What are Inline Skates?
Inline skates, which many people refer to as “rollerblades”, are used for various types of inline skating. Rollerblade is actually one of the first brands of inline skates that were made and there are many more brands of fantastic inline skates available now. While the company Rollerblade offered the first commercially available inline skate, there are now dozens of brands making them. Inline skates date back to the late 1700’s. They were inspired by and designed to have a similar look and feel of ice skates to encourage skaters to keep skating in warmer weather. Many competitive ice skaters actually started on inline skates! Inline roller skates are preferred by roller skaters of all levels and types.
The average inline skate has four or five wheels arranged in a single line although three wheeled inline skates are gaining popularity. Inline skates have a boot that is attached to a frame, which keep the wheels in place. Bearings allow for the wheels to freely move around an axle. Many inline skates have a rubber stop or brake attached to the frame on the heel, rather than a toe stop in front, which is more commonly seen on quad or roller skates. Inline skates that have a brake, usually only have one on one foot which is most commonly placed on the frame of the right skate and there are also many inline skates without a brake at all.
Inline Skate Information and Recommendations | |
Types of Inline Skating
Various types of inline skating have become popular over the years. Aggressive, Speed/Downhill, Fitness/Commuter, and Freeride/Recreation skating have the largest following of inline skate users. Inline skates also offer an alternative to the use of ice skates for ice hockey players who want to practice outside of the rink. The demand for inline skates for hockey is primarily due to the fact that ice is not always readily available, and some hockey players simply prefer inline skating for hockey. Last year, Freeride and Recreational skating dominated our poll. Don’t forget to cast your vote and check in later in the year to see how inline skaters are rolling this year!
Parts of an Inline Skate
The best inline skate is a light one – the less weight, the better speed and performance. The major parts of inline skates are the boots, frames (with or without brakes), wheels, and bearings. Take a look at the sections below to learn more about each of these parts!
How Do I Choose an Inline Skate Boot?
Inline skate boots are commonly made out of three materials: leather, carbon fiber, and/or fiberglass. Many outdoor inline skaters prefer a high boot, as it gives more ankle support. This style is ideal for a beginner inline skater or anyone who feels more comfortable with increased ankle support. Some inline skaters prefer a lower cut boot, which allows for more movement and flexibility in rotating the ankles, but this might get dangerous outside. The harder the boot, the more protection a skater has. Harder boots are ideal because they protect the foot against impact, and also provide more control of the skate and its speed and direction. You do give up a little bit of mobility with a hard, rigid boot though. Harder inline skates are more shock absorbent, especially important in outdoor skating. Check out some of our favorites below and you can click here to see our full line of inline boots.
Outdoor Fitness/Commuter Inline Skates
This is the most common type of inline skate sold today and was made popular by the Rollerblade brand. These are intended for outdoor use in general, but you can also ride indoors. Inline fitness or commuter skates typically have mid to high boots, providing ample support. Depending on your exact needs, choose a 3 wheel setup for speed and 4 wheel setup for stability. The Atom Pro Fitness 4-wheel is a favorite for outdoor “rollerblade” skaters. This boot is designed to give you the extra edge you need to increase your speed while still providing high-boot support! This skate can be used for indoors or outdoors. It has high quality components by name brands. These are great for all around inline skating around town or in a rink.
Aggressive Inline Skates
The Seba CJ Wellsmore carbon and fiberglass boot was designed and tested with Seba’s pro team. The CJ Wellsmore Aggressive Skates have a uni-mold design. The boot and liner are one-piece, providing near perfect fit while still retaining excellent comfort and support. Aggressive skaters will love any of the skates in the CJ line!
Speed/Downhill Inline Skates
Inline speed skates typically have carbon fiber boots, providing excellent support.
The new Luigino Strut Boot is even better than their original, and very popular, Strut Boot. This amazing speed skate boot features a blended carbon fiber shell and is now available in 4 vibrant colors! Atom has even upgraded to Nano Buckles and waxed laces for improved fit ensuring your heel will be locked into place from the very first time you lace them up.
Freeride/Recreation Inline Skates
Recreational inline skates normally have a softer boot, in order to maximize comfort.
We love the Seba FR1 Skate and their whole FR line. We promise it’s not just because you can get them in this awesome Devaskation Orange. The high quality, Seba FR1 boots are consistently skater’s top choice for freestyle, slalom, and dance. This wider cut boot, new FR liner, and premium insole makes them more comfortable from the start, and the 4 position plastic cuff allows you to wear them as tight as you like, but still makes getting them on and off easy.
How Do I Choose an Inline Skate Frame?
Inline skates frames are typically made out of plastic. Serious or competitive speed skate frames are often comprised of carbon fiber, aluminum, or magnesium, as the extra tough materials protect the foot and skate while in demanding skating situations.
Many inline skates have a hard rubber heel brake on the heel of one or even both skates. In the case of one brake, it is typically found on the right skate. When a skater lifts their toes, they force the heel brake to the ground that allows them to completely stop or to slow down.
