of gyms and yoga studios to realize fun of skating. Skate shops are overwhelmed with orders now, and I am happy to get special treatment as a customer since the time when many shops struggled.
How long the lockdown induced boom will last? Hard to tell. One can carry a skateboard and still look cool when surface features are not smooth. For inline skating, it takes time and requires body conditioning (mind too, due to wiring neuro muscular connectivity) to get fluent and confident.
For most of us with real life besides skating, it takes years. If you don't trust me, ask those "who shreds" (don't forget to compare them with some claiming "I learned inline skating in 30 days" ). So, bailing out for skateboard or, God forbid, scooter is an easy exit, while inline skating at certain skill level is rewarding in long to list aspects, and more than 80% of muscles engagement is one of them.
The NYC inlineskaitng scene is still strong and going. Not as big as the 90s but we're still here. My UA-cam channel documents the NYC inline skating scene. Check it out.
NYSS (New York Skate Series). It's still pretty dope tho. I've skating for 25 years n grew up watching some legendary spots in NY like Brooklyn Banks n shyts from VHS n DVD hahaha
Thanks for this, it didn’t die, there’s just less of us now because there’s no exposure, i’ve been blading for 24 years
That clip probably reason skateboarders and BMXers hated us, so korny. The way it’s edited, the narration the music, the bombardment!! Very 90’sFunny looking at it now. Good share. Glad I got to see this!
Wouldn't say blading is dead, as with every "extreme" sport it has peaks and troughs with public popularity, just because its not in the limelight doesnt mean its dead, iv been rolling for 27 years now and will keep rolling aslong as my body keeps going 🖒
David, I am from Puerto Rico and we also had an aggressive inline family there, I felt and still feel special for discovering this sport. I rollerbladed for 12 years, 1998 to 2008 to be exact. I believe this sport died because of the technology evolution, also the pioneers, first and the second generation from the sport got older and of course, they got married and continue with their adult lives and couldn't pass the torch for newer generations to continue evolving the sport. Still, I believe that is not completely dead is just an underrated sport, but the scene is still present in Europe and the UK, USA, Central America and the Caribbean still practice the sport but in little groups, after all, it was always a shelter for people that wanted something more out of the ordinary something more than skateboarding something new, where you could take out your aggressiveness, the social pressure in a unique and creative way. Thanks for doing this, If this did not receive the attention you thought it was going to receive, don't worry it's not that you fail at doing something not popular or cool enough for people out there too appreciate, is just the resemblance of how we as aggressive inline skaters felt when our sport was not recognised by the media, society, etc. I know for people like me it would be remembered forever.
-Again thanks and God bless you
Abiel Cotto
David, I do know a little something about the demise of the sport, at least on the national stage. Lots of injuries, pushback from parents' and civics groups, and an apparent (perceived) limit to the number / complexity of tricks were a few that I remember, aside from skating companies trying to take them down. At almost the same time ESPN dropped them from the XGames, Gravity Games got canceled. I remember a bit of controversy at the ASR conventions those years... around 1999? 2000? Time is a bit muddled for me now. At the time, I was doing some work for the Tony Hawk skateboarding clothing line, as well as some work in the snowboarding world. A good number of these guys floated amongst these (extreme) sports.
I recall Mike Budnick(sp ?) talking about running, weight training, and eating right. He treated Blading like it was a thing important enough to be SERIOUS about it. Maybe that's what actually "killed" it; not enough people that were passionate about it.
As for the skateboarders not liking us ... I never lost control of my wheels while skating and ended someone elses day, by wrecking their ankle ...
@@WRXBase That's an interesting idea. I think, in the end, there were several factors that affected the inline industry... perhaps too many to list.
I never understood the rivalry between skaters and bladers. But, that's probably because I didn't participate in either sport.
Nah itwa bmx and skateboarders putting bladers on the froot booter. So it became striotyped as gay. Imo
@@Hectik17 Yes, I mentioned that skaters were trying to undermine the bladers. I don't recall BMX having much to do with it, but they did kind of take over in popularity at things like XGames and Gravity Games.
@@AGDinCA certain skateparks here in Sydney were run by bmx bandits. Lots of drunk shananigans and degenerates
Hey cheers, chap. I really enjoyed that. Great documentary making.
I’ve been a skater all my life and for me all Adrenalin sports are equal and I ride with anyone who wants to ride. For me we’re all in this together.
I’m glad to hear the rollerbladers have good lives.
Lovely video.
