[Closed] Any roller-skiers on here...what’s it like?

Get some Skikes or big-wheeled inlines - they roll far quicker than roller skis, you can take them onto offroad trails and have brakes. Give you a proper all-body workout. You take up a serious width on the track though, particularly if using a skate technique.

Also worth bearing in mind what kind of local tracks you have locally - roller skis only really suitable for smooth tarmac.

http://www.rollerski.co.uk/buyrollerskis_mt.html but better buying from Europe where it is more popular / better prices

A charming lass from a nearby village started coming through our village and down the hill outside my place on her roller skis during lockdown. She gave up locally as the roads weren't up to it. She said the potholes were pretty bad and gravel washes jammed the wheels.
She just ended up using in-line skates.

http://www.rollerski.co.uk/buyrollerskis_mt.html but better buying from Europe where it is more popular / better prices

Wow, things I never knew I wanted. Those look like great fun!

Just to qualify my statement, I used to have some Powerskide Nordic Inlines and used to regularly use them at Eelmoor test track in Aldershot and Dorney Lake. I also used to go around the offroad vehicle test track. At times I would share the track with regular XC roller skiers - I could easily do 3 laps for their every 2. You do need some basic XC ski or skate technique - you'll only put the pole once between your legs! Great all-body workout and low impact - provided you don't crash!

Wow, things I never knew I wanted. Those look like great fun!

Wow, things I never knew I wanted. Those look like HOW BLOODY MUCH?! Jaysus, you could get a bike for that.

Hmm; it’s getting more expensive than I was planning!
I’m still keen to try something like this; maybe I’ll have to watch ebay and find someone who’s tried it and given it up cos it’s a silly idea 😂

Tried this many years ago. Was exhausting! At least as tiring as 'real' XC skiing.

I found it too much like hard work to carry on with. As above, despite the cool videos, roller skis really need smooth surfaces until you're very accomplished. Stopping is harder than it looks IME too.

Finally, hills are knackering, and steep ones just need full gas or you'll end up going backwards.

So, I may just be a real jessie, but if you don't have some grade A smooth surfaces nearby, and relatively flat ones at that, it's possible you'll end up jacking it in, like I did 🙁

Also, poor technique could end up exacerbating back problems - I was finding myself in all sorts of contortions as I tried to keep weight and COG central. Sure it would have improved in time, but I threw some very weird shapes in my first few goes.

Very popular here in Sweden and especially in my home town of östersund where many if Sweden's elite skiers live and train. We have specific asphalt tracks for it that become real trails when the snow comes.

I still laugh when I see people doing it though, even after 8 years here. It makes me think of fat biking. There are better things to do on snow, much as there a better things to do on asphalt.

Here's a link to a big online shop in Germany - I picked up my Powerslides from eBay for a lot less and now wish I'd kept them 🙁

https://www.der-rollenshop.de/Nordic-Skates

Tried it at the Lochgelly bike track when Ski Scotland had a demo day for it.
I am quite a good skier, but roller skiing was a whole different ball game.

Didn't help that I was on intermediate rollers, slightly narrower than the beginner ones.
Standing still was a challenge, stopping was nigh on impossible, cornering was scary about the only safe activity was going uphill which was knackering. Decided it wasn't for me, but would still like to try XC skiing on snow.

I'd recommend trying it out first before you commit to buying the equipment.
Invest in a Ski-erg or an old school Nordic track machine if it's just the workout side of it you are looking for!