Skating is fun, great for health and a valuable way to travel reasonable distances. However the current design, which focuses on inline skates, tends to be a bit cumbersome, especially with those large boots attached. Which is why we’re definitely liking this new alternative which uses your own shoes as the base.

Cardiff S1 Skates are a strange looking 4 wheel configured skate rig, which fits over your existing shoes to give what looks like an ultra stable and comfortable ride. You also end up carrying around a much smaller rig than you would with a ‘board or set of inlines.

The unconventional configuration has the benefit of adding stability, less strain on the ankle and also crucially better stopping power from the rear brake/wheel combo. To use just slip your shoes into the adjustable strap, make sure they skates are the right length and you’re away.

As you can see from the video they really work, and we also like the fact that the mechanism also has had some thought put into it, with some nice wheels as standard. The skates cost a reasonable $159 a set, and you can find out more information here.