I skateboarded ramp and street. I only had one serious injury, which was a broken right arm when I was 15, but it still gives me problems to this day. I was going to drop in from a 6' quarter pipe and use that speed to hit a launch ramp, to see if I could get on to the hood of my 78 malibu. The quarter pipe didn't have a deck, or coping yet and my friend was holding my ankle while I was setting up, but when I told him "let go" as I was dropping in, he didn't let go in time. I had my lean forward perfect, but his grip was so tight that my momentum was shifting backwards. I hit the launch ramp, my feet flew forward and I dropped about 6' to the concrete on my back, with my arm behind me and broke it clean across.
I don't regret any of it. It made made me who I am and is what attracted my babymama to me! She said, she "used to watch me skate for hours from her bedroom window". Then one day, I got the courage to say "hi" and strike up a conversation, we hooked up, then she was always by my side watching me skate! ...And that's all I have to say about that! 😆
Lol you skateboard "ramp"
@@enigma1247 Yes. You either skate "ramp" (half pipe or quarter pipe) or you skate "street" (or freestyle). Most people skate street, but those who have balls and access to one, skate "ramp"!
@@NoName-to5xl Street _is_ cooler (Rodney Mullen is one of my favorite skaters of all time), but ramp is more fun!
I'm so used to all of your old 1950-60's docs that I find this to be a real surprise! it's really cool to see a "modern" production of yours.
I grew up in this skating lifestyle all through my teenage years and a part of my twenties. This was my outlet trough everything and I don't know why it disappeared, or what happened. I'm seeing the same happening yet again to Climbing, which has been the second part of me all my life. It's a lifestyle getting a big rise and spots at the Olympics and all, and I think it's gonna go mainstream really soon after too. Mostly because people who know nothing about it are going to intervene and be putting their restrictions on it.. I love these kinds of lifestyle but as soon as they get the spotlights and being treated as just a sport, you'll see it losing it's original soul really fast and without warning.. On a more positive note: I think in the end, they'll both find their way only different than we were used to. "It's not dead, it just went underground for a while..."
David: I really love your filming style and way of telling a story, as I always wanted to be a filmmaker too. (Even studied for it) hoping to make something like this someday. This really inspired me. You're my new inspiration!
I've been inlining for a few years and just got into aggressive skating these past few months. What Brooke says is insanely true "you have to convince yourself in these 15 feet". The amount of work it takes to get into the flows all these peeps do is insane. I've eaten shit countless times, but I finally got my makio's down, and it feels validating for something so simple, no matter how many times I've fallen, it was worth.
Thanks David for such beautiful insight into the roots of the scene!! And for all the skaters, eat shit and get right back up!!! We're all Evil Knievils!!
I'm nearing 38 years old and remember these being all the rage in England. As a musically - rather than athletically - inclined person, I never did buy a pair, but LOTS of people I knew had a pair of roller blades.
Thanks for this. I really enjoyed the film. I spent my teenage years in the 90s in so cal skating and met a few of characters in this video when they came to town for competitions.
The security guard on 14:23 still works there and still harasses skaters,bmxers
lol ?
Great film, such a unique insight into 90's skating. What's interesting is many of the skaters who we're obcessed with the sport in the 90's are still skating today. There has been a resurgence of 'Olderblading' in the last few years, mainly men in their late 20, 30's and 40's rediscoverying the sport as adults. The sport is definitely not dead yet...
Mr. Hoffman this is great. I was skater! I have a neighbor that knows all these guys and they still skate.
Thanks for that, was skating late 90s in to late 00s, can remember the names the clothes like it was yesterday. Miss those free days!
I think skateboarding culture emerged spontaneously, nothing was planned.The industry came after
appropriating these movement that already existed. But inlineskating it was from the beginning
a commercial act, everything about it seemed fake.
This video is almost a proof of how there was nothing there but people acting. Of course in an unconsciously way. Since from the begining they were focus on the money. Those things don't work this way anymore...But David you did the best with the material you had!!
"Soul Skaters.... there's nothing we can't do!!"
Lmao... what a crock of shit....
Thank you for sharing this. I grew up living this life. It was a lot of fun. The people rollerblading today are taking the sport to new heights. Though it is no where near as big as it once was, there are tens of thousands of dedicated rollerbladers out there keeping the sport alive!
"Barley Dead" is a great documentary that shows how the sport was almost taken down.
we right here! 28 years old, CT, shredding the rink and streets just doing basic flow skating and urban skating. never watched your movie, would love to see it.
