Roller Blades/Inline Skates

[Star]

Hi there~
I LOVE to roller blade! It's a lot easier than it looks too, if my mom can do it, anyone can : ) I suggest the brand Rollerblade. They have many different kinds, I suggest going online to Sports Authority or another sports shop and shop under rollerblades. They usually will describe the certain kinds to you. But don't buy online, go to store and try them on. It's really fun, just be patient and soon enough you'll have it down! Good luck, if you need anymore help or advice, you can email me directly....Joyfeet@yahoo.com
Diona

[kwormann]

I am still a novies, and because of my "junior" status, I bought my pair at Play it Again Sports (I know they have them in Indy, maybe also in FT Wayne). ANyway, I really enjoyed it. I bought wrist pads and thought I wouldnt need knee pads...unitl I skinned my knee. Now I wont go again until I get those....

Kim

[Kristilyn1]

I highly recommend Rollerblade brand. My first pair were a pair of cheapies, and boy you know it!

Also, go ALL out with the pads and wear a helmut. I wear wrist, elbow and knee pads and I'm actually pretty good--but road rash can scar our "old" skin. Meaning, compared to when we were kids.....

Kristi

[lindrusso]

I thought I remembered this being discussed before, but my search didn't turn up a thing.

Does anyone here skate? If so, can anyone give me advice on buying skates?

I'm one of those who feels more comfortable watching than participating, but I'm trying to change that. I'm trying to break out of my comfort zone and try something new - especially things that will increase my activity level. So, I figured I'd start with something that I can do with my kids.

Thanks for any help you can give!

[Laura Wick]

Dear Lindrusso,

I started rollerblading last June. We hade our male yellow lab neutered, and he just started spreading! I had been taking him on a 45 minute walk about 4-5 days a week, and decided that he would need about 3 hours of walking to keep trim! I started rollerblading with him, and we are both looking slimmer! My skates are by Rollerblade, also They have "hydrus" and "bio-dynamic" written on them also. Fit is really important.

Please give yourself lots of time to get the hang of it. I hobbled around for about two weeks, and then it started getting easier.

Look for a flat surface. The sidewalk is hard at first because of the seams every several feet. The road is probably the easiest to start on. Stay away from pebbles, sticks, & debris. Walk through puddles. Stepping down off of a curb is tricky at first. The slightest incline can cause you to pick up a lot speed. Stopping is the hardest part.

DEFINITELY wear the helmet & all the pads.

Rocky & I go for about an hour 4-5 times a week. I am enjoying it very much. It's giving a lot of definition to the very top part of the backs of my legs & improving my balance.

Would be glad to discuss via e-mail!
Have FUN!

[lindrusso]

Thanks for the advice so far! They have a big gym at our YMCA (where I go to work out), and they let you bring in your rollerblades. I'll probably do a lot of practicing there - especially while it's still cold. And it has one of those floors that has some give - good for falling!

My kids also like to go to the skating rink, so I thought I may as well participate instead of just sitting there (though I usually go with other moms, so we can sit and gab).

I have a helmet - got that when I bought my bike. That was supposed to be my activity to do with the kids. However, they are still too little to keep up (it's hard to ride really slow!!) and my oldest (6) actually got mad because he could see how much better/faster I could ride. Sigh - so much for family activities!!!

At least with skating, maybe we can be in the same general area and all have fun!!

[catharine]

I love to skate! It is great exercise, very exhilirating, and unlike running (for me the slow-poke), you can really go somewhere.

As for purchasing your skates, I have the following to offer:

My first pair of skates was rollerblade. I bought their basic model. You can buy different kinds of wheels, the smaller they are, the slower (I believe). In addition to size of the wheels, another factor is the bearings. They come with different ratings, and the "quality" is a measure of how smooth and quick the skate is.

For your first pair, you probably want to get something with a smaller wheel and lower bearing (or ABEC) rating. The sales people should be able to help you with this. Essentially you want a slightly slower skate.

In addition, you want consider the frequency of use. Most manufacturers will indicate (on the box or in enclosed material) how much wear the skate can endure. Sales people should help with this as well.

