New Cheap Inline Skates Can Be A Risky Adventure

There are horror stories attached to budget priced inline skating sports equipment, and many of them are true. If you can already skate fairly well, intend to wear your inlines for long skating sessions, have any foot or leg abnormalities or plan to keep your new skates for more than a few months, don’t think economy. Skip this article and get information on buying inline skates that will last a while and provide a proper fit and support. Economy equipment is usually made of inferior materials, have minimal structure and have low quality bearings and wheels that will force you to work twice as hard as necessary.

Consider the potential problems before taking the cheap route:

• Even if you have perfectly healthy, normal feet and ankles, they may not be comfortable and blisters may develop.
  
  
• Sluggish wheels and bearings will make you or your child work much harder than necessary.
  
  
• The benefit from any inline skating lessons or classes will be minimized.
  
  
• Your learning curve and possibly your interest in the sport may diminish as a result of the three items above.
  
  

These benefits may sound silly, but are also amazingly true:

• There is a such thing as being over equipped for your skating ability. This is only true until stopping and falling are mastered.
  
  
• Sluggish wheels and bearings will build much needed muscle on a beginner when nothing else will.
  
  
• Most new skaters do not want or need to go fast right away, so any deficiencies that slow the skates down will be treasured for a few weeks.
  
  
• The skater will develop an appreciation of the mechanical and comfort benefits of better equipment.
  
  
• An educated wish list of inline skate features will grow out of a short basic equipment experience.
  
  
• Temporary equipment gives a beginner time to get real-life perspectives from other skaters on disciplines, activities and training options that will influence the final skate purchase.

What to look For:

• Get the best fit possible and a comfortable inner lining.
  
  
• Make sure the wheels flow freely. Many inexpensive skates will have low rated bearings that do not roll very well.
  
  
• Look for closeouts, clearances and sales in the top three brands - Rollerblade, K2 and Salomon. These will be your best value.
  
  
• Shop at several stores and rink shops, and talk to as many of their sales people as possible.
  
  
• Take an experienced skater with you to inspect the skates, if possible.
  
  
• Remember to get really good new protective gear (helmet, wrist guards, knee pads).