Love your stuff
David thank you for making this quick little film. When I was back in the 7th grade I used to skate every day just like these kids. I used to go to skate competitions all over the country, I was also a part of the ASA. It truly was a tragedy that this sport ended up dying off it could have been a great Olympic or national standing sport for young kids today. It's sad that the internet has taken the outdoors away from our youth. But it's documentaries like yours that let us old guys know that we need to reboot some of these older sports for these kids. As I was watching your film I remembered that in my closet I still have an original Senate backpack signed by John Julio, Brian Shima, David Latimer, and Aaron Feinberg. These were some of the greatest skaters that I ever met. Thanks again for making awesome documentary.
I remember the time where getting that pair of "Impala" was my ultimate wish time flies
Enjoyed watching this video, lots of memories from the 90´s came back ;-) Thanks David!
Roller blading is fun if you have a nice set. Alita had an interesting twist on it. I feel like the free running trend that reached peak popularity a few years ago was a different flavor of this kind of sport on your feet.
Rollerblading isn't dead nor did it ever die. It's gained alot more popularity since the pandemic. Support blading!
This was so cool. Reminds me of my younger years. Glad they all did something with their life
HY DAVID I AM 37 NOW.. I AM FROM EUROPE, CROATIA.. BACK IN 1997 AND 1998 I WAS LIVING AND BREATHING ROLLERBLADES. U SAID THAT SPORT IS DEAD..I AGREE BUT IT WILL LIVE FOREVER IN MY HEART.. IT WAS THE BEST TIME OF MY LIVE.. I EVEN MEET MY WIFE ON ONE OF THE JAMS IN EUROPE AND WE R STILL 2GETHER AND WE HAVE 2 CHILDRENS. THANK U FOR BRINGING THE MEMORIES..
David, I watched your documentary of Ryan Jacklone many times!
for those looking to see where skating has gone, a good place to start is *Mushroom Blading Vol. 1*
I used to rent this video from Hollywood video in the early 2000’s. I rode BMX but besides some tapes I had and limited internet action sports weren’t as main stream as they are today. I watched anything action sports that I could get my hands on and this got me inspired to go out to the streets with my friends and find spots. This movie is legendary. I never knew that Dave made this until years later and I watched his other stuff and then this popped up. Crazy how life works and things come full circle 20 years later. Really enjoyed this one.
the people in charge of the x games didn’t like rollerblading because our industry got bigger than the sports they did, skateboarding and bmx industries were in decline and so they kicked us out and sabotaged our sport
damn, I miss the 90s! gonna pick up aggressive skating again this year... at 46! :D
I just bought a new pair
@@panamera2467 enjoy! got mine a bit over a week ago and could finally try them last wednesday! great to get back. but roads sucked and there was still too much split everywhere, we basically had winter again until last weekend...
I’ve been rollerblading about 15 year, sadly I got into it when the sport was starting to die, Ryan jacklone (lad from the doc) recently did a interview on a rollerblading podcast called jump street, it’s still alive and doing better than it has since the early 2000s. glad to see some more light on blading even if it is from the past aha
That guy seems like he’d be worthless right now. Is he still pro? Does rollerblading make any money? Skateboarder asking.
Chabon Esparza Jr nah dude not much money in the industry but it’s the people that really care about it that keep it alive, a lot more older blazers are getting back into it there’s a new wave of olderbladers! I don’t think he skates anymore btw the podcast didn’t focus on his life now it was more past tense
ThNks to Jon Julio inline skating is still alive. I’m 44 and appreciate this film. Glad to hear these kids all doing well. Sadly there comes a time when falling on concrete isn’t fun anymore. So glad I grew up in the 90’s and experienced this.
Put this film on iTunes and I’ll buy it
I wish I knew how.
Thank you
David Hoffman - filmmaker
@@DavidHoffmanFilmmaker learn. you thought boys having fun were stupid so use your supposed brains.
I love this channel second video and I’m hooked love your stories and narration. Thank you
Wish I didn't have back problems, I would pick rollerblading back up. I was blading in late 2000s into 2012-2013 ish. I missed the 90s wave but when I was part of the scene, it was amazing, style of skating and the skates themselves had matured beyond the 90s styles and technicality went through the roof, blading was already out of the xgames so there were no major tv sponsors and money. I think that time was more interesting than the 90's wave where the spectacle was televised. I injured my back working on cars ironically not rollerblading. Also the only guy I met or knew about in this video was Arlo, he was already old by the time I saw him. He owned a skate park in Dallas and it was already on the way out when I finally got to go there. Great clips you have here, thank you for sharing!