I just set out to buy my first pair of skates and the choices are so great that I feel overwhelmed. I just want to get out with my friends and follow the sidewalk wherever it will take us. I don’t want to have to put a seecond mortgage on my cat to afford them either. What are my choices?
Fortunately our options are not overwhelming. Probably the most basic difference between an outdoor skate and an indoor skate are the wheels. Outdoor wheels are softer and have more rebound than an indoor wheel which is designed to go fast on a very smooth surface. An outdoor wheel will handle the uncertain surface normally found outdoors. Most beginners roller skates have wheels that are suitable for either indoor or outdoor skating.
Next question, do we want a quad skate or an inline skate? In today’s world most inline skates are meant for outdoor use, particularly fitness skates. Quad skates are the most popular choice for indoor rink skating. However. that doesn’t mean that a quad wouldn’t be a good choice, just look for one with outdoor wheels. Another option would be to have two sets of wheels for your skates, an indoor set and an outdoor set. That way you can have the best of both worlds. But that is a choice we’ll get into in one of our next blogs.