Heelys are a brand under the company Heeling Sports Limited. They are notable for their similarity to inline skates.
A Heely is essentially an ordinary shoe (trainer, sneaker), except that in their heels, the shoes have a single wheel embedded in the sole. Thus, the wearer can walk, run, or - by shifting their weight to their heels - roll. Advanced Heelys users can perform tricks such as soft braking, which is the process of lowering the front section of rear foot, gently, to increase friction and slow to a stop.
The wheel can easily be removed from the shoe, which may be done for comfort reasons or for reasons of practicality or security. Generally, 'Heeling' is considered a form of skating, and as such is usally forbidden in schools, malls and other enclosed public spaces.
The fad has slowly been gaining popularity over time. Once mastered, the shoes are a much more efficient way to get from place to place and offer a new alternative to bicycles, skates, or other alternate transportation in urban areas.
When worn daily, it typically takes about a month to master the shoes. The basics, wheeling in a straight line, can be easily learned within a few minutes. More advanced moves, like 360's, 180's, aerial trickery and the likes require focus and persistence to attain.
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Tricks
Some tricks that can be performed on Heelys are
Reverse
180 & 360
Cheating Death(One Foot Backwards)
One Foot
Reverse 180 or 360
Spinning
Grinds (for shoes with grind plates)
Stalls
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Controversy
As of September 2005, some schools have begun to place restrictions on Heelys, for safety reasons. These shoes are usually allowed but the removable wheels cannot be in place. With the wheels removed, the shoes function just like any other pair of shoes.
