News — skates
Buying Inline Skates for Kids (Part 2) – Brand/Model Comparison
Here is Part 2 of our guide on buying kids skates (go back to Part 1 here), with a chart of the brands/models we carry, so you can make the best choice for your child.
We will go through all the strange numbers and terminology. Scroll down and take a peep at the table below (to get an idea of what's going to be discussed) and then come back up here!
Wheels
Durometer — what does 80 A mean? That's the durometer rating, meaning the hardness of the wheel. The harder (higher number), the more durable.
Configuration — you will notice that some skates feature two wheel sizes, like 72+76mm. This combination means that the two front wheels are smaller, giving increased stability (low centre of gravity) and manoeuvrability. The two larger back wheels enable more speed. It's known as the hi-lo configuration — a good idea for young skaters who will become a bit more advanced. Most kids skates come stocked with one size, in a flat configuration, which is good for beginners.
Maximum wheel size — indicates the largest wheels the frame can accommodate, offering an option of flexibility. You will be able to change to hi-lo or other combinations. Useful because most skaters will desire a bit more speed as they progress.
Frames
Here we have two main types, carbon plastic and aluminium. The frame is where most of the power is generated in skating, and its stiffness will affect energy efficiency.
Carbon Plastic — a composite which makes plastic harder and more durable.
Aluminium — light, stiff and durable.
Bearings
Bearings are rated 1–9. The higher ABEC classes provide better precision, efficiency, and greater speed capabilities, but do not necessarily make the components spin faster. The ABEC rating does not specify many other critical factors, such as smoothness of the rolling contact surfaces, ball precision or quality/type of steel used. SG is Rollerblade's bearing brand, with its own parallel rating system.
Sizes | Closure | Wheels | Bearings | Frame | |
Rollerblade FLASH |
11 – 1 2 – 5 5 – 8 |
Lace + Buckle |
80 A 72mm (max 76mm) |
SG 3 | Carbon Plastic |
Rollerblade FLASH G |
11 – 1 2 – 5 5 – 8 |
Lace + Buckle |
80 A 72mm (max 76mm) |
SG 3 | Carbon Plastic |
Rollerblade SPITFIRE |
11 – 1 2 – 5 5 – 8 |
Lace + Buckle |
80 A 72mm (max 76mm) |
SG 3 | Carbon Plastic |
Rollerblade SPITFIRE G |
11 – 1 2 – 5 5 – 8 |
Lace + Buckle |
80 A 72mm (max 76mm) |
SG 3 | Carbon Plastic |
Rollerblade SPITFIRE SL |
11 – 1 2 – 5 5 – 8 |
Velcro + Buckle |
80 A 72mm (max 76mm) |
SG 3 | Carbon Plastic |
Rollerblade SPITFIRE SL G |
11 – 1 2 – 5 5 – 8 |
Velcro + Buckle |
80 A 72mm (max 76mm) |
SG 3 | Carbon Plastic |
Powerslide PHUZION 1 BOYS |
29 – 32 33 – 36 37 – 40 |
Lace + Buckle |
82 A 76mm |
ABEC 5 | Aluminium |
Powerslide PHUZION 1 GIRLS |
29 – 32 33 – 36 37 – 40 |
Lace + Buckle |
82 A 76mm |
ABEC 5 | Aluminium |
Powerslide PHUZION 3 BOYS |
29 – 32 33 – 36 37 – 40 |
Lace + Buckle |
82 A 70mm |
ABEC 5 | Aluminium |
Powerslide PHUZION 3 GIRLS |
29 – 32 33 – 36 37 – 40 |
Lace + Buckle |
82 A 70mm |
ABEC 5 | Aluminium |
K2 CHARM PRO |
11 – 2 1 – 5 4 – 8 |
Speed Lacing |
80 A 72mm |
ABEC 3 | Carbon Plastic |
K2 CHARM X PRO |
11 – 2 1 – 5 4 – 8 |
Speed Lacing |
80 A 72+76mm (max 76mm) |
ABEC 3 | Carbon Plastic |
K2 CHARM X BOA |
11 – 2 1 – 5 4 – 8 |
BOA Lacing |
80 A 72+76mm (max 76mm) |
ABEC 3 | Carbon Plastic |
K2 CHARM JR |
11 – 2 1 – 5 4 – 8 |
Lace + Buckle |
80 A 70mm |
ABEC 3 | Carbon Plastic |
K2 MARLEE PRO |
11 – 2 1 – 5 4 – 8 |
Speed Lacing |
80 A 72mm |
ABEC 3 | Carbon Plastic |
K2 MARLEE |
32 – 37 |
Lace + Buckle |
80 A 70mm |
ABEC 3 | Carbon Plastic |
K2 SK8 HERO PRO |
11 – 2 1 – 5 4 – 8 |
Speed Lacing |
80 A 70mm (max 76mm) |
ABEC 3 | Carbon Plastic |
K2 SK8 HERO X PRO |
11 – 2 1 – 5 4 – 8 |
Speed Lacing |
80 A 72+76mm (max 76mm) |
ABEC 3 | Carbon Plastic |
K2 SK8 HERO X BOA |
11 – 2 1 – 5 4 – 8 |
BOA Lacing |
80 A 72+76mm (max 76mm) |
ABEC 3 | Carbon Plastic |
K2 SK8 HERO JR |
11 – 2 1 – 5 4 – 8 |
Lace + Buckle |
80 A 70mm (max 76mm) |
ABEC 3 | Carbon Plastic |
K2 RAIDER PRO |
11 – 2 1 – 5 4 – 8 |
Speed Lacing |
80 A 72mm (max 76mm) |
ABEC 3 | Carbon Plastic |
K2 RAIDER SL |
11 – 2 1 – 5 4 – 8 |
Speed Lacing |
80 A 70mm (max 76mm) |
ABEC 3 | Carbon Plastic |
*Not all our kids skates are listed (like fitness and aggressive), since this is an introduction to buying kids skates — and we assume your child is firstly going to be skating for recreation purposes (instead of skating on rough terrain or pulling stunts).
We hope this guide has been useful to you, but it's not a replacement for sussing skates out first-hand. Do come down to our stores for a fitting, so that our passionate and knowledgeable staff can help you make the ideal purchase!
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- Tags: boys, girls, K2, kids, powerslide, rollerblade, skates
Buying Inline Skates for Kids (Part 1)
Comfort & Size
First things first, comfort is key. It is absolutely essential to come down for a fitting. When? The best time to do so would be after an afternoon of walking, since feet tend to swell a little towards the end of the day. Spend at least 30mins to an