Quad skates are four-wheeled roller skates that have two wheels in the front, and two in the back on each skate. Quad roller skates traditionally feature a rubber break, or toe stop, in the front that makes for an easy, quick stop. Quad roller skates are preferred to inline skates by some, due to their large footprint, which increases stability and confidence for roller skaters of all levels, especially with kids. Paired with excellent ankle support, these traditional roller skates are coined as the “original roller skate”, and have remained popular for over a century. Quad roller skates (or “quads”) are preferred by both beginner and advanced roller skaters alike. They are a perfect choice for novices and children, as well as highly developed, skilled roller skaters.
The simple, attractive design of quad roller skates has made them a leading type of roller skate since the mid-1800’s. Quad skates require little to no training or experience – and little effort is needed in order to gain speed, turn, or stop which is why they are commonly used at skating rinks. Skaters can perform a full curve simply by leaning to one side. Quad skates don’t wobble sideways, offering great stability, and also provide supreme ankle support. Quad roller skates are the standard for indoor skating rinks but are also widely used by outdoor and indoor recreational skaters, speed skaters, dance skaters, roller derby skaters, and much more.
Types of Quad Roller Skating
Since quads are such versatile roller skates, they are used in most all types of roller skating. Many types of quad roller skating have become popular over the years. In this article, we will be focusing on the popular Artistic, Jam, Rhythm/Dance, Indoor (Rink/Recreational), Outdoor (Fitness/Commuter), Roller Derby, and Speed skating since they have the largest following of quad roller skate users. Last year, outdoor skating was the most popular in our poll. Don’t forget to cast your vote and check back to see where people are quad skating this year!
Parts of a Quad Roller Skate
The best quad roller skate is a light one – the less weight, the better speed and performance. The major parts of quad roller skates are the boots, plates with or without toe stops, wheels, and bearings. Take a look at the sections below to learn more about each of these parts!
Quad Roller Skate Information and Recommendations | |
How Do I Choose a Quad Boot?
Quad skate boots are commonly made out of pvc, composite plastic and polymer, leather, carbon fiber, and/or fiberglass. Some quad skaters prefer a high boot, as it gives more ankle support. This style is nice for a beginner skater or anyone who feels more comfortable with increased ankle support. Some quad skaters prefer a lower cut boot, which allows for more movement and flexibility in rotating the ankles. The height of the boot you need will usually depend on the type of skating you’ll be doing as well as your skill level. Check out some of our favorites below and you can click here to see our full line of quad boots.
Artistic
Artistic roller skates have boots with a higher top for greater control as you twist and turn. Artistic roller skaters perform using either quad or inline skates, though quad skates are more traditional and significantly more common. We have a variety of artistic skate packages for all experience levels, from newcomer to seasoned professional. The Riedell Angel vegan roller skate is designed with a soft vinyl upper which provides great mobility and ensures a comfortable fit, while the PowerDyne Thrust nylon plate provides a solid base. These skates are great for the beginning or recreational artistic skater!
Jam
Looking to jam skate? Jam skates almost always have a super low boot. This type of skating is increasingly popular and very fun to watch. Check out the Riedell Quest to see what a good jam skate looks like. This boot wraps around your foot like a glove while giving you the slightest bit of extra room you need in the toe.
Rhythm/Dance
Rhythm or Dance Skating is coming back into popularity very quickly. There are many skaters learning this style every day. Rhythm and Dance Skates are primarily all high boots. The Riedell Uptown is one of our biggest sellers and you’ll see why they’ll continue to be popular as soon as you put them on.
Indoor (Rink/Recreational)
Indoor roller skates differ from outdoor skates mainly due to the wheels…we’ll get to that later. We like the new Jackson Rave vegan boot for recreational skating since it’s a great rink skate with 4 awesome color options. Check out our How to Choose Indoor Skates & Wheels Article for more information.
Outdoor (Fitness/Commuter)
Outdoor roller skates differ from indoor skates mainly due to the wheels…we’ll talk about those a little later. The Phreakskate Outdoor Energy is a favorite for outdoor skaters. This mid-cut boot is designed to give you the extra edge you need to increase your speed while being supportive and comfortable! Check out our How to Choose Outdoor Skates & Wheels Article for more information.
Roller Derby
Roller Derby skates have a variety of boot height depending on the skater’s preference. We see derby players wear super low boots and higher boots all the time. This Custom Atom Skate will allow you to pick an awesome boot along with all of the other parts of your skate.
Speed
Speed skates usually have a low to mid boot height. For true speed skating, you want the lightest boot you can get! This Custom Mota Skate will allow you to pick an awesome boot along with all of the other parts of your skate. You can even custom design the colors of your boot!
How Do I Choose a Quad Plate? What Kind of Toe Stop Do I Need?
