Bont Eclipse Inline Speed Skates: What Replaces the Jet?
The new Bont Eclipse inline speed skate is not a seasonal colour update or a renamed Jet. It is a ground-up replacement for one of Bont’s most widely used entry-level speed boots, built around a new anatomical last, a closer ankle fit, a slimmer shell, and a sizing system that moves in consistent 5 mm steps.
That combination makes the Eclipse particularly relevant to new racers, club skaters, growing juniors, and long-time Jet owners. The important question is not simply whether the Eclipse is newer. It is whether the new shape, cuff, mounting, and sizing suit your foot and the frame you intend to use.
Quick answer: the Eclipse is a low-cut carbon-composite inline speed boot positioned from beginner through competitive use. It uses a standard 195 mm inline mount, comes in black, white, and holographic finishes, and is lighter and less heat-moldable than the Jet. Measure both feet and use the dedicated Eclipse size chart rather than carrying over a Jet or street-shoe size.
What is the Bont Eclipse inline speed skate?
The Eclipse is the successor to the Bont Jet. Bont says more than one million pairs of Jet skates were sold worldwide, so replacing it required more than changing the upper. Development focused on a new boot shape that could fit more closely without relying on the extra thermoplastic layer used in the Jet.
The result is a slimmer low-cut boot with a carbon-composite base, stiffer resin construction, a redesigned cuff, and partial heat moldability. It is sold as a boot rather than a one-size-fits-all complete skate, which means the frame, wheels, bearings, and hardware remain separate compatibility decisions.
The launch range includes black, white, and holographic finishes. More importantly, the internal shape and size progression are new. A familiar colour does not mean a familiar Jet fit.
Bont Eclipse vs Jet: the practical differences
| Area | Bont Eclipse | What it means for the skater |
|---|---|---|
| Last | New anatomical, foot-shaped last | A closer stock fit through the heel, arch, and forefoot |
| Cuff | Narrower and more sculpted | Less space around the ankle than many skaters experienced in the Jet |
| Construction | Reduced thermoplastic and a stiffer resin system | A thinner, lighter boot that retains its shape |
| Heat molding | Partially heat moldable, but less moldable than the Jet | Fit selection matters before any molding is considered |
| Sizing | Consistent 5 mm increments | More predictable steps between adjacent sizes |
| Colours | Black, white, and holographic | A smaller range intended to improve stock availability |
The new last is the central change. A skate boot is formed around a solid foot-shaped last that controls heel width, arch position, toe-box volume, and the overall internal profile. Bont reports spending more than a year shaping, prototyping, skating, and revising the Eclipse last.
For a Jet owner, that means the same stated length does not guarantee the same experience. The tighter cuff and revised shape can reduce unwanted movement for the right foot, but a closer stock last is not automatically correct for every width, arch, or ankle.
A narrower cuff and closer heel hold
Heel and ankle movement can make a low-cut speed boot feel disconnected during a push or crossover. The Eclipse cuff is narrower than the Jet cuff and shaped to wrap more closely around the ankle. Bont’s goal is a more secure connection without turning the Eclipse into a high-cuff recreational skate.
This is still a low-cut racing-style boot. It will not provide the tall external cuff found on many fitness skates, and it expects the skater to have or develop the balance and ankle control appropriate to inline speed skating. Beginners moving from recreational skates should make that transition on a controlled, flat surface.
Lighter construction, with a molding trade-off
The improved last allowed Bont to remove the thermoplastic heel layer used in the Jet. Combined with a more rigid resin system, that reduces material and weight while helping the shell hold its shape under load.
The trade-off is important: the Eclipse is heat moldable, but Bont states that it is less heat moldable than the Jet. Heat should not be treated as a way to rescue an incorrect size. Follow Bont’s current instructions, confirm the return conditions before changing the boot, and do not apply heat based on an old Jet routine.
The new 5 mm Bont Eclipse sizing system
The Eclipse replaces Bont’s older variable size jumps with a consistent 5 mm progression. Smaller steps can make adjacent choices easier to compare, especially for growing skaters and online buyers, but they do not remove the need to measure.
- Measure both feet using Bont’s current method.
- Use the longer foot as the starting reference unless Bont’s instructions say otherwise.
