ROLLER SKATES FOR ADULTS IN COMPARISON

NOTE THE FOLLOWING THINGS BEFORE YOU BUY:

There are two ways in which roller skates for adults can be constructed.

1. shoes+axles+rolls in one piece

2. Buy shoes and mount the axles/rollers on them.

But which is better?

IN ONE PIECE:

PRO

✅ cheaper

✅ shoes are harder (similar to ice skates)

➤ prevents the ankle from buckling

✅ buy ➤ unpack and drive

CON

⛔ inferior quality

⛔ Shoes partly uncomfortable

PUT IT TOGETHER:

PRO

✅ individual ➤ own favourite shoes are used

✅ coordinated components

✅ enhanced quality

CON

⛔ more expensive

⛔ the necessary minimum level of know-how to purchase and assemble individual parts

In the end, it is up to each individual to decide which variant to choose. The pre- and non-skates relative each other. In principle, one can advise beginners/newcomers to a finished product, because a sport must first be touched before a passion for it develops.

Whether in one piece or assembled is irrelevant when it comes to the individual components. Buy adult rollerboots just like that? That only works in the short term, because such a purchase can turn out to be a flop pretty quickly, and that’s it with passion. So here are a few important facts to help you avoid a bad buy.

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THE SHOE

Of course the normal “rules” also apply here. He should:

… if possible be adapted to the shape of the foot

… have a good footbed

… Do not press anywhere

… be visually appealing to yourself

In addition, you can choose between a hard shell shoe and a softer version, the “softboot” (sneaker). Both should cover the ankle joints. However, they should not be too rigid, otherwise it will be more difficult to ride in a squatting position. Softboots have the great advantage of being more agile. On the other hand, the risk of your ankles buckling increases. In the meantime, semi-soft shoes have established themselves in the scene and rightly so. They offer many advantages, for example: They are:

• more agile
• more stable
• tearproof (too soft = the shoes tear faster)
• protect the ankle

In addition, the shoes should be half a centimeter larger than the actual shoe size.

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THE AXES

With the axes you have to ask yourself if you want to perform tricks. Basically you can buy roller skates for adults, which have robust axles. There is nothing wrong with that at first. Some small information about the construction: The axles are not separated like a longboard/penny board, but are connected by a so-called plate. The consists of aluminium and a layer of rubber or nylon. For an optimal riding experience you can adjust the steering rubber according to your wishes. The softer they are, the more agile you are. The harder they are, the more stable you are.

Make sure that both steering rubbers are equally soft/hard, otherwise your shoe steers unintentionally in one direction

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THE ROLES

As with any other rolling sport, hardness is the crux of the matter. Before doing so, you should be aware that there are two different materials.

1. PU rollers (= polyurethane) ➤ special plastic mixture

2. Rubber rollers

Both have their advantages. However, there are no serious disadvantages. In short: Most castors are made of polyurethane and that is a good thing. They are more stable, non-slip and last longer. Back to the degree of hardness. This indicates how soft the rolls are. A scale from 0A-100A, where 0A is very soft and 100A very hard, indicates the degree of hardness. The harder the rollers are, the faster you are. Sounds good so far, if there wasn’t a catch to it. Wheels that are too hard minimize the suspension between you and the road.

The optimal degree of hardness does not exist, but in the skater-scene a degree of hardness between 75A-85A is recommended.

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THE BALL BEARING

Often you see something like this on shop pages: Ball bearings ABEC 5 ( 3,7,11,13…). By mistakeball bearing

many believe that a higher number means increasing quality. But it’s not so. If you buy roller skates for adults, you should ask the seller which manufacturer the ball bearings come from (if it is not stated), because that is the decisive factor. Unfortunately, roller bearings of inferior quality are usually used in roller skates, which is counterproductive, but not a broken leg. Ball bearings usually don’t cost much money (about 20$) and can be exchanged without any problems.

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THE STOPPER

The stopper, as the name suggests, is used to brake. But this is not roller skates adult stopperhis only function. Much more its primary function is to facilitate starting. Most of the stoppers are made of strong polyurethane, just like the wheels. Unfortunately, this is not really a suitable material because this plastic wears out faster. A much better material would be hard rubber. Fortunately, stoppers are usually replaceable. So if you go to buy roller skates for adults, you can always reorder hard rubber stoppers afterwards or buy them when the stoppers are worn out.

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