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Archive-name: sports/skating/inline-faq/part8 See reader questions & answers on this topic! - Help others by sharing your knowledge
_r.s.s.inline FAQ: Marketplace - Guide to Buying Inline Skates_
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[LINK] -->
MARKETPLACE - GUIDE TO BUYING IN-LINE SKATES
(last changed Friday, 13-Sep-96 13:13:30 MDT)
What This Guide Is
This guide is meant to provide you with an organized approach to skate
shopping. It is intended for those readers with little or no knowledge
of in-line skates. This guide is not review-oriented and any specific
skate products or brands shown or mentioned is only for use as
examples. (See part 3.3 of the FAQ for skate reviews.)
As with all purchases, read the fine print before buying. Make sure
you can return the merchandise if it is found to be broken, defective
or otherwise unsatisfactory after you purchase it.
Warning: this guide may be offensive to salespeople (aka
"salesdroids") who pretend they know something about inline skates
when they sell them in stores. If you're not one of those fakers, then
don't worry about it. If your store is providing really good service
(free wheel rotation for your customers, calling them up about wheel
specials, replacing a lost spacer for free, etc.) I don't think a few
words from the internet is going to disuade people from giving you
their business. If anything, you have the chance to show that not only
are you NOT a salesdroid, but that you are actually skate savvy.
If you really want to thank me for writing this article, do me a favor
and wear your helmet. Wear your helmet, your knee pads, and skate
under control. Learn to brake. Be courteous to pedestrians, bikers and
other skaters. Oh, and if you can help us get this article published,
that'd be nice too 8-) We're looking to make this into a small booklet
or something for shoppers to carry with them as a reference.
-Tony Chen, adchen@skatefaq.com
208 W. 8th Ave., Tallahassee FL 32303, (904) 224-0230
Table of Contents:
1. Before you go to the store
+ Decide your skating needs
o What type of skating will I want to do?
o What's most important to me?
+ Deciding on your price range
o The Crummy Skate Threshold
o Remember you'll also need safety gear
o Mail order versus local stores
o Some mail-order shops
+ Learn the terminology
o Wheel terms
# Diameter
# Maximum wheel size
# Durometer
# Rockering
o Bearings and ABEC ratings
o Braking systems
2. At the store
+ Bring the right socks
+ Ignore the sales hype
+ Trying on skates
+ Things to look for
o Liner fit
o Closure systems
o Shell design
o Wheels and other stuff
3. After you buy
+ Testing out your skates
4. Here's a checklist for you to print out to take to the store.
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Before You Go To The Store
Okay, so you've heard about "rollerblades", you've seen the ads,
you've watched rollerhockey on TV, you see skaters on the streets and
on the sidewalks, and now you want a piece of the action too. Where do
I go? What kind of skate should I buy? How much will it cost me?
What's the best skate out there?
While this guide doesn't pretend to be the final word on all skate
shopping issues, hopefully it'll help shed some light on those
questions and how to go about choosing the proper skates.
Shopping for in-line skates is much like shopping for a car. Your best
bet is to go armed with information and to know what each skate
feature means for you and your skating. Don't listen to the hype. Use
your brain. About 99.5% of the salespeople in stores I've come across
know less than I do about the skates they're selling. Many times I
pose as an uninformed shopper and ask the standard questions. Almost
always the answers are rehashed phrases from manufacturers' brochures.
They throw out buzzwords like "durometer", "ABEC", and "ABT" to sound
like they actually know something. Don't be thrown off. Just show them
a printout of this guide, and tell them Tony said they're full of
baloney.
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Decide Your Needs
If you go into the store without a clear goal in mind, you could
easily end up getting something you don't want. Salespeople love it
when you do this. It's like grocery shopping while you're hungry - you
tend to buy everything that looks appealing. So before you put a
single big toe inside the store, answer these two questions first:
1. _What type of skating will I want to do?_
You can do all sorts of things on skates: figure skating, hockey,
ramps, stair riding, hills (both up and down), speed skating,
commuting to work or classes, and on and on. The thing to decide
here is mainly between these types of skates: multi-purpose,
hockey, or speed.
_Multi-purpose skates_
Most of you will probably be looking at multi-purpose skates.
These are sometimes labeled by the manufacturers as
"cross-training/fitness" and "recreational". Translation: "costs
more" and "costs less", respectively.
Another type of multi-purpose skate that has become very popular
is the "aggressive" or "street" skates which are specifically
designed for grinds, railslides, and other common skating tricks.
These skates usually come with grind plates (plastic or metal
covers that go on the runners), smaller harder wheels, and rugged
shells.
