Inline Skates

K2 and Rollerblade have roughly comparable adult inline skates. We saw some reviews for mid-priced skates from both brands. InlinePlanet.com covers the K2 Celena (*est. $200), a women's skate. The men's version is the K2 Moto 90 (*est. $200) , which also gets a write-up in an article at The Wall Street Journal. Both sources note that the Celena and Moto inline skates are fast -- so they might not be the best choice for beginners, who can find themselves going too quickly. The review at InlinePlanet.com says these skates are "plush" and comfortable, with a nicely padded ankle cuff and great shock absorption over rough terrain. The Celena/Moto inline skates come with 90mm wheels and a lacing system that's easy to adjust. While testers at The Wall Street Journal found them very easy to tighten quickly, they were harder to loosen.

The women's K2 Celena comes in a white and pink breast cancer awareness color scheme. The men's K2 Moto 90 comes in mainly black with splashes of red. We didn't find any complaints about fit, and sizing appears to run true.

We also found a critical review for the K2 Alexis (*est. $160) , a less expensive women's skate. While Alexis has many of the same features of the Celena, one big difference is the Hi-Lo aluminum frame which allows for two 80mm wheels and two 84mm wheels. This is purely a matter of preference and they can easily be changed to wheels of the same size. Favorite overall K2 brand features include superior fit and comfort even though they tend to run a bit narrow (according to testers at InlinePlanet.com). These skates are meant for casual skaters, with an easy lacing system and memory foam padding for comfort. They aren't as fast as the K2 Celena.

Rollerblade makes comparable inline skates. For novices, the Rollerblade Wing 50 for women (*est. $130) , and Rollerblade Astro 50 for men (*est. $130) are reviewed. These are recreational skates that are easy to use and enjoy. Experts like the washable liners and good balance of these skates. An adjustable brake lets you lower the brake pad as it wears, so you don't have to adjust your braking motion as the pad wears down. Reviewers say that these skates, which come with 80mm wheels, are adjusted to correct pronation – a problem that often affects novices, where your feet tend to roll in. The ride is smooth. These inline skates aren't fast, but they aren't meant to be. The women's version is gray with touches of lavender. The men's version is black and gray, with a bit of red.

The Rollerblade Activa II 4D for women (*est. $230) and the Crossfire II 4D (*est. $230) for men have an unusual lacing system. Rather than traditional laces, they use a filament lace that ratchets tight. Twisting a button lets you tighten and loosen them. Reviewers say the system works well and is easy to use, but we did find a report that the filament snapped. The review at InlinePlanet.com notes the good ankle support and stability with 90mm wheels. However, editors note these skates are on the heavy side, so they aren't fast (which is fine for beginners). The review at The Wall Street Journal notes that the Activa II 4D and Crossfire 4D inline skates ride smoothly and are easy to maneuver.

The Rollerblade Activa II 4D and Crossfire II 4D have an adjustable frame, which means you can adjust the balance of the skate on the wheels for the best comfort. The similar Activa II 90 (*est. $200) and Crossfire II 90 (*est. $200) skip the adjustable frame, but still have the ratchet lacing system. Most reviewers found the Rollerblade skates to be very comfortable, with great support and padding, though one female tester with wide feet didn’t find them as comfortable.

You can find some slightly cheaper inline skates at Wal-Mart and discount stores with brand names such as Bladerunner and Roller Derby, but we didn't see these skates tested in reviews, so we can't determine how they compare against the class-leading K2 and Rollerblade skates.

Inline skates for kids

Rollerblade and K2 both make youth skates, but we did not find reviews for these skates, such as the K2 Marlee for girls (*est. $60) and Raider for boys (*est. $60). These skates are both adjustable up to four sizes, so you can adjust the fit as your child grows. Both have 70mm wheels. We found only a handful of user reviews for these skates, but comments are positive. These skates are sold in small, medium and large. The girl's version predictably comes in gray with pink. The boy's Raider skates come in black with red. With high quality construction, they will likely be easy to re-sell once your child finally outgrows them.

For the youngest skaters, Fisher Price makes My First Skates (*est. $40) for girls and boys. The wheels on these skates don't have a narrow edge; rather, they are more like rollers. The rear wheels are wide set -- like training wheels. The boot splits in the middle so the size can be adjusted. One nice feature is that these skates can be locked so that they can't roll backwards. The girl's version has a Barbie design, while the boy's version comes in red.

Important Features: Inline skates

Here's what the experts say about buying inline skates. All of the models in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers meet these criteria.

• In most cases, the more you pay the better quality skate you'll get. A skate that's likely to provide the fit, responsiveness and shock absorption you need will usually cost about $200. Advanced skaters should expect to pay more for models with more features and better wheels and bearings.

• When it comes to boots -- both the shell and the liner -- the most important thing is comfort. The boot should fit snugly on your foot and lower ankles, and allow you to flex forward for balance. Make sure the liner insole is separate from the shell and thick enough to cushion your foot. As for the shell (the hard outer surface of the boot), you'll get a better fit if the shell changes for each skate size (less expensive models have the same shell for all sizes). Beginners should use a shell that extends several inches above the ankle, which offers more support. Vents in the shell help cool your feet, but are a little less durable; this is only an issue if you're really tough on your skates. Although laces provide a better fit, buckle closures are okay if they retain their setting after you've taken the skates off.

• The larger the wheels, the faster the roll, but smaller wheels are more stable and easier to maneuver. Most skates come with wheel sizes of 80mm to 90mm. Harder wheels last longer and are faster on smooth, hard surfaces, while softer wheels absorb shock better and are better at gripping rougher surfaces. Beginners should purchase skates with softer wheels; 78a (durometers) and 80a are most common. 82a is good for varied terrains, while experienced or indoor skaters often use wheels with a hardness of 85a.

• A skate's bearings determine how smoothly the wheels spin. Experts recommend models with an ABEC (Annular Bearing Engineer Council) rating. While a higher rating means greater precision (and a higher price), it's not necessary if you're only interested in recreational/fitness skating.

• Skates made specifically for women have a lower cuff and narrower framework, but women with wide feet may prefer a men's model.

• Wear safety gear when skating, including wrist guards, elbow and kneepads, and a helmet.

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

# of Picks	Model (with retailer links)	Details from Amazon.com
2	K2 T:Nine Celena (women’s) (*est. $200) , Moto 90 (men’s) (*est. $200)	-
1 each	Fisher Price My First Skates , K2 Marlee , Roller Derby GTS 200 , Rollerblade Micro TFS , K2 Alexis , Rollerblade Wing 50, Rollerblade Crossfire 90 , Rollerblade Activa II , Rollerblade Activa 4.0 , Rollerblade Crossfire 4.0

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.

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