Archive for June, 2009
We recently posted a blog discussing outdoor roller skate wheels. We pointed out that outdoor wheels are softer than the standard rink wheels. Lets take another look at the subject of roller skate wheels and how they are measured.
You will see the term “durometer” used frequently in skate ads. This is the technical term the describes the hardness of a roller skate wheel. The higher the durometer the harder the wheel and the lower the number the softer the wheel. You can use the general rule that a soft wheel is grippy but slow and a hard wheel is fast but slick.
As we discussed before you should aim for a durometer of 88A or less in an outdoor skate. When buying an recreational indoor skate you will probably want a durometer of 95A. This is considered a “firm” wheel with a good roll but less grip on tight corners. Those seeking more control on the corners may want to select a wheel of 94A or less.
You may want to discuss the subject with the sales representative. Often your level of experience will determine the skate you buy.
3
My friend Bob, who considers himself something of an expert when it comes to all things rollerskating, says that my rink skates have wheels that are too hard for outdoor skating. What’s the deal?
Wheel hardness is determined by an “A” scale rating. The higher the number the harder the wheel. The softer wheels that are ideal in the outdoors are rated 78A or 84A. This gives the skate more “rebound” for skating on the uneven surfaces found in sidewalk skating. Rebound makes it possible for a wheel to roll over uneven surfaces rather than bouncing over them like a harder wheel would.
The softer outdoor wheel lends itself to a softer and less tiring ride in addition to making control easier on rougher surfaces.
Guess Bob knows what he’s talking about afer all.
Should I buy a cool looking low top boot or a more conservative high top style? Sure! How’s that for an answer?
The correct response to that question depends on your answer to two other questions. First, how strong are my ankles? Weak ankles really need the high top boot for support and to help prevent sprains. You get the added bonus of better edge control for well defined turns.
A good rule of thumb is high boot for figure skating or dance skating, low boot for speed skating and roller derby.
The average outdoor skater and the recreational skater can choose the style that feels most comfortable to them. The most important decision for the outdoor skater is the wheel. We’ll take that subject up another day.
When people think of high risk activities, they donât normally think of roller skating. But that doesnât mean that you can completely disregard any safety products while performing this activity. Even doing something as seemingly innocuous as rolling skating can result in injuries. And this is why you should always ensure that your kid is outfitted with the proper safety gear before they take to the concrete in their roller skates.
With that in mind, there is only one product thatâs absolutely necessary, and thatâs a helmet. Skate helmets can protect your kidâs head from incurring serious damage if they should fall and hit something like concrete, a rock, or anything else dangerous. Secondary safety equipment includes products such as knee pads and elbow pads. These will protect your kid from minor bumps and scrapes they might get from roller skating.
Now that we know what size to order for our new skates ( refer to yesterday’s blog ), what kind of skate should we buy?
For today let’s just look at quad skates versus inline skates. Just so we all start on the same page let’s define some terms. A quad skate is the “traditional” four wheel roller skate with two wheels side by side in front and two wheels side by side on the heel of the skate. An inline skate is similar to an ice skate with 3 to 5 wheels arranged in a line.
Which is best for you? Converted ice skaters will probably be most comfortable in an inline skate while many of the rest of us may want to go with the stability provided by quad skates. Quad skates are having a resurgence in popularity for rink and artistic skating and inline skates tend towards outdoor skating, fitness skating and the more aggressive skating activities.
Quad skates are offered in both high top and low top boots. We’ll talk about that tomorrow.
Roller skating is not only fun and super exercise but it’s a great way to socialize, meet people and develop lifelong relationships. While it is a relatively inexpensive sport you don’t wan’t to throw money away foolishly when you are just beginning. Shopping the web is for sure a good way to go but sometimes the dicisions you have to make can be a little scary when you’re new. We’ll be talking about that over the next few days on this blog and hopefully we can make it easier.
One good way to get your feet wet, metaphorically speaking, is to go to the rink and rent some skates so you can try different sizes on your feet. The only problem with that approach is that rental skates tend to get a lot of use and sometimes the fit is pretty sloppy.
In my opinion, you should measure your feet before you even turn on your computer. This gives you a starting point for size decisions and you are well on your way to being a smart shopper.
Stand with your bare foot on a blank piece of paper. trace around your foot and then measure the distance from the back of your heel to the end of the big toe. Do this for both feet just to make sure they don’t differ significantly.
Some websites have charts that will convert this measurement to size but I would just call or e-mail the store that you have chosen and discuss roller skate sizing with them. If they don’t have time for you then you need to find a store that does. After all you’re the consumer here.
There seems to be growing momentum in getting roller sports into the Olympics. This will do a lot to bring our sport to the attention of the world. When you think about it, if ice skating can have an Olympic venue, why shouldn’t roller skating? The possibilities are huge. I can’t wait for the day when we can get as excited about our roller sport stars as we are about ice skaters.