It may seem like there’s only one type of inline skates, but that’s not the case. There are several types, and if you’re thinking of purchasing some, you need to know your options. You’re going to learn about each type and its purpose, which should help guide you to the right choice.
The Recreational Inline Skates
When people think of inline skates, they most likely picture this option. These are the most popular types, and that’s mostly because of the design.
You’ll get regular inline skates with this option. These are for folks who just want to have a little fun. Recreational skates are comfortable, versatile, and can be worn for extended periods.
With these, you can skate around your neighborhood or at your local bike trail. These are for folks who aren’t taking skating too seriously. This isn’t to say you can’t become an expert skater using these types of skates, but they were designed for the everyday skater.
Part of the reason these types of skates are so comfortable deals with the design of the boot. What you get is a soft boot that’s reinforced with a comfortable mesh and cloth. These materials make the boot comfortable and breathable. Lighter materials like cloth and mesh do most of the heavy lifting, which gives you more comfort and also makes skating easier.
If you’re the kind of skater who wants to relax as you skate and don’t want to use them for anything else, then recreational inline skates are for you. Now, they must fit, and you should do your best to get the highest quality you can.
The Fitness Inline Skates
Fitness inline skates are exactly what they sound like. These are for folks who want to be as fit as possible. The skates will be another tool to reach fitness goals. These are long-lasting because they were designed for folks who intend to use them often.
Recreational skates are for folks who use their skates every so often, maybe every weekend. Fitness inline skates are for people who plan to be skating every day and probably multiple times a day.
Skating may not seem like it offers much, but the truth is that it can do a lot for your health and body. It helps work out virtually every part of your body, especially your legs.
These can be used for much longer distances than regular recreational skates. The bearings help the skater reach higher speeds because they reduce friction. You’ll also notice larger wheels. This is the case because larger wheels can help you reach higher speeds. These types of skates are much easier to wear because the air circulates easier with this type of construction.
The designers know that you’re going to be using these skates for a long time, so they worked hard to make sure you’ve got plenty of air. Part of the reason people love this type of exercise is that its low impact.
You don’t have to worry about causing damage to your joints or bones since all you’re doing is gliding on your skates unless you get into an accident. Hopefully, that doesn’t happen to you.
The other reason people love fitness skates is that they make exercise fun. You know how boring it is to lift weights all day or use the treadmill. Skates are exciting, and that could help motivate you.
The Roller Hockey Inline Skates
Roller hockey inline skates are for one thing, and you can probably guess what that is. Roller hockey is one of the most popular sports out there.
It’s easy to think that hockey can only be played on the ice, but that’s not true. Folks in areas that don’t see snow love hockey, too, and they deserve a chance to play like anyone else. This led to roller hockey, a sport that resembles regular hockey in every way except it’s played on regular pavement.
The sport has become a global sensation, and it’s popular with kids and adults. This is one of the few high-energy sports out there, which is part of the reason it’s such an exciting sport to play. The roller hockey skates are similar to regular ice hockey skates.
The boots are usually reinforced with leather and the most high-quality stitching possible to ensure they lasts as long as possible. Designers know you’re going to put a lot of pressure on these skates, so they designed them to take the pressure.
On top of this type of material, you’ll also find things like carbon fiber and plastic to give you even more protection while you play hockey. The frames of the roller hockey inline skates are made of airplane-grade aluminum. That’s not the kind of material you’d expect, but it makes these skates much safer while keeping them light.
The Racing Inline Skates
Serious skaters are going to fall in love with racing inline skates. As you can probably tell, racing inline skates are for skaters who want to go the distance.
If you need speed and want to feel like you’re moving faster than the wind, you want to use racing inline skates. These are the fastest types of skates, thanks to the technology used to create them.
These can be a little expensive, but they were intricately designed, so the high price makes sense. These have sophisticated bearings. Most of the time, the materials for the bearings are titanium or ceramic, just to name a few.
What you’ve got here are skates with no brakes and with a total of five wheels instead of the regular four, which you’d find on most inline skates. Keep in mind that these wheels are much bigger than other inline skate options. As mentioned earlier, bigger wheels mean you’ll be able to reach high speeds very quickly.
The reinforcement is usually made of carbon fiber. The boot is relatively soft compared to other options. Since the reinforcement material is carbon fiber, though sometimes it’s made out of aluminum, you end up with a lighter skate that helps you reach some of those top speeds you want to reach.
Using these types of skates requires considerable skill; they reach high speeds, so you should be ready to handle those high speeds. Safety gear is most definitely needed if you’re going to be using these types of skates, and you should examine the terrain before you reach those high speeds, just to be safe.
The Street/Urban Skates
Urban skates or street skates are rising in popularity, and it’s happening fast. Now, it’s not as popular as recreational skates, but that probably won’t last long. Their popularity makes sense. These are for the streets.
Everyone knows that most of the population lives in big cities rather than rural areas. With a higher concentration of people in cities, there’s a demand for skates that can handle the streets. What you’ve got here is a blend between recreational skates and something a bit more aggressive.
The designers wanted to make sure urban skaters could use these skates for extended periods, and they also wanted to make sure these skates were better reinforced. This allows urban skaters to do everything they want to do in these skates, like tricks or jumps.
You should know that urban skates have a much shorter frame. This may seem strange, but the reason these skates have this design is so that you can corner more easily. One thing you’re going to encounter numerous times if you’re skating in the streets is corners.
You should also know that the wheels are relatively large, which helps you gain speed whenever you need to. Most of the time, these skates don’t come with brakes attached. Usually, you have to attach them yourself.
The reason being is that you’re an urban skater. You’re going to be using your brakes more often than not. Having brakes that you can attach or detach means you can easily replace them when you need to, which will happen at some point.
These are some types of inline skates out there. Look into each of these. Try them out until you find the ones that meet your needs. Make sure you pay attention to comfort and quality, no matter what you choose.
