By Chase | April 2019
While off-ice training for hockey is absolutely better than not training at all, it is still far from perfect. Skating mechanics between ice hockey and roller hockey are similar but there is always an adjustment period going from the ice rink to the roller rink, and vice versa. The same goes with stickhandling and shooting, an ice hockey puck weighs more than roller hockey pucks and they slide significantly different too. Over the years, there have been many stickhandling and shooting aids developed that do a great job replicating the on-ice feel off-ice, and until now, the skating category has largely been neglected. Marsblade was determined to change off-ice training forever by giving players a product that allows them to use much more similar skating mechanics off-ice, thus optimizing your off-ice hard work and training for better, tangible results on the ice and in the game.
The bottom curvature of an ice hockey runner creates a rocker effect that shifts a player's weight back and forth on the runner but keeps the pressure focused in the center. This creates the balance and stability needed to generate explosive north-to-south skating power and agile east-to-west lateral movements.
The Marsblade's patented Flow Motion Technology creates a very similar rocker effect to ice hockey by utilizing a split or two-piece chassis design unlike anything else on the market. The upper chassis has a rounded bottom portion that sits on top of a flat lower chassis. As a player's weight shifts forward or backward, the upper chassis follows these movements and creates the centered, balanced and fluid feel that flat roller hockey chassis just cannot replicate.
Watch the video animation below to see a closer look at how the Flow Motion Technology creates this rocker effect.
So, what does this mean for the player? The Marsblade Chassis is the best way to train your on-ice skating mechanics and the necessary muscles without ice regardless if you're new to the game or if you're a big-time, seasoned veteran. It makes off-ice skating much more natural for the ice player and makes transitioning between ice and roller hockey nearly seamless.
As each year passes, more ice hockey players are picking up roller hockey in the offseason and are taking a quick a liking to inline. Some of these ice players are participating at some of the most elite-levels of roller hockey as well, and while players can use the Marsblade chassis indoors and out, Marsblade recommends using it in recreational to competitive hockey only. It features a fiber reinforced plastic construction similar to most ice hockey holders which can also fail when put against high-powered slap shots or aggressively stick slashes. They offer a 12-month warranty on production issues but standard play, unfortunately, is not.
Since the Marsblade Chassis kit comes with axles and spacers, the only thing you will want to also purchase are wheels and bearings. In case you don't have a set laying around the house, here are a few suggestions for different wheel types depending on what kind of surface you might be playing on. We recommend using a multi-surface wheel if you plan on using them both indoors and out unless you are looking to use them in competitive indoor play too. Indoor-specific wheels provide much better grip and stopping power indoors but the wheels will drastically deteriorate when used on rough, outdoor surfaces. Lastly, if you plan on using these solely outdoors on concrete or even asphalt, we recommend using an outdoor specific wheel to maximize its lifespan. See the bottom of this page for our top wheel and bearing recommendations that can be found at IceWarehouse.com .
When choosing your wheel sizes, note that the suggested wheel sizes change depending on your Marsblade Chassis size. Marsblade even includes an advanced wheel size suggestion that compounds the rocker effect by using a smaller front wheel with three larger rear wheels.