The 2016 K2 Street and Freeride Collections
Collection changes are always an interesting time to determine what direction brands will take. In 2016, K2 seems interested to rebond with urban skates. Here are the 2016 K2 Street and Freeride lines...
Par alfathor
Urban Collection: how to make something new out of something old.
K2 has just announced the release of their new urban skate line. Their website declared spending 18 months developing this new collection… A lot of time for so little changes! If the skates have a nicer design, they technically almost haven’t changed.
K2 Uptown
After taking a closer look, the Lifestyle Collection offers a modernized version of the K2 Soulslide (2005), with the “Uptown”.
Skaters of the 2000’s will easily recognize the Fatty’s boot, rejuvenated. K2 did a good job on the design, which is modern and elegant, but still déjà vu.
The frame also recalls the Soulslide, and mostly the following generation with the K2 Fatty Paris, the Don (2009) or even the K2 II Capo.
Technical sheet of the K2 Uptown
- Soft/hard shell (K2 softboot)
- Glow in the dark pieces
- 243 mm Free frame with possible rockering
- 80 mm wheels
- Tightening: laces, micrometric buckle and velcro strap
- Stiffer cuff
- Shock absorber
- Detached brake included
- Twincam ILQ-7 bearings
- Sizes: 6-14 US | 38-49 EU | 5-13 UK
K2 Midtown
The Midtown has a boot quite similar but is equipped with a composite frame. A model that would mostly target beginners. The bluish hues seem to be inspired from sneakers, the pink border suggesting that it’s a women’s model.
You will notice the play on words on the models’ name: “Uptown” referring to the classy neighborhoods (for the high end line) and “Midtown”, to less privileged areas (for the midrange line). At K2, people in marketing seem more inclined to innovate than the engineers…
Technical sheet of the K2 Midtown
- Soft/hard shell (K2 softboot)
- 247 mm composite Free frame with possible rockering
- 80 mm wheels
- Velcro straps at the ankle and instep
- ABEC 5 bearings
- Sizes: 6-14 US | 38-49 EU | 5-13 UK
Street skates line
A lifting for the K2 Fatty Pro?
The K2 Fatty Pro has found its prospects with the Front Street and the Unnatural.
Those 2 models are equipped with a one-piece soulplate and a redesigned frame. Both are distributed with a flat wheel set-up, as usual with K2, a surprising choice now that the whole market has turned to anti rockers or Freestyle frames.
Is the K2 brand stuck 10 years in the past? In the meantime, there was also the Powerblading. The Unnatural stands from the Front Street by its Teflon inserts and its bigger wheels (60 mm vs 56 mm).
Technical sheet
High stem Softboot style.
Tightening: traditional laces and velcro strap
Aggressive cuff
UFS frame
56 mm 88A wheels for the Frontstreet
60 mm 88A wheels for the Unnatural
Max diameter: 61 mm
ABEC 5 bearings
Shock absorber
Sizes: 7-12 US | 39-46 EU | 6-11 UK
Links
Download the whole 2016 K2 catalogue
Translation: Chloé Seyres
Photos : K2