Quad roller skate plates are changing as time goes on. They all started off at a basic angle, same material, etc. Today, however, everything is completely different. There are different angles, different materials, different styles, different trucks, different cushions, and so much more. Becoming popular are the 16 degree and 45 degree kingpin angled plates. The rise in popularity is because they help the skates turn radius, and the stability of skaters while on the track. The materials went from an original tool steel plate, which was very heavy, to aluminum, aircraft aluminum, and now, in some places, carbon fiber plates. They started with weights of a few pounds, and went to less than one pound put together. Your weight may also affect the type of plate you need. For example, skaters over 250lbs. will not want a nylon plate. The increased flex and decreased maneuverability of that weight on the nylon plate will not make for a good skating experience. Take a look and see what kind of plate may suit you the best. Along with your awesome new plate, you’ll want to look at the different options for Trucks and Toe Stops.
Artistic
The PowerDyne Reactor Fuse Plate is made from nylon and reinforced with fiberglass, which makes it a great lightweight plate with incredible strength and durability. Artistic skaters will love that the kingpins are set at 10 degree for superior power! Another awesome feature of this plate is the adjustable 5mm allen toe stop screw which makes installing any toe stop a breeze and keeps them where you want them to be, something many nylon plates lack. Grab a PowerDyne Adjustable Gray toe stop to complete your artistic setup.
Jam
The Crazy Skates Venus Plates are a perfect custom touch to any skate. These plates are lightweight and have 16 degree trucks that will give jam skaters the stability and maneuverability they crave. They come in a variety of vibrant colors for the ultimate customization for every skater. Most Jam skaters don’t want a regular toe stop to get in their way so grab a set of Jam Plugs to complete this setup.
Rhythm/Dance
The lightweight Powerdyne Arius Platinum Plate with Split Butterfly cushion design is designed for high performance and great maneuverability. This plate will help you with those tight turns and all your fancy footwork. Rhythm and Dance skaters also prefer to have no toe stops so you’ll want to grab Jam Plugs for this setup as well.
Indoor (Rink/Recreational)
The Crazy Skates Apollo Plate comes in a range of sizes and colors to fit many boot sizes and skaters’ style. There is zero torque, this plate does not twist at all! These plates are light and affordable, so rink and recreational skaters love to customize their skates with them. Since you won’t be walking on your toe stops much and gliding around the rink, we recommend the Bionic XS Stoppers for this style of skating.
Outdoor (Fitness/Commuter)
Outdoor Skaters will love the strong PowerDyne Reactor Neo Plate! These plates are made from thick aluminum that will hold up to the curbs and scraping you’ll endure as an outdoor skater. Try out the Bionic Super Stopper for your outdoor skating!
Roller Derby
Roller Derby skaters need a lot from a plate! Since they are constantly working on multiple skills, they need a strong plate that will give them the stability and maneuverability that they need. The Pilot Falcon Plate will definitely hit all of those marks. This plate is made from CNC 6065 T6 Aircraft Aluminum, making it ultra light AND super strong. Both flat track and banked track Roller Derby skaters love the Mota Monster on their skates!
Speed
Speed skaters need very specific features in their plates. Since they are skating at such a high speed, they really need a plate that provides no flex. The lighter and stonger the plate is, the better it is for a speed skater. We love the Mota Boss Quad Chassis for our speed skating customers! This plate rivals any plate on the market as arguably the lightest extruded plate in the world, and you can get in over a dozen custom colors. Speed skaters are very particular about their toe stops and many of ours love the Gumballs so give those a try.
How Do I Choose Quad Wheels?
The most important element of a quad roller skates’ performance is the wheels. Devaskation carries a variety of quad wheels! Indoor skaters need harder wheels, as soft wheels can make for slower speed indoors. Outdoor skaters need softer wheels, which have more give than harder ones, and take things like potholes and divots on outdoor surfaces with little to no impact. There are also hybrid wheels that will work indoors and on smooth outdoor surfaces, please don’t try those on asphalt though! 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. Quad skate wheel sizes vary in diameter and profile, depending on the skate style. Most all quad skate wheels are made out of urethane, a durable plastic, with a nylon or alloy hub. Different types of rubber and plastic have been used in making skate wheels, but many have shown to wear down quickly or create resistance for a skater when compared to urethane.
Artistic
Artistic skaters are usually skating indoors and need a hard, small wheel for the best performance. The 96A Radar Riva wheels definitely fill this requirement! These wheels are super popular in the artistic skating community and come in four great color options.
Jam
Jam skating is also done exclusively indoors so a hard wheel is a must. Between a 97A and 101A is the target hardness most jam skaters shoot for. The RollerBones Turbo Wheels are a huge favorite amongst jam skaters. This will give you the combination of slide and grip that you need!
Rhythm/Dance
Rhythm or Dance Skaters need a lot from their wheels. The goal is to find a wheel that will give them the extreme slide they crave while still having enough grip to keep them on their skates. If you’re a Rhythm or Dance skater, try these awesome Radar Varsity Plus Wheels to get that perfect combo.
Indoor (Rink/Recreational)
Indoor Rink and/or Recreational wheels are generally harder and shorter. Wheels too soft will make you feel like you are stuck to the floor and may even be dangerous. The Atom Snap Wheels utilize the same urethane as the highly-popular Poison wheel but provide even more roll! It is ideal for multiple indoor skating surfaces. Check out our How to Choose Indoor Skates & Wheels Article for more information.
