Inline skates provide a good source of aerobic exercise. You can find inline skates designed for a variety of skating styles. Common types of inline skates include recreational skates, inline speed skates, aggressive skates and hockey skates. Each kind of skate has different features and advantages. Learn more about the options available to you before you jump in and purchase an expensive pair.
Identification
The wheels of inline skates sit in one line, unlike the wheels of quad skates or roller-skates, which sit in two rows. Inline skates typically have four or five wheels and a hard outer shell.
Types
Recreational inline skates have four medium-sized wheels and work best for leisurely skating in neighborhoods, parks or sidewalks. Recreational skates have easy-to-use heel braking systems. You'll find a heel brake on one or both skates. Inline speed skates have five wheels rather than four, and the wheels have a larger diameter. These wheels provide greater stability for faster skating and longer distances. Most inline speed skates have no heel brake. Aggressive skates typically have four small wheels. The middle two wheels are often even smaller than the front and back wheel. This anti-rocker setup allows aggressive skaters to land tricks more easily on rails or half-pipes. Aggressive skates have heavily armored outer shells for durability. These skates do not have heel brakes. Hockey skates resemble aggressive skates, with their smaller wheels, hard outer shells and lack of heel brakes.
Features
Most inline skates have buckles or laces as a closure system. Laces allow for more fine adjustments, but they often come loose during a skating session. Buckles provide more stability and offer easier and faster adjustment. Hockey skates typically have lace closures, while recreational, aggressive and speed skates typically have buckles. All inline skates have a frame surrounding the wheels and connecting to the skate boot. Different styles of inline skates have frames made of different materials. Recreational skates typically have aluminum alloy, nylon or composite frames, while aggressive and speed skates typically have stiffer and lighter metal frames. The material and durability of the upper part of the skate's boot varies according to the style of the skate. Hockey skates typically have leather uppers, while recreational skates, speed skates and aggressive skates typically have harder synthetic uppers.
Considerations
When deciding how much money to spend on a pair of skates, consider the frequency with which you will use the skates and the intensity of the skating you will do. If you will only wear your skates a few times a year, an inexpensive pair with less durability might suffice. If you will wear your skates every week or even every day, consider moving up in price to get skates with better materials and better durability. These skates will last longer and you will not have to replace them as soon.
Size
Make sure the pair you choose to buy fits your feet well. Visit skate retail shops in person to try on skates made by a variety of manufacturers. The width of skates can vary widely by brand, so try on a range of skates to get the best fit. When you try on the skates, wear the socks you will wear to skate. Push the back wheel into the ground to push your heel and foot all the way into the skate. Stand up and bend your knees to test the fit. Your toes should sit close to the end of the skate's boot, and your heel should not move around in the skate.
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