2018 FS Gear Review: Rundle Sport Velox Skate Long Rollerski

Let’s go niche for a second as this will be a recurring theme of this rollerski review. It’s not exactly the dark web, but this esoteric rollerski site lists over 50 manufacturers. Presuming each brand builds out several models of rollerskis, we’re talking well over 100 styles and permutations of dryland training gear. That’s only considering skate rollerskis. The basic engineering premise is the same for all of those: two wheels, four ball-bearing sets per ski, two axles, throw in some bolts, two forks and a shaft. Some brands have more flex, some more rigid. Some fast. Some slow. Some safer than others. Those include a braking mechanism.

Beyond experimenting with flex either in the shaft or forks, the ingredients for baking the rollerski cake are basic. That brings us to the Rundle Sport Velox Skate Long rollerski. (Rundle Sport is an advertiser on FasterSkier.)

As the name suggests, the Velox model comes in two varieties. The standard Velox model, not reviewed here, is no outlier when it comes to length. It sits in the “normal” range of what we think of as the all-purpose length for a rollerski at 610 millimeters. The Velox Long is an apt name. We’re talking a full 720 mm-length rollerski. They are long.

Paired with that length, Rundle Sport used aggressive forks that drop a full 11 mm. The shaft bottom sits 29 mm off the pavement — comparable to most top brands. 

It’s pretty clear from first glance and first roll what these rollerskis are not. They are not designed to shine on the agility course. (This is particularly true of the more modern-type agility course featuring bigger air, runs across dirt, sod, gravel, and 360’s.)

With the quick movements required by agility courses, these rollerskis felt just too long and unwieldy for those training days. With that in mind, the Rundle Sport suggests that the Velox Long is better suited for skiers 5 foot 8 and taller. 

Rundle Sport states the Velox Long was designed for “technique training”. We took that to mean all types of training beyond technique honed on the agility course.

The Velox Long delivered.

Number one — these rollerskis are über stable. Although sitting 30 mm off the ground, the longer shaft coupled with the big drop from center-wheel to the binding, and the shaft’s thin side width, makes these rollerskis feel like you’re rollersking on a secure platform. Milking speed from the weighted ski while V2-ing is no problem. There’s absolutely no desire to transfer weight prematurely from one foot to the other. On the downhills, the Velox Long glides in what feels like cruise control. No wobble. No drifting from underfoot. They lure you into simply point and go.

Some longer downhills take some getting used to. But after a few rolls under the belt, tucking is an option. With the Velox Long’s stability and straight-ahead tracking, the first impression is not noticing higher speeds. The perception is that the foot feels low to the ground — lower than the measured 30 mm from the shaft bottom to the pavement. If you’re comfy flying downhill, you’ll feel even comfier on the longer shaft. That translates into looking for more speed even when you think you’re top-end fast. (Parents of speed demons — you’ve been warned.)  

If you are taking a high-speed corner, that, too, is no problem when stepping through the apex. With the longer ski, it just takes a bit more pre-meditation to initiate fast-paced cornering.

Slowing down or stopping with the Velox Long does take some getting used to. It’s a steep learning curve and nothing earth-shattering. With more rollerski, one must be more intentional.

The Velox Long comes with 100 x 24 mm size wheels that are the staple #2 speed. They also include removable fenders.

Number two — the long wheelbase translates into feeling more like you’ve got a ski on your foot. With properly positioned bindings, the swing weight is more ski-like than rollerski. Again, that was a perceived positive.

The longer shaft does flex. And on smooth pavement, the Velox Long damped vibrations and made it feel more like a composite shaft rollerski.

A particular qualitative attribute of the Velox Long was it smooth and steady sensation when pushing side to side. The extra length made the push-off phase of the skate motion feel more efficient and effective. In terms of the glide phase, you actually feel like you are gliding. For old timers, think Cadillac smooth. For the younger set and young at heart, think longboard skateboarding.

The longer shaft does not inhibit the up-tempo work if you throw in quicker V1 efforts. Yet, for group-sprint simulation training, we’d opt for traditional length rollerskis.  

These rollerskis are pre-drilled for NIS, SNS, Rottefella, and NNN bindings. NIS (front) has two possible binding positions, Rottefella has two, whereas NNN and SNS both have one position. (Not compatible with Fischer rollerski bindings or Turnamic.)

If you’re somebody concerned with what everybody else is using, then these rollerskis may not be for you. Amongst the niche sport of XC skiing and amidst the niche group of us who rollerski, you might get a few nods and glances with a 720 mm length skate rollerski.

Or you might get a few nods for being an iconoclast. A rollerskiing disrupter. The cost won’t set you back a ton at $280 Canadian / $215 U.S. dollars. A similar-length ski from in-trend IDT will cost approximately $388 USD. 

You’re a nordic skier. Have no fear. The Velox Long might be niche. Yet it might just be the piece of gear that allows you to experience unparalleled rollerski stability so you can focus more on how to ski technically sound.  

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