Newron Sports Review

I received a package in the mail that I have been anticipating for some few weeks. Inside that box was a set of skates from Robert Ritondo and Bob Leger of Newron Sports.

Newron Sports has been courting me as a sponsor. They have had some intriguing offers. These have included everything from custom product to purchasing a media agent for me. Even a $10,000 bonus has been offered for breaking the Trans-USA record.

In the end, we agreed that it all hinged on the skates. So, when that box arrived, I was excited to say the least.

I had emailed both the President and Marketing VP regarding my needs for a touring skate for Trans-USA application, and, I was sure that the 90mm touring skates on the front page of www.newronsport.com were the ones that Robert Ritondo spoke of sending me in our phone conversations. I requested that touring skate.

I have since been informed in an email that the picture is of a prototype that is not actually for sale, or use. I must admit that a great big red flag went up when I received that email. I have since found that the hockey skates on the front page are not the ones that were sent either. I can only assume that they are also not for sale.

I decided to keep an open mind and wait for the product to show, before I jumped to judgment.

My initial disappointment when I looked inside was that I was sent a pair of hockey skates. Instead of sending me the touring skate, the Touron, they sent me the hockey skate, the Trainon.

I immediately had more concerns. My greatest concern was that the company was not listening to its client, and, sent whatever product it wanted. The flip side of that would be a case of incompetence, and, not sending the product requested. A further concern was whether or not the Touron product even existed. I had many scenarios going through my mind. I was already glad that I had not signed any agreements with that company.

I chose to keep to my end of the initial bargaining, and, try the product. A fair review was in order, so, I took them to the trail.

A waxed lace is in need for these skates, instead of the loose knit nylon ones included. I initially had trouble getting the skate tight enough to support my weight without collapsing to either side. When I was able to successfully tighten them for use, hot spots sprung up on my ankles and shins.

The Trainon has no forward ankle flex. It is a rigid boot. The result is a limitation of movement. I bend my knees and ankles when I skate, so, I was a very unhappy skater with these skates forcing me into a fixed position.

The frame on the right skate didn’t feel to be in the correct position. The leading end of the skate feels to be just to the right of the sweet spot. The result was my toe collapsing on every push. This was not a result of the front frame flexing, but, actually being in the wrong position. This same issue was not present in the left skate. The frame position is not adjustable, or, I would have fixed that problem.

The brakes work, sometimes too well. I found them engaging as I skated slow left hand turns. They are effective at slow speed, albeit I was only able to skate at slow speed with these skates on. I am unsure how they would work at high speed, since I was not only unable to skate fast with them on, I was afraid to go very fast.

The bottom laces had come loose, and, the boot started shifting back and forth, so, I stopped to tighten them up. I cinched them as tight as I could, and, I did another short skate in them. This time they were so uncomfortable that I took them off.

Then I went for a skate on my Bont Vaypors. I love to fly in those skates. I skated hard, fast and free for about 10 miles. It felt so good to go let loose and push for some speed.

When I was done with that I decided to give the Trainon one more shot. Perhaps I would see them differently after a second attempt.

This time I got the skate laced tight the first time. The laces seemed to strain under the pressure required to firm up the skate. I did a short distance before I stopped in pain from the way the skate bit into my shins and ankles.

I decided that maybe it was just that I laced them up too high. I took the top two eyelets out of the equation and tightened it all up. I tried unsuccessfully to skate in those skates half laced.

Not lacing the upper laces is a technique that I have used many times in recreational and hockey skates to great success. It mimics the feel of speed skates and allows the ankle to bend. These skates are not stable without all eyelets laced. The boot does not have enough rigidity in the correct locations to support that arrangement.

I also noticed a drag that could have been the break engaging, or the Abec-7 bearings. Honestly, I’ve never seen Abec-7’s with pressed in shields. I have only seen the Chinese 3’s without removable shields, but, that is what was written on irremovable shields.

I finally took them off with a profound disappointment. I’ve never felt that way after wearing a set of skates. I have since put them back in the box, and, taken them to the post office for return to Newron Sports.

It cost me $20 dollars to mail them back. I feel jipped. I wish I still had those 20 bucks.