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- From: adchen@garnet.acns.fsu.edu (Tony Chen)
- Newsgroups: rec.sport.skating.inline,rec.skate,rec.sport.skating.misc,news.answers,rec.answers
- Subject: In-line Skating FAQ: Guide to Buying Inline Skates (3.1)
- Followup-To: rec.sport.skating.inline
- Date: 20 Sep 1996 14:26:52 GMT
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-
- Posted-By: auto-faq 3.1.1.2
- Archive-name: sports/skating/inline-faq/part8
-
-
- _r.s.s.inline FAQ: Marketplace - Guide to Buying Inline Skates_
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- [LINK] -->
-
- MARKETPLACE - GUIDE TO BUYING IN-LINE SKATES
-
-
-
- (last changed Friday, 13-Sep-96 13:13:30 MDT)
-
- What This Guide Is
-
- This guide is meant to provide you with an organized approach to skate
- shopping. It is intended for those readers with little or no knowledge
- of in-line skates. This guide is not review-oriented and any specific
- skate products or brands shown or mentioned is only for use as
- examples. (See part 3.3 of the FAQ for skate reviews.)
-
- As with all purchases, read the fine print before buying. Make sure
- you can return the merchandise if it is found to be broken, defective
- or otherwise unsatisfactory after you purchase it.
-
- Warning: this guide may be offensive to salespeople (aka
- "salesdroids") who pretend they know something about inline skates
- when they sell them in stores. If you're not one of those fakers, then
- don't worry about it. If your store is providing really good service
- (free wheel rotation for your customers, calling them up about wheel
- specials, replacing a lost spacer for free, etc.) I don't think a few
- words from the internet is going to disuade people from giving you
- their business. If anything, you have the chance to show that not only
- are you NOT a salesdroid, but that you are actually skate savvy.
-
- If you really want to thank me for writing this article, do me a favor
- and wear your helmet. Wear your helmet, your knee pads, and skate
- under control. Learn to brake. Be courteous to pedestrians, bikers and
- other skaters. Oh, and if you can help us get this article published,
- that'd be nice too 8-) We're looking to make this into a small booklet
- or something for shoppers to carry with them as a reference.
-
- -Tony Chen, adchen@skatefaq.com
- 208 W. 8th Ave., Tallahassee FL 32303, (904) 224-0230
-
- Table of Contents:
-
- 1. Before you go to the store
- + Decide your skating needs
- o What type of skating will I want to do?
- o What's most important to me?
- + Deciding on your price range
- o The Crummy Skate Threshold
- o Remember you'll also need safety gear
- o Mail order versus local stores
- o Some mail-order shops
- + Learn the terminology
- o Wheel terms
- # Diameter
- # Maximum wheel size
- # Durometer
- # Rockering
- o Bearings and ABEC ratings
- o Braking systems
- 2. At the store
- + Bring the right socks
- + Ignore the sales hype
- + Trying on skates
- + Things to look for
- o Liner fit
- o Closure systems
- o Shell design
- o Wheels and other stuff
- 3. After you buy
- + Testing out your skates
-
-
- 4. Here's a checklist for you to print out to take to the store.
-
-
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- Before You Go To The Store
-
- Okay, so you've heard about "rollerblades", you've seen the ads,
- you've watched rollerhockey on TV, you see skaters on the streets and
- on the sidewalks, and now you want a piece of the action too. Where do
- I go? What kind of skate should I buy? How much will it cost me?
- What's the best skate out there?
-
- While this guide doesn't pretend to be the final word on all skate
- shopping issues, hopefully it'll help shed some light on those
- questions and how to go about choosing the proper skates.
-
- Shopping for in-line skates is much like shopping for a car. Your best
- bet is to go armed with information and to know what each skate
- feature means for you and your skating. Don't listen to the hype. Use
- your brain. About 99.5% of the salespeople in stores I've come across
- know less than I do about the skates they're selling. Many times I
- pose as an uninformed shopper and ask the standard questions. Almost
- always the answers are rehashed phrases from manufacturers' brochures.
- They throw out buzzwords like "durometer", "ABEC", and "ABT" to sound
- like they actually know something. Don't be thrown off. Just show them
- a printout of this guide, and tell them Tony said they're full of
- baloney.
-
-
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- Decide Your Needs
-
- If you go into the store without a clear goal in mind, you could
- easily end up getting something you don't want. Salespeople love it
- when you do this. It's like grocery shopping while you're hungry - you
- tend to buy everything that looks appealing. So before you put a
- single big toe inside the store, answer these two questions first:
-
- 1. _What type of skating will I want to do?_
-
- You can do all sorts of things on skates: figure skating, hockey,
- ramps, stair riding, hills (both up and down), speed skating,
- commuting to work or classes, and on and on. The thing to decide
- here is mainly between these types of skates: multi-purpose,
- hockey, or speed.
-
- _Multi-purpose skates_
-
- Most of you will probably be looking at multi-purpose skates.
- These are sometimes labeled by the manufacturers as
- "cross-training/fitness" and "recreational". Translation: "costs
- more" and "costs less", respectively.