Multi-purpose skates comprise the large majority of the inline
skating market. These skates are usually made of plastic with a
foam liner inside. Some have all laces, some all buckles, and some
have combinations of both. A typical example is the 1994
Rollerblade Macroblades Equipes (EQ):
RB Equipes image
_Hockey skates_
Hockey Inline Skates are usually made of stitched leather and/or
ballistic nylon, like those you see ice hockey players wear. Very
few, if any, use a foam liner (although of course many players use
recreational skates for hockey). Hockey skates will tend to be
great on the rink, but won't stand up as well to shocks and
abrasion from outdoor surfaces. Hockey skates will use laces, with
some models having an additional velcro strap at the ankle. Some
models also have toe or side plates to protect the leather when
you fall.
In the past, hockey skates were almost always slightly modified
recreational skates. Today, there are dozens of models by most of
the big names from ice hockey to choose from: Bauer, CCM, Koho,
etc. You'll see two kinds of models: production skates with both
boot and frame, and component skates.
The production models are typically revamped or modified
recreational skates, (i.e., plastic boot, foam liner, and plastic
frame). The component skates usually have a boot from one company
plus a frame by another manufacturer like Labeda or Sure-Grip. The
component hockey frames are usually made of some aluminium alloy
(like racing frames). Mounting the frames usually requires
riveting the frame to the sole of the boot. Most all the serious
hockey skates use the component approach.
An example of a hockey skate is the Bauer H6-comps:
Bauer H6-comps image
_Speedskates and 5-wheelers_
Speedskates are typically made of leather and come with a long
wheelbase to accommodate 5 wheels. Usually speedskates won't be
available in your local sports stores. You'll likely have to find
a shop specializing in skates (in which case, ignore my previous
remark about salespeople and baloney), to find speedskates on the
shelves.
_Component Skates_
Speedskates are cut low at the ankles. Most all are laces-only,
but some have one buckle at the ankle. If you're looking at racing
skates you might want to pick out your components separately. The
four main components you'll have to consider are the boots, frames
(runners), bearings, and wheels. An example of a boot and frame
are the Viking Marathon Special boots and the Mogema frames:
viking boot image mogema frame image
If you're looking at getting component skates, you'll find there's
a wide variety of boots and frames to choose from.
Racing frames are usually made of an aluminium alloy, although you
will find the more expensive frames made of fiberglass/carbon
fiber type materials too (mainly for lightness). There are
different types of aluminium alloy, denoted by a Series number.
_Al-Alloy Designation_ _Principal alloying element_ 1xxxnone
2xxxCu 3xxxMn 4xxxSi 5xxxMg 6xxxMg and Si 7xxxZn 8xxxother
In general the higher series have better strength characteristics
but may suffer from lower corrosion resistance. For more info, see
http://www.metalogic.be/MatWeb/reading/material/m_al.htm.
Racing frames tend to be made in three ways:
+ _Fabricated:_ A flat piece of metal is stamped out and then
folded to make the frame (cheapest)
+ _Extruded and Milled:_ the molten alloy is forced through a
die (mold) then milled to finish (moderately expensive)
+ _Machined:_ the frame is designed and cut by a computer from
a solid block of alloy, which gives the best precision and
tolerance (most expensive)
Most of the mid/high-end frames out there tend to be machined or
extruded. You may see the term "triple-extrusion". I'm not sure
what this means. Maybe they have some sort of 3-step process to
extrude the frame.
Boots also vary widely in material, but are usually made of some
type of leather. Most Bont boots, for example, are made of
kangaroo leather. Some boots will have a combination of leather
and carbon/graphite material for strength and weight-reduction.
Racing boots often are heat-moldable, so that you can warm them up
(like in an oven or with a heat gun) and then mold them to your
feet. This is a somewhat tedious process, but the results are well
worth it. Having a near-perfect fit to your feet helps conserve
energy and gives you a better feel of the road. Some boots are
only partially moldable, and some are fully moldable (usually the
more expensive models).
Buying components separately is typically the most expensive
approach (short of getting entirely custom skates) but also
provides the best fit for your skating needs. You get what you pay
for.
_Production 5-wheelers_
The other 5-wheel option is to buy pre-assembled 5-wheel
production skates which are generally considered more for
recreational speedskating and long-distance skating. These skates
have plastic boots with either metal or plastic runners. They will
be a lot heavier than component speedskates in almost every case.
Some are cut lower or higher depending on their intended usage.
For example, the Roces Paris (CDG) skates has a plastic vented
boot cut moderately low, laces, one buckle, and metal runners:
Roces CDG image
Technically, it's not the extra wheel that makes these skates go
faster, it's the extra length in the wheelbase. The longer
wheelbase makes the skates more stable at higher speeds. The
trade-off (there's always a trade-off) is that they're much less
maneuverable than 3 or 4 wheel skates. You may find some 4 wheel
skates that have their wheels spread a lot farther apart than
normal to achieve a longer wheelbase. I know of one K2
cross-trainer model that has long runners with axle holes designed
to let you use either 4 or 5 wheels. There is also a Bauer
cross-trainer skate that has the wheels spread far apart (but
without the extra axle holes).
