Ok, so your kid is going to die without a pair of Heelys. Or so he says. Maybe you would like to gived it a try. Ebay is a great place to find a pair reasonably priced in just the right color. Here are a few things to look for and consider.

1. Sizing- All brands of this kind of shoe run small. They are also sized in kids and boys sizes only. It is best to actually measure the foot, and check the insole measurement. Or go to a store and try a pair on to determine size. This is the most frustrating part about buying these shoes online.
2. Safety- Consider the operation of the wheel. The retractable wheel on the generic roller shoe is safer than the removable wheel on Heelys. It can be converted into a regular shoe without sitting down. They can go from rolling to running in a blink of an eye. Most injuries on these shoes are due to children running with the wheel in place for rolling. The wrench and plug design of Heelys brand shoes is more time consuming to transform into a safe shoe for playing and running. Other roller shoes, like brand name Spinners, have no conversion to a regular shoe. They cannot be worn during play at all.
3. Convenience- The push button retractable roller shoes have no removable parts to lose. The wheel, plug, and wrench of Heelys must be kept with you to transform from a roller shoe to a sneaker. Replacement wheels, plugs and wrenches can be costly. Often a Heelys brand wheel costs more than a generic pair of roller shoes.
4. Quality- Heelys are made with high quality. The soles do not wear quickly from friction and dragging. They have the latest shoe styling. The wheels seem to wear out, but replacements are widely available. Some retractable roller shoes are very poor quality. Generally these shoes do not resemble Heelys styling at all. Some of these white shoes will discolor in the sun. Other retractable roller shoes are very comparable in quality to Heelys. They usually mimic the trendy styling of Heelys.
5. Price- Heelys start at $35, usually for clearance colors and sizes or used. The average price for new Heelys is around $50, and larger Men's sizes can be around $80. Other brand roller shoes can be found for $20.
6. Banned- Roller shoes have been banned from being worn in many stores. Without a retractable wheel, it can be difficult bring your child shopping with these shoes. Stopping to convert a pair of Heelys with a wrench and plug before grocery shopping can be annoying. Also, spending $50 for a pair of shoes that can't be worn to school or in the mall isn't cool either. Sometimes a less expensive alternative with the quick conversion is more logical.

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