-
- Another type of multi-purpose skate that has become very popular
- is the "aggressive" or "street" skates which are specifically
- designed for grinds, railslides, and other common skating tricks.
- These skates usually come with grind plates (plastic or metal
- covers that go on the runners), smaller harder wheels, and rugged
- shells.
-
- Multi-purpose skates comprise the large majority of the inline
- skating market. These skates are usually made of plastic with a
- foam liner inside. Some have all laces, some all buckles, and some
- have combinations of both. A typical example is the 1994
- Rollerblade Macroblades Equipes (EQ):
-
-
-
- RB Equipes image
-
- _Hockey skates_
-
- Hockey Inline Skates are usually made of stitched leather and/or
- ballistic nylon, like those you see ice hockey players wear. Very
- few, if any, use a foam liner (although of course many players use
- recreational skates for hockey). Hockey skates will tend to be
- great on the rink, but won't stand up as well to shocks and
- abrasion from outdoor surfaces. Hockey skates will use laces, with
- some models having an additional velcro strap at the ankle. Some
- models also have toe or side plates to protect the leather when
- you fall.
-
- In the past, hockey skates were almost always slightly modified
- recreational skates. Today, there are dozens of models by most of
- the big names from ice hockey to choose from: Bauer, CCM, Koho,
- etc. You'll see two kinds of models: production skates with both
- boot and frame, and component skates.
-
- The production models are typically revamped or modified
- recreational skates, (i.e., plastic boot, foam liner, and plastic
- frame). The component skates usually have a boot from one company
- plus a frame by another manufacturer like Labeda or Sure-Grip. The
- component hockey frames are usually made of some aluminium alloy
- (like racing frames). Mounting the frames usually requires
- riveting the frame to the sole of the boot. Most all the serious
- hockey skates use the component approach.
-
- An example of a hockey skate is the Bauer H6-comps:
-
-
-
- Bauer H6-comps image
-
- _Speedskates and 5-wheelers_
-
- Speedskates are typically made of leather and come with a long
- wheelbase to accommodate 5 wheels. Usually speedskates won't be
- available in your local sports stores. You'll likely have to find
- a shop specializing in skates (in which case, ignore my previous
- remark about salespeople and baloney), to find speedskates on the
- shelves.
-
- _Component Skates_
-
- Speedskates are cut low at the ankles. Most all are laces-only,
- but some have one buckle at the ankle. If you're looking at racing
- skates you might want to pick out your components separately. The
- four main components you'll have to consider are the boots, frames
- (runners), bearings, and wheels. An example of a boot and frame
- are the Viking Marathon Special boots and the Mogema frames:
-
- viking boot image mogema frame image
-
- If you're looking at getting component skates, you'll find there's
- a wide variety of boots and frames to choose from.
-
- Racing frames are usually made of an aluminium alloy, although you
- will find the more expensive frames made of fiberglass/carbon
- fiber type materials too (mainly for lightness). There are
- different types of aluminium alloy, denoted by a Series number.
-
- _Al-Alloy Designation_ _Principal alloying element_ 1xxxnone
- 2xxxCu 3xxxMn 4xxxSi 5xxxMg 6xxxMg and Si 7xxxZn 8xxxother
-
- In general the higher series have better strength characteristics
- but may suffer from lower corrosion resistance. For more info, see
- http://www.metalogic.be/MatWeb/reading/material/m_al.htm.
-
- Racing frames tend to be made in three ways:
-
- + _Fabricated:_ A flat piece of metal is stamped out and then
- folded to make the frame (cheapest)
- + _Extruded and Milled:_ the molten alloy is forced through a
- die (mold) then milled to finish (moderately expensive)
- + _Machined:_ the frame is designed and cut by a computer from
- a solid block of alloy, which gives the best precision and
- tolerance (most expensive)
-
-
- Most of the mid/high-end frames out there tend to be machined or
- extruded. You may see the term "triple-extrusion". I'm not sure
- what this means. Maybe they have some sort of 3-step process to
- extrude the frame.
-
- Boots also vary widely in material, but are usually made of some
- type of leather. Most Bont boots, for example, are made of
- kangaroo leather. Some boots will have a combination of leather
- and carbon/graphite material for strength and weight-reduction.
-
- Racing boots often are heat-moldable, so that you can warm them up
- (like in an oven or with a heat gun) and then mold them to your
- feet. This is a somewhat tedious process, but the results are well
- worth it. Having a near-perfect fit to your feet helps conserve
- energy and gives you a better feel of the road. Some boots are
- only partially moldable, and some are fully moldable (usually the
- more expensive models).
-
- Buying components separately is typically the most expensive
- approach (short of getting entirely custom skates) but also
- provides the best fit for your skating needs. You get what you pay
- for.
-
- _Production 5-wheelers_
-
- The other 5-wheel option is to buy pre-assembled 5-wheel
- production skates which are generally considered more for
- recreational speedskating and long-distance skating. These skates
- have plastic boots with either metal or plastic runners. They will
- be a lot heavier than component speedskates in almost every case.
- Some are cut lower or higher depending on their intended usage.