Aggressive
The Street UFS Frames are what you’ll see on Seba’s CJ skates for a reason, they work! These frames are sturdy and designed to give you the best aggressive skating experience. They are a perfect fit for small wheels and antirockers so you can nail it every time. Get yours in Black, Blue, Green, Orange, Purple, Red, White or Yellow!
Speed/Downhill
The Pilot Striker Mark II Frame will give you the utmost confidence to take it to the next level. This newly designed frame is lighter, stiffer and more affordable than the previous version so you get a better frame at a better price! Designed by EO frames and available in 3/4 wheel configurations with wheel sizes from 84-110 as well as an 3 wheel 125mm option. All of the Striker Mark II frames are extruded out of 6000 series aircraft aluminum and weigh less than 200 grams.
Fitness/Commuter
The Seba Marathon Frame are better than you could imagine! They are super light so your feet stay happy while also giving you the power to skate for long distances. Get this awesome frame to fit four 100mm or 110mm wheels!
Freeride/Recreation
The Seba 4D Flat Frame will revolutionize your own Skating style. The newly designed 4D Flat frames now have three cross braces which makes them ultra strong! These matte black frames were designed just for freestyle skaters and are available in 243mm with 165mm Mount.
How Do I Choose Inline Skate Wheels?
The most important element of an inline skate’s performance is the wheels. Devaskation carries a variety of inline wheels! Many indoor inline skaters often prefer harder wheels, as soft wheels can make for slower speed indoors. Outdoor inline skaters tend to prefer softer wheels, which have more give than harder ones, and take things like potholes and divots on outdoor surfaces with little to no impact. The harder the wheel, the more durable it is, but not necessarily faster. Softer wheels have improved grip over hard wheels and make for a smoother skate if one is on a rough terrain with potholes or bumps. Inline skate wheel sizes vary in diameter and profile, depending on the skate style. Most all inline skate wheels are made out of urethane, a durable plastic. Different types of rubber and plastic have been used in making inline skate wheels, but many have shown to wear down quickly or create resistance for an inline skater when compared to urethane.
Overall, inline skates with bigger wheels are faster than skates with smaller wheels. Aggressive inline skaters typically prefer the smallest size wheels. Moving up in wheel size, with the wheel size increasing by approximately 2 millimeters, the following skating styles are in order of wheel size from smallest to largest: aggressive, freeride/recreation, fitness/commuter, and speed/downhill skating (speed skating having the largest wheels). There are pros and cons in relation to wheel size. Although larger wheels are ‘faster’, it takes a skater more energy to start moving. Conversely, smaller wheels accelerate more quickly and tend to be easier to maneuver. These are things to consider when looking for the perfect skate to fit your preferred skating style and needs.
Another factor to think about when choosing inline skate wheels is how many you want to have on each skate. Aggressive inline skates have as little as 2 wheels, while some speed/downhill skates have 5 or 6. The more wheels an inline skate has, the more stability they have at high speeds.
Aggressive
The Seba CJ Wellsmore Pro Street Aggressive Wheels are a must for aggressive skaters. These 60mm wheels are 88A and come in 2 colors. Whether you are skating on smooth cement or rough asphalt, these wheels will give you what you need. Don’t forget to complete your setup with Seba’s Anti Rockers!
The Eulogy Street / Aggressive Wheels are loved by our aggressive skaters. These wheels range in size from 54mm to 58mm and hardnesses 88A to 90A. No matter which wheel you choose, you’ll love the awesome designs. Don’t forget to complete your setup with Eulogy’s Anti Rockers!
Speed/Downhill
Check out our Best Wheels for Inline Speed Skating Article for more awesome wheel options.
Now you can have all the performance of the number one road wheel in the world on the track with the new Atom Boom Magic Wheels. With MPC urethane and Inline Encompassed Technology. These wheels are sure to dominate the track!
The Atom Boom Road is just one of the latest additions to the Atom inline wheel lineup. The Boom Road is a banded wheel at an amazing price point, allowing you to perform at your peak at an affordable price. These wheels are an X-Firm hardness for the perfect combination of grip and speed.
Fitness/Commuter
Check out our Best Wheels for Inline Fitness and Commuter Skating Article for more awesome wheel options.
The Atom Matrix wheels represents a MAJOR overhaul utilizing Atom’s X-Flex core and proprietary ‘Insane Thane’ formula. Insane-Thane surpasses ALL previous Atom Wheels formulas. Trust yourself and skate at speeds and angles recently only possible in your dreams. The Atom Matrix Outdoor Wheels are durable and made to last on rough surfaces. Get these in 90mm or 100mm to work best for your fitness/commuter skating style!
The Seba Speed Wheels are what you need for a fast and smooth ride! Who doesn’t want a wheel that excels in both durability and grip? These wheels will have you flying down any surface in no time! These come in 100mm so you’ll be sure to get the workout and distance you crave!
