Pablo's Skate Build Diary: Bauer Vapor Fly30 on PowerDyne Reactor Neo Plates
This week's build is something a little different from the more traditional Bauer conversions we regularly put through the workshop. We started with a pair of size 9 Bauer Vapor Fly30 hockey boots and built them onto size 10 PowerDyne Reactor Neo plates, before finishing them with Peter Peng wheels, Ventro Hybrid Ceramic bearings and our own Pablos Ice Gem Jam Plugs. The result is a seriously distinctive pair of custom quad roller skates combining a modern Bauer hockey boot with a high-quality aluminium plate and some rather unusual wheels.
The Bauer Vapor Fly30 Hockey Boots
The Bauer Vapor Fly30 is certainly not a subtle hockey boot, and that's exactly what makes this pair work so well as roller skates. The predominantly black boot is broken up by white sections around the heel and sole, with red detailing throughout the Vapor graphics and liner. Rather than trying to tone any of that down, this build leans into it. The red laces bring the colour further forward while the bare aluminium plate and white heels complement the lighter sections of the boot, giving the finished skates a much more coordinated appearance than simply bolting a set of quad plates underneath them.
Underneath the Fly30 boots we've fitted size 10 PowerDyne Reactor Neo plates. The Reactor Neo is an aluminium quad plate and represents a significant step up from the entry-level nylon plates we use on many recreational conversions. It's a great option for somebody who wants a more substantial and precise platform underneath a hockey boot while retaining a conventional quad skate layout. The silver aluminium also looks particularly good against this boot, sitting neatly between the black upper and the much brighter wheel setup underneath.
Mounting the Reactor Neo Plates
As with every conversion we build, plate positioning is based around the individual boot and the intended geometry rather than simply trying to make the front and rear edges of the plate line up with the sole. Hockey boots have irregular sole shapes, so the important references are the centre of the boot, axle position and how the wheels will ultimately sit underneath the skater. With these size 9 Fly30 boots, the size 10 Reactor Neo gives us a nicely proportioned setup with the front axle positioned where we want it beneath the forefoot and a stable wheelbase running back towards the heel. The Reactor Neo also has slotted mounting holes, which provide a small amount of adjustment after mounting if the plate position ever needs fine-tuning rather than requiring the plate to be completely removed and remounted.
The wheels are probably the first thing most people will notice on this build. These are Peter Peng 62mm × 42mm 92A wheels featuring machined aluminium hubs surrounded by glow-in-the-dark urethane. At 42mm wide they give the skate a substantial footprint, while the 92A urethane puts them firmly towards the harder end of the scale compared with the soft outdoor wheels we regularly fit. The gold-coloured machined hubs against the unusual pale urethane add another completely different element to an already striking build and look particularly good underneath the silver Reactor Neo plates.
Inside the Peter Peng wheels we've fitted Ventro Hybrid Ceramic bearings. With a build using aluminium-hub wheels and Reactor Neo plates, it made sense to finish the rolling hardware with something above the standard bearing options normally used on a straightforward recreational conversion. The Hybrid Ceramics complete what is ultimately a fairly serious specification underneath the boots and give the customer a setup that isn't just about appearance.
At the front of the Reactor Neo plates you'll also find something made here in the Pabloskates workshop: our Pablos Ice Gem Jam Plugs. These are our own low-profile alternative to a conventional toe stop, with the faceted Ice Gem design giving the front of the skate a distinctive finish without having a large toe stop hanging beneath it. The white Ice Gems were an obvious choice for this particular build, tying directly into the white sections of the Bauer boots and complementing the Reactor Neo plates while still standing out clearly against the black and red upper.
The Finished Bauer Vapor Fly30 Roller Skates
Put everything together and these are definitely not your average Bauer conversion. The black, white and red Fly30 boots already have plenty going on visually, but the silver PowerDyne Reactor Neo plates, gold aluminium wheel hubs, pale glow-in-the-dark urethane and white Ice Gem Jam Plugs somehow bring the whole build together rather than competing with each other. More importantly, underneath the appearance is a properly considered setup using a quality aluminium plate, wide 92A wheels and hybrid ceramic bearings. They're unusual, purposeful and unmistakably custom, which is exactly what we like to see coming out of the Pabloskates workshop.
Thinking About Converting Your Hockey Skates?
If you've got a pair of Bauer, CCM or other hockey boots that you'd like converting into quad roller skates, we can build the setup around the boots, the type of skating you do and your budget. From straightforward recreational conversions through to aluminium performance plates, specialist wheels, upgraded bearings and our own Pabloskates components, every conversion is individually mounted and built here in our Derby workshop. You can send your own boots to us for conversion or get in touch if you're unsure which plate, wheel or bearing setup would work best for what you want to build.
Another one out of the Pabloskates workshop. 🛼🔥
Got a pair of Nike Bauer, Bauer, Nike or other suitable hockey skates you'd like converted into quads? Get in touch with Pabloskates and let's see what we can build.
Every skate featured in our Build Diary is individually hand-built in the Pabloskates workshop. Since we use pre-owned hockey boots, each pair is unique and no two builds are ever exactly the same.
Browse our latest converted skates or get in touch to discuss your dream setup only at Pabloskates.com.
Pre-Built Retro Skates - https://www.pabloskates.com/skates
Skate Parts & Accessories - https://www.pabloskates.com/parts
Custom Build Enquiries - https://www.pabloskates.com/services
Phone/WhatsApp - 07848287929
Email - mail@pabloskates.com
Comments