2. _What's most important to me? (quality, speed, or price)_
Okay, now that you've chosen the type of skate to buy, the next
thing to do is to decide what's most important to you in a skate.
Let me quote the all-purpose law of consumer goods:
"Good, Fast, Cheap. Pick two."
For skates, "good" usually translates into "comfortable and
durable"; "fast" is usually "quality of construction and parts"
(which let you go faster). Basically you have to choose what's the
LEAST important to you. For most people that I've counseled in
skate shopping, the price usually turns out to be the least
important ("What?? Is he crazy? I only have $X to spend!" you say?
Read on.)
In general, the more money you put up front, the less it'll cost
you in the long run. But on ONE condition! This is assuming you
will be using your skates, and continue to skate for years to
come. If you're going to buy them, try them once, and throw them
in the closet, then go directly to Toys-R-Us or K-mart and buy the
$35 skates with bright neon green and purple colors. Do not pass
GO, and do not collect $200.
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[ Toys R Us | K-Mart ]
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Okay, since you're still reading this, you haven't gone off to
Toys-R-Us or K-mart, so I'll assume you're committed, or at least
committed to being committed, to skating.
So how does paying more up front save you more in the long run? If
you buy cheapo skates, your skating experience will suck. Plain
and simple. If you buy bad skates, then after a couple weeks of
aches and pain, you'll say "See, Tony I told you so. Good thing I
didn't spend more money." Wrong. Don't confuse cause and effect.
Like most things in life, the rule is GIGO: garbage in, garbage
out. You get out of it, what you put into it.
To put it another way, the better skate that you buy, the better
it fits. The better they fit, the less pain you endure. The less
pain you endure, the less blisters you'll get on your feet. The
less blisters you have, the less blood that oozes from them, and
the more you like skating. I said it'd cost you less, and it
will...in terms of pain, sweat, tears, blood, time, and bandage
money. Not only that, if you enjoy the skating, you'll want to go
out and skate even more. In turn, this means you'll learn to skate
better and get more for your money. Make sense? Good!
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Decide Your Price Range
_The Crummy Skate Threshold (CST)_
Now, in the previous section I made it seem like you should go out and
spend your life savings on the best skate you can find. Only if you
want to. As with most things, diminishing returns takes effect. $150
skates are definitely more than 5 times better than $30 skates. But
are $300 skates twice as good as $150 skates? Well, it depends. The
bottom line is to stay above what I call the Crummy Skate Threshold,
or CST for short.
In my experience, the CST is at around $110-120 (all dollar figures
are US$; adust for your standard of living and currency as needed).
Skates retailing under $110-120 usually aren't worth their money.
You'd be a whole lot better off putting that money towards a good pair
of $150-250 skates. Note that the CST applies to the brand-new price,
and not to used-skate prices. You may find good skates at clearance
sales or skates that have been used. If so, go for it. (See the
Shopping for Used Skates section for more details). As a general rule
though, stick with the CST.
_Safety Gear_
Make sure you factor in $40-$80 for protective gear when trying to
estimate your total cost. I would highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend
(I'd make it mandatory if I had the power) wrist guards ($15-17) and
knee pads ($17-20) for beginners. A helmet and elbow pads are also
highly recommended. An ANSI or Snell approved bike helmet works just
fine. If you have a really old helmet though, toss it and shell out
$40 for a nice new safer one. Once you're bleeding at the hands and
knees, it'll be too late to wish that you had spent that puny extra
$40 up front. Sounds like the bloody blister scenario? That's right.
_Mail Order vs. Local Stores_
If all this sounds like you have to spend your life savings again, let
me quote what Mr. Spock said to Scotty in the Galileo 7 episode of the
old Star Trek series, when their shuttle crashed on a planet and
Scotty exclaims that all is lost because most of their fuel was lost
in the landing:
_"Mr. Scott, there are always alternatives." _
Of course in the end through Star Trek magic, Scotty converted their
phasers' energy to shuttle fuel. Amazing. Wish they would show us how
to convert bullets to gasoline.
In your case, you don't have to find Scotty, but you can find a
mail-order shop. Mail-order can save you a substantial amount of money
without sacrificing quality. However, the trade-off is (there's that
"t"-word again) that you can't try on the skates or gear before you
buy. You might have to ship the skates back once or more, if things
aren't quite right or what you expected. And of course, you have to
wait for UPS or snail-mail (USPS), to ship it to your door.
