Pursuit Roller Ski Review

As mentioned above, the Pursuit T6004 features the usual mid-range skate roller ski construction.  The shaft is a single piece of aluminum with forks cut out at both ends.  The wheels are the common imports from Eastern Europe.

The shaft on the T6004 is not identical to other skis, however.  It is a bit thicker, and has a series of holes drilled in the side along the length of the ski.  The holes serve two purposes – first of all they result in a lighter ski, and second they give the shaft a bit more flex.

In terms of performance, the T6004 works well – very similar to other aluminum shaft skate skis with wide diameter wheels.  The added flex in the shaft is subtle, but I noticed it – softer than the Pro-Ski S5e and the Ski Skett Shark.  The extra give made for a slightly smoother ride and a more ski-like feel.  Knocking of some weight didn’t hurt either.

Performance on rough pavement is average – consistent with other aluminum shaft skis with 100mm (or bigger) wheels.

Our test pair came with 105mm wheels, as opposed to the usual 100mm set.  The hubs are the same size, the tire is just thicker.  You pay an extra $18 for these ($4.50 per wheel), and get some extra life.  I actually wasn’t crazy about the bigger tires though and recommend saving that $18.  5mm doesn’t sound like much, but I felt significantly higher off the ground, resulting in tippy skis.  In regards to ski feel, the closer to the ground, the better.

The Rollerskishop offers a variety of wheel combinations, allowing you to mix and match to dial in optimum speed.  There are three wheel options, Speed 1 (Faster), Speed 2 (Slow), and Speed 3 (Ultra Slow).   We tested the Speed  1/2 mix, with a Speed 1 wheel on the back and a Speed 2 wheel on the front of each ski.  This combo worked well, putting the ski in the “average” speed range, very similar to the Ski Skett Shark, the V2 XL98R, and faster than the Marwe.  I found that this is a good training speed.  The Rollerskishop told FasterSkier that the straight Speed 2 is their biggest seller, and that they recommend Speed 2/3 for top citizen racers.  Based on my experience, going with the 2 / 3 combo would result in more controlled downhill speeds, but also not enough V2.  I have a number of high school aged skiers skiing on the 1 / 2 combo and this speed provides a good mix of techniques at level 1 training pace.

All told, there are 5 different speed options on these skis.

The T6004 features the 600mm shaft. The longer shaft combined with the bigger wheels did give this ski a somewhat clunky feeling, and they also tended to be a bit tip-heavy.   Like all the mid range skaters, they don’t feel high-performance, but are very functional.  Because of weight, I would say the Pro-Ski S5e and the Ski Skett Shark have somewhat better feel, but this will not impact the quality of training.  The roller ski shop recommends the shorter 530mm shaft skis for smaller skiers.  This makes sense, the only drawback being that they may grow out of the skis.

When rating roller skis for these reviews, I did not factor in price, just performance.  The big draw of these skis, and most of the Pursuit line, is the price.  These are some of the most inexpensive roller skis on the market, making them ideal for Juniors just getting going, and anyone else looking for good value.   From a “bang for your buck” standpoint, these skis would be rated four skiers.

At this point I have no information on durability,  though, the holes in the shaft concern me a little bit.  And while we will see how they perform over time, we have had no problem with the T5302 which a number of local Juniors have been using for several years.  Since the wheels are identical to a number of other skate skis, tire wear should be very similar to those models.

An added benefit is that the Rollerskishop offers free mounting and competitive prices on bindings.  Even if you don’t purchase bindings, they will drill the skis for free.  Most shops charge a mounting fee of at least $10, so this is a nice perk.  And after mounting nearly a dozen pairs of skis for these reviews, I highly recommend having a ski shop do the dirty work.  It is critical that bindings be mounted straight, and even if you have access to a jig, mounting roller skis can be time consuming and difficult due to the short shafts and the forks.

The Rollerskishop also sells replacement wheels that work with a number of different brands at the lowest prices I have seen.

FasterSkier’s Buying Advice: The Pursuit T6004 is an excellent value.  Similar in performance to other aluminum shaft, wide diameter, skate roller skis, the price makes them a good choice for Juniors and anyone on a budget.