San Jose Night Skate
Adults Only
Skating Equipment
SkateBetterNow believes that roller and inline skates are both equally great options!
I often hear things like "quad skates are for younger kids." Or "quad skates are for beginner skates." This is NOT true! Watch a few Youtube videos of various roller sports :)
In addition to skates, every skater must have a properly fitted helmet, as well as elbow pads, knee pads, and wrist guards. See the photo of Nastassia below for an example of pads. The Triple 8 or JVM brands seem fairly durable.
Here are a few basics to keep in mind before you purchase skates:
Do the wheels roll?
This seems like a silly question considering you are about to purchase “roller” skates but it is getting more and more difficult to find good quality skates. Manufactures are designing very cheaply made products in an effort to turn a profit.
MAKE SURE WHEN YOU SPIN THE WHEELS WITH YOUR HAND THEY SPIN FOR A WHILE
(ABEC bearings are best). You can always upgrade to an ABEC 5, 7, or even Bones brand bearings in the future.
Am I purchasing these skates for kids?
If the answer is yes, be sure to buy a skate that has an adjustable size option if possible. In my experience inline skates have more adjustable options so if you purchase quad skates, you may need to buy new ones fairly quickly due to how quickly kids can grow! Again, both quad (traditional roller skates) and inline (4 wheels in a line) skates are great options! If you plan to use your skates mostly outdoors, you will need to look for outdoor wheels or at least wheels that can be used outdoors. Indoor only wheels will be tougher to skate on outdoors.
Skates should be very similar to your shoe size and should feel similar in fit. Sometimes skater are 1/2 size smaller or larger. It also does not hurt to have a 1/2 of extra room for growth.Many kids skates are adjustable (size wise) now a days so be on the look out for those.
Please do NOT buy "Roller Derby," "Schwinn," or "Airwalk" brand skates.
Am I willing to purchase skates online without trying them on first?
If the answer is yes, you will have many more options to choose from. However, it is always best to try them on at the store if you are new to skating so choose wisely.
Please do NOT buy "Roller Derby" or "Schwinn" brand skates.
Try this online store for inline skates:
NOTE: The Sulifeel skates are lower quality than the other options listed, but they are great starter for skaters 3-6 years of age.