One thing that will help is to try out the same skates at your local
store. This only works mainly if you're shopping for recreational
skates. Don't count on finding speedskates at most stores unless
you're lucky enough to have a dedicated skate shop around. Try on
skates to figure out the size that fits best, and then you can go
shopping for price. Note that sizing is NOT consistent between all
manufacturers, so be sure to compare apples with apples.
To some people this may seem like you're using the store for free.
However, if you feel like the service and convenience they give you is
worth the price they charge (it could be close to or even cheaper than
mail-order) then by all means buy them there. You won't have to pay
for shipping, you get to start skating immmediately, and your local
store gets some business. Prices in stores can often be lower or near
mail-order, so never count out the local stores.
If your budget is really tight, one thing you might try is to
negotiate the price with the salespeople. This probably only works in
non-chain stores, where they may actually be willing to bargain. If
they won't budge, maybe the store owner will. Tell them, "You know I
really like these skates, but $275 is a little high for me. I see them
listed for $240 in the catalogs but I'd love to do my business in town
with you instead. Do you think you could help me out here?"
Probably won't work many times, but you won't know if you don't ask!
The worst that can happen is that they say "Sorry, but we can't do
that." The best that could happen is that they match, or maybe meet
the price halfway. Better than nothing!
Having said all that however, let me just say that my own experiences
with ordering skates and other accessories through the mail have been
very satisfactory. And on the plus side, pretty much all the
salespeople at the mail-order shops know what they're talking about.
Store salespeople ARE improving though, so hopefully your shopping
experience will be good all around.
For a list of mail-order shops, look at part 3.2 of the FAQ
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Learn The Terminology
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All right, now we're on a roll, so to speak. You know what sort of
skate you're looking for, you know your target price range, and you're
ready to jump into that store and start trying on skates. Before you
do though, go through the following terms and get an idea of what each
means. Once you're beyond trying on skates for comfort and fit, you'll
want to compare the other features to see what's best for you.
(More in-depth wheel information is in part 4.)
_Wheel terms:_
_Diameter:_
If you'll recall from grade school math, the diameter is
the length across the widest part of a circle. Twice the
length of the radius, if you prefer. For wheels, this is
measured in millimeters (mm). Most production skates come
with 72 and 76mm, with some high end skates equipped with
80mm wheels (other sizes are available through
mail-order). The shorter the wheel, the more stable and
maneuverable your skates will be. However, they'll also
be slower. Conversely taller wheels will let you go
faster, but are less maneuverable.
_Maximum wheel size:_
Although maximum wheel size won't seem like a big deal
when you're just beginning, it will be important once you
become a proficient skater. Low-end skates generally come
stocked with 70 or 72mm wheels, while the higher-end
skates come with 76mm wheels. This is no accident. Most
skaters eventually want more speed, and taller wheels are
faster, all other things being equal. Some 76mm skates
will vary in their ability to take 80mm wheels too.
Smaller skate sizes might not have the option due to the
whole skate being smaller.
Not all skates can take larger wheels though. Most every
76mm skate will take up to 80 or 82mm (plenty large for
most people). 72mm skates are another story. Depending on
the runner and chassis design, some can take only up to
72.5mm wheels, while others can squeeze on 76mm ones.
Some people actually shave or grind down parts of their
skates so that they can fit larger wheels. In any case,
if you can afford it, I'd suggest going with skates that
can take at least 76mm wheels. You can always switch to
smaller wheels if you want.
_Durometer:_
Durometer has to do with the DURAbility of wheels. More
simply, it means how hard the wheel material is. The
industry (plastic industry I guess) "A" scale is used,
with 0 being softest, and 100 being hardest. (It's
rumored that Rush Limbaugh's skull is rated above 500A,
but like I said, it's just a rumor.)
Most wheels are 78A or 82A. 78A is considered on the
softer side. They don't last quite as long as 82A's, but
since they're softer, they absorb bumps better for a
smoother ride. That's the primary trade-off when you go
about selecting wheel hardness. For most stock skates,
you won't have a choice, since they almost all come in
78A. If you want or need harder wheels, you can buy a
harder set when your original wheels wear out.
For indoor surfaces, most skaters go with really hard
wheels, like 85A or higher. For real rough outdoor
terrain, you might want 74A. You can also mix your
durometers and have some wheels harder than others. This
let's you gain the advantages of both worlds somewhat, by
getting the better shock absorption of softer wheels,
while getting the durability of harder wheels.
_Rockering:_
Rockering sounds like something grandma does while
knitting sweaters, doesn't it? Well, for skates, it means
that you can adjust the heights of the axles (and
therefore the wheels also), to approximate an ice-skate
blade's profile. Those blades are usually curved upwards
at the front and back (hockey skates anyway). The
curvature allows for more maneuverability, but at the
cost of stability at higher speeds. Trade-off once again?