- For example, the Roces Paris (CDG) skates has a plastic vented
- boot cut moderately low, laces, one buckle, and metal runners:
-
-
-
- Roces CDG image
-
- Technically, it's not the extra wheel that makes these skates go
- faster, it's the extra length in the wheelbase. The longer
- wheelbase makes the skates more stable at higher speeds. The
- trade-off (there's always a trade-off) is that they're much less
- maneuverable than 3 or 4 wheel skates. You may find some 4 wheel
- skates that have their wheels spread a lot farther apart than
- normal to achieve a longer wheelbase. I know of one K2
- cross-trainer model that has long runners with axle holes designed
- to let you use either 4 or 5 wheels. There is also a Bauer
- cross-trainer skate that has the wheels spread far apart (but
- without the extra axle holes).
-
- 2. _What's most important to me? (quality, speed, or price)_
-
- Okay, now that you've chosen the type of skate to buy, the next
- thing to do is to decide what's most important to you in a skate.
- Let me quote the all-purpose law of consumer goods:
-
- "Good, Fast, Cheap. Pick two."
-
-
- For skates, "good" usually translates into "comfortable and
- durable"; "fast" is usually "quality of construction and parts"
- (which let you go faster). Basically you have to choose what's the
- LEAST important to you. For most people that I've counseled in
- skate shopping, the price usually turns out to be the least
- important ("What?? Is he crazy? I only have $X to spend!" you say?
- Read on.)
-
- In general, the more money you put up front, the less it'll cost
- you in the long run. But on ONE condition! This is assuming you
- will be using your skates, and continue to skate for years to
- come. If you're going to buy them, try them once, and throw them
- in the closet, then go directly to Toys-R-Us or K-mart and buy the
- $35 skates with bright neon green and purple colors. Do not pass
- GO, and do not collect $200.
-
-
- _____________________________________________________________
-
-
-
- [ Toys R Us | K-Mart ]
- _____________________________________________________________
-
- Okay, since you're still reading this, you haven't gone off to
- Toys-R-Us or K-mart, so I'll assume you're committed, or at least
- committed to being committed, to skating.
-
- So how does paying more up front save you more in the long run? If
- you buy cheapo skates, your skating experience will suck. Plain
- and simple. If you buy bad skates, then after a couple weeks of
- aches and pain, you'll say "See, Tony I told you so. Good thing I
- didn't spend more money." Wrong. Don't confuse cause and effect.
- Like most things in life, the rule is GIGO: garbage in, garbage
- out. You get out of it, what you put into it.
-
- To put it another way, the better skate that you buy, the better
- it fits. The better they fit, the less pain you endure. The less
- pain you endure, the less blisters you'll get on your feet. The
- less blisters you have, the less blood that oozes from them, and
- the more you like skating. I said it'd cost you less, and it
- will...in terms of pain, sweat, tears, blood, time, and bandage
- money. Not only that, if you enjoy the skating, you'll want to go
- out and skate even more. In turn, this means you'll learn to skate
- better and get more for your money. Make sense? Good!
-
-
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- Decide Your Price Range
-
- _The Crummy Skate Threshold (CST)_
-
- Now, in the previous section I made it seem like you should go out and
- spend your life savings on the best skate you can find. Only if you
- want to. As with most things, diminishing returns takes effect. $150
- skates are definitely more than 5 times better than $30 skates. But
- are $300 skates twice as good as $150 skates? Well, it depends. The
- bottom line is to stay above what I call the Crummy Skate Threshold,
- or CST for short.
-
- In my experience, the CST is at around $110-120 (all dollar figures
- are US$; adust for your standard of living and currency as needed).
- Skates retailing under $110-120 usually aren't worth their money.
- You'd be a whole lot better off putting that money towards a good pair
- of $150-250 skates. Note that the CST applies to the brand-new price,
- and not to used-skate prices. You may find good skates at clearance
- sales or skates that have been used. If so, go for it. (See the
- Shopping for Used Skates section for more details). As a general rule
- though, stick with the CST.
-
- _Safety Gear_
-
- Make sure you factor in $40-$80 for protective gear when trying to
- estimate your total cost. I would highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend
- (I'd make it mandatory if I had the power) wrist guards ($15-17) and
- knee pads ($17-20) for beginners. A helmet and elbow pads are also
- highly recommended. An ANSI or Snell approved bike helmet works just
- fine. If you have a really old helmet though, toss it and shell out
- $40 for a nice new safer one. Once you're bleeding at the hands and
- knees, it'll be too late to wish that you had spent that puny extra
- $40 up front. Sounds like the bloody blister scenario? That's right.
-
- _Mail Order vs. Local Stores_
-
- If all this sounds like you have to spend your life savings again, let
- me quote what Mr. Spock said to Scotty in the Galileo 7 episode of the
- old Star Trek series, when their shuttle crashed on a planet and
- Scotty exclaims that all is lost because most of their fuel was lost
- in the landing:
-
- _"Mr. Scott, there are always alternatives." _
-
- Of course in the end through Star Trek magic, Scotty converted their
- phasers' energy to shuttle fuel. Amazing. Wish they would show us how
- to convert bullets to gasoline.
