FRUITBOOTERS : A Short Film About Rollerblading / Aggressive Inline Skating 

I started aggressive inline when my parents bought me rollerblades after moving next to a park. A year later they put in a skate park. I started using those regular rollerblades there. Some teenager told me that it used to be a huge sport what I’m doing- my 8th birthday my parents bought me rollerblades designed for aggressive inline. Now I’m 21 and still get on the aggressive skates. Fun as all hell and reminds me of my childhood.

As a skateboarder, longboarder, now rollerblader. I was told things were dumb for no reason growing up, the biggest brain wash in history. But this video makes me excited for the future. I've already convinced 6 of my coworkers to start rollerblading with me. The truth is coming out.

Inline skating has always seemed cool to us too. We grew up in the 90s and I used to skateboard too. Being able to hit places in a group and get up to those speeds you just couldn’t do on a skateboard has always been AWESOME in my book!

I'm 40 years old and remember going to the skating rink every weekend when I was a kid. X games got me into both aggressive skating and freestyle motocross. Once I turned 18 though I quit doing both. My son is about to turn 5 in a few days and we got him his first pair of skates. I just ordered myself a new pair of aggressive skates as well so I can do it with him.

Thank you for showing people what rollerblading is all about. The world needed this edit!

I started inline speed skating about 5 years ago. With the recent lockdowns with covid all the races I would have done in person went virtual. And it killed my motivation to grind and train. I'm 32 years old, just got my first pair of freestyle skates and have gone to my local skate park 3 times now. On my second time I was told that I was the first blader they had ever seen in a skate park. This was an amazing documentary. Even though I'm basically alone skating here in Idaho, I'm going to spread the joy I find on skates.

Well scored, well shot. Great production all around. Enjoyed it thoroughly. I think enough time has past and now kids don’t know they are supposed to hate rollerblading. Haha we made it. Needs more Mike Bosch.

In November 2019, I was asked to participate in this short independent film. It was a really fun project to work on! Thanks to Tamas McGillivary for his artistic vision and for arranging the final shoot at the abandoned Molson's brewery. I hope you enjoy watching and be sure to subscribe to the channel for more fun on wheels!

I have a recreational, aggressive skate, a penny board, an electric board, and a GT bike.... Most importantly, I use them all and enjoy them. Do wat you love, life is literally too damn short to study ppl's emotions on you.

Love that you owned the term “fruitbooter.” it’s not even a good insult, it’s just said by the lamest ppl. I’m happy there is still a lot of people who are truly interested / getting back into it. There’s a reason I started showing up to the park with skates instead of a board despite the flack. Great video

Almost in my 40s and still blading, I love the sport so much and I don’t think I’ll quit any time soon

im 35 now and blading was my jam. grew up in socal skate rinks (mom was a derby chick) when the xgames had aggressive i about blew a gasket. when i was 15 i bought my first pair of legit skates (solo st1s) and i thought it was the coolest thing. until my friends all made fun of me. really sucked. i rode them on weekends and across towns alone most of the time. all my friends in school pushed me to board sports. i sucked so bad i felt left out. been chasing board sports ever since. just found my old solomons in my moms garage and they still fit. time to refresh them and get back out there. cant wait.

What I loved and still love about blading is that anyone can do it, and the learning curve is great. Even day one you can feel accomplished skating fakie and carving, week One you’re grinding and have a bag of tricks. month one you’re consistent and getting more fluid and steezy, and from there, it’s up to you how big you want to go. I enjoyed skateboarding and biking but rollerblades just had this insane flow that couldn’t be matched. Plus, there is no denying that roller bladers go harder than anyone, except maybe Aaron Jaws Homokie

This spoke to me on so many levels. I am so old I think I may have been one of the first bladers that was called a Fruitbooter. Skating is our zen thing but it is where we also where we find our deepest relationships. I met my wife because of skating. Skating has always improved my life. The aches and pains are just reminders of how much fun I have.

So happy algo blessed me with this 👏👏👏 doing gods work. I was one of those early 90s bladers that saw airborne and wanted a bowl cut and a rollerblade helmet lol. It’s beautiful to see the sport mature so much and the dope talent and technicality emerging. We would skate the Brooklyn banks back in 97 and be constantly harassed by skateboarders. It’s become it’s own thing and other sports are recognizing how much blading has grown. Thank you for this!