You bet. If you think you might want rockering sometime
in the future, get skates that let you adjust it. Most
all middle and high-end skates will let you rocker your
wheels.
_Bearings and ABEC ratings:_ (More in-depth information is in
part 4.)
The two bearings inside each wheel are where the turning
action takes place. Bearings come in various ratings,
based on the ABEC scale. This acronym is pronounced
"ay-beck", and it stands for the "Annual Bearing
Engineering Council" which sets the specifications for
the ratings.
The higher the ABEC number the more precise the bearing
has been made. The ratings you'll come across are ABEC-1,
ABEC-3, and ABEC-5. There are ABEC-7's being sold now
too, but you probably won't see those on any skates.
Although you might think that the more precise the
bearings the faster it will spin, but this is still
subject to some debate. After you skate outdoors long
enough, ABEC-5's will be indistinguishable from ABEC-1's.
It's more important to keep your bearings clean and
well-lubed, in the long run.
Also note that bearings do not always have the rating
number marked on the shields. Unfortunately, this makes
it hard to know the real rating and you end up having to
trust the manufacturer or salesdroid's word. More on this
later, when we get to store.
_Braking systems:_
Before 1994 the only thing you had to worry about with brakes was
learning to use them. Now, you have to decipher the SSHA, or Silly
Sales Hype Acronyms. Rollerblade has the ABT (Active Braking
Technology), Oxygen skates has the PBS (Power Brake System), Bauer has
the Force Multiplier, CCM has the Arrester Dual System, Roces has the
Tartaruga, Ultra-wheels has the DBS (Disc Brake System) and I'm sure
someone else will come up with yet another system.
What we REALLY need is an industry-standard for brakes, not everyone
trying to come up with the next better moustrap. Right now, every
single manufacturer has their own brake design. None are compatible
(without modifications) with any other manufacturer's skates. Even
Rollerblade's ABT and non-ABT brakes are incompatible.
In any case, Rollerblade's ABT is essentially a brake on a long screw,
running up the back of your skates. You can adjust the height of your
brake by turning the screw. It also means the brake can be activated
if you tilt lean back on your skate. An example is the Rollerblade
Bravoblade GL ABT skate:
RB Bravo GL w/ABT image
If you have an older skate and want ABT, there is now an add-on system
called GEM which does much the same thing:
GEM image
The Oxygen PBS doesn't allow you to adjust the brake height, but
instead it works like most brakes, with the added effect of pressing
the brake pad against the rear wheel when you brake.
PBS image
The Ultra Wheels DBS is a cylindrical brake oriented to roll in the
same direction as the wheels. Inside the brake is a disc-braking
system that provides extra braking power.
DBS drawing DBS picture
The Roces Tartaruga system is a spring-loaded device that clinches
brake pads on the two rear wheels (from the side) when you press down
in a certain way with your heel.
The bottom line is that these system are neither bad nor good. On the
plus side, they help beginners brake easier and some systems like the
ABT allow you to adjust the height of the brake pad, which is very
handy and can extend the life of the brake.
On the down side, the brake pads may be harder to find (ABT brakes
have been hard to find, last I heard). Also, for true expert
power-braking, these systems actually get in the way. (See part 2.1 of
the FAQ for braking techniques.) Learning to brake effectively under
various conditions still takes practice, not just spending money on a
fancy braking system. This is quadruply true for those add-on devices
like the Grip, which are hand-activated caliper-brakes.
One last thing to mention. Not all brakes are equal. In the past,
Bauer and Roces brakes have been notorious for poor durability.
Rollerblade brakes tend to last very well. This may or not be true any
more though. Ask other skaters that use Roces or Bauer skates. Things
may have improved recently.
Anecdote time: back in 1991 or 1992, my buddy Dave got some Bauer
skates from the rest of us for his birthday. Boy, was he happy. That
is, until he found out that Bauer brakes last about as long as a
snowflake at noon in the Sahara Desert. He went through one brake in
about 2 hours. Good thing for him, the rest of us were about ready to
order some wheels and he ordered 5 brakes. We get our stuff in a few
days and it turns out the catalog meant 5 SETS of brakes, meaning 10
brakes in all. Good thing too. He needed every one of them!
_________________________________________________________________
At The Store
_Ignore the hype_
All righty. Now you know what you're looking for, you know all the
nifty terms that go along with skates, and you're ready to head to the
stores and see what they have. Before you go though, bring two things:
athletic socks and a ruler with cm/mm markings (a ruler? you'll
understand why later on.)
Socks
Wear the socks that you'll be wearing to skate, when you try on
skates. I suggest getting double-layered anti-blister socks. However,
if you insist on the hole-ridden tube socks you've been wearing for
the past 5 years, that's your choice 8-) Make sure the socks are not
too short or thick. You want the socks to cover at least 4-5 inches or
more above your ankle bone (assuming you are trying on regular
production skates, and not speedskates).
