We at What’s Doing? Tampa Bay are all about having fun with our kids, and Heelys skate shoes offer a fun way for families to enjoy being — and getting healthy — together! Pull on your Heelys and head on down to Fit Kids Playground (held the first Tuesday of every month at Curtis Hixon Park), or visit one of Tampa Bay’s many other parks any day of the week!

Thanks to the people at Heelys, makers of skate shoes, What’s Doing? is able to review a pair of their classic style Wave Skate Sneaker. The Heelys Brand strives to achieve high standards in both product and service. Because they care about what we think of the products they sell, they are asking for our opinion, and we’re answering!

What are Heelys?
In short, they’re shoes that roll. They are lightweight athletic shoes that feature either a single (classic) or a pair (X2) of wheels housed in the heels. With the wheels removed and the heel plugs in place, the shoes perform and look just like any other shoe. With the wheels in place, the shoes become a sport in themselves — one that kids, Moms and Dads alike can enjoy together.

The Heelys Brand offers a wide variety of hot styles — from distressed canvas (Fray) to glammed-up designs with rhinestones and glitter accents (Sassy) to more tailored grown-up styles (Jazzy). And you can find shoes with laces or Velcro closures.

First Impressions
I was happily surprised by how quickly the shoes arrived after being ordered. My first impression of the shoes, though, was “Wow, beautiful!” (Even my husband was admiring them.) These are really nice, sturdy, well-made shoes! They came packaged with their wheels and a tool to remove the heel plugs. It was surprisingly easy to both remove the plugs and set the wheels in place — I did it myself in about 30 seconds! The easy-to-follow, step-by-step directions for removing the plugs, setting the wheels, and removing the wheels are printed on the inside of the shoe box. As for comfort, they are so well padded that I feel like I’m walking in clouds.

Learning to Heely
Well, for this I can honestly say … easier said than done. I’ve watched kids rolling around WalMart and it looks so simple, but after trying it myself, I can see that it definitely takes practice, skill, and some of the nerve I seem to have lost in my 42 years on this planet. However, Heelys provides a nice Skate 101 video on their site that I highly recommend watching before you begin rolling around your tile kitchen! I am currently learning to find my balance point, but I expect to be rolling soon. Protective pads are not a bad idea; in fact, Heelys strongly suggests protective gear be worn when skating on your Heelys.

My opinion? These are DEFINITELY more stylish than the roller skates I wore around my neighborhood in the 70s and 80s! In fact, I really love these shoes! I am not wholly confident in my ability to wow my neighbors with my skating, but I will definitely be wearing these shoes (albeit, with the plugs most of the time) EVERYWHERE. And it was fun for both of us when I attempted to Heely while my 3-year-old rode her tricycle around the neighborhood — we both had a lot of laughs, and she can’t wait to do it again!

Heelys Sassy style skate sneaker features rhinestones and glitter accents.

*****

HEELYS LABOR DAY/BACK TO SCHOOL DEAL!
Are you interested in checking out Heelys for yourself and your kid/s? Between September 2-5, 2011 you can buy one pair at regular price and get a second pair for only $30!

EVEN BETTER: On top of the Labor Day sale, Heely’s wants to offer you a FREE shipping code HeelysLovesBloggers. Put the code in the Discount Code box when you ckeck out your shoes. (Please note that this code is only good with the promo from 12 a.m. (CDT) Friday, September 2, 2011, through 11:59 p.m. (CDT) Monday, September 5, 2011 on http:/shop.heeys.com.)

*****

Disclosure: Heely provided a pair of skate sneakers in order that I could try their shoes and write an honest review of the brand. The opinions expressed here are solely my own. No other compensation was provided.