-
- In your case, you don't have to find Scotty, but you can find a
- mail-order shop. Mail-order can save you a substantial amount of money
- without sacrificing quality. However, the trade-off is (there's that
- "t"-word again) that you can't try on the skates or gear before you
- buy. You might have to ship the skates back once or more, if things
- aren't quite right or what you expected. And of course, you have to
- wait for UPS or snail-mail (USPS), to ship it to your door.
-
- One thing that will help is to try out the same skates at your local
- store. This only works mainly if you're shopping for recreational
- skates. Don't count on finding speedskates at most stores unless
- you're lucky enough to have a dedicated skate shop around. Try on
- skates to figure out the size that fits best, and then you can go
- shopping for price. Note that sizing is NOT consistent between all
- manufacturers, so be sure to compare apples with apples.
-
- To some people this may seem like you're using the store for free.
- However, if you feel like the service and convenience they give you is
- worth the price they charge (it could be close to or even cheaper than
- mail-order) then by all means buy them there. You won't have to pay
- for shipping, you get to start skating immmediately, and your local
- store gets some business. Prices in stores can often be lower or near
- mail-order, so never count out the local stores.
-
- If your budget is really tight, one thing you might try is to
- negotiate the price with the salespeople. This probably only works in
- non-chain stores, where they may actually be willing to bargain. If
- they won't budge, maybe the store owner will. Tell them, "You know I
- really like these skates, but $275 is a little high for me. I see them
- listed for $240 in the catalogs but I'd love to do my business in town
- with you instead. Do you think you could help me out here?"
-
- Probably won't work many times, but you won't know if you don't ask!
- The worst that can happen is that they say "Sorry, but we can't do
- that." The best that could happen is that they match, or maybe meet
- the price halfway. Better than nothing!
-
- Having said all that however, let me just say that my own experiences
- with ordering skates and other accessories through the mail have been
- very satisfactory. And on the plus side, pretty much all the
- salespeople at the mail-order shops know what they're talking about.
- Store salespeople ARE improving though, so hopefully your shopping
- experience will be good all around.
-
- For a list of mail-order shops, look at part 3.2 of the FAQ
-
-
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- Learn The Terminology
-
-
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- All right, now we're on a roll, so to speak. You know what sort of
- skate you're looking for, you know your target price range, and you're
- ready to jump into that store and start trying on skates. Before you
- do though, go through the following terms and get an idea of what each
- means. Once you're beyond trying on skates for comfort and fit, you'll
- want to compare the other features to see what's best for you.
-
- (More in-depth wheel information is in part 4.)
-
- _Wheel terms:_
-
- _Diameter:_
- If you'll recall from grade school math, the diameter is
- the length across the widest part of a circle. Twice the
- length of the radius, if you prefer. For wheels, this is
- measured in millimeters (mm). Most production skates come
- with 72 and 76mm, with some high end skates equipped with
- 80mm wheels (other sizes are available through
- mail-order). The shorter the wheel, the more stable and
- maneuverable your skates will be. However, they'll also
- be slower. Conversely taller wheels will let you go
- faster, but are less maneuverable.
-
- _Maximum wheel size:_
- Although maximum wheel size won't seem like a big deal
- when you're just beginning, it will be important once you
- become a proficient skater. Low-end skates generally come
- stocked with 70 or 72mm wheels, while the higher-end
- skates come with 76mm wheels. This is no accident. Most
- skaters eventually want more speed, and taller wheels are
- faster, all other things being equal. Some 76mm skates
- will vary in their ability to take 80mm wheels too.
- Smaller skate sizes might not have the option due to the
- whole skate being smaller.
-
- Not all skates can take larger wheels though. Most every
- 76mm skate will take up to 80 or 82mm (plenty large for
- most people). 72mm skates are another story. Depending on
- the runner and chassis design, some can take only up to
- 72.5mm wheels, while others can squeeze on 76mm ones.
- Some people actually shave or grind down parts of their
- skates so that they can fit larger wheels. In any case,
- if you can afford it, I'd suggest going with skates that
- can take at least 76mm wheels. You can always switch to
- smaller wheels if you want.
-
- _Durometer:_
- Durometer has to do with the DURAbility of wheels. More
- simply, it means how hard the wheel material is. The
- industry (plastic industry I guess) "A" scale is used,
- with 0 being softest, and 100 being hardest. (It's
- rumored that Rush Limbaugh's skull is rated above 500A,
- but like I said, it's just a rumor.)
-
- Most wheels are 78A or 82A. 78A is considered on the
- softer side. They don't last quite as long as 82A's, but
- since they're softer, they absorb bumps better for a
- smoother ride. That's the primary trade-off when you go
- about selecting wheel hardness. For most stock skates,
- you won't have a choice, since they almost all come in
- 78A. If you want or need harder wheels, you can buy a
- harder set when your original wheels wear out.
-
- For indoor surfaces, most skaters go with really hard
- wheels, like 85A or higher. For real rough outdoor
- terrain, you might want 74A. You can also mix your
- durometers and have some wheels harder than others. This
- let's you gain the advantages of both worlds somewhat, by
- getting the better shock absorption of softer wheels,
- while getting the durability of harder wheels.