Some people do actually skate barefooted, but that's a personal
preference. It may cause more chaffing though without socks.
Personally, I think my skates smell enough when I *do* wear socks 8-)
but hey to each his/her own.
If you have problems with blisters, try polypropylene sock liners
under your other socks. These are very thin and hydrophobic (won't
absorb moisture from your sweat) which means they wick sweat towards
the outer layers of your socks. This keeps your feet dryer and less
prone to blistering. You might need thinner outer socks too, if you
find that the layers are bunching up in your skates.
Get ready
Okay, now you're in the store. Remember our strategy? That's right,
"Ignore the sales hype." If you've prepared ahead of time as I've told
you to, that should be a piece of cake. Ice cream cake. Chocolate-mint
ice cream cake even (I've always been partial to chocolate-mint).
_Trying on skates_
Okay, here's one part that the salesdroids are good for and good at.
Pick out a skate that is exactly at your target price (there might be
several models) and ask to try on one or all of them (if you want to
be really thorough). You might find that your skate size will not be
exactly your shoe size. Usually skates run a tad large meaning you'll
have a smaller skate size than your shoe size.
Try on skates a half-size larger and a half-size smaller than your
normal shoe size to see the difference. Some manufacturers are better
than other at providing skates for different shaped and sized feet.
Rollerblade skates, for example, have tended not to be designed that
well for wide feet. Bauer and Roces have done better in this regard.
Also, for those of you who are just as confused as I am about
Rollerblade's MondoPoint sizing system, here is a scan of their sizing
chart that shows the U.S. men's and women's sizes versus MP: [LINK]
After you've got the skates on, wiggle your toes. You'll want to press
your ankles back against the heel of the skate, while you wiggle. If
your toes are crammed against the front of the skates, they're too
tight. If your foot can jiggle around inside the skates while you hold
your foot up (like a clapper in a bell), then they're too large. You
want a snug fit -- as snug as possible without hurting.
Okay, the skates are on and snug, so now stand up (slowly!) and put
your weight on each foot and see how it feels. Wiggle your toes some
more if you want. Remember that most people have asymmetrical feet. If
one foot feels less comfortable than the other, you might ask to try
on a skate of a different size for that foot. Most stores probably
won't let you buy skates sized different for both feet, but you can at
least try to minimize the discomfort for both feet combined.
Walk around in the store for a couple minutes (hopefully it's
carpeted) and let the liners conform to your feet a little bit.
Re-tighten the skates and make sure they're still snug.
Now, the comparisons. Ask to try on two other skates, one in the price
bracket below your target skate and one above. This is so you'll see
exactly how different quality liners, boots, and buckles feel. In
other words, you get to see what your money can buy you.
For those of you buying for kids (or if you ARE a kid...physically,
not mentally), you'll know that kids' feet grow almost faster than the
U.S. budget deficit. In this case, you might want to look for skates
that will take multiple liner sizes, so that you can just buy larger
liners instead of having to buy an entirely new skate each time. I
haven't personally investigated this (since I started to skate after
my foot size was stable) but the Roces STL Jr. model takes 4 different
liner sizes. Most other (adult) skates shells come in full sizes, with
liners coming in half sizes.
See the Kids/Small Skate reviews and FAQ in section 3.3 for more
details.
Things To Look For
_The liners are most important!_
Your first criteria should be the liner quality and fit. If your
skates aren't comfy, the rest of the gadgets won't mean diddly. You
get better liners in more expensive skates, naturally.
Nowadays, with soft-shell skates like K2's on the market, there is
even more reason to compare all the different types of liners out
there. Take your time in deciding which fits you best. Remember,
you'll be punished or rewarded accordingly each time you skate
thereafter, so don't make any hasty decisions.
_Closure systems_
Once you've found good fitting skates, decide on whether you want
laces, buckles, or both. If you want convenience, an all-buckle setup
is for you. Buckles are nice in that you can adjust them while you're
skating, and they're very fast to put on and to take off. Buckles also
don't break as often as laces do. The one trade-off is that buckles
don't give quite as good an all-around tightness as laces do. For most
people, that trade-off is a very worthwhile one, but everyone has
their own preferences.
Beware of bad buckle design, however. Even the K-mart toy skates have
3 buckles these days. Part of the buckle quality will depending on the
construction and design quality of the shell (the plastic boot). If
the shell is flimsy or poorly made, the buckles won't align very well.
There are also various types of buckles. Some are ratchet-style, with
notches in the pull-through starp. Some are ski-boot style with the
metal T-bar that hooks into round notches on the shell. Try on
different types and see how you like each one.
