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Comment by dwheeler | Hacker News Reader

This is interesting. They look like roller skates/blades, but if there's really that much tech, they might be easier to use. It's too costly for most, but if they catch on the price could come down.

Bike have advantages, but take up a lot of space at their destination.

Their closest competitor (beyond walking/running) appears to be foldable electric scooters. They take less space than a foldable scooter, but I'm not sure they take up that much less space, and I expect scooters to be able to go further on a charge. It does look like the moonwalkers are much easier to use when switching to/from stairs. Whether or not that matters depends on how often you encounter stairs.

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Skateboards are a competitor. They are pretty common as a last mile choice in california, and I see even older people riding them on occasion (I assume they've been on a board for 50 years by now). They are better than the scooter on the train. Most people I see with electric scooters on the train don't bother folding it up or they buy these huge ones that I'm not sure even can, so you have this big 4 foot long obstruction that you might not see until you rack your ankle into it. My skateboard on the other hand, I just stick in between my legs if its tight on the train, and throw it under a desk at work. Sure, there's a learning curve with skateboards, but I'm sure these have one too.

I've always been interested in trying skateboarding, but my balance is absolutely miserable (due to a vestibular injury), so I sort of just know better than to try. Balance declines for a lot of people naturally with age, so that's one reason you might not see fogies on skateboards.

These shoes look more doable to me. I can't help thinking they're still not really a great idea for anyone with balance / reaction speed / other issues, though. Slamming into a wall or nearly falling while at normal walking speed isn't a big deal, but doubling the speed changes the equation.

Another issue is the desire to appear dignified... tough to do on a skateboard. Nigh-on impossible on a Segway. These shoes? Not sure, but they do look a bit silly.

> Another issue is the desire to appear dignified... tough to do on a skateboard.

You won't look like a kook though.

Traditional roller blades would be a pretty close competitor. Replace the slight inconvenience of having to charge them with the slight convenience of having to learn how to skate. Skateboards and longboards would be other options.

The difference is these have zero learning curve, which is important for rich, lazy people.

I would be shocked if they had zero learning curve to be honest. It's an awkward movement on a vehicle you aren't used to. People would wipe out bad when escooters hit the scene too, and they supposedly don't have any learning curve according to the companies laying them on the sidewalks that is.

As an avid inline-skater, another con to inlines is that they can be quite the hassle to put on and take off. And when going inside a building, you have to stuff them in a large enough bag or tote them around. If you're using them to get to another destination, you'll also need to carry around your shoes (and a fresh pair of socks) the entire time. Being able to simply strap in the shoes you're already wearing is pretty enticing.

Well, I take your point, but then would question what you're going to carry these around in that's less obtrusive than an average-to-large-ish backpack. An undoubtedly super trendy fitted fannypack?

Most public buildings will throw you out if you wear a pair of rollerblades indoors. With the lock-mode, these looks like they can pass under the radar more easily, reducing the need to stow them in your bag as often. In the best case never, until you reach your final destination where you can store them safely and for the rest of the day, keep using the shoes you already wear.

The main inconvenience in roller blades for me is having to strap them on and take them off.

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