Of course, once these factors help you narrow it down, you have to try them on.

You should find something that fits comfortably, but it is much tighter than a regular shoe, or for that matter, than a standard roller skate or ice skate. While you should have enough toe room, the boot of the in-line skate is stiff and therefore feels really weird at first. However, you quickly get used to this. The huge advantage of this is that it is much easier to balance because the skate stablizes your ankles for you.

For me, an important consideration in my next skate will be the lace up/buckle thing. My first pair, as I mentioned, was rollerblade. Really basic with two buckles. It was very easy to get these on, and a cinch to adjust, even standing up. I highly recommend rollerblade's basic model (which they have renamed so I can't say what it is now).

About a year and half later, I decided that I *loved* to skate and wanted a "faster" pair - so I upgraded. I bought a pair of K2's (K2 is a brand). I did a lot of research, and I am really happy with these. So don't rule out the "non-rollerblade" brands. K2 is very reputable.

My big problem with these skates, however, is that they lace up and have only one buckle. The laces are such a pain. In order to get them tight enough I have to pull so hard my fingers get raw from rope burn. Inevitably I wind up messing with them after I start skating and have to stop, sit down, and pull some more.

So my advice is to avoid laces if you can. I guess these are meant for hockey players, or something. But for the casual skater buckles should be fine.

Okay, I have rambled long enough. Just thought I would share the benefit of my skate purchases.

Good luck! Let me know if you have any other questions - on purchasing or skating. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[lindrusso]

Wow Catharine - thanks so much for that great info! Very good to know! Being the non-adventurous type (but trying to change just a little http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif ), I'll definitely go for a slower skate!

[SusanD]

OOOH! I love to rollerblade! Mine are the Rollerblade brand, DH bought them for me so I'm not sure about the style. They have that special brake in back that's supposed to go down on its own, but you have to do something with your foot to activate it so I rarely use it. The one piece of advice I can give is to make sure you maintain them well - rotate the wheels, keep them oiled, replace the ball bearings - and they should last a long time. I've had mine for 4 years and they're still in great shape.

[LIsaP]

I second the vote for K2 brand-despite the laces! I have had mine for 3 years and love them! They are softer material, kind of like a sneaker rather than the heavy plastic of rollerblade brand. Thus, they are lighter and faster and therefore easier to skate in.
Rollerblading is great fun and great exercise. In the beginning, I recommend going to a big empty parking lot to practice-they are usually flat and even-or if there is a bike path near you, that is usually a good bet too.

Enjoy! And wear all of your pads, no matter how foolish (or hot) you feel!

[herriot]

I'm so glad someone asked about roller blading. I'm a new roller blader so I know what you're going through. I've been lifting weights and doing cardio in the gym for 5 years now. I also got tired of the stair master, teadmill routine so I've been doing cardio outside for 2 years now and I'm much happier!
Recently I decided to try inline skating because it looked like so much fun. I have new respect for those skaters! I rented a pair of K2's at Play it Again Sports for $10 (new skates -and pads too). I went with my sister who had never gone either. We watched a video on stopping and turning etc. and then went out. She fell 4 times and I didn't fall once! Then I rented them the following weekend and got a little too confident! Thank goodness I wore all the padding! I'm telling you this for a reason. Wear the padding!! I wish they made a rear-end pad. I am sitting hear typing this with road rash on my rear and a nice scratch on my shoulder. Had I not worn the padding my knees and elbows would be torn up too. Someone also suggested making sure the skates are tight. Very important. I didn't know any better and mine were too loose, I think, making it harder to balance.
As for what skates to buy. I picked up a brochure from Roller Blade who claims women have different needs then men (Really? Now that's a different topic, huh?!)They make skates for women with a lower cuff, narrower sole, and the skate also provides for a higher instep and a more pronounced arch.
Hope this helps you.
If anyone wants to send me advice on how to stop I'd love to hear from you! Thank God for grass and padding!I'm very happy to be skating in Florida where we have no hills!