Growing up, I had a skateboard, bike, and blades. I wanted to learn how to skate, put them on a few times to learn, but all my friends skateboarded so I just learned how to cruise. Just finished two years of intense skiing, in my early 30s, and missing snow under my feet has brought a pair of rollerblades into my possession. The sport should have never died out, props to you guys for helping keep it alive for us!!

WOW! amazing edit! you hit every metaphor right on the head! I wish I had people like you/this in my inner friend circle when I was a young teen and again when I strapped on a pair of blades when I was 18. As a "skateboarder" every single one of those stigmas was true back in the day and being a kid in the rust belt, it was hard to go against the grain and be a "fruitbooter." Its a shame, I am slightly embarrassed to admit I didn't have the courage back then to push through that trash and follow this passion, not once, but twice. Just goes to show how far positivity can go! All that sentimental stuff aside, here I am 29 years young, feeling fresh and agile, and I now own a pair of big wheel blades and could not be more stoked for the next 10,20, or thirty years to see how I progress and my skating unfolds! Especially with how far the tech has come in the past however many years. Truly blown away, you hit all the feels, I thank you again for sharing!! MAHALO!

from an original 1990's skater thank you. i think the world doesnt know or isnt willing recognise what we went thought and how hard its been to push through. respect for thIs and roll on people!!

Skaters at large need to see this. Doesn't matter what you do. Inlining and skateboard can and SHOULD co-exist. They beef of the 90s and 2000s held everyone back. Getting out there and having fun is the main goal for any sport like this.

I started/first saw aggressive inline skating back in 2009 and honestly the best thing i have ever found

I had a old school skateboarder tell me he envied the state that rollerblading is in. Told me that it was, "pure". How skateboarding used to be. Skateboarding used to be a symbol of anti-establishment & non conforming but by hating on bladers in the 90s-early 2000s, skateboarding became the "establishment" to bladers. Skateboarding became the antithesis of what they were supposed to represent to begin with.

Need to get in-line back into the public eye. I don’t know how we do it, but it deserves more attention. Great film!

Started and I had my first full day of skating weasnday that just passed it was awesome my friends suggested I wear double socks alittle pain at the ankles but it’s just molding I’m glad aggressive skating is still around just needs to be more! This short is dope!

The blading video I never knew I needed! Just re-started last week and re-learning the fundumentals after almost 20+ years!

Aggressive skating is the most underrated sport I have ever seen in my opinion it should at the very least be an Olympic sport. It’s everything combined into ☝️one… ice skating, skate boarding, gymnastics, parkour, acrobatic stunts these dudes are freaking dare devils.

I love the fact aggressive inline is heavily fueled from energy of 90s hiphop💯💯💯

ขอบคุณครับ🙏from Thailand

I'm 16 and started rollerblading a year ago, and every day I see more and more people at skateparks trying to learn how to Rollerblade so I'd say the sport is steadily growing, not how it did in 80's-90's of course, but it's growing nonetheless.

the backstory of rollerblading is so intresting, i didnt know a lot about it until 4 months ago because im a new gen blader but its amazing to see it rizing from the ashes.

Wicked glimpse into the world of blading. Thanks for that Kenny!

Airborne is straight classic!! Thanks for the vid.

I would love to see it come back and drop the ridiculous stigma of not wearing a helmet. Just do what you love as long as you're able, life is too short.

Thanks for sharing Kenny! Still one of my favourite projects to date!

Best documentary ever and filmed great. When I was in the Navy every port we would hit I is another skate park for me to find. I skated my usd thrones till someone stole them.

DANNY BEER!! Best One Out There!

I did a video the other week with my skateboarding buddy. We just sat and watched edits from both sports and talked skating in general. Didn't see anything like it on RU-vid and was surprised so I figured I'd do it myself. The quality isn't the greatest but it was mostly just for fun and to have something accessible that shows 2 people just enjoying each other's passion and appreciating it. It was dumb there was ever a beef.

Very cool video! I have always thought rollerblading was cool since I played Jet Set Radio on Dreamcast as a kid. Now as an adult I'm starting to actually practice and I want to get comfortable on them, I love how there is so many different ways to skate. Keep up the videos

Really awesome!

Awesome lil film man! Love the way you captured the passion aspect with reflective time in slo mo. Also the opening was perfect! Much love, SKATE ON! 💚

This was awesome video man top notch looking forward to watching again. Grew up in Vancouver now 37 still rolling in Ireland :)

Great!

Great production! Cheers!

amazing short film

Nicely done! 👌

Amazing

Inspiring! Thank you👍

beautiful

I love it ❤️👍👍👍 I startetd agressive skating in 1994 👌

As a skater I've got homies who've been fruitbooting since the late 90's. They never let the stigma get to them and I can honestly say that rollerblading for me was 10 times harder than skating.

