Inline Skate Buying Guide

May 2002

This buying guide is aimed at new and beginner skaters who may not be sure what skate to choose and why.  There are so many different skate models and manufacturers out there, and there is so much technical and marketing hype that buying new skates can be a confusing experience.

What type of skating?

Perhaps the most common type of skating is recreational skating.  If you're not sure what type of skating you're going to be doing, I would suggest start out by trying recreational skates - these are probably the most common skates and are generally good all-rounders.  All the other types of skating are specialised disciplines, and the skates used will be optimised for those disciplines.  A good pair of recreational skates will give loads of skating pleasure, and still allow you to at least try out some of the other disciplines once your skating has improved.

Some of the other skating disciplines are:

If you're a new skater, I would strongly recommend to get a skate that comes with a heel brake.  That pretty much excludes hockey, aggressive, and most speed speedskates.  Some fitness skates can be purchased with a heel brake.  If you want to learn how to stop with a heel brake, there is an online tutorial about heel brake stopping here.

Set your budget

Don't buy a cheap pair of skates that cost less than perhaps 100 pounds or US $120 for recreational skates.  This may seem like a lot of money, but in my opinion it's really important to spend at least this much.  This price threshold doesn't apply to current prices for used skates or last year's model, as those can often be bought for a good discount.

New skates that cost less than about 100 pounds are going to be cheap and nasty, and you'll very likely end up not enjoying skating much because the skates are likely to have all kinds of problems such as poor fit, poor performance, etc.  The result is that you would still spend money on skates that aren't likely to last you very long, or give you much pleasure whilst skating.  Getting a decent quality pair of skates above this price threshold, however, will cost a little more money, but you'll save in the long run because you're likely to get more use and more pleasure out of them.

It's important to set aside some money for wrist, knee, and elbow protection.  You'll need about 15-30 pounds for the guards.  These pads can make all the difference between getting up from a fall with a smile, or getting up with some nasty grazes.

You may be concerned about starting inline skating and spending this much money in one go, so one possibility is to hire some inline skates and spend a couple of hours skating in Hyde Park on rental skates in order to get a good idea as to what skating is all about.  Check here for a list of skate shops that hire or rent inline skates in London.

Where to buy

There are two main options here - at a brick and mortar shop, or online.  I would recommend avoiding online purchasing because skate size and fit is so important.  Although you may save a little cash with an online retailer, if you get it wrong you'll have to pay for shipping skates and all the hassle of returning them.  I'd recommend that you spend the time and effort to go to a real shop as there you will be able to directly compare lots of different skate models yourself, and you can try them all on until you find the right skate.  Of course, if you already know the skate model and exact size you need, then buying from the online shop may save you some money.

If you're in London, UK, there's a recommended list of skate shops and retailers here.

Fit, Fit, and Fit

These are the three most important things to consider when buying skates.  Skates that don't fit well will probably cause blisters and will be uncomfortable to skate in whether they are too loose or too tight.  When you go skate shopping, give yourself plenty of time to spend trying on the skates in an unhurried manner until you find the right skate for you that fits well and is comfortable.  Don't be pushed by the salespeople - if they are that insistent in hurrying you up, it's time to take your business elsewhere.  Take a pair of the socks you intend to use while skating, as that's what you should be wearing when trying out the skates.

Don't forget to try a bunch of different skate models from different manufacturers.  The experience of trying on these skates first hand will help to give you a much better idea of which skates fit you well.

When trying on skates slip the skates on, and while sitting down knock the rear wheel into the ground to ensure your heel is firmly back into the boot.  Now tighten the laces and/or any buckles on the skate so that they are firm but not tight.  Stand up and bend your knees until they're just over your toes.  OK, sit down again now, and check the fit of the skates:

• Your toes should be quite close to the end of the boot, but not crunched up into the end.  You may be able to touch the end of the boot if you stretch your toes out, but no more than that.
• Check the fit around your heel, ensuring that the skate doesn't squeeze your heel.
• Make sure that you can't move your heel around, and especially not up and down inside the boot.
• Check the width around the ball of your foot.
• Now retighten the laces and buckles as the liner may have changed shape conforming to your foot.

A good idea is to try on skates that are a half to a full size smaller and larger than your current shoe size.  That will quickly show whether you're getting the right size.  Once you've found the right pair of skates, make sure you spend at least 15 minutes or so standing in the shop wearing the skates.  This is because that 15 minutes will probably bring any fit problems to light that may not be so easily noticeable at first.

Remember that skate models are a little like shoes in that skates from different manufacturers don't always correspond in size, so use your shoe size as a guideline rather than an exact rule.  For example, the following skate sizes all fit me well:  Bauer inline hockey skates - size 8-9.  Salomon - size 10. Mission size 10, and Rollerblade size 9.5-10.  These are all US sizes, and my normal shoe size is a size 10.

Many people also find that the shape of skate boots is different between different manufacturers.  For example, some people find that they get a better fit from Salomon skates, whilst others prefer the fit of K2 skates.  This is another reason it's good to go to a real shop and spend time trying on lots of different skates from different manufacturers.

After buying - Where to skate?

Well, now that you've bought your skates and have brought them back home with you (awesome!), where are suitable places to start skating with them?

• I'd strongly recommend that you go skating with an advanced skater or best of all a rollerblading instructor the first time you go out to use your new skates.
• Find a place that is clean, dry, level, and free of traffic.  No hills!
• A deserted parking lot is often a good place to start.

Inline Skating Lessons

You may want to consider taking rollerblading lessons from an IISA certified instructor.  This will not only speed up the rate at which you learn new skills, but will help improve your confidence, and will ensure that you learn the important basic skills to make your skating experience fun and safe.

If you're in London, check out this page for rollerblading lessons in London, UK, or this page if you're not sure of the benefit of inline skating lessons.

You may well be able to get some free basic lessons on how to stop and turn from either Skate Patrol, who may be active in your area, or if in London, on the London Skate on Wednesday evenings.

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