Roller Skates

Quad Roller Skates are considered to be one of the most inovative ways to skate on dry surface. Riedell is world known skate manufacturer with millions of dollars invested into making great quality products for quad roller skate industry. Sure-Grip is a US based Quad Roller Skate company with years of experience making the highest quality skates on the market. Roller Derby excels at making some of the best kid roller skates fashionable and inexpensive.

Inline skates and Quad-skates has fifteen categories of elaborately coached as well as warrantied inline skates and quad-skates where each category has been further sub divided into detailed products in order to help you to perfect the art of ice skating and to get just the right equipment that would befit all your requirements. All the inline skates and quad-skates and accessories are available in numerous sizes, colors and interesting elements to choose from, these accessories also comprise of a variation of quad frames to enhance your ice and figure skating experience. The inline skates and quad-skates collection is a comprehensive range of portable sports accessories that are specially designed for amateurs as well as professional athletes. The products in this collection are a must have for every ice skater and is a varied compilation to bring forth a unique curation of sports equipment for figure skaters who really value the concept of organisation and who also and wish to honor their inner style diva. You have the option of choosing from the numerous accessories that offer a wide range of sustainable utility based skates that are light in weight, come in different colors and have additional parts that can be assembled to compliment your skates can be carried separately in your sports bag.

These soaked are creatively assembled in order for you to be able skate on a dry surface or on ice. The skates are manufactured by well-known designers who have years of training and that are invested in making sure of bringing forth a quality product, that are both suitable for adults as well as children and are inexpensive. The quad bearings with steel races and retainers are intelligently engineered to increase the span of your quad bearings, providing you with a much faster and smoother ice skating experience. They have synthetic lubricants and assure nothing less than gold or silver rated quad bearings. The top of the line quad wheels made of urethane function magnificently with good quality metal hubs ensuring speed, wheel flex, a good grip and durability. The quad frames are available in different designs ranging from plastic aluminium to aircraft grade aluminium. The skate boots are made of high grade leather on the exterior part and consist of soft neoprene on the inside, with stiff counters to enable tighter loops and faster spins. The Rock skates and jam skates ensure excellent grip, vibrant colors with a nylon plate. They have twister quad wheels, high grade bearings, Carrera speed toe stops built especially for recreational skating. The outdoor boots are super-duper comfortable and consist of duo uncle speed stripe with double action trucks that are very light in weight. The quad wheels provide features like volt indoor speed and speed bearings. All the inline and quad blades are easily affordable and are light in weight feature all the qualities that high grade blades possess and are also available in colors of your choice, different sizes and styles to suit your requirements. The highly revered Derby skates are an inspiration for ice skaters as they are well equipped to.

Roller Skates

Features, Advantages and types

Roller skating is one of the activities that is beyond time and fashion. The never fading passion that people have for roller skating, both as a hobby and professional sport, accounts for a variety of roller skating activities, such as speed, downhill, freestyle, jam, artistic, slalom, derby and recreational roller skating that are practiced all over the world. In spite of a significant size and versatility of the skating equipment market there are two main types of roller skates that are widely available: inline skates and quad-skates.

Quad-skates are boots fixed to a metal plate with two pairs of rubber wheels mounted in a shape of a square. In contrast to inline skates (where the wheels are mounted in one line), the quad-skates allow for a greater balance and controllability which makes them especially attractive for the beginner level skaters and children. Quad-skates are equipped with a toe break on each skate which allows the skater to stop by shifting the body weight forward allowing the break to scrape the ground.

Quad-skates are a perfect choice for those who are:

New to skating

Particularly concerned with safety and balance (e.g. young children)

Interested in achieving better maneuverability and control (e.g. for indoor skating, artistic dancing)

Interested in specific sports activities (e.g. jam skating, roller derby)

If you decide that quad-skates are perfect for your skating practices you will find that there are further choices to make. There are quad-skates of different brands, models, designs and colors on the market.

