"FREEDOM is a wheel in your sole."
Heelys Roller Shoes were first created and sold by American,
Roger Adams, in 2000. His idea for the one-wheeled running shoes began in
1998 when he was on vacation in Huntington Beach. He was watching kids
skate up and down the streets on their inline skates and had an idea of a shoe
that could roll on command by just shifting your body weight.
The first pair of Heelys were created very simply. Adams
says, “I cut up a pair of Nike running shoes, taking a hot butter knife and
cutting out the heels. Then I ran a rod through the heel, and used one of the
wheeled bearings that come on skateboards.” Since then, kids have been
seen in malls, playgrounds and sidewalks "heeling" as a new form of transport.
In just the first year, 1.25 million pairs of Heelys were sold.
Heelys now are being sold in 30 different countries and have
even been worn by celebrities. Usher has worn them on stage as part of his
dance routines and several pairs have even been made in size 22 for Shaquille
O'Neal.
Skating on Heelys or "heeling", as it is called, has become a
new action sport for some, similar to skateboarding. Numerous tricks have
been established and named. There are a wide array of jumps, grabs and
spins that heelers attempt while riding. Some Heelys come equipped with a
grind plate on the bottom of the shoe for grinding on rails, sidewalks and
benches. If you have yet to see Heelys in action, it won't be much longer
as roller shoes seep into the broader culture and become the "next step in
personal mobility."
See
Heelys Roller Shoes
