Skating is a fun activity for kids and adults alike. It can be daunting if it is your first time purchasing skates for yourself or your children. Choosing from so many choices and different types of skates can be overwhelming. As such, we have compiled some information to help you find the right pair of skates.

Choosing the skate type: Roller or Inline?

Roller or quad skates are skates that have four wheels arranged in a two-by-two manner. They have a toe stop at the front of the skates that act as your brakes. Due to its side-by-side wheel configuration, roller skates are incredibly stable and more manageable for beginners to pick up.

When deciding what kind of skates to get, determine the kind of activities you intend to do with your skates. Roller skates allow you to skate indoors and on a roller rink; or, with the appropriate gear, you can also roll around in them at the skate park. Roller skates are fantastic for an artistic style of skating or roller derby– a team sport played on an oval track.

Inline skates, also commonly referred to as “roller blades”, come with four wheels arranged in a straight line. As the wheels are attached to a single axle, inline skates naturally have a wobble that may appear intimidating and harder to balance, especially for beginners. Fret not, as many beginners start with inline skates and with practice, you will be skating around in no time. Depending on the design of the particular skates, there may be brakes on the back of beginner inline skates, in contrast to a toe stop for roller skates.

If you want to skate long and fast, inline skates are the perfect skates to use. Due to the wheel configuration of inline skates, there is higher manoeuvrability, allowing for greater speed. They are also more suitable for outdoor use compared to roller skates, as the ease of movement allows you to avoid obstacles more easily. You can also use inline skates to perform tricks on the ramps, as they give you a wider range of movement.

Skating Indoors or Outdoors?

Both roller skates and inline skates can be used indoors and outdoors but have slight differences. The differences are all in the wheels! Wheels made for skating indoors are harder and provide less grip, allowing them to roll easily on smooth surfaces such as roller rink floors and roller derby tracks. Wheels made for outdoor use are softer, providing greater grip to rolling on rough surfaces better. Some wheels are all-purpose, and suitable for both indoor and outdoor as the wheels’ hardness lies between the standard outdoor and indoor wheels.

High-top or low-top boots?

Skates typically come with either high-top or low-top boots. High-top boots provide greater support on the ankles and are recommended for beginners. If you are new to skating and want greater protection from falls, choose high-top boots. Low-top boots are better for more experienced skaters as they allow you to move easily and faster.

Conclusion

Skating is a great way to keep active with friends and family. While it can appear intimidating, there are many skates to choose from that will suit your taste and style. Hvper Sport is an inline skate shop where you can buy skates online in Singapore. If you are looking for a new pair of skates, shop with us or contact us for more information.