I'm old school: I wear one-piece guards. Less fuss, just as much protection. I wear mine to the car all the time and they stay put. No problems with slipping or balance. I just found out that you can buy replacement loops or springs, which makes them much more affordable.
These are very stylish-looking in a Star Wars way, which explains Agnes' attraction, ROFLOL! You're still dealing with cutting and springs, but I like the flip-down heel catch/cushion. There's still a minor pinching danger, it's just different from the other types of guards. Do we really have a problem with skaters getting sliced by their toepicks or blades? Bit of an exaggeration to me, Will Robinson.
The biggest drawback: the $35 CDN price tag. While they may be more durable, I honestly don't want the same skate guards for 20 years, lol. If they never wear out, I'd never get another pair. Boy, would it hurt my wallet if one went missing for any reason. I don't cheap out on skates, but skate guards that my kids will misplace monthly? Yeah, I'd never find these in the Lost & Found , although they stand out enough that you could spot a finder-keeper wearing them quite easily. (Just look for the stormtrooper walking to the rink.)
I like the way they cut the one-piece guard too short and the two-piece guard is too tall for the skate.
It's the image-equivalent of "creative statistics," lol.
These guards certainly seem to make more sense than the roller skate ones posted recently!
I still think those are a cute idea for little kids. I'm amazed that no one brought up how annoying kids would be in those guards. It's like the Heelie sneaker-skates - they'll be zooming all over the place. There's no harm in looking at new items and getting different viewpoints.
For those with wide-body blades, could you use a craft knife to widen the channel at the top in a "V" so they fit better?