No doubt, roller skating is one of the most exciting sports around the world. It brings so much fun, and apart from that, its healthy benefits are unparalleled. What even makes it more exciting is the fact that any age can learn it, whether it’s inline skating or roller skating.
Whether you are new to roller skating or just coming back from retirement, the chances are that you might get confused on which type of skate to purchase due to the availability of many out there. To be honest, choosing a pair of skating boots is one of the most difficult decisions as far as skating is concerned. You will have to wrestle with your mind on different choices to make and hope that you make the right one. You hope to get the most suitable one and avoid mistakes. However, you need not to worry because this post is for you. We shall compare inline hockey skates Vs. rollerblades and trust us to always recommend at the end of the article.
Different Types of Roller Skates
As we previously mentioned, there are numerous types of skates in the market. The superior ones and the inferior ones; the costlier ones and the cheap ones; you name it. That aside, there are three types of roller skates – quad skates, inline skates or speed skates, and rollerblades. Each of this type of skates are designed differently and dependent on how and where you want to skate. They vary in skill level and experience. We shall explain these three in details.
Quad Skates
If you ask me, I would say that quad skates are the most popular, traditional skates. Nearly all skaters have once skated with a quad skate. The reason is simple, quad skates provide stability and balance, which are two fundamental qualities every beginner need when learning to roller skate.
A quad skate has two axles – one in front and the other behind, similar to that of a car or an SUV. Each axle contains two wheels on it – one on the left and the other on the right. Now, each wheel has two bearings inside of it. The wheel is fastened to the roller skate via an axle nut. This axle nut is significantly responsible for speed. If it’s tightened too much, you won’t be able to skate at an optimal speed. If its loose, you may lose balance and control of your skate, but you will skate at a much improved speed.
Quad skates are divided into two categories – it can come as a high-cut skate boot or low-cut skate boot.
High-top or high-cut roller skates are skating boots that have higher cut than other shoes. This type of skate extends above the ankle and is loved by most new skaters because it offers more stability and additional protection to the ankle. The extra padding also add to the stability of the skate and additionally protect the ankle.
Thanks to the higher cut, you are sure of keeping your feet warm during winter or cold weather. However, this can be disadvantageous in warmer periods.
Low-top roller skate doesn’t extend above the ankle level. This type of skate is low-cut and is loved by experienced skaters who want to have fun while skating. They offer more speed and is lightweight, due to the loss of extra padding around the ankle area.
And yes, low-top roller skate are known for speed. Hence, are sometimes called speed boots. They are popular because they allow the ankle to move about more freely.
Also, they offer more breathability than high-top roller skate because they are low-cut. This means that the boot won’t be so hot on your foot.
Rollerblades
Rollerblades are designed differently from quad skates. Instead of possessing two axles, rollerblades just have a single axle along the length of the skate. This axle can contain between 3 – 5, depending on the length of the axle. These wheels slide into a skate plate and are secured tightly with a long axle nut. Rollerblades have their brakes on the back of the right skate, unlike quad skates that have their brakes on the front of the right skate.
Sometimes, rollerblades are intertwined with inline skates, and that’s because they share similar construction and design. However, inline skates are different.
Inline Skates
Inline skates have adopted many names since its inception. It’s sometimes, called speed skates, inline speed skates, etc. Sometimes, the name is used interchangeably with rollerblading, and this sparks confusion. However, they shouldn’t be used in the same context.
Inline skating is the proper name for the sport and not rollerblading. Rollerblading coined its name from Rollerblade, a company that manufactures inline skates. Rollerblade was successful at marketing and making inline skates popular, and that’s the reason why inline skates are sometimes called rollerblades. However, there are so many inline skates that aren’t manufactured by Rollerblade, so it would be proper not to address inline skating as rollerblading. Rollerblade is just one of those brands that manufacture inline skates.
Inline skates are specifically designed for roller hockey and speed skaters. Their wheels have larger diameter, but thinner wheels. The wheels measure between 75 mm and 130 mm, which allows the skater to maintain their speed for an extended period.
Inline skates are designed as low-cut boots to enable the skate to move faster and take sharp turns.
Just like quad roller skates, there are different types of inline skates – recreational inline skates, fitness inline skates, roller hockey inline skates, and racing inline skates, urban skates are all types of inline skates.
Recreational inline skates are the most popular type of inline skate. As the name suggests, they are simply designed for skaters who wants to simply go out there to enjoy themselves. You skate on these skates around your area, take a stroll downtown, etc.
Fitness inline skates are designed for individuals who wants to get into top shape. Initially, fitness inline skates were designed for ice hockey players to enhance their fitness. Fitness skates share similar design with recreational skates, only that fitness skates are geared towards skaters who skate longer distances. Thus, are called high-performance recreational skates. They have faster bearings and larger wheels.
Roller hockey inline skates are designed doe hockey players. Today, roller hockey is one of the fastest growing sports and it’s not surprising that roller hockey skates have become popular. Roller hockey is a high energy game that demands equipment that are durable and sturdily constructed. Roller hockey boots are made with reinforced leather material made of carbon fiber, with a mixture of plastic. The frames are aluminum to engage durability.