A well done documentary! Thanks for sharing!

Great video dude, my town has a local film fest too, it'd be awesome to see something like this in ours. It'd totally fit in line with what they already show (outdoors and mountain biking type stuff).

I'm 33 and just started blading again. Went to the skatepark by myself the other night and just like before I was the only blader. This film truly captures what blading was like in the 90s and early 2000s. Your film leaves me with great inspiration of where blading is today and where it can still go. Thank you!

Almost 40 . Just got back into rolling . Glad all our struggles were worth it .. I went to a skate park a few months ago in so cal and it was all love … I was so surprised .. would have never gone to skatepark by myself in 90s- early 2000’s … things have changed . Glad to see it

Great video. And the credits song 🔥🔥🔥🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼

Amazing film 🎥! Loved every minute of it.

So beautiful

Beautiful & true. Left me STOKED!!! 😭😭

I've said it before and i'll say it again. Been skateboarding since '96. Just started rollerblading on exactly January 15th 2021. Regret not doing it sooner. Skateboarders are fucking missin' out, man.

I just recently started. It is cool to know some of the history, even tho I was a toddler when Blading was popular. I wish I just had at least one friend who blades.

Just dusted off my skates after 20 years of putting down my USD Throne Latimer blades, bought some Rachard Johnson Thrones in 2008 but barely used them due to no skate parks in my area. Now got them back out, got the fear at 37 but going to push through.

This is great!

At 35 years old, this just sparked a fire! I’m so out of touch but I know for a FACT I can still put on a pair and make it happen....I bladed for yearsss all over the city and was one of the few in my community to be able to hit jumps over some of the bigger steps/stairs. It’s heart breaking how the sport is nearly dead but I’m glad to see there is people with passion for blading in the comments and I’m not alone....can anyone recommend a good pair to go for as far as aggressive skates go? It’s been a while lol

I grew up in Hong Kong in the 90s, started skateboarding first, then quickly transitioned to blading when a few Australian friends brought blades back and we all started aggressive inline together. Interesting thing is, we were completely unaware of all the hate from skaters, as I think the skating culture in Hong Kong was relatively insular, so even though there was a "skateboard crew" in our high school, there was never any hate either way. It wasn't until years later moving to the states and getting on the internet that I found out about all the hate. Pretty sad that a highly popular and positive sport/culture got largely demolished because the skateboarding industry felt so insecure and threatened. Glad things have changed for the better.

this was a great short film! I just started blading again at 31 and I forgot how much fun it it.

Good job man great to see was just talking to my good blade buddy about a lot of this stuff. Well thought out 🙏

This video inspires me to get back out there. Great video!

Great video!

Beautiful words. Skated for most my life (since 97) but stopped for 5 years or so due to combination of injuries & having no one to skate with. Got back into it 12months ago and am absolutely loving it. So many people don't know what they're missing out on

Dope bro, I love the history. I remember the beef from skateboarding in the late 90s. Sucked. I stopped in 2002 because no one bladed anymore, but I’m back into it. Companies like “Them” rule

damn this is good

Well done! I feel like since Covid blading has been in a revival period. Even getting the most votes in a poll done by the X Games in which sport people want to see brought back to the X Games. Hopefully it does come back! I love ot

Back in ‘92-93, when I was 9-10 yrs old, my gay neighborhood friend (we didn’t know he was gay then but the signs were there lol) was super into blading. He would do figure skating type stuff. My mom got me a pair of blades and I joined in learning some of his moves. I got really good at skating and it lead to interest in roller hockey. We’d play in my neighborhood and have a blast. Then in 98-99 I got pretty into aggressive in-line and had a great time with it. I never really continued with blading after I got a car a started trying to get a girlfriend but watching this brought back a flood of good memories. These days I don’t skate but I have thought about blading again for exercise and good old fashioned fun.

This video made my day.

Solid work you rock pile!

Nice job. Was brought here from a rollerblade reddit post. New subscriber!

Thanks.

Saw this at Reject Fest in Vancouver. Great job! It was one of my favourites from the night and I've told friends about it!!! Edit: I just read your description. This was for a film class!? Amazing job! And you were even able to film in Molson's!!!

The skate community, from what I’ve gathered, is all love now...and as an “old guy”, I appreciate it greatly. Newer skaters, in line or skate boarders really give it up. The level of difficulty is acknowledged, more so cuz they can’t believe an old man can still get busy and the passers by still energize my soul. It’s for me, spiritual at this point. Definitely therapeutic.

