Balla is the word for a kid or child in the Altai Mountains so it seemed appropriate for the kids version of the Hok. The Hok is a playful ski even for adults, so Altai felt it was the ideal type of ski for a kid to learn to ski on. Yes, it is slower then a regular ski, but the Balla Hok is stable, easy to use, and can go up or down with equal ease. It is the perfect tool to just go out and play in the snow. The Balla Hok comes with 3 inserts matching the 3 pin tele hole pattern (same as the adult Hoks) but no heel piece inserts.