Roller skating and rollerblading offer a fun way to get an aerobic workout, but there are a few significant differences between the two. One offers a more stable ride while the other is built for speed, for example. The model you need depends mainly on whether you're interested in recreational exercise or competitive game-playing.
Identification
Roller skates refer to skates with four thick wheels that are positioned in pairs under the front and rear of the attached boot. Similar to the wheels on a car, roller skate wheels are positioned to provide balance and stability for the recreational skater. Rollerblades, on the other hand, resemble ice skates and have four tall, thin wheels in a straight line down the middle of the boot bottom.
Roller Skate History
Roller states entered the public record in London in the 1700s. The first patented pair, which debuted in Paris in 1819, was an inline model with three wheels, according to the National Museum of Roller Skating. The predecessor to the current four-wheel model was introduced in January 1863, by James Plimpton. Plimpton's model made it possible for skaters to turn in a certain direction by leaning that way. The introduction of the improved roller skate model was soon followed by the first public skating rink, which was opened in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1866.
Rollerblade History
It wasn't until 1979 that roller blades established a foothold. The unsuccessful Chicago inline skate inspired hockey player Scott Olson to develop the roller blade design that current inline skates are modeled after. Olson, looking for a means to continue hockey training during the summer months, modified a pair of the Chicago inline skates for improved stability and breaking, according to the Inline Skating Resource Center.
Considerations
Inline skates are usually equipped with the braking mechanism at the rear of the boot, are designed for speed and are commonly used for hockey, racing and recreation, according to the Inline Skating Resource Center. Roller skates on the other hand, have the brake at the front of the boot and are primarily recreational. Although inline skates are commonly referred to as rollerblades, Rollerblades is the original brand name of the inline skates fashioned by Olson.
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