Freeride/Recreation
Check out our Best Wheels for Inline Freeride and Recreational Skating Article for more awesome wheel options
The Seba Street Invader Wheels are designed for slalom and freestyle skating. The Seba Street Invader wheels have a wider profile then previous Seba wheels, providing a bigger footprint for greater grip and control. These awesome wheels come in 4 sizes and 11 vibrant colors!
Light up your world with these amazing Luminous LED Wheels from Seba! As you cruise, these LED wheels light up and cause the exterior color to glow magnificently, illuminating your every move! These wheels are available in EIGHT different colors with a hardness rating of 85A.
How Do I Choose Inline Skate Bearings?
Bearings allow inline skate wheels to rotate in a smooth fashion. The ideal bearing for an inline skate doesn’t have to be expensive. When purchasing bearings, the most important factor is arguably that the bearings have waterproof and/or dirt proof seals. If debris or moisture gets into a bearing, the wheels will not rotate smoothly, making for a rough skate! Lightly lubricating inline skate bearings with a tiny bit of light grease or gel is recommended on occasion to maintain a smooth skating experience.
Ball bearings are sometimes mistaken as a crucial element to the speed of an inline skater. This misconception is debunked by the fact that brand new, clean inline skate bearings only contribute to about 2% of the speed or rolling resistance of the skate. Check out our guide to bearings article to learn more about the bearings you need!
Aggressive
The Seba ILQ9 Pro Bearings are favored by pros everywhere. Superbly engineered by Seba for a super smooth ride.
Speed/Downhill
The Bones Swiss Ceramic Bearings are one (if not the) best bearings you can buy. The Cerbec ceramic balls are much lighter, harder, stronger, and longer lasting than the finest steel ball bearings. With these bearings, you’ll go faster and farther while they resist dirt and moisture to keep you going.
Fitness/Commuter
The Bionic Swiss Bearings feature titanium ball bearings and utilize shields to protect the internal parts of the bearing from dirt and liquids, enhancing their longevity. The shields help contain the lubricant in the bearing, and they are fixed to the outer ring and have a non-rubbing seal to the inner ring. For new or replacement bearings, the bionic swiss bearings are a great choice!
The Seba Storm Wheel Bearings are both dust and water resistant as well as rustproof. This set of high quality bearings will give you years of skating pleasure with no slowdown at all. These bearings are constructed to the highest tolerances for skaters who demand the very best.
Freeride/Recreation
The Bionic Abec-7 Bearings are lubricated with speed oil and require no break-in period. These bearings are rated abec-7 for awesome performance. Delrin cage reinforced. Great for skaters of all experience and made to last!
The Yolo Abec-7 Bearings are made and designed by some of the world’s best skaters, specifically for the high performance and longevity demanded by true competitive skaters. All Yolo Bearings are ultrasonic cleaned, pre broken-in, oiled, and packaged by hand at Yolo Headquarters in Scottsdale, AZ.
The Best Inline Skate Brands
Inline skates are a great gift for kids, teens, and adults. Skating is an indoor or outdoor activity that promotes exercise, balance, and family time! We know that finding the right types of skates for your family can be difficult, so we put together a list of the best inline skates for kids, teens, men, and women.
The Best Inline Skates for Children
Best for beginner skaters, the Roller Derby ION Adjustable Inline Skates that will allow your child to keep wearing them as they grow. These inline skates come in both girls and boys designs and in two adjustable sizes. Easy to adjust, sturdy, and comfy, these skates will last until your little one is ready to move onto an intermediate skate.
The Best Inline Skates for Teens
The SEBA TRIX Junior Adjustable Inline Skate are perfect both older children and young teens who are still growing. This skate comes in three adjustable sizes to provide your child with the best fit and comfort.
The Best Inline Skates for Women
From the brand, Roller Derby comes Aeiro Q-60 Inline Skates, which are the perfect skates for women who want to skate in style! These inline skates come standard with Bevo Gold-7 race rated bearings, 80mm Elite Speed wheels, an aluminum frame, and a semi-soft boot designed with comfort in mind.
The Best Inline Skates for Men
Great for the avid skater, the Atom Pro Fitness inline skate was made for adults that like speed skating, skating marathons, or are looking to boost their cardio by skating outdoors. Atom skates were developed by world class speed skaters and are built to last. This 4 wheel model comes with several options of bearings, frame, and wheel types and provides speed, power, and comfort.
DevaSkation has a huge selection of inline skates from top brands such as Luigino, Mota, and Seba. Now that you’re an expert on all the types and parts of inline skates, happy shopping!
Whether you’re buying skates for your child or yourself, protective gear is important for every skater, no matter experience level. Many states require helmets for both children and adults while outdoor skating. Devaskation is proud to offer many styles and brands of helmets to suit your family’s needs. We also sell knee and elbow pads which will help keep you safe if you take a fall on the asphalt. Browse our large selection of skating protective gear here!