Many skates compromise and have both laces and an ankle buckle for
added support. This approach usually works pretty well.
_Shell design_
You'll find many types of shell these days. The most notable
difference will be vents. Some have them, some don't. The Rollerblade
Aeroblade was the first to sport this feature. It works quite well to
cool your feet and also makes the skate lighter. What's the trade-off,
you ask? (I've taught you well, haven't I?) You trade cooling and
weight-reduction for strength and durability of the shell.
Normally, this isn't an issue. But for you thrasher types, who like to
pound on your skates, vents make the skates a little less sturdy than
their non-vented brethren. The non-vented classic Rollerblade
Lightnings are about the most indestructible skates around. This isn't
to say vented skates aren't sturdy, but it's that they're LESS sturdy,
relative to non-vented skates.
If you're in the market for street/vert skates, this probably won't be
an issue. Most street skates are designed to take the pounding of rail
slides, jumps, and the like.
_Wheels and other stuff_
Having compared liners, buckles, laces, and shells, you can now start
paying attention to the more subtle features, like rockering ability,
replacement parts availability, and maximum wheel size that the
runners can fit.
_Rockering_
Rockering is nice if you skate in a wide variety of situations.
For hockey or slaloming through cones, many people like to
rocker their skates for that added maneuverability. Then when
they switch to hills or long-distance skating, they can put the
wheels flat again.
_Replacement parts_
Although replacement parts is another one of those plan-ahead
type things (like max wheel size), it can turn out to be a big
one. Finding replacement parts, namely for brakes and sometimes
axles or spacers, is not always trivial. Rollerblade, being in
the market first, has it's distribution set up fairly wide so
you can pretty much find RB brakes at any store that also sells
RB skates (which is a lot of 'em). Bauer parts are also pretty
widely available.
With other brands, you won't always be so lucky. However, this
has improved greatly in the past year or so. Big city sports
stores are most likely to carry more brands. Even with
Rollerblade though, there are occasional brake shortages. I now
stockpile half a dozen brakes all the time so I don't ever have
to worry about it and I can carry a spare brake in my fanny
pack all the time.
So I should only buy a Rollerblade or Bauer skate then, you
say? Nah. Mail-order to the rescue again. You can find pretty
much any brand brake through catalogs. However, note that
brakes aren't discounted much (if at all) through most
catalogs, and once you factor in shipping and handling, you'll
most likely want to order brakes along with other equipment to
help defray the extra cost. Might as well as order more brakes
at a time too (4 or more should be plenty). Also, remember what
I said about brakes and braking systems previously.
Brakes are a good thing by the way. They only cost $4 or so,
while wheels will cost you anywhere from $3 to $7 PER WHEEL.
Sure, you got fancy-pants skaters out there doing their macho
T-stops and power-slides, but at 8 times $3-$7 dollars...that's
anywhere from $24 to $56 folks! Okay, so you only do T-stops
with one skate, that's still $12 to $28, and you want to save
your wheels for rolling on anyway, right?. Economics alone
should convince you to at least learn to use the brake
properly. All those other stops are good to know, but build
your skills foundation from the bottom up. Learn to brake.
_Max wheel size_
Maximum wheel size, as I said before, will be important as you
get better at skating. For the most part, unless you're stuck
with really small skates (i.e., your feet are really small),
then try to get a skate that will take at least up to 76mm
wheels. Don't believe the spec sheets 100% though. The
officially stated max wheel sizes are sometimes just the wheel
size that all of the skate sizes for that model can fit. Your
particular size might be large enough that if you actually
tried larger wheels they'd fit.
The easy way to tell the *real* max wheel size: bring along a
tape measure or ruler (one with centimeter and millimeter
markings, unless you're a total whiz at converting English
units to cgs in your head). If you want to see if a skate will
take 76mm wheels, jam your ruler in there, with the 38mm mark
at the axle center. If the 0mm mark doesn't rub against the
frame, you're halfway there.
You also want to measure the distance between axles. Can't have
the wheels rubbing against each other, can we? Make sure the
distance between adjoining axle centers is 76mm plus a couple
mm (so approximately 78mm or more). If that holds, then you
know the skates can take 76mm wheels. You can try the same
thing for 80mm wheels.
_Wheels and Bearings_
The wheels and bearings you should leave as the last detail to
consider, since they'll wear out and you can buy your ideal
wheels and bearings after that. Of course, if two skates are
pretty much equal in all other aspects (including price), go
for the one with better wheels and bearings. For pure
beginners, this may or may not be a good idea.
Many beginners tend to be better off with *slower* wheels and
bearings. This gives them time to learn how to skate without
having their skates shoot out from under them everytime.. By
the time beginners skate enough to wear out one set of wheels,
they should be proficient enough to move up to better bearings
and wheels.
