Bronson RAW Bearings
Features:
- “Free at Last!” – Shield Free Design
No shields or shield grooves for dirt to get stuck in. - “Fast, Slick & Non-Stick” – Tungsten Coated Races
Micro-thin lubricant dry lubricant that prevents dirt build up. - “The Sound Of Speed” – Audible Speed Technology
You can hear them spin - “Maximum Impact” – Cage Design
Fiberglass filled nylon cage for durability. - “Rollin’ Deep” – Deep Groove Raceways
Deeper raceways to reduce damage from impacts. - “Shred Ready” – Factory Fresh Quality
Nitrogen sealed packaging to prevent the lube from drying out.
Review Date: May 29 – October 4, 2017 – approximately four months.
Review:
When I first saw Bronson’s ad for shieldless bearings, I thought it was the stupidest thing ever. I know some people pop their shields off, but charging extra for less bearing sounded absurd to me. Despite the skepticism, the various pros that backed them made me want to give them a shot.
I’m honestly glad I tried them out. They blew all my expectations out of the water. I don’t think I’ve ever had a set of bearings that have outlasted my wheels. Usually, they get slow or start freezing up well before my wheels wear out. Then I would apply Bones Speed Cream to them to try to help. The Bronson Raws have been rolling for four months strong and show no sign of slowing down. I haven’t had to lube them either. The only thing I’ve had to do is pull out a piece of grass that got stuck in them. If you occasionally speed check your wheels by spinning them, you may notice that every now and then some will spin a little slow. You’ll be tempted to lube them up, but you shouldn’t. It’s just some dirt in the bearing, and it will spin out after a lap or two around the park. Then they will be right back to normal.
Bronson’s advertisements highlight that they don’t have shields and have speed you can hear, but the real unsung hero of them are the tungsten coated races. The lubricant that comes on the bearings is so thin that they feel dry when you get them out of the package. They don’t have that film of lubricant, so dirt and dust can’t stick and create that black grime. After four months of everyday use mine still look practically new. A little dirty, but no grime. I’m not going to lie, they sound pretty cool too. The way they hiss is another sound to appreciate just like the snap of an Ollie, the bark of a wheel, or the sweet sound of a truck slashing coping. The $40 price tag might seem a little steep, but if they can last more than a whole summer with zero maintenance you can’t go wrong.
Pros:
- Zero maintenance
- Long lasting performance
- Durable
- No greasy bearing grime
- Aesthetically pleasing sound
Cons:
- Price is higher than average
| Durability: |  (5 / 5) |
| Speed: | (5 / 5) |
| Quality: | (5 / 5) |
| Overall: | (5 / 5) |