Inline Skate Review

Evaluating reviews of inline skates

From a high point about ten years ago, interest in inline skating has been on a steep decline, which partly explains the difficulty finding credible reviews for the latest skates. According to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal by Anjali Athavaley, manufacturers are now trying to attract people back to inline skating with new, more sophisticated and more comfortable skates.

None of these skates are inexpensive. Back in the 1990's you could find basic inline skates for $75 or $100, but due to declining interest in skating, along with a lack of competition among companies manufacturing inline skates, you won't find much out there for less than about $150. This makes it tough if you're new to inline skating and not sure whether you'll like it or not. If you're not sure you'll stick with it, one option is to rent skates at a rink or skate center a few times before sinking money into a new pair of skates.

If you tried inline skating in the past and gave up on it, you'll be pleased to learn that the skates are more comfortable now, with bigger wheels to roll better over rough terrain, and more padding (including memory foam) to minimize blisters.

The best reviews for modern inline skates can be found at InlinePlanet.com. A handful of new skates are tested by professionals and enthusiasts. Comments on fit, adjustability and the skating experience are included. Although inline skates aren't rated or ranked, editors include comments about what type of person would do best with these skates, including comments on fit and sizing. We found a short but helpful article in The Wall Street Journal on inline skates. No ratings or recommendations are included, but each skate was taken for a test drive.

There are a few websites out there with user-written inline skate reviews, such as RateItAll.com, Toxboe.net and LondonSkaters.com. However, these sites primarily feature reviews for outdated skates that are no longer in production. We did find a handful of current user reviews at Amazon.com.

Because of the lack of coverage in this area, the inline skates we've chosen for ConsumerSearch Fast Answers are included based on the available research, which is by no means comprehensive, and doesn't include some possibly good skates from Rollerblade and K2, the two remaining manufacturers. So in this case, ConsumerSearch Fast Answers represents the best inline skates to try first.

This report covers recreational and fitness inline skates. We did not find reviews on specialized speed skates or hockey skates. Hockey skates and speed skates don't come with brakes at all, so they aren't suitable for beginners or recreational use, where you'll need to stop and slow down to avoid pedestrians and traffic.

Recreational and fitness skates, also known as cross-training skates, aim to strike a balance between comfort and maneuverability. They usually have four wheels, a built-in braking system and a medium-length frame built for general mobility, comfort and support. More expensive brands advertised as pure fitness skates are built with lighter, more durable materials than recreational skates.

Fitness and recreational inline skates generally have larger wheels of 84mm to 90mm. The larger wheels help act as shock absorbers over rough sidewalks for a more comfortable ride. Larger wheels can make the whole skate heavier and slower, but experts say beginners don't necessarily want to go fast because you can quickly go "too fast," and find yourself out of your comfort zone. Some skates allow you to swap out the wheels for a different size. Smaller wheels are sometimes considered more maneuverable.