Bearings will usually last longer than wheels, especially with
proper care, so when comparing skates, first consider the
bearing quality, then the wheel quality. ABEC-1's are standard
on most all skates (except maybe kid's skates), and ABEC-3's
are very common amongst the high-end skates. Some even sport
ABEC-5's now, so check up on it.
If you're about to pick between a couple skates, do one final
check on the skates. Ask to spot check several wheels on each
skate to make sure the bearings are rated with the proper
rating. Manufacturers often mix up different brands of bearings
in their skates (since they use so many), and every now and
then you'll find they used bearings that were rated lower than
what they should be. This may or not have been any honest
mistake, but you want to know *before* you leave the store,
that you're getting what you're paying for. If you find the
bearings are indeed incorrect, ask to have them replaced with
the properly rated bearings.
_________________________________________________________________
After you buy
Okay, so you finally did it. You tried on all sorts of skates, you saw
how the various models differed, you chose your skate, picked a nice
color-scheme, pulled out your plastic and made the salespeople happy.
Time to go out and skate down Mt. Everest, right? You want to hit the
road and skate the Athens-to-Atlanta race, right? Not so fast.
_Testing out your skates_
Before you go out and go skate-crazy, unpack all the stuff that you
bought in a nice orderly fashion (otherwise you can't return it if you
need to). Put everything on slowly and snugly, and walk around on your
carpet. Make sure everything fits like it's supposed to and feels
comfortable. Now take your gear off and visually inspect your skates.
Make sure there's nothing loose that isn't supposed to be. Make sure
everything moves that's supposed to. If not, go right back to the
store and exchange them.
Let's say everything looks good so far, and you finally go outside to
try them out. Since you're a beginner, I'd highly recommend that you
go with an advanced skater (or at least someone who has skated more
than you have). The ideal place is a flat, empty parking lot with no
traffic (car or otherwise), smooth pavement, and grass surrounding the
edges.
Okay, congratulations! You're now ready to join the millions of the
other people who have learned to enjoy inline skating! For more
information on general techniques, see part 2.1 of the FAQ.
_________________________________________________________________
Buying Guide Checklist
This is a checklist you can print out from your web browser to make
sure you cover all the bases before, during and after the store. I'd
suggest using a graphical browser so that you can make use of the
nifty checkboxes. (If you only have Lynx, you can download Netscape or
Mosaic onto your computer). Download this section to your hard drive.
Open the copy on your hard drive with the browser, and from there you
can print it out with all nice graphical formatting.
Before you go to the store
*
Deciding on your skating needs
+ What type of skating will I want to do?
___Multi-purpose
___Hockey
___Speed
+ What's most important to me?
___Price
___Fit and comfort
*
Deciding on your price range
+ The Crummy Skate Threshold
___< $110, less than the CST
___$110-120, around the CST
___$130-190, middle range
___$200+, high-end skates
+ Remember you'll also need safety gear
___Wrist guards
___Knee pads
___Helmet
___Elbox pads
+ Mail order versus local stores
Does the local shop have:
___Good selection? (more than one brand, and multiple models)
___Accessories (brakes, wheels, bearings, safety gear, etc.)
___Knowledgable salespeople?
___Competitive prices?
*
Learn the terminology
+ Wheel terms
___Diameter
___Maximum wheel size
___Durometer
___Rockering
+ ___Bearings and ABEC ratings
+ ___Braking systems
At the store
___Bring the right socks
___Ignore the sales hype
Trying on skates
*
Things to look for
+ Liner fit
___Smaller than shoe size
___Same as shoe size
___Larger than shoe size
+ Closure systems
___Buckles only
___Laces only
___Buckles and laces
+ Shell design
___Sturdy?
___Vented?
*
Wheels and bearings:
___Diameter: _______ mm
___Durometer: 76A 78A 82A
___Max wheel size: _______ mm
___Rockering: yes no
___Bearing rating: ABEC-1 ABEC-3 ABEC-5
___Lubricant: Greased Oiled
After you buy
___Test out your skates on carpet
___Make sure nothing is broken
_________________________________________________________________
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Buying Guide
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_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Copyright 1991-1996 Anthony D. Chen (adchen@skatefaq.com)
User Contributions:Part1 - Part2 - Part3 - Part4 - Part5 - Part6 - Part7 - Part8 - Part9 - Part10 - Part11 - Part12 - Part13 - Part14 - Part15 - Part16 - Part17 - Part18 - Part19 - Part20 [ Usenet FAQs | Web FAQs | Documents | RFC Index ] Send corrections/additions to the FAQ Maintainer: adchen@garnet.acns.fsu.edu (Tony Chen)
Last Update March 27 2014 @ 02:12 PM
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