Outdoor (Fitness/Commuter)
Outdoor Fitness and/or Commuter wheels need to be softer than indoor wheels so they can absorb the uneven skating surface. Wheels that are too hard will likely aid in you faceplanting and none of us want that. The Atom Pulse Wheels utilize the same urethane as the highly-popular Poison wheel but provide even more grip! These wheels are ideal for outdoor, rough and rugged skating surfaces. Check out our How to Choose Outdoor Skates & Wheels Article for more information.
Roller Derby
Roller Derby Skaters have varied needs when it comes to wheels. There are differences between every track and there is also both flat track and banked track derby. We encourage our customers to talk to their teammates and coaches before deciding on a wheel since they will be most familiar with their specific track. We do get a lot of skaters that are loving the new Mota TKO Quad Wheels so definitely check those out. We also have an article dedicated to Roller Derby Wheels called Best Wheels For Roller Derby where we are constantly updating our recommendations based on skater feedback.
Speed
When it comes to speed skating, lighter is better! Speed skaters usually prefer a harder wheel that will give them amazing roll. The new Atom Savant Wheels are light, fast, and have just the grip you need. A new core design allows each wheel to weigh in at just 68 grams. These awesomely light wheels are available in hardnesses from 88-97 so you’ll be sure to find the speed you need!
How Do I Choose Quad Bearings?
Bearings allow quad roller skate wheels to rotate in a smooth fashion. The ideal bearing for a skate doesn’t have to be expensive. When purchasing bearings, the most important factor is that they will work well and match your skills with your type of skating. If you’re outperforming your bearings, it’s time to upgrade! Lightly lubricating 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 a skater. This misconception is debunked by the fact that brand new, clean 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!
Artistic and Speed Bearings
Artistic and Speed Bearings are a very important part of the skate. For Artistic skating, you need to make sure that your bearings are able to roll as long as you need them to so that your choreography doesn’t get messed up. For Speed skating, you need your bearings to perform at the best level possible and to handle the high speeds for every competition.
These Moto Ceramic Pearls are pre-spun to ensure there is no break in time for the skater. All the attention to detail when making these bearings allow skaters around the world to experience excellence.
These Yolo Ceramic Bearings are ultrasonic cleaned, pre broken-in, oiled, and packaged by hand at Yolo Headquarters in Scottsdale, AZ. Yolo is the Only brand on the market that is 100% directly owned by Skaters and it shows in the product, service, and guarantee. These ceramic bearings will give you the consistency you need in a bearing to bring out your top performance every time.
Jam, Rhythm, Roller Derby, and Rink Bearings
Jam, Rhythm, Roller Derby, and Rink Bearings can be an important part of the skate. We recommend at least an Abec 7 rated bearing for these types of skating. These bearings will give you awesome performance for a price you’ll love.
Bionic Abec 7 Bearings have been a favorite for a very long time, and there’s a reason for it. These bearings are lubricated with speed oil and require no break-in period. They are great for skaters of all experience and made to last!
You’ll love these Moto Deluxe Bearings from the first time you use them. These bearings are tested and skate rated, meaning that they will withstand the roughness skating brings. Like all Moto Bearings these are pre-spun to ensure there is no funky break-in period.
RollerBones Bearings have been a favorite since…well, forever. These bearings have a great smooth and silent roll for any surface.
Don’t let the amazing price on these Yolo Abec 7 Bearings fool you! Just like their ceramic bearings, Yolo’s Abec 7 are also ultrasonic cleaned, pre broken-in, and oiled in AZ. You’ll love these bearings from your first skate.
Outdoor Bearings
Outdoor Skating is very hard on all the parts of your skate, especially the bearings. When skating outdoors, your bearings are exposed to much more wear and tear than inside, as well as dirt and water issues. Titanium bearings are more popular for outdoor skaters since they are less susceptible to rust. No matter what kind of bearings you get, keeping them clean will allow you to use them much longer.
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.
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.
Quad Skates Sold by DevaSkation
DevaSkation is proud to offer the best and most reputable brands in skating, and have many quad roller skate options from beginner level to advanced skaters. DevaSkation offers pricing and options for skaters of all types and sizes. Our diverse, specialized inventory is what we pride ourselves in. Now that you know what kind of skate you want, check out our Skate Maintenance Article to learn how to keep your new skates in the best shape for as long as possible!
Take a look at our skates and accessories tailored specific to your skating style, preference and needs. By offering brands such as Jackson, Luigino, Mota, Riedell, and more, we are able to provide you with the best fit and quality quad skate. We have strategically chosen our offerings to assure you find the skate you need at a great price! If you are looking for the perfect gift for your children, friend, spouse, or anyone interested in skating, let DevaSkation assist you in finding the highest quality roller skate for you at the most affordable price. DevaSkation also offers quad skate accessories, so that you can customize and personalize your own skates!
Now that you’re an expert on all the types and parts of quad skates, happy shopping!