I thought it was fruitbladers but I've never heard the term in person lol. I think the climate nowadays at least near me is much friendlier to anyone. I've seen people using RC cars at the skatepark and stuff and everybody is just chill as long as you aren't getting in the way and are respecting park etiquette of the skate park people don't mind if you use the shared space which is what they're for 🤘 Also you hit the nail on the head. I did rollerblading for like a few months as a kid, and then stopped skating for years. About 15 years later I was at the skatepark with one of my friends just hanging out and I saw a guy on Rollerblades grinding rails and doing grabs on the coping of 8 ft quarter pipes. I literally had no idea you could even do that on rollerblades, it got me back into it

Respect

Awesome stuff mate! Great to see Dallas skating! Dude was super funny in the Better than baseball and cirque de soul and I really liked his skating. Leon is the only one ive met at the What year is it anyway WoodwardPA thing. I felt i knew him from how much I watched i guess you guys early stuff into MushroomBlading and Big Wheels. He was seriously the nicest dude and was showin off the Wizard stuff. But yeah this made my week hopefully month. Thank you! Keep rollin

What a fucking intro!!!! Holy shit!

The Yasutokos are still at it. :^D

Nice video. Thanks for posting. Do bladers do lines or just single tricks?

Man! Great film! Certainly not a VLOG. Especially the intro - fantastic! Add some more credits in the description though, like the names of the guys appearing in the video, location, etc. People have to be able to come across it.

I have my st90's in my car boot ready for emergencies. Took me back to 1999 good times.

The Shop Task logos and beautiful PNW type environment had me convinced this was Seattle. Does this take place in BC? I will have to visit someday if so

I grew up rollerblading and only got into skateboarding to a small degree. I never saw the slams against rollerbladers as gay or uncool but I was getting out of college around the time X-Games removed inline skating from their program and hadn't bladed in some time at that point. I do remember looking for new blades around ~2004 and was surprised that I couldn't find any on display anywhere in AZ. Lately I have had a renewed interest in blading because my daughter is getting old enough to start learning and I'd like her to do some of the fun things I did as a kid.

I think the biggest thing that skateboarders forget to this day is that we have been underground for neigh on 2 decades if that's not authenticity I don't know what is

Trying to find specific STREET PARTS i’ve been searching ,recommend me some channels.i need to find a Simple titled gnarly street part where they jump down escalators

Amazing vid, I’d love to get back in to skating, but I’m 39 and much too old now :(

At first I thought that guy Kenny was Todd from Mushroom Blading! 😊

when i was 8 i was better them most adults at slalom and stuff but i gave up cause 8 year old me thought it wasnt cool and now im 15 and im starting over and i just got my first sponsor

Skateboarder turned rollerblader here ive always roller skated as a kid so its kinda second nature

I started bladekour becoz I was called fruitbooter at the skatepark. So now I can traverse complex terrains and paths with powerful tricks where no skateboarders can reach or do. Even got a good workout for my physique. Screw the skate parks.

Really. I didn't know rollerblading in skate parks is dead? I might need to get out there after covid. Still have my Solomon's from back in the 2000's

Early 2000s where a crucial time smh i remember 2006 skating at encanto skate park and being caught inbetween a skateboarder rollerblader war.and being honest here as a skateboarder there where more times bladers came looking for trouble.i remember a kid on the news nearly decapitated a kid with his board over that bullshit.i never had any.problems do your thing.makes me sad not seeing dude ripping on the blades anymore its very rare.i feel like skateboarders picked on bladers because they tied it with rollerskating and the fruitboot thing comes from the 70s dancers rollerskating.ive met skaters who changed their viewpoint after actually watching a blade bust out some sick shit.still waiting to see someone triple backflip rollerblades.

Skateboarding was supposed to be punk and rebellious, but it was so conformist and it engaged - as both industry and culture - in one of the biggest campaigns of homophobia in history against inline skating and rollerbladers. One of the most disgusting culture wars in the last 30 years without a doubt, and even at age 44 I still hear whispers of that time from old friends and the prejudices that remain from then. Dudes I know who stopped skateboarding 20 years ago still express disappointment that I just started inline skating again after a 19 year break from 2004-2023.

Definitely made me cry, Yo Xgames broke my heart they should be ashamed

Lucky for me I’ve only ever really been made fun of for aggressive rollerblading once by a group of posers but everyone else has been really nice and accepted it