-
- _Rockering:_
- Rockering sounds like something grandma does while
- knitting sweaters, doesn't it? Well, for skates, it means
- that you can adjust the heights of the axles (and
- therefore the wheels also), to approximate an ice-skate
- blade's profile. Those blades are usually curved upwards
- at the front and back (hockey skates anyway). The
- curvature allows for more maneuverability, but at the
- cost of stability at higher speeds. Trade-off once again?
- You bet. If you think you might want rockering sometime
- in the future, get skates that let you adjust it. Most
- all middle and high-end skates will let you rocker your
- wheels.
-
-
-
-
-
- _Bearings and ABEC ratings:_ (More in-depth information is in
- part 4.)
-
-
- The two bearings inside each wheel are where the turning
- action takes place. Bearings come in various ratings,
- based on the ABEC scale. This acronym is pronounced
- "ay-beck", and it stands for the "Annual Bearing
- Engineering Council" which sets the specifications for
- the ratings.
-
- The higher the ABEC number the more precise the bearing
- has been made. The ratings you'll come across are ABEC-1,
- ABEC-3, and ABEC-5. There are ABEC-7's being sold now
- too, but you probably won't see those on any skates.
- Although you might think that the more precise the
- bearings the faster it will spin, but this is still
- subject to some debate. After you skate outdoors long
- enough, ABEC-5's will be indistinguishable from ABEC-1's.
- It's more important to keep your bearings clean and
- well-lubed, in the long run.
-
- Also note that bearings do not always have the rating
- number marked on the shields. Unfortunately, this makes
- it hard to know the real rating and you end up having to
- trust the manufacturer or salesdroid's word. More on this
- later, when we get to store.
-
- _Braking systems:_
-
- Before 1994 the only thing you had to worry about with brakes was
- learning to use them. Now, you have to decipher the SSHA, or Silly
- Sales Hype Acronyms. Rollerblade has the ABT (Active Braking
- Technology), Oxygen skates has the PBS (Power Brake System), Bauer has
- the Force Multiplier, CCM has the Arrester Dual System, Roces has the
- Tartaruga, Ultra-wheels has the DBS (Disc Brake System) and I'm sure
- someone else will come up with yet another system.
-
- What we REALLY need is an industry-standard for brakes, not everyone
- trying to come up with the next better moustrap. Right now, every
- single manufacturer has their own brake design. None are compatible
- (without modifications) with any other manufacturer's skates. Even
- Rollerblade's ABT and non-ABT brakes are incompatible.
-
- In any case, Rollerblade's ABT is essentially a brake on a long screw,
- running up the back of your skates. You can adjust the height of your
- brake by turning the screw. It also means the brake can be activated
- if you tilt lean back on your skate. An example is the Rollerblade
- Bravoblade GL ABT skate:
-
-
-
- RB Bravo GL w/ABT image
-
- If you have an older skate and want ABT, there is now an add-on system
- called GEM which does much the same thing:
-
-
-
- GEM image
-
- The Oxygen PBS doesn't allow you to adjust the brake height, but
- instead it works like most brakes, with the added effect of pressing
- the brake pad against the rear wheel when you brake.
-
-
-
- PBS image
-
- The Ultra Wheels DBS is a cylindrical brake oriented to roll in the
- same direction as the wheels. Inside the brake is a disc-braking
- system that provides extra braking power.
-
-
-
- DBS drawing DBS picture
-
- The Roces Tartaruga system is a spring-loaded device that clinches
- brake pads on the two rear wheels (from the side) when you press down
- in a certain way with your heel.
-
- The bottom line is that these system are neither bad nor good. On the
- plus side, they help beginners brake easier and some systems like the
- ABT allow you to adjust the height of the brake pad, which is very
- handy and can extend the life of the brake.
-
- On the down side, the brake pads may be harder to find (ABT brakes
- have been hard to find, last I heard). Also, for true expert
- power-braking, these systems actually get in the way. (See part 2.1 of
- the FAQ for braking techniques.) Learning to brake effectively under
- various conditions still takes practice, not just spending money on a
- fancy braking system. This is quadruply true for those add-on devices
- like the Grip, which are hand-activated caliper-brakes.
-
- One last thing to mention. Not all brakes are equal. In the past,
- Bauer and Roces brakes have been notorious for poor durability.
- Rollerblade brakes tend to last very well. This may or not be true any
- more though. Ask other skaters that use Roces or Bauer skates. Things
- may have improved recently.
-
- Anecdote time: back in 1991 or 1992, my buddy Dave got some Bauer
- skates from the rest of us for his birthday. Boy, was he happy. That
- is, until he found out that Bauer brakes last about as long as a
- snowflake at noon in the Sahara Desert. He went through one brake in
- about 2 hours. Good thing for him, the rest of us were about ready to
- order some wheels and he ordered 5 brakes. We get our stuff in a few
- days and it turns out the catalog meant 5 SETS of brakes, meaning 10
- brakes in all. Good thing too. He needed every one of them!
