How to Select the Right Skates for You

This comprehensive guide outlines various types of inline and roller skates. Read further to find out which skate type suits your needs.

  • Fitness Inline Skates: Perfect for both leisurely skating and cardiovascular exercise, featuring ankle support and a comfortable liner.
  • Roller Skates (Quad Skates): Equipped with four side-by-side wheels, these are great for activities like dancing, disco, fitness, and more.
  • Freeskates: Best for fast-paced urban settings and intricate slalom moves.
  • Speed Skates: Crafted for attaining high speeds with low cuffs.
  • Aggressive Skates: Designed for tricks and stunts including hard boots and smaller wheels.

Which Skates Are Suitable for Newcomers?

If you're a beginner, choosing between roller skates and inline skates is essential. Each option has its own benefits and drawbacks for novices, so your decision should ultimately reflect your personal preferences.

Which Skates Are Simplest to Learn On?

As a beginner, you'll find it's easier to stand still on quad skates without risking a fall. However, as you gain momentum and seek speed, learning becomes more manageable with inline skates.

  • Inline Skates: Provide enhanced forward and backward stability thanks to the extended wheelbase. However, their narrower wheels can make it difficult for beginners to maintain straight ankles initially.
  • Roller Skates: Offer increased side-to-side stability due to their side-by-side wheel setup, which many beginners find easier to manage. However, the shorter wheelbase can lead to a higher chance of falling backward.

For adults new to skating, there's no need to start on quads if you're planning to switch to inline skates later. However, for young children, quad skates might be preferable due to the side-to-side stability they offer.

What Features Make a Beginner Skate Great?

No matter if you opt for inline or quad skates to start with, several features can make skates more accommodating to beginners:

  • A high cuff for solid ankle support
  • Soft liners to ensure foot comfort
  • Smaller wheels for better control
  • Heel brakes (specific to inline skates)

To conclude, whether you decide on inline or quad skates, seek attributes like robust ankle support, plush padding, and sturdy construction for a positive and enjoyable starting experience.

If you're uncertain about a particular model's suitability for beginners, examine the description or specifications. Every model in our collection indicates a "recommended skill level," ranging from beginner to advanced.

For further reading, consult our beginner guides here:

Which Skates Are Ideal for Children?

For selecting skates for children, you'll need to make a choice between roller blades and roller skates. Both styles come in adjustable sizes, a significant advantage for fast-growing children's feet.

Inline Skates:

  • Initially, they may present a steeper learning curve, especially for young children.
  • Greater ease in picking up speed and achieving faster rolls due to the narrow wheels.
  • Reduced risk of falling backward because of the elongated wheelbase.
Quad Skates:

  • Provide a gentler learning curve for young children due to their more stable wheel arrangement.
  • Offer more stability and less strain on the child's ankles.
  • The toe stops can aid in walking and act as a straightforward way to regain balance when kids are new to wheeled activities.

Gain more insights by reading our in-depth guide for beginners' skates:

Inline Skates

Inline skates, often referred to as rollerblades, feature wheels lined up in a single row. This arrangement facilitates greater speed and agility, making these skates suitable for a range of pursuits, from leisurely inline skating to competitive activities such as speed skating or roller hockey.

The history of inline skates is intriguing. The earliest models emerged in the 1700s, albeit in rudimentary forms compared to today's designs. The 1970s marked a pivotal decade for inline skating's growth.

During that time, considerable advancements improved inline skate design. The adoption of springy urethane wheels and an emphasis on user-friendliness broadened skating's appeal considerably. Heel brakes were added, offering better control and braking, while being marketed as suitable for fitness and recreation.

Inline skates continue to advance, remaining a favored choice for fitness as they provide a comprehensive full-body workout, target specific muscles, and burn calories effectively—all while ensuring a fun and engaging experience.

Moreover, inline skates are central to high-performance sports like speed skating—where racers compete at high velocities on tracks or roads; aggressive skating, involving intricate tricks on ramps and rails; and roller hockey, akin to ice hockey but without ice.

Roller Skates

Roller skates, also termed quad skates, utilize a two-by-two wheel configuration. This setup offers substantial lateral stability. Because roller skates dominated the wheeled skate scene during the 20th century until the rise of inline skates, they are sometimes nostalgically referred to as retro skates.

Quad skates come in various styles tailored for different uses:

  • Recreational Quad Skates: Also called fitness skates, these are made for relaxed cruising and exercise. Their comfortable fit, medium-sized wheels, and supportive boot make them an excellent choice for beginners or anyone seeking a leisurely time at the rink or park.
  • Artistic Roller Skates: These are tailored for artistic roller skating, a sport that merges athleticism, dance, and performance. Complete with high-top boots for ankle support, they sport medium-sized wheels for both agility and steadiness, with a plate capable of enduring jumps and spins.
  • Aggressive Roller Skates: Crafted for tricks and grinds on ramps and rails, these skates include high cuff boots for ankle protection, small, hard wheels for finer control, and a reinforced plate for impact absorption.
  • Derby Roller Skates: Built for roller derby, a full-contact sport, these skates have robust boots for ankle support, wide, cushioned wheels for balance, and a plate designed to endure the demands of derby gameplay.

Roller skates come in a variety of designs to meet various skating preferences. If you're interested in securing a pair of roller skates, explore our collection or read more in our quad skates buying guide:

If deciding between quad or inline skating is difficult, we suggest this article:

Fitness Inline Skates

Fitness inline skates are tailored for exercising and recreational use. Generally featuring a comfortable, supportive boot with larger wheels (typically 90-110mm), they ensure smoother rides and better speed on a variety of surfaces. Perfect for cardio workouts, they also help to enhance endurance and make outdoor fun more enjoyable.