The last type of inline skate is the racing inline skates. Racing skates are the fastest of all inline skates. They are designed with inline skating technology
Inline Hockey Skates Vs. Rollerblades
Now that we have explained what inline hockey skates and rollerblades are, what then are the differences? If you were to skate, which one of them would you prefer? And does one pose a greater advantage over the other?
Your choice would greatly depend on the type of skating that plan to do. Do you want to skate indoors at the local rink or you prefer outdoor skating? Or maybe you want to do a particular type of skating sport like roller derby, hockey, etc.
Skates, as we previously mentioned in this post are designed differently to suit different types of skating. For instance, if you want to become a roller derby player, wearing a quad skate will be ideal. If you want to compete as a speed skater, wear inline skates; and If you want to become an artistic roller skater, get yourself to use a high-cut quad roller skate. The list goes on and on.
That aside, let’s move to the differences between inline hockey skates and rollerblades.
Wheels
Let’s start with the wheels. Inline skates generally have a softer wheel, compared to roller rollerblades. That’s because the manufacturers assume that they would be used outdoors than indoors, and as you know, soft wheels are recommended for outdoor skating.
Also, inline hockey skates have thinner wheels than rollerblades to enhance speed. Usually, there are two smaller wheels on the front and two larger wheels on the back, so that the skater can turn and skate faster.
Brakes
Brakes are found on the back of the rollerblades. However, inline hockey skates do not have any braking system. This is because inline hockey skates are used in roller hockey sports, and roller hockey sport is fast paced, high energy game that doesn’t need players to stop. Movement is continuous.
Because of the lack of a braking system in inline hockey skates, it’s difficult for a beginner to stop the skate. To stop the skate, you will have to drag one foot behind the leading foot. Alternatively, you can glide inwardly with the skates until you come to a stop. This is known as plow stopping.
Design
Inline hockey skates are mounted on an aluminum chassis and have a frame that acts as an axle that supports the wheels. The wheels are mounted on the frame in such a way that it’s almost impossible for the wheels to loosen.
Inline hockey skates are designed with reinforced carbon fiber leather and stitching that makes them sturdy and durable.
On the other hand, most rollerblades aren’t designed with carbon fiber material. The wheels, numbering between 3 – 5 wheels are mounted into a skate plate that puts the axle nut in place. You will see the traditional brake attached to the back of the skate plate.
Speed
Both inline hockey skates and rollerblades are speedy skates and you would cover a reasonable mile in an hour due to the possession of thin wheels, although, inline hockey skates’ wheels are thinner.
Control
This is where rollerblades win. In terms of control, rollerblades are easier to handle than inline hockey skate. This is mainly due to the lack of a brake system in inline hockey skates and the possession of thin wheels. The layout of the wheels on the mount is also another factor. Inline hockey skates makes control difficult, unlike rollerblades where you are offered better maneuverability.
Weight
The thin wheels and carbon fiber design makes inline hockey skates lightweight. Rollerblades are also lightweight, but heavier than inline hockey skates due to the thick material used in making them.
Balance
Again, the size and diameter of the wheels influences your balance greatly. Inline hockey skate wheels are losers here. Maintaining balance is difficult, unless you are highly experienced. Rollerblades, on the other hand, provide more balance.
Cost
There’s nothing much to discuss here. Inline hockey skates cost more than rollerblades, though you can get used ones at a much cheaper price. You could even rent if buying is not an option for you.
Purpose/ Activity
While you can practice rollerblading anywhere, you can only do inline hockey skating on roller hockey rinks. This is because roller hockey is an outdoor sport, and it’s compatible with the soft, thin wheels on inline hockey skates. A lot of people have confessed to skating with inline hockey skate on other surfaces. All they needed to do was to change the wheels.
Breathability
If you are looking for a breathable skate, you shouldn’t consider inline hockey skates. It’s made of carbon fiber leather that allows minimal airflow in between the boot and your feet. Rollerblades, on the other hand, are good breathable boots.
Comfort
The feel and fit of inline hockey skates provide are incredible. Once you have the right size, slipping into an inline hockey skate is no big deal. If you feel slightly tight, untie the laces, and if you feel loose, tie the laces tightly. This promotes comfort.
Rollerblades are also comfortable, and being big is an added advantage. However, skaters with a small leg size won’t enjoy skating on rollerblades.
Inline Hockey Skates Vs. Rollerblades: Which Type is Best for Beginners?
If you are just learning to roller skate, we suggest you get hold of traditional high-cut quad roller skates. They provide extra balance and offer increase stability. They are also good at regulating temperatures, so your feet are both protected from the low weather condition.
With inline skates, you will find it harder to maintain stability and balance, especially as a beginner. However, the speed is incomparable to quad skates. You can start skating with quad skates before progressing to inline skates if you want speed skating.
Conclusion
There is no clear winner in the comparison between inline hockey skates and rollerblades. Both are good skates, depending on where you want to skate. While inline hockey skates are widely used in roller hockey sports, you can rollerblade on any surface, provided you are skating with the right wheels.