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- At The Store
-
- _Ignore the hype_
-
- All righty. Now you know what you're looking for, you know all the
- nifty terms that go along with skates, and you're ready to head to the
- stores and see what they have. Before you go though, bring two things:
- athletic socks and a ruler with cm/mm markings (a ruler? you'll
- understand why later on.)
-
- Socks
-
- Wear the socks that you'll be wearing to skate, when you try on
- skates. I suggest getting double-layered anti-blister socks. However,
- if you insist on the hole-ridden tube socks you've been wearing for
- the past 5 years, that's your choice 8-) Make sure the socks are not
- too short or thick. You want the socks to cover at least 4-5 inches or
- more above your ankle bone (assuming you are trying on regular
- production skates, and not speedskates).
-
- Some people do actually skate barefooted, but that's a personal
- preference. It may cause more chaffing though without socks.
- Personally, I think my skates smell enough when I *do* wear socks 8-)
- but hey to each his/her own.
-
- If you have problems with blisters, try polypropylene sock liners
- under your other socks. These are very thin and hydrophobic (won't
- absorb moisture from your sweat) which means they wick sweat towards
- the outer layers of your socks. This keeps your feet dryer and less
- prone to blistering. You might need thinner outer socks too, if you
- find that the layers are bunching up in your skates.
-
- Get ready
-
- Okay, now you're in the store. Remember our strategy? That's right,
- "Ignore the sales hype." If you've prepared ahead of time as I've told
- you to, that should be a piece of cake. Ice cream cake. Chocolate-mint
- ice cream cake even (I've always been partial to chocolate-mint).
-
- _Trying on skates_
-
- Okay, here's one part that the salesdroids are good for and good at.
- Pick out a skate that is exactly at your target price (there might be
- several models) and ask to try on one or all of them (if you want to
- be really thorough). You might find that your skate size will not be
- exactly your shoe size. Usually skates run a tad large meaning you'll
- have a smaller skate size than your shoe size.
-
- Try on skates a half-size larger and a half-size smaller than your
- normal shoe size to see the difference. Some manufacturers are better
- than other at providing skates for different shaped and sized feet.
- Rollerblade skates, for example, have tended not to be designed that
- well for wide feet. Bauer and Roces have done better in this regard.
- Also, for those of you who are just as confused as I am about
- Rollerblade's MondoPoint sizing system, here is a scan of their sizing
- chart that shows the U.S. men's and women's sizes versus MP: [LINK]
-
- After you've got the skates on, wiggle your toes. You'll want to press
- your ankles back against the heel of the skate, while you wiggle. If
- your toes are crammed against the front of the skates, they're too
- tight. If your foot can jiggle around inside the skates while you hold
- your foot up (like a clapper in a bell), then they're too large. You
- want a snug fit -- as snug as possible without hurting.
-
- Okay, the skates are on and snug, so now stand up (slowly!) and put
- your weight on each foot and see how it feels. Wiggle your toes some
- more if you want. Remember that most people have asymmetrical feet. If
- one foot feels less comfortable than the other, you might ask to try
- on a skate of a different size for that foot. Most stores probably
- won't let you buy skates sized different for both feet, but you can at
- least try to minimize the discomfort for both feet combined.
-
- Walk around in the store for a couple minutes (hopefully it's
- carpeted) and let the liners conform to your feet a little bit.
- Re-tighten the skates and make sure they're still snug.
-
- Now, the comparisons. Ask to try on two other skates, one in the price
- bracket below your target skate and one above. This is so you'll see
- exactly how different quality liners, boots, and buckles feel. In
- other words, you get to see what your money can buy you.
-
- For those of you buying for kids (or if you ARE a kid...physically,
- not mentally), you'll know that kids' feet grow almost faster than the
- U.S. budget deficit. In this case, you might want to look for skates
- that will take multiple liner sizes, so that you can just buy larger
- liners instead of having to buy an entirely new skate each time. I
- haven't personally investigated this (since I started to skate after
- my foot size was stable) but the Roces STL Jr. model takes 4 different
- liner sizes. Most other (adult) skates shells come in full sizes, with
- liners coming in half sizes.
-
- See the Kids/Small Skate reviews and FAQ in section 3.3 for more
- details.
-
- Things To Look For
-
- _The liners are most important!_
-
- Your first criteria should be the liner quality and fit. If your
- skates aren't comfy, the rest of the gadgets won't mean diddly. You
- get better liners in more expensive skates, naturally.
-
- Nowadays, with soft-shell skates like K2's on the market, there is
- even more reason to compare all the different types of liners out
- there. Take your time in deciding which fits you best. Remember,
- you'll be punished or rewarded accordingly each time you skate
- thereafter, so don't make any hasty decisions.
-
- _Closure systems_
-
- Once you've found good fitting skates, decide on whether you want
- laces, buckles, or both. If you want convenience, an all-buckle setup
- is for you. Buckles are nice in that you can adjust them while you're
- skating, and they're very fast to put on and to take off. Buckles also
- don't break as often as laces do. The one trade-off is that buckles
- don't give quite as good an all-around tightness as laces do. For most
- people, that trade-off is a very worthwhile one, but everyone has
- their own preferences.