- Check the dedicated Eclipse chart, not a Jet chart or a regular shoe conversion.
- Consider sock thickness and the close fit expected from a speed boot.
- Confirm the seller’s current exchange and heat-molding conditions before altering the boot.
Do not assume your Eclipse size will match your Jet size. Consistent 5 mm labels describe the new system; they do not preserve the internal dimensions or shape of the older boot.
Mounting and setup compatibility
The Eclipse product specification lists a standard 195 mm inline speed-skate mount. Smaller options on the live product page are shown with a 165 mm mount, so buyers should confirm the selected size and mounting specification before choosing a frame.
A boot mount is only one part of compatibility. Frame length, wheel diameter, axle hardware, bearings, spacers, and the skater’s ability all affect the finished setup. Our inline skate frame length guide explains the main checks before pairing a boot with a frame.
Never force a frame to fit, drill a boot casually, or assume that a familiar-looking two-point mount is correct. If the selected boot size has different mounting information, use the exact specification supplied for that variation.
Who should consider the Bont Eclipse?
The Eclipse makes the most sense for skaters who want a purpose-built low-cut inline speed boot without moving directly to a fully custom model. That can include:
- beginner speed skaters ready to leave a high-cuff recreational setup;
- junior club skaters who benefit from smaller, predictable size steps;
- training and marathon skaters seeking a lighter low-cut boot;
- Jet owners who want a closer heel and ankle fit; and
- competitive skaters who can use a stock anatomical last.
It may be a less obvious choice for someone who needs the extensive reshaping potential of a softer, highly moldable boot, or for a recreational skater who still depends on a tall cuff for basic control. Positioning a product for beginners does not mean every beginner should skip skill development or fit advice.
What to check before ordering
- Foot measurements: measure both feet and use the current Eclipse chart.
- Width and volume: a closer last can feel different even when length is correct.
- Mounting: verify the mount stated for the exact size you select.
- Complete setup: confirm the intended frame, wheels, bearings, spacers, and axles separately.
- Heat molding: read the current Eclipse instructions and return terms before applying heat.
- Skill transition: plan a controlled first session if moving from a tall-cuff skate.
Use the verified Bont destination below to review the live size, colour, mounting, availability, and ordering information.
A relevant protective-gear option
Low-cut speed boots do not replace protective equipment. The Bont adult wrist-guard listing below is a relevant option to review when building a skating kit. Measure according to the live listing, confirm the selected size and included pieces, and test that both guards stay centred without restricting normal hand movement.
For measurement and movement checks before skating, see our wrist guard fit guide.
Is the Eclipse a real Jet replacement?
Yes, but it is not intended to reproduce the Jet unchanged. The Eclipse keeps the accessible, all-round role that made the Jet useful while changing the elements most likely to affect fit: last shape, cuff volume, padding, construction, and size progression.
That makes it a more modern starting point for many skaters, not an automatic upgrade for every foot. The best buying decision is to treat the Eclipse as a new boot: measure again, check the exact mount, understand the reduced heat moldability, and build the rest of the skate around verified compatibility.
Bont Eclipse questions
Does the Bont Eclipse replace the Jet?
Yes. Bont developed the Eclipse as the Jet’s successor, with a new last, narrower cuff, slimmer construction, and new sizing system.
Is the Bont Eclipse heat moldable?
It is partially heat moldable, but Bont states that it is less heat moldable than the Jet because it uses a stiffer resin system and does not use the same thermoplastic heel layer.
What mount does the Bont Eclipse use?
The standard specification is a 195 mm inline speed mount. The live product page shows a 165 mm mount for some smaller sizes, so verify the exact selected variation before buying a frame.
Can beginners use the Eclipse?
Bont positions it for beginner through competitive skaters. A beginner moving from a high-cuff recreational skate should still develop low-cut boot control gradually in a safe practice area.
Should I order my old Jet size?
Not without measuring. The Eclipse uses a new last and consistent 5 mm size increments, so use the current Eclipse chart rather than assuming a Jet or street-shoe size transfers directly.
Editorial note: Product details were checked against Bont’s Eclipse launch announcement and live product page on July 28, 2026. This is an independent product explainer, not a hands-on test. The featured and in-article Bont product images are used with the owner’s permission.
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