Use Inline Hockey Skates With or Without the Stick
Thursday September 6, 2007
Hockey skates are great for intermediate to advanced inline skaters who do not have a specific inline sport in mind. 
They are usually easy to find and are affordably priced. Since they are designed for the inline hockey sport, they provide a combination of support, comfort, speed, maneuverability and durability that works for most inline basic skills training and recreational needs, too. They even have a short enough frame and wheelbase to execute many of the inline figure skating edge and turn techniques. If you are a beginner or signing up for lessons, check with your instructor first, because hockey skates do not have a heel brake or toe stop. But, inline hockey skates can often be used for indoor or outdoor fun without a puck or stick.
Photo © Matt Baker - iStockphoto.com
They are usually easy to find and are affordably priced. Since they are designed for the inline hockey sport, they provide a combination of support, comfort, speed, maneuverability and durability that works for most inline basic skills training and recreational needs, too. They even have a short enough frame and wheelbase to execute many of the inline figure skating edge and turn techniques. If you are a beginner or signing up for lessons, check with your instructor first, because hockey skates do not have a heel brake or toe stop. But, inline hockey skates can often be used for indoor or outdoor fun without a puck or stick.Photo © Matt Baker - iStockphoto.com
Comments
In my opinion hockey skates are a poor choice for beginner skaters. Their shorter frame length and rockered wheel setup may indeed be more maneuverable for freestyle moves, but it also means reduced front-to-back stability, a major disadvantage for someone still trying to find their balance on inline skates.
Additionally, not having a heel brake makes them a lethal choice for beginners trying skating outdoors. Outdoor surfaces are not flat. Even the slight grade built into every parking lot to allow water to drain off can cause a new skater to start rolling when or where they don’t want to.
Stopping is a challenge for most inline skating beginners anyway. Expecting them to learn to stop on a short, less stable frame using a more advanced stopping method such as a T-stop or spin stop, is going to be overly frustrating for many, and downright dangerous for a few.
Adult beginners should seek instruction if available in their area, use full safety gear & a helmet and choose recreational inline skates to get started. There is a list of certified instructors in the U.S. and Canada at
Thanks for the opportunity to voice my opinion.
Kathy McSparran
Certified Inline Skating Instructor and
Chairman of the Board, Inline Skating Industry Group
Thanks so much for the supportive post. This comment re-enforces the recommendation of hockey skate use for intermediate and advanced skaters. They are definitely not a good choice for a beginner, especially for recreational use.
Although I have many beginner and recreational group lesson students, most become interested in competitive moves and dance moves by the time they reach the intermediate and advanced levels. When those skaters cannot afford appropriate rockered inline equipment or if they are still using rentals, the hockey skates work fine.