Heelys Roller Shoes were first created and sold by American, Roger Adams, in 2000. His idea for the one-wheeled running shoes began in 1998 when he was on vacation in Huntington Beach. He was watching kids skate up and down the streets on their inline skates and had an idea of a shoe that could roll on command by just shifting your body weight.
Skating on Heelys or "heeling", as it is called, has become a new action sport for some, similar to skateboarding. Numerous tricks have been established and named. There are a wide array of jumps, grabs and spins that heelers attempt while riding. Some Heelys come equipped with a grind plate on the bottom of the shoe for grinding on rails, sidewalks and benches. If you have yet to see Heelys in action, it won't be much longer as roller shoes seep into the broader culture and become the "next step in personal mobility."