When choosing quad-skates it is important to define where and how they are going to be used. All quad-skates are made with virtually the same structural elements: boots, wheels, plates, bearings and toe stops. However, the design and material of these elements varies in accordance with the intended purpose of the roller skates, such as:

Outdoor quad-skates

Indoor quad-skates

Artistic quad-skates

Speed quad-skates

Jam quad-skates

Derby quad-skates

Recreational quad-skates

All types of skates are specially designed to improve the skater’s performance in a particular skating activity. If we compare the speed skates with artistic skates we will see that the design of the former is mainly aimed at increasing of speed whereas the latter is focused on improvement of maneuverability.

The speed quad-skates are made of extra light materials allowing for greater velocity, they usually feature low-cut boots with thermo-formable padding for perfect comfort and are equipped with special-purpose speed wheels and bearings intended for fast and smooth rolling. Whereas, the artistic quad-skates come with high-cut boots, strong plates made of reinforced material allowing for impacts from jumps and soft wheels with smaller bearings to ensure wider movement range and higher responsiveness.

Apart from other types there is a whole professional line of derby quad-skates that are specially designed for roller derby players. Roller derby is a relatively new kind of team sport played by two teams of 5 players all wearing quad-skates. The popularity of roller derby has grown to the point that it is now battling to be included into the 2020 Olympics. With the growing amount of roller derby fans the demand for derby quad-skates is also rising quickly. Derby quad-skates feature innovative design, reinforced toe boxes for more durability, hi-tech materials for extra lightness and perfect fit.

If your skating plans do not go beyond an occasional trip to a roller skating rink recreational quad-skates are the perfect choice for you. Recreational quad-skates are normally stylish, comfy and affordable. They are really practical for those whose primary concern is to have fun and do a little exercise. Buy your own recreational quad-skates and you will soon appreciate all the benefits of skating in your own skates instead of using the rental ones.

You can check out all the main types of quad-skates at FigureSkatingStore.com right now. We offer a big range of quad-skates by the leading manufacturers: Riedell, Sure-Grip, GTX, MOXI, QuadLine and others.

If you have any questions regarding quad-skates, please, don’t hesitate to contact us at 818-785-2002 or at orders@figureskatingstore.com.

Rolling through ups and downs. How to choose your skates

When you come to a skating shop for the first time you might find yourself perplexed at a broad spectrum of roller skates you find there. The lack of general information on types and properties of roller skates might take you aback at first making your choice difficult. The following overview is intended to help you better understand the offer on the roller skating market, including types, standard structure, main features and uses of roller skates.

Roller skating is a truly versatile kind of activity comprising various recreational and professional sports applications. Both type and functionality of your roller skates will depend on their intended use. If you are not sure which kind of skating you would like to practice, surf the net, watch some videos or go to a skating park to get the idea. The following list will help you to make the decision:

Types of skating Activities

Recreational/casual skating – skating for fun and quick transportation (inline skates, quad-skates, tri-skates or Cardiff roller skates);

Fitness skating – skating as a workout, burning calories (inline skates);

Inline speed skating – racing sport similar to ice speed skating (inline skates);

Freestyle slalom skating – artistic performance of a sequence of complicated skating tricks on a flat surface with specially placed cones (inline skates);

Aggressive skating – an extreme kind of sport involving performance of various masterful tricks including jumps, slides and acrobatic stunts in the air (inline skates);

Downhill – an extreme type of speed roller skating involving movement down inclined surfaces with the view to develop the highest speed possible (inline skates) ;

Artistic skating – a kind of sport similar to ice figure skating comprising a number of disciplines such as dancing, freestyle, pairs performance etc. (quad-skates, inline skates);

Roller hockey – a type of hockey played on a dry rink or other smooth surfaces (inline skates, quad-skates, depending on hockey type);

Roller derby – a team kind of sport with 5 players in each team comprising racing, bumping and elements of wrestling (quad-skates).

Structure of rollerskates

The extensive list of skating activities gives us an understanding of why such a big variety of features and performance characteristics exists when it comes to roller skates. Roller skates intended to be used for a certain activity are specifically designed for better performance in this particular field. There is a number of variables in the structure of roller skates that change according to their application.

