The Rink Rat name has been around for quite some time, with the company producing quality wheels for all skill levels and playing surfaces. We were excited to get our hands on Rink Rat’s Identity Krysis wheels to test them out and see how they perform. Check out our full review below!
Specs:
Rink Rat’s Identity Krysis roller hockey wheels are the flagship model in the “Identity” line. Forged from Rink Rat’s Dual Duro Mtech™ technology, these wheels are meant to provide the very best in grip, speed and durability to the demanding player who requires elite performance.
The Identity Krysis hockey wheel is the first true 3 pour wheel on the market, melding 3 separate urethane pieces to create best combination of speed and grip. Like their Mtech™ technology, the Dual Duro Mtech™ technology utilizes a soft 62a urethane in the core, a 68a urethane ring covering the core, then a pro level urethane on the exterior. The 62a core allows for the wheel to flex and create a greater surface area for grip when turning. The 68a ring is designed to keep the wheel stiff while you’re in stride for better responsiveness and speed. The outer pro level urethane is offered in 2 hardnesses for either better speed or grip.
These wheels come in two different hardness levels: 76A (XXX) for players 175 lbs and below, and 78A (XX) for players 175 lbs and above.
Performance:
Let’s get it out there from the beginning—these wheels aren’t for everyone. At $13.99 per wheel, most players will be put off immediately by the price tag alone. But, in my experience, roller hockey wheels are one of those things where you tend to get what you pay for.
Using these wheels was like a cheesy Hollywood movie where the main man and leading lady hate each other until the end when they realize they are madly in love. Bear with me a moment—
When I first opened the package and began switching over the Krysis wheels to my skates, I noticed the wheels felt slippery. I assume this was from the urethane, but if I’m a rec league player spending $100+ on wheels, I want to slap them on my skates and go—which is what I did.
Big mistake.
The greasy urethane was a bear to skate on. I might as well have been using roller hockey skates on ice. After warm-ups during my first game using the Krysis wheels, I had to get on the bench, water down the wheels and wipe them down with a towel to remove the lingering urethane. I suspected this would happen, but like I said, I expect to be able to use roller hockey wheels straight out of the box with minimal attendance or modification.
Once I got the wheels wiped down, they were much better. They were a little rigid, which is to be expected when you’re breaking in new wheels, but the break in process typically takes two or three periods. The Krysis wheels seemed to take a little bit longer. I’d say it was closer to two full games before I felt like I had broken down the wheels enough where I could cut and corner comfortably.
What’s interesting about the Krysis wheels is that I felt like the more I used them, the better they got. Typically, increased usage means more breakdown of the wheels, resulting in reduced grip and performance. Granted, this can take place over a long period of time (or short, depending on the wheels), but I figure these wheels really began to hit their sweet spot after maybe 7-10 full games of use. That’s when I really noticed an enhanced confidence in my ability to leverage the Krysis wheels to stop quickly and not land on my behind. It was like a switch flipped. All of a sudden they were everything I hoped they would be.
Even now that I’ve used these wheels for closer to 20-25 games, their performance hasn’t declined at all.
Durability:
With only two types of hardness available, I was a little skeptical how these would hold up—especially since I’m well over the 175 lb mark for the 78A wheels. Most brands have three sets of hardness, with one for players 200 lbs and above.
I’m happy to say that the wheels show no signs of breaking down. Of course they look worn and used, but when I look closely they don’t have any cracks or marks that would cause concern for their longevity. I’ve had wheels begin cracking after three games, and I’ve had wheels that totally lose their gripping power and need to be replaced for that reason before any cracks or gouges appear. Like I said, I’ve been using them for 20-25 games, and they still perform at a high level. I expect to have to replace these wheels because they’ve lost their ability to grip well before I need to replace them because of breakdowns in the urethane.
Overall Impressions:
If I’m a rec league player shelling out $13.99 per wheel, I expect a high degree of performance. There were some hurdles at the beginning, but in the end, I’m thrilled with the way the Identity Krysis wheels perform—and I look forward to using them for many seasons to come.
Again: these wheels are NOT for everyone, especially considering the price tag. But, like I said before, with roller hockey wheels you tend to get what you pay for. When you pay for cheaper wheels that break down and need to be replaced quicker, you realize you might as well have gotten the more expensive wheels that will provide better performance for a longer period of time from the get-go.
These are high-end wheels, and high-end players who skate regularly or play in tournaments will get exactly what they need from these wheels in terms of grip, durability and stopping power.
Interested in purchasing a set of Rink Rat Identity Krysis hockey wheels? Check them out at Inline Warehouse today! If the Identity Krysis wheels are out of your price range, take a look at the Identity Conflict wheels. Good performance at a lower price point.
