Store Policies
Skate Buying
Guide
| Skate Buying Guide |
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| Choosing the right
skate |
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We are the authority on roller skates and because of that we have a
wide selection of skates. Many customers want to know how to determine
which skate is right from them from the wide variety that we offer on our
site. The best way to start is to determine what type of skater you want
to be. To make it easy, below are the two most popular forms of roller
skating.
Roller rink skater: Thousands of people each week
head to the rink to roller skate, exercise, listen to music, and
socialize with their friends. If you are primarily going to be a rink
skater, we recommend you buy a speed skate or indoor skate.
Outdoor fitness/fun skater: Children and adults alike really
enjoy skating outdoors. Also, roller skating is a great way to get into
shape and stay into shape. If you are going to skate outdoors we recommend
you purchase either an outdoor quad skate or inline skate.
Quad vs Inline:
Quad simply means that the skate has 4 wheels, 1 in each corner
of the bottom of the skate. Quad skates have always been considered the
"traditional" skate and this is what most skaters rent when they go to
their local skating rink. Quad Skates are great for those wanting to learn
to skate, fitness skate, perform skating tricks, jam (dancing on skates),
play roller derby, skate outside, artistic skate (type of dancing on
skates), or just those wanting an all-around rink skate.
Inline Skates are very popular skates for those wanting to skate
outdoors as well as those wanting to speed skate. Inline Skates feature
wheels that are, well, "in line" with each other. Inline Skates have
anywhere from 3 to 5 wheels per pair of skate.
Outdoor vs Indoor Quad Skate:
The
difference between an outdoor quad skate and an indoor quad skate are the
wheels. The outdoor quad skates feature wheels that are soft which allows
for a smoother roll on the non-smooth surfaces such as sidewalks &
streets. The indoor quad skates feature wheels which are typically harder
than outdoor wheels. A harder wheel will give you a smoother roll on very
smooth surfaces like those at skating rinks.
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| Types of
skates |
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To help make your skate selection easier, below is a short description
of each type of skate that we offer. If you need any assistance at all
please do not hesitate to call
us or send us an email.
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There are 6 main
types of skates: Speed/Jam, Outdoor, Indoor, Roller
Derby, Kids, and Inline Skates
There are 3 main types of Inline Skates:
Recreational, Racing, and Roller Hockey.
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Recreational
Skates
Also known as fitness skates, these
skates are designed for the skater who wants a good pair of
skates to exercise in, usually outdoors. The shoes (boots) are
high top which offers excellent foot and ankle support. These
skates are also very comfortable so that the skater can skate
for longer periods of time. |
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Racing Skates
Racing
skates are skates that were designed to go fast, simply put.
The shoe (boot) is designed so that it fits as close to your
foot as possible allowing you the least amount of wind
resistance. The wheels of these skates are easily
interchangeable to allow the skater to skate indoors or
outdoors. |
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Roller Hockey
Skates
These are skates that are made for those
playing the sport of roller hockey. Roller hockey is a very
popular sport, especially among youth and young adults. These
skates were designed to hold up to the abuse due to the nature
of the sport. |
If you have any additional questions that are not
answered here please contact
us. | |
| Parts of the
skate |
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Below is a general definition of the parts of a
skate.
Boot-This is what attaches
to the plates or frames and wheels of your skate that your foot goes in.
Sometimes referred to as a shoe.
Plate-This is
attached to the bottom of your QUAD skate and holds the wheels. Sometimes
referred to as the chassis.
Frame-This is attached to the bottom of
your INLINE skate and holds the wheels.
Trucks-The trucks attach to
the plate and hold the wheels on a QUAD skate.
Wheels-Each skater requires
different types of wheels depending on what the skater is doing. Outdoor
skaters will need a "softer" wheel to allow for the non-smooth surfaces
and an indoor skater will need a harder wheel.
Bearings-The bearings help the
wheels move freely on the skate. Generally, the higher "rated" the bearing
the better the bearing.
Toe Stop-Helps with stopping,
usually when backwards skating. Usually in the front on quad skates and in
the back on inline
skates. |
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