CROSSKATING COULD BE THE WAY TO GO PRODUCT FITS NEEDS, PROVIDES INTERESTING OPTION.

Byline: Keith Lair Staff Writer

Mike McGowan says he wishes he owned his Crosskate when he lived in Southern California.

``They are perfect for the beach trails when they get covered by sand, like along Huntington Beach,'' he said. ``In-line skates won't work, then.''

McGowan, who now lives in Martinez in Contra Costa County, frequently takes his oversized in-line skates to Ocean Beach and para-skates along the sand. Or he'll go into the hills of Contra Costa for a workout.

``You can skate on them or you can do cross-country skiing,'' said McGowan, who spent nearly a year on the phone with Crosskate inventor James Page trying to get a pair.

The skates, with big air-filled wheels and brakes, are designed for off-road, all-terrain adventures. They're made for summer cross-country skiers, or for year-round Southern California `skiing' trips.

Crosskate, designed in 1998 by Page, a mountain biking and skiing enthusiast who attended Stanford and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, came out on the market in the fall. A similar item, Trailskate, in the works for nearly 20 years by Washington state's Patrick Gates of Gateskate, will hit the market in April.

``These items are perfect for people on the West Coast and our geography,'' said David Styris, a retiree helping Gates. ``We have the mountains that are perfect for this and trails that seem to be perfect fits.''

Both skates have four pneumatic tires either 8 or 10 inches in height, connected by carbon fiber slats. Both have antiroll back wheels so that skaters will not go backward when going uphill. Crosskate requires a boot, which brakes while leaning backward. Nearly any type of shoe can slide in the Trailskate, which has a hand-held brake. Because of the shoe differential, Crosskate is a bit heavier.

``Crosskates are beautifully designed,'' Styris said. ``With them, it turns easier when you lean and they seem more like cross-country skis. What Patrick designed, the whole family can use. You don't need a special shoe. We look forward to the competition.''

Crosskate marketing director Terri Berger said that when she came to Anaheim for the recent Outdoor Retailer Winter Show, she first met with the company's advertisers at a downtown L.A. parking structure. The agency's top executives refused to step out of the skates, continually taking the elevator to the structure's top floor and skating to the bottom.

``You can take this sport anywhere,'' Berger said. ``They easily fit in your car, or you can take them in a plane. I think people in California will love this product. It's a full-body aerobics workout.''

McGowan, a competitive age-group swimmer, said he pretty much leaves his skates in the trunk of his car.

``Going uphill is a lot easier than in-line skates, but boy, do you get a workout,'' he said. ``It's a good workout because you can do this outdoors. It takes a little bit of time to get used to how they work, but it's not hard at all.''

Styris says he likes his Trailskate because he now can cross-country ski the same trails any time of the year.

``This just fits right in with the West Coast,'' he said.

Rollerblade hit on the idea of all-terrain in-line skates with its Coyote model about a dozen years ago, but the skates never really took off.

``They weren't doing what people wanted them to do,'' Styris said. ``A lot of people say they thought of this, but they just never followed through.''

Crosskaters can go as fast as 30 mph and were selected best new product at an international sports trade show in Munich last summer. The company has sold a little more than 500 pairs. They are available for $695 through REI's and Crosskate's Web sites (rei.com; crosskate.com) or by calling [phone].

Trailskate is available for $499 at the company's Web site, www.gateskate, or by calling [phone].

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Crosskaters can take their oversized in-line skates to the beach or the hills.