fitness

The Very Best Rollerblades

Photo-Illustration: United Artists

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Like many a ’90s trend, Rollerblading (also known as inline-skating) has experienced something of a comeback over the past few years. Not to be confused with roller-skating, Rollerblading requires skates that are narrower and speedier and that have multiple wheels in a straight line, rather than a square formation. There are myriad pairs on the market that cater to all styles of Rollerblading, from skates for beginners looking to find their balance to ones for city skaters who want to transfer seamlessly from the park to the street. The Rollerblades you’ll choose will largely depend on your skating goals. To guide you to the right pair, I chatted with skate-shop owners, longtime inline-skaters, and other experts in the Rollerblading community to hear their recommendations, which include options at all price points and for all levels and niches. Here, you’ll find their picks along with some tips and things to keep in mind when you buy your next (or first) pair of Rollerblades.

Update on December 12, 2024: Updated prices and checked stock for all products.

What we’re looking for

Boot

Inline skates will either have a soft-shell boot or a hard-shell boot. A soft-shell boot will be lighter, less bulky, and less restrictive than a hard-shell boot, which Justin Eisinger, the editorial director of Rollerblading magazine One, compares to a stiff yet supportive ski boot. Ultimately, the type of boot you choose will come down to personal preference, but Jonathan Labez, visual director and photo editor at Rollerblading magazine Be-Mag, recommends going with a hard-shell boot if you’re new to skating or have issues with your ankles, knees, or hips. A hard shell will be less flexible — and more supportive — as you focus on your form. If your feet are sensitive, though, you might opt for a soft-shell boot as it will feel more worn in on your foot straight out of the box.

Wheel size and hardness

Your wheels will vary both in size (measured in millimeters; more on that below) and hardness, which is described through a durometer rating that typically ranges from 70A to 100A (the higher the number, the harder the wheel). Generally, smaller wheels are better for agility and tricks, while larger wheels are better for absorbing shock and traveling longer distances. Similarly, softer wheels are ideal for shock absorption while harder wheels are better for tricks and speed. If you’re generally planning on skating for exercise outdoors, opt for a larger, softer wheel. If you’re planning on city or aggressive skating, choose smaller, harder wheels.

Number of wheels

After deciding the size and hardness of your wheels, you’ll want to decide how many you have on your skate. Most skates will have either three- or four-wheel setups. Skating instructor Arnav “Sonic” Shah, a member of the Empire Skate Club of New York, explains that, in general, inline skates with “three bigger wheels let you go faster because they put you higher off the ground” and have lots of maneuverability. While four-wheel skates don’t go as fast, they will provide more stability. Beginner skaters should stick with four wheels, which will be easier to learn on, while intermediate to advanced skaters may want to experiment with three-wheel setups.

Brakes

Long and many of the other experts I spoke with told me that having a heel brake on Rollerblades is especially helpful for beginners learning how to control their speed and momentum. If you’re a more experienced skater, you can forgo the heel brake. “Once you reach a certain level of skating, you learn how to control your speed through other methods, and the heel break becomes a little bit unnecessary and can potentially get in your way,” Long says.

Sizing

Most Rollerblades don’t follow your typical shoe sizing and instead follow unisex sizing, so be sure to check the retailer’s size chart to ensure you find the best fit. Some of the Rollerblades recommended below come in both men’s and women’s styles, and we’ve included both whenever possible.

Best overall Rollerblades

Boot: Hard-shell boot | Wheels: 90-mm. 85A | Number of wheels: Four wheels | Brakes: Optional heel brake | Sizing: Men’s and women’s

Our best overall pick is an ideal option for intermediate-level skaters who already have the basics down and enjoy skating on bike paths, neighborhood streets, and the occasional skate park for fitness purposes. (If you’re looking for a beginner skate or a more specialized skate, keep reading.) This pair comes from Rollerblade, a well-respected brand founded by brothers (and hockey players) Scott Olson and Brennan Olson in the 1980s. Four decades later, the brand is still producing new models, including this Lightning 90, which comes recommended by Brian Long, the owner of Shop Task USA. Long told me that the pair has been especially popular with his customers, largely thanks to the medium-size wheels. “The 90-mm. wheel is a really nice wheel size for people who are looking for a general-purpose, versatile skate that they can take out on the trails,” he says, adding that the wheels allow skaters to have a smooth ride without losing too much maneuverability and stability.

Labez advises that most skates will cost between $200 to $300, so these hit a sweet spot between quality and price. They have plenty of standout components, too, including the aforementioned wheels, optional heel brake, men’s and women’s sizing, and hard boot, which will provide ample support for long-distance skating or a trip to the skating park. Long also calls out the boot’s memory buckles, which are a less common component for inline skates that allows the skater to micro-adjust how tight the cuff and ankle are for added support. The buckles, Long says, make it especially easy to take the skate on and off.

Best (less expensive) Rollerblades

Boot: Hard-shell boot | Wheels: 70-mm. 84A | Number of wheels: Four wheels | Brakes: Optional heel brake | Sizing: Unisex

You may have spotted Impala’s Lightspeed Inline Skates on Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie — but the skates actually have fans outside of the Barbieverse, including four of the skaters I chatted with. Given their lower price point, these skates do not offer special features or the high level of quality our best-overall skates do, but they’re a good-looking option that keeps the barrier to entry low for new skaters. “If you were to be like, ‘Hey, I want to pick this up, but I don’t want to spend a whole lot of money, [the Impalas are] a good middle ground for the price point,’” Labez says.

