This article looks at the different types of roller skates and tips for choosing roller skates that suit your needs.
If you’re looking for a different way to get some exercise, roller skating is a great option, and it’s not just for kids.
You can do it alone or with family or friends, and it’s a fun mode of transport.
Roller skating also has many health and fitness benefits.
Regular sessions will improve your core and lower body muscle tone and strength.
They will also improve your balance, stability, cardiovascular endurance, and burn calories, promoting weight loss.
Read on to learn about the main types of roller skates.
Table of Contents
Types of Roller Skates
There are six different types of roller skates: outdoor, indoor, inline, speed, roller derby, and kids.
Below, you will find a brief overview of each.
Outdoor:
As their name suggests, outdoor skates are suitable to use outside. They are available in low and high-top versions.
Indoor skates are suitable for skating in a rink or other setting with a smooth floor.
The only real difference between indoor and outdoor skates is the wheels, with those of outdoor skates being larger and softer, enabling them to negotiate rougher, more uneven terrain.
Indoor:
Indoor skates are also known as traditional skates, recreational skates, or artistic skates.
They have two wheels in the front and two in the back.
Indoor skates are suitable for skating in a rink or other setting with a smooth floor and for rhythm skating or artistic dance.
Their narrower wheels make them easier to maneuver than outdoor skates.
Their tops are high to provide support and control during jumps and spins.
Inline (Roller Blades):
Inline skates have all four wheels in a line, making them ideal for skating at high speeds.
They are available in three types: Recreational, Racing, and Roller Hockey.
Recreational –
Recreational roller blades also go by the name of fitness skates. Their high tops provide excellent foot and ankle support. 
They are a popular choice with people wanting skates that are comfortable during extended, outdoor sessions.
Racing –
Racing skates fit snugly to limit wind resistance for faster sessions.
Interchangeable wheels make them suitable for both indoor and outdoor skating.
Roller Hockey –
Roller hockey skates are robust and resilient skates used to cope with the rough and tumble of roller hockey.
Speed:
Speed skates have all four wheels in a line, making them ideal for skating and turning corners at high speeds.
They are also an excellent choice for extended sessions.
Speed skates’ low cut resembles that of sneakers.
Their freedom of movement has made them popular with people who jam dance.
Roller Derby:
Roller Derby has been around since the 1930s, so it’s not surprising that there are skates made with it in mind.
Also known as quad skates, they have two wheels in the front and two in the back, with the wheels set at a diagonal, giving them more stability. This makes them ideal for beginners.
They are durable, negotiate tight turns easily, and allow the skater to reach high speeds quickly.
Kids:
Kids skates are designed for children. They don’t achieve the speed the other types of skates can, but they look great and are resilient.
Skating Tips for Beginners
Tips for Choosing Roller Skates
When choosing roller skates, the first thing to consider is if you want to skate indoors at a roller rink or outdoors.
Some people like doing both, so swap wheels to suit the conditions.
The wheels of skates designed for indoor use are typically more rigid and slightly lighter. They offer a smooth and agile ride.
Outdoor skates have softer, larger wheels than indoor skates; however, they aren’t as easy to maneuver.
You can use indoor skates outdoors, but their wheels’ rigidity increases the risk for falls in an outdoor setting.
For this reason, if you are a beginner and want to skate indoors and outside, I recommend buying two pairs of skates or choosing skates you can use indoors and outdoors.
The advantages and disadvantages of indoor Vs outdoor skating
Indoor and outdoor skating come with advantages and drawbacks.
If you choose to skate indoors, you will need to travel to a skating rink at a time it is open, pay to use it, and hire skates if you don’t have your own.
Weather permitting, with your own skates, you can skate outdoors at any time that suits you.
At the end of the day, it comes down to your goals.
If along with skating for exercise, you want to hone your skills and learn tricks, indoor skating will suit you.
It will also be the best choice if you don’t live near a park and don’t want to skate on the street.
Conversely, outdoor skating could be right up your alley if you’d rather skate in the open air, varying the location.
Considererations
When choosing roller skates, there are several things to consider.
These include:
Size –
It’s crucial that your skates fit well. They should be snug but not too tight, and your toes should not touch the nose of the skate. The skates should provide support for your ankles.
Refer to the size guide on the product’s page. Some manufacturers recommend going up one shoe size over your regular one, but this is not always the case.
My friend Callie and I took a chance and bought FoxySkates skates online in our usual size, which fit perfectly. So far, we’ve only used them indoors, but we will also be able to use them outdoors when we are confident enough.
Shells –
Some skates have soft shells, others hard.
Soft boots are lighter, easier to maneuver and offer better ventilation. They are ideal to use while dancing.
Hard boots offer superior support and stability and are excellent to wear for long skating sessions and fitness purposes.
The liners of hard boots can be replaced if need be. Those with padded liners provide additional comfort and protect your feet from blisters.
Wheels –
The durometer scale rates wheel hardness on a scale from 0-100A, with zero being the softest and 100 the hardest.
Soft wheels offer better grip and shock absorption than hard wheels but don’t last as long.
Hard wheels have a longer lifespan but don’t offer the grip or shock absorption of soft wheels.
Look for wheels of durable composition such as polyurethane.
Bearings –
To preserve the skate’s bearings, avoid them coming in contact with water, moisture, dirt, and sand.
Skates with ABEC 5 carbon steel bearings are a good choice
Trucks and plates –
Roller skates have trucks and plates on their undersides.
Plates are typically nylon to keep them light. Trucks are usually aluminum to add strength without weight.
Buying skates with adjustable trucks will enable you to customize their stability and how they turn.
Toe stops –
Quad skates have a toe stop that is utilized when moving forward to start your session. Toe stops also act as a brake when you want to stop.
They must be periodically replaced before they are entirely worn.
Different Types of Roller Skates Summary
Now that you know more about the different types of roller skates choosing the right pair should be easier.
If you’re a beginner, I highly recommend getting safety gear to protect your head, knees, elbows, and wrists.
Callie and I bought the JBM Protective Gear Set, and we can’t fault it. It doesn’t stop us from falling, but when wearing it, we are confident that if we do, we will likely sustain scrapes or scratches at most.
Click this link to find out more about the health benefits of roller skating.
So what are you waiting for? If you want to roller skate but haven’t gotten around to it, give it a try!
