Inline Skates Reviews

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.

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.  ... Continued

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We found very few professional reviews for modern inline skates, but K2 and Rollerblade, the last two major competing brands, get the most coverage. The K2 T:Nine Celena for women and Moto 90 are noted as good all-around fitness skates, with a comfortable and stable boot and cuff and 90mm wheels. The large wheels mean they can be fast, so they might be too fast for beginners. Novices should consider models with smaller wheels, such as the Rollerblade Wing 50 for women and Astro 50 for men.