The skates feature a hard-shell boot and four wheels, which skater Danielle O. says make them “very sturdy,” which is great for those who are just starting out. They come with an optional heel break and two Allen wrenches for easy installation. Impala skates are typically ready to go straight out of the box, and Danielle told us she found that they had “little to no break-in time” and that they are very well padded so you can skate without getting sore feet. As a recreational skater, Sandy Ramos looks for Rollerblades that are fashionable, comfortable, easy on the knees, and fun to personalize with laces and charms, which, she adds, “motivates me to look down at what I’m doing.” She’s been skating on Impalas for two years and says that they offer a smoother ride and are “more cushioned” than her first pair of skates, which she paid almost double the price for.

Best Rollerblades for beginners

Boot: Soft-shell boot | Wheels: 80-mm. 82A | Number of wheels: Four wheels | Brakes: Built-in heel brake | Sizing: Men’s and women’s

Beginners will want to focus more on improving their basic skills — like balancing and accelerating — than fiddling with bells and whistles on their skates, so finding a comfortable and no-fuss setup like this one is key. These skates come recommended by two experts, including Teshia Robinson of RollATL, who calls out the skate’s soft-shell boot, built-in heel brake, and four 80-mm. wheels as the elements that will make the Zetrablade “super-comfortable and easy to use” for beginners. Ben Vanderhaeghen of Back to Blading agrees that the Zetrablades are a great pick for people interested in trying skating without spending a ton of money. “The soft upper boot makes them less expensive but still responsibly comfortable, and the wheels and bearings are fast and long-lasting,” he adds.

Best three-wheel Rollerblades

Boot: Hard-shell boot | Wheels: 100-mm. 88A | Number of wheels: Three wheels | Brakes: No heel brake | Sizing: Unisex

If you’re looking to try a pair of three-wheel skates, Shulgan recommends the three-wheel Rollerblades from Powerslide. Robinson also cited the brand, naming the Powerslide Next, which has three 100-mm. wheels, as the style to try. “Skaters love the maneuverable, speedy, three-wheel setup; sleek look of the skate; and comfort of the wider boot,” she explains, calling these “perfect for experienced skaters wanting to do some urban skating around the city or their local bike path.”

For a less expensive option, you might consider the Rollerblade RB 110 Inline Skate, which Robinson says is “one of the most affordable three-wheel skate setups” you can get.” Compared to the Powerslides, these skates have even larger wheels for even more shock support.

Best Rollerblades for city skating

Boot: Hard-shell boot | Wheels: 80-mm. 84A | Number of wheels: Four wheels | Brakes: No heel brake or heel brake | Sizing: Unisex

Like three-wheel skates, city skates are built to withstand impact from anything you might run into while you’re skating on city streets or in a skate park. According to Shulgan, the best pairs of city skates will have “strong foot support (especially ankle support),” a shorter frame with 80-mm. wheels, and an anti-shock system that will help you feel more comfortable while maneuvering hard surfaces and stopping short. With all of these components included, this FR skate he says, is a particularly good one for city skating. Long recommends it, too, telling us that the harder shell is “very rigid and supportive,” so the skate will be more effective in helping you balance and “move more precisely with the movements of your foot.” Justin Eisinger, the publisher of Rollerblading magazine One, agrees, adding that the skate has “a stiff underfoot and is wide enough to accommodate most feet.”

Best Rollerblades for aggressive skating

Boot: Hard-shell boot | Wheels: 58-mm. 88A | Number of wheels: Four wheels | Brakes: No heel brake | Sizing: Unisex

Aggressive skating — which is the kind of skating that involves grinds and jumps in a skate park — will put more pressure and impact on the skate than other methods of inline skating, so you’ll typically see aggressive skates with a hard-shell boot and aluminum frame. The New Everything Company, also known as TNEC, only makes one skate — the TNEC 58 skate — which has become a standout pair for aggressive skaters in recent years. It comes recommended by three of the skaters I chatted with, who all praised the skate for its quality for the price.

Compared to many of the other skates on this list, the TNEC doesn’t offer much in terms of customization as you can only swap out the wheels and bearings, but Eisinger says the brand uses a wider foot shape to allow the boot to fit a wider variety of feet. Despite the skates’ lack of customization, longtime skater and One contributor John Adams says that they’re comfortable right out of the box. “The wheels that come on them are on the softer side, so it’s a real smooth ride. Even if you’re riding in parks or on the street, they grip really well,” he adds.

Best Rollerblades for children

Boot: Hard-shell boot | Wheels: 56-mm. 90A | Number of wheels: Four wheels | Brakes: No heel brake | Sizing: Unisex

Given how quickly kids’ feet grow, you’ll want to invest in a pair of skates that grows with them, especially if they’re inline skating regularly. Adams put his son in these adjustable aggressive skates from Razors that are modeled off of adult Genesys skates. Compared to the adult version, this kids’ version has a shorter frame, Adams says, “which means the wheels are a little bit closer together, which makes it harder to grind. But oftentimes with kids at that age, they’re really just learning to skate and do some stalls, maybe jump off ramps, so it’s not as important.” He says that adjusting the size — which you can do by using an Allen wrench to remove the frame and then sliding the toe cap to the desired size — has been easy, comparing it to old Fisher Price inline skates. If you’d like even more guidance on how to adjust the skates, check out this video I found.

Some Strategist-approved Rollerblading pads and helmets

Our experts

• John Adams, One contributor
• Justin Eisinger, editorial director of Rollerblading magazine One
• Jonathan Labez, visual director and photo editor at Rollerblading magazine Be-Mag
• Brian Long, Shop Task skate shop store manager
Danielle O., Rollerblading enthusiast
Sandy Ramos, Rollerblading enthusiast
• Teshia Robinson, owner of RollATL
• Arnav “Sonic” Shah, skating instructor and Empire Skate Club of New York member

Additional reporting by Hilary Reid and Dominique Pariso.

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The Very Best Rollerblades