The smooth, gliding motion is excellent for strengthening muscles around the joints, especially in the legs, enhancing joint stability and reducing injury risk. Proper technique and wearing protective gear remain crucial to avoid strains and injuries.

Explore our collection of high-quality fitness inline skates:

Aggressive Skates

Aggressive skates are designed specifically for tricks, stunts, and jumps. Built to withstand impacts from grinds and aerial tricks, these skates boast a reinforced frame and boot. They have smaller, harder wheels that allow for better control and precision during complex tricks.

A successful grind can be cut short by wheel bite, which happens when a center wheel catches on a rail, leading to falls and injuries. To counter this, many aggressive skates feature small, hard grind wheels in the center. They also come equipped with H-blocks in the middle of their frames and soul plates covering the entire boot sole, making them ideal for grinding rails and ledges.

Often used in skate parks or urban settings, aggressive skates are perfect for performing tricks on rails, ledges, and ramps. Their sturdy build and easy handling let skaters push their limits when executing technical tricks on rails or jumping high for airborne spins.

The durability of aggressive skates ensures high-impact skating is no issue, making them suitable for skaters eager to perfect the craft of aggressive skating. Whether it’s executing a soul grind on a rail or launching into a 360-degree spin, aggressive skates are engineered to help skaters reach their full potential.

These features, aimed at enhancing user experience, foster athletes’ pursuit of excellence and creativity in their sport.

Freeskates

Freeskates, also called urban inline skates, suit city-based inline skating, enabling skaters to jump and dodge traffic and pedestrians. Merging speed and agility from regular inline skates with the durability of aggressive skates, they feature a solid boot, strong frame, and medium-sized wheels for versatility.

These skates are outfitted for urban environments, where quick jumps and sharp turns are paramount. They balance recreational and aggressive skating perfectly, making them popular for those who find joy in both speed and tricks.

Freeskating comprises two significant sub-disciplines, each needing unique freeskate setups:

  • Freestyle Slalom: This involves weaving through a series of evenly spaced cones, highlighting the skater's agility and finesse. Skates for this often have smaller wheels than other freeskates, allowing for superior control and maneuverability.
  • Urban Inline Skating: Involves performing tricks and tackling various city challenges such as rails and stairs. Urban inline skaters usually prefer larger wheels for increased stability and a smoother ride at high speeds.

Freeskates deliver the balance and robustness necessary for excellence across diverse settings, whether you're evading people on crowded sidewalks, deftly navigating cone courses, or conquering urban challenges at high speeds.

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For those who appreciate speed, agility, and lasting quality in skating, freeskates provide an outstanding option.

Velocity Skates

Designed specifically for racing and high-performance inline skating, speed skates are tailored to attain and sustain high velocities over considerable distances. These skates come with low-cut boots that afford maximum ankle flexibility, enabling powerful and efficient strides. The large wheels are built to reduce rolling resistance, enhancing speed and smoothness on the course.

With frames made from lightweight yet robust materials such as aluminium or carbon fibre, speed skates ensure both stability and endurance. Padding is kept to a minimum to boost performance, lightening the weight and increasing responsiveness. As a result, experienced skaters seeking speed and efficiency, rather than comfort, find them most suitable.

Speed skates are often seen in competitive scenes like marathon races and time trials, where every split second can make a difference. Their specialized build helps skaters surpass their performance thresholds, delivering remarkable outcomes on roads, tracks, and rinks. Whether participating in a marathon or striving to create a new personal time record, speed skates offer the precision and ratio of speed vital for high-pressure settings.

For enthusiasts focused on speed and top-notch performance, speed skates prove to be the ideal choice!

Endurance Inline Skates

Marathon inline skates, also known as endurance skates, are crafted for covering longer distances while ensuring supreme comfort and support. Typically featuring high cuffs, these skates offer necessary ankle support for lengthy skating sessions. Additionally, they are fitted with large wheels to facilitate a smooth rolling experience even on coarse surfaces. These skates come with a tough frame, designed to endure the demands of continuous use without sacrificing performance.

Mostly intended for activities like marathon skating, touring, and endurance-based pursuits, these skates prioritize skater comfort and care. Superior inline marathon skates aim to alleviate body strain, enabling dedicated enthusiasts to journey longer distances with minimal discomfort.

All-Terrain Skates

Off-road skates, often termed Nordic skates, are specifically built for handling rugged terrains typically found off the standard paths. Featuring larger pneumatic wheels, these skates effortlessly manage various surfaces such as dirt roads, gravel paths, and grassy fields, offering excellent stability. The durability of the boots provides reliable support, allowing skaters to navigate challenging areas with confidence and without discomfort or risk.

Ideal for adventurous souls and nature lovers, off-road skates offer an exhilarating way to traverse trails and revel in the natural beauty of untamed landscapes. Whether on a solo venture or joining a group journey, off-road skates help you navigate your way through wilderness areas and across gravel roads.

Heeled Roller Sneakers

Roller shoes – commonly known as Heelys after the most popular brand – combine the mobility of regular footwear with retractable wheels integrated into the heel. This design allows for seamless transitions from walking to gliding, offering a distinct and lively experience. Their playful nature has made roller shoes a popular choice among kids and teens.

Serving well as regular shoes, roller shoes merge fashion with rolling capability. The wheels hidden within the heel are retractable or removable, adding a fun dimension to various activities.

In addition to their recreational appeal, roller shoes provide an excellent starting point for young skaters, giving them a low-commitment entry into the exciting realm of rolling sports.

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