Roller Skates

Roller skates and quad skates, as they are also called, have four wheels on each shoe. Instead of being in a row like they are on inline skates, the wheels are placed two and two, next to each other on a pair of roller skates.

It all depends on what you intend to do after you lace up your roller skates. If you plan to start playing roller derby, it is common to aim for a pair of roller skates with a low cut and shorter wheelbase. In the derby, you want to be able to be quick and have great flexibility. If it is the skate park and ramps you dream of, you want to aim for a higher shoe that gives the ankle stability. If you want to practice dancing and maybe just glide around nicely outdoors, then you can choose a little bit more freely.

Again, it depends on what you intend to do when you skate. If you buy ready-made roller skates, a couple of default wheels will already be mounted. These are perfectly good to start practising with. If you are going to play roller derby, it depends on the type of floor in the hall where you are going to train. Ask your coach or teammates. If you are going to skate parks, a couple of smaller and slightly harder wheels are usually good, while rolling on asphalt footpaths usually requires slightly larger and softer wheels so that you do not fall on the smallest stone.

By training, training, training. If you don't have anyone to teach you, YouTube is a great source to learn everything from basics to more advanced dance moves and how to skate ramps. In many cities, there are roller derby teams. If you join one, you'll learn quickly. During the summer months, they often organize so-called roll-outs: you ride around town, and anyone is welcome to join in, which is an excellent opportunity to learn more.