-
- Beware of bad buckle design, however. Even the K-mart toy skates have
- 3 buckles these days. Part of the buckle quality will depending on the
- construction and design quality of the shell (the plastic boot). If
- the shell is flimsy or poorly made, the buckles won't align very well.
- There are also various types of buckles. Some are ratchet-style, with
- notches in the pull-through starp. Some are ski-boot style with the
- metal T-bar that hooks into round notches on the shell. Try on
- different types and see how you like each one.
-
- Many skates compromise and have both laces and an ankle buckle for
- added support. This approach usually works pretty well.
-
- _Shell design_
-
- You'll find many types of shell these days. The most notable
- difference will be vents. Some have them, some don't. The Rollerblade
- Aeroblade was the first to sport this feature. It works quite well to
- cool your feet and also makes the skate lighter. What's the trade-off,
- you ask? (I've taught you well, haven't I?) You trade cooling and
- weight-reduction for strength and durability of the shell.
-
- Normally, this isn't an issue. But for you thrasher types, who like to
- pound on your skates, vents make the skates a little less sturdy than
- their non-vented brethren. The non-vented classic Rollerblade
- Lightnings are about the most indestructible skates around. This isn't
- to say vented skates aren't sturdy, but it's that they're LESS sturdy,
- relative to non-vented skates.
-
- If you're in the market for street/vert skates, this probably won't be
- an issue. Most street skates are designed to take the pounding of rail
- slides, jumps, and the like.
-
- _Wheels and other stuff_
-
- Having compared liners, buckles, laces, and shells, you can now start
- paying attention to the more subtle features, like rockering ability,
- replacement parts availability, and maximum wheel size that the
- runners can fit.
-
- _Rockering_
-
-
- Rockering is nice if you skate in a wide variety of situations.
- For hockey or slaloming through cones, many people like to
- rocker their skates for that added maneuverability. Then when
- they switch to hills or long-distance skating, they can put the
- wheels flat again.
-
- _Replacement parts_
-
-
- Although replacement parts is another one of those plan-ahead
- type things (like max wheel size), it can turn out to be a big
- one. Finding replacement parts, namely for brakes and sometimes
- axles or spacers, is not always trivial. Rollerblade, being in
- the market first, has it's distribution set up fairly wide so
- you can pretty much find RB brakes at any store that also sells
- RB skates (which is a lot of 'em). Bauer parts are also pretty
- widely available.
-
- With other brands, you won't always be so lucky. However, this
- has improved greatly in the past year or so. Big city sports
- stores are most likely to carry more brands. Even with
- Rollerblade though, there are occasional brake shortages. I now
- stockpile half a dozen brakes all the time so I don't ever have
- to worry about it and I can carry a spare brake in my fanny
- pack all the time.
-
- So I should only buy a Rollerblade or Bauer skate then, you
- say? Nah. Mail-order to the rescue again. You can find pretty
- much any brand brake through catalogs. However, note that
- brakes aren't discounted much (if at all) through most
- catalogs, and once you factor in shipping and handling, you'll
- most likely want to order brakes along with other equipment to
- help defray the extra cost. Might as well as order more brakes
- at a time too (4 or more should be plenty). Also, remember what
- I said about brakes and braking systems previously.
-
- Brakes are a good thing by the way. They only cost $4 or so,
- while wheels will cost you anywhere from $3 to $7 PER WHEEL.
- Sure, you got fancy-pants skaters out there doing their macho
- T-stops and power-slides, but at 8 times $3-$7 dollars...that's
- anywhere from $24 to $56 folks! Okay, so you only do T-stops
- with one skate, that's still $12 to $28, and you want to save
- your wheels for rolling on anyway, right?. Economics alone
- should convince you to at least learn to use the brake
- properly. All those other stops are good to know, but build
- your skills foundation from the bottom up. Learn to brake.
-
- _Max wheel size_
-
-
- Maximum wheel size, as I said before, will be important as you
- get better at skating. For the most part, unless you're stuck
- with really small skates (i.e., your feet are really small),
- then try to get a skate that will take at least up to 76mm
- wheels. Don't believe the spec sheets 100% though. The
- officially stated max wheel sizes are sometimes just the wheel
- size that all of the skate sizes for that model can fit. Your
- particular size might be large enough that if you actually
- tried larger wheels they'd fit.
-
- The easy way to tell the *real* max wheel size: bring along a
- tape measure or ruler (one with centimeter and millimeter
- markings, unless you're a total whiz at converting English
- units to cgs in your head). If you want to see if a skate will
- take 76mm wheels, jam your ruler in there, with the 38mm mark
- at the axle center. If the 0mm mark doesn't rub against the
- frame, you're halfway there.
-
- You also want to measure the distance between axles. Can't have
- the wheels rubbing against each other, can we? Make sure the
- distance between adjoining axle centers is 76mm plus a couple
- mm (so approximately 78mm or more). If that holds, then you
- know the skates can take 76mm wheels. You can try the same
- thing for 80mm wheels.
-
- _Wheels and Bearings_
-
-
- The wheels and bearings you should leave as the last detail to
- consider, since they'll wear out and you can buy your ideal
- wheels and bearings after that. Of course, if two skates are
- pretty much equal in all other aspects (including price), go
- for the one with better wheels and bearings. For pure
- beginners, this may or may not be a good idea.