Typically, all roller skates will have the following components: Boots (cuff, tongue, liner, ratchet buckle, straps, laces), frame, wheels, bearings and break. Let us see how specific parameters of roller skates will vary depending on their intended use.

Boots

Up to 1990 hard boots similar to skiing or hockey boots were the only option for roller skaters. These boots were made of hard plastic and featured a soft removable and washable insert. Gradually soft boots similar to sport shoes began to conquer the market. Nowadays soft roller skate boots generally prevail however hard boots are still widely used in roller skates that are designed for rough and high-impact activities such as roller hockey. The main advantages of soft boots are their lightness and comfortable feel, whereas the hard boots provide durability and good leg fixation. Hybrid designs of roller skating boots are also available in which soft boots are reinforced with a hard plastic cuff at the back and plastic plates at the front of a boot. According to their height the skating boots are classified into high-cut and low-cut boots. The high-cut boots are perfect for injury-risk activities, like roller hockey or downhill, as they protect your ankles and give you a greater sense of stability. The low-cut boot design is typically used for activities where speed is a must, such as, speed racing. The low cut roller skating boots also allow for higher maneuverability and consequently are good for dancing and recreational purposes. The biggest disadvantage of low-cut boots is their lower stability and protection level.

Wheels

The number of wheels on roller skates depends on their type. Quad-skates by definition will always have 4 wheels. In case of inline roller skates the number of wheels may vary from 4 to 6, the perfect number for the beginner being 4. The roller skates with 5 and more wheels are intended for speed racing allowing for greater speed development and maintenance. The speed capacity available to the skater will also depend on the wheel size. 72-28 mm. is the most common wheel size typically used for recreational and other types of roller skates. In general, when it comes to wheel size the bigger means faster, the smaller means more stable and maneuverable. Due to this reason aggressive roller skates will typically feature 55-67 mm. wheels and speed roller skates will be equipped with 78mm wheels and bigger. Apart from number and size the wheel hardness is an important parameter for roller skates performance. The wheels are typically made of polyurethane with different hardness values which are measured according to the A durometer scale. The prevailing wheel hardness is 78А to 82А. Harder wheels being more durable are recommended to be used by heavy-weight skaters and on smooth surfaces. Softer wheels are good for uneven surfaces as they allow for more controllability and have a capacity to absorb vibrations. Roller skate wheels will also vary according to their profiles. The elliptic profiles are used for speed racing in order to minimize contact with the ground. Flat profiles are used in aggressive skates for better grip.

Quad Bearings

Radial ball bearings are a hidden component of all roller skates that has significant influence on their performance. They are essentially two rings with a cage in between filled with precision balls which take the load and allow for smooth rolling of the wheels. Bearings are classified according to their size, materials, precision rating and protection system. When buying roller skates you should always make sure they are equipped with bearings made by a reputable manufacturer. Cheap bearings may seriously embitter the life of your roller skates in the future. One of the most important aspects in bearings is their protection from aggressive environment, such as dust, water and dampness. According to their protection type bearings are classified into shielded and sealed. Both types of bearings are protected against dust but only the sealed ones will feature water and corrosion resistance and do not require lubrication and other maintenance measures. Due to their excellent operational features the sealed bearings are more expensive than their shielded counterparts. The price will also depend on the material of bearings which may be manufactured of alloy steel, ceramics or titanium. Ceramic bearings demonstrate the best value for money featuring durability, hardness, excellent corrosion resistance and lower lubricant consumption.

Breaks

All types of roller skates are designed to have a breaking system. Quad-skates have a toe break on each boot while inline and tri-skates have a hill break on the back part of the right skate. Some skates do not feature a break on purpose. Thus aggressive skates typically come without breaks as it impedes the skaters to perform the tricks.

