Choosing The Right Skates

Roller skating, or rollerblading, is a recreational activity where participants do so in shoes fashioned to sit on two pairs of little tires. These tires act as a means to aid motion and help the wearer glide across smooth surfaces. While roller skating can and should be fun, it must also adhere to a few rules. Rules make fun just that much more enjoyable after all. These rules are not meant to stifle the fun but to ensure you are safe and able to enjoy the experience. 

As earlier stated, the roller skates are the vehicle for participation and, as such, are the most important part of the whole concept. So, how can you tell which ones are right for you? And why? The right skates can make it much easier for you; the size, design, weight, and tire radius, amongst other things. Thus, ensure you get the right ones for you.

In this article, we'll discuss the things to look out for when picking. If this is your first time getting rollerblades or skates, this will be very informative; if it isn't your first time, the outcome is still the same. Below are the key metrics to note when getting a new pair of roller skates.

Size

When purchasing roller skates, the first thing anyone should look out for is the size, it may seem elementary and obvious, but a lot of skating injuries result from skaters wearing the wrong sizes.

You can have your foot size measured before you head on to purchase the skates or when you get there. Even if you do not measure beforehand, you can always try on the skates to see if they fit correctly.

You can hurt your feet irreparably if skates are too tight or too loose. To be safe, always check to confirm.

Weight

Roller skates are of differing sizes and weights, so it is important that you check the one that suits you best before buying.

Just as the size is important, so is the weight; if it is too heavy, it can slow you down or lead to accidents when you skate.

If it is too light, however, it can also cause problems as well. The trick is finding one that doesn't feel too heavy or too light, to ensure you are always comfortable.

Inline or Extreme Skating

If you intend on doing a lot of high-intensity outdoor skating, perhaps you are more of a rad skater at heart, then the right skates for you are known as “inline” skates.

They are named this way because the wheels on the skates are arranged in one straight line. They can number from 2 to 5 wheels, depending on the design of the shoes. They are perfect for half-pipe grinding.

Classic Skating  

If your appetite is for a more retro vibe when you skate, you can go for something different. 

Classic Roller skaters engage in dance, jam, roller derby, and speed skating. It is way more preferable to do these in classic skates, also known as quad skates.

They are so-called because they have two pairs of wheels beneath them, arranged just as the wheels of a car are aligned. They offer the wearer great balance thanks to the arrangement.

Stability

If you are just starting your roller-skating journey, and perhaps you are looking to get sturdy skates, then you need to get ones that guarantee you stability.

These kinds of skates usually have a hard boot. The boot is the part you slip your foot into like a shoe.

Roller skates with a hard boot assure the wearer of ample ankle support and stability and are excellent for outdoor terrain. 

Flexibility 

If you are more of a free spirit and the constraints of a hard boot can make your skating experience less liberating, then you also have a roller skate for you.

As if made to be a yang to the hard boot’s yin, there is a “soft” boot for skaters who do not specifically seek out the qualities a hard boot has.

A soft boot is a roller skate with a soft area housing your foot. Soft boots are flexible, allow the wearers more ankle mobility, and are much lighter.

Indoor Skating and Smooth Floors

Indoor skating is marked with, of course, first of all, the majority of the skating done inside an enclosed building. But one feature that makes indoor skating particular to the kind of skates you need. The floors.

The floors of the indoor arenas are usually smooth and slick; to counter this, indoor skates have really hard wheels.

The hard wheels ensure you have a safe and smooth skating experience and so that you don't slip when you skate.

Outdoor Skating and Unsteady Terrain

Just as indoor skating requires hard wheels because they have to complement the smooth floors, outdoor skates also have to complement the terrain of the outdoors.

The outdoors has naturally unsteady terrain and, because of this, can be unpredictable for skaters. It is important to use soft wheels because they can absorb any shock or dip in the terrain and protect you from falling. So, if you’re interested in outdoor skating more, you know to get skates with soft wheels.

Conclusion

Buying your first skates can be challenging; the colours or big brand names might enthral you, but that should not distract you from what is truly important.

The metrics that will guarantee you a safe and satisfactory skating experience, such as size, weight, tire count, tire design, etc. It is important to look out for the metrics mentioned in the above article when you are shopping for your next pair of roller skates.

For the best skating experience, head on down to Bladeworx today!