-
- Many beginners tend to be better off with *slower* wheels and
- bearings. This gives them time to learn how to skate without
- having their skates shoot out from under them everytime.. By
- the time beginners skate enough to wear out one set of wheels,
- they should be proficient enough to move up to better bearings
- and wheels.
-
- Bearings will usually last longer than wheels, especially with
- proper care, so when comparing skates, first consider the
- bearing quality, then the wheel quality. ABEC-1's are standard
- on most all skates (except maybe kid's skates), and ABEC-3's
- are very common amongst the high-end skates. Some even sport
- ABEC-5's now, so check up on it.
-
- If you're about to pick between a couple skates, do one final
- check on the skates. Ask to spot check several wheels on each
- skate to make sure the bearings are rated with the proper
- rating. Manufacturers often mix up different brands of bearings
- in their skates (since they use so many), and every now and
- then you'll find they used bearings that were rated lower than
- what they should be. This may or not have been any honest
- mistake, but you want to know *before* you leave the store,
- that you're getting what you're paying for. If you find the
- bearings are indeed incorrect, ask to have them replaced with
- the properly rated bearings.
-
-
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- After you buy
-
- Okay, so you finally did it. You tried on all sorts of skates, you saw
- how the various models differed, you chose your skate, picked a nice
- color-scheme, pulled out your plastic and made the salespeople happy.
- Time to go out and skate down Mt. Everest, right? You want to hit the
- road and skate the Athens-to-Atlanta race, right? Not so fast.
-
- _Testing out your skates_
-
- Before you go out and go skate-crazy, unpack all the stuff that you
- bought in a nice orderly fashion (otherwise you can't return it if you
- need to). Put everything on slowly and snugly, and walk around on your
- carpet. Make sure everything fits like it's supposed to and feels
- comfortable. Now take your gear off and visually inspect your skates.
- Make sure there's nothing loose that isn't supposed to be. Make sure
- everything moves that's supposed to. If not, go right back to the
- store and exchange them.
-
- Let's say everything looks good so far, and you finally go outside to
- try them out. Since you're a beginner, I'd highly recommend that you
- go with an advanced skater (or at least someone who has skated more
- than you have). The ideal place is a flat, empty parking lot with no
- traffic (car or otherwise), smooth pavement, and grass surrounding the
- edges.
-
- Okay, congratulations! You're now ready to join the millions of the
- other people who have learned to enjoy inline skating! For more
- information on general techniques, see part 2.1 of the FAQ.
-
-
- _________________________________________________________________
-
-
-
- Buying Guide Checklist
-
- This is a checklist you can print out from your web browser to make
- sure you cover all the bases before, during and after the store. I'd
- suggest using a graphical browser so that you can make use of the
- nifty checkboxes. (If you only have Lynx, you can download Netscape or
- Mosaic onto your computer). Download this section to your hard drive.
- Open the copy on your hard drive with the browser, and from there you
- can print it out with all nice graphical formatting.
-
- Before you go to the store
- *
-
- Deciding on your skating needs
- + What type of skating will I want to do?
- ___Multi-purpose
- ___Hockey
- ___Speed
- + What's most important to me?
- ___Price
- ___Fit and comfort
-
-
- *
-
- Deciding on your price range
- + The Crummy Skate Threshold
- ___< $110, less than the CST
- ___$110-120, around the CST
- ___$130-190, middle range
- ___$200+, high-end skates
- + Remember you'll also need safety gear
- ___Wrist guards
- ___Knee pads
- ___Helmet
- ___Elbox pads
- + Mail order versus local stores
- Does the local shop have:
- ___Good selection? (more than one brand, and multiple models)
- ___Accessories (brakes, wheels, bearings, safety gear, etc.)
- ___Knowledgable salespeople?
- ___Competitive prices?
-
-
- *
-
- Learn the terminology
- + Wheel terms
- ___Diameter
- ___Maximum wheel size
- ___Durometer
- ___Rockering
- + ___Bearings and ABEC ratings
- + ___Braking systems
-
-
-
- At the store
- ___Bring the right socks
- ___Ignore the sales hype
-
- Trying on skates
- *
-
- Things to look for
- + Liner fit
- ___Smaller than shoe size
- ___Same as shoe size
- ___Larger than shoe size
- + Closure systems
- ___Buckles only
- ___Laces only
- ___Buckles and laces
- + Shell design
- ___Sturdy?
- ___Vented?
-
-
- *
-
- Wheels and bearings:
- ___Diameter: _______ mm
- ___Durometer: 76A 78A 82A
- ___Max wheel size: _______ mm
- ___Rockering: yes no
- ___Bearing rating: ABEC-1 ABEC-3 ABEC-5
- ___Lubricant: Greased Oiled
-
- After you buy
- ___Test out your skates on carpet
- ___Make sure nothing is broken
-
-
-
- _________________________________________________________________
-
-
-
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-
- _________________________________________________________________
-
-
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- Copyright ⌐ 1991-1996 Anthony D. Chen (adchen@skatefaq.com)
-