Ensuring perfect fit

Whatever type of skates you decide to buy, comfort and precise sizing should be the focus of your attention. It is advisable to search for the right skates for as long as it takes and never settle for anything but the perfect fit. We recommend wearing long skating socks when trying the roller skates on. It is important to have a few extra millimeters of toe space when pressing the hill to the back of the skate. Do not ever buy oversized roller skates. This will result in reduction of control, stability and general safety of the skater. In case of children it is advisable to buy adjustable skates that fit many sizes. Thus you will save money and time before you need to buy the next ones. Finally, when buying your roller skates for the first time, do not forget about your safety. Roller skating is a great exercise with little impact on your bones and joints, however due to the speed and maneuverability issues it is injury related. That is why we suggest you to buy a set of safety gear together with your first roller skates.

FigureSkatingStore.com offers roller skates of various types and parameters, as well as, their components and accessories. Here you can find quality roller skates from renowned manufacturers for reasonable prices. Check out our big product range and choose the skates for your purpose. If you need any consultancy on models or sizes of roller skates, please, contact us at 818-785-2002

ROLLING, ROLLING, ROLLING... A QUICK GUIDE TO ROLLER SKATES

Roller skating is a highly attractive kind of sport. Once you´ve seen a series of roller skating stunts, admired a graceful artistic skating performance or just enjoyed a view of fit and fast skaters at a local trail you are likely to be fascinated by roller skating and want to try it yourself. You may start with rental roller skates to get the feel of it. However, as soon as you appreciate that special feeling of speed and freedom that you get when rolling, you will want to buy your own roller skating gear. Buying you own roller skates will allow you to practice with more flexibility, get the perfect comfort for your feet and save on rental fees.

TYPES OF ROLLER SKATES: There are two main types of roller skates widely used for recreational purposes and professional sport: quad and inline roller skates.

The quad skates (or sometimes they are also referred to simply as “roller skates”) are the oldest type of roller skates the first prototype of which was patented by James Plimpton in 1863 in the US. It was with this type of skates that the everlasting interest for roller skating began first in the US and then all over the world. Nowadays the quad skates are made of boots mounted on metal frames with two double sets of wheels located in the front and in the back of each skate. The quad skates are usually associated with easy balance and controllability which make them suitable for novice skaters. These roller skates are typically used for recreational and artistic skating, as well as for such team sports as roller hockey and roller derby.

The inline skates were invented much later than the quads (in 1979) by Scott and Brennan Olson on the basis of hockey skates. They redesigned traditional back then roller skates by placing the four wheels in one line (from which the term “inline” stemmed) and mounting them on hard hockey boots. The inline skates have gained wide popularity very fast, presently surpassing the quad skates on the market. The design of inline skates has changed in many ways since their invention. However, the main characteristics giving them certain advantage over the quad skates are still the same: higher speed, ability to roll on uneven surfaces, a greater amount of sport applications. The list of inline skating activities includes but is not limited to fitness skating, slalom, aggressive skating, downhill, speed racing, artistic skating, roller hockey and others.

Apart from quad and inline skates there is another uncommon type of roller skates referred to as tri-skates or three-wheel skates. They may be designed as a sub-model of inline skates featuring high-cut boots with one wheel at in front and two wheels in the back of the frame. These skates are generally intended for young and beginning skaters. The two back wheels serve the same purpose as in case of bicycle training wheels, providing extra stability and balance. Often the design of tri-skates allows for wheels rearrangement to the inline position, when the learner gains enough confidence to ride without them.

There is one more unusual type of roller skates which is now gaining popularity on the skating market: Cardiff Skates. They are bootless skates, designed as metal platforms with 4 wheels positioned in a diamond shape and straps for foot fixation. These skates are designed to be worn with your normal footwear and are automatically adjustable to fit your foot size. The Cardiff roller skates are intended for casual strolls and may be considered a convenient mean of transportation requiring a minimal storage space.

Now that we have learned what types of roller skates are available on the market it is high time to decide which one will suit your purpose. Ask yourself, what type of skating activity attracts you most and choose the skates accordingly. FigureSkatingStore.com offers a wide range of roller skates of every type for optimum prices. If you have any further questions regarding roller skates, our consultants will provide you with all the necessary information at 818-785-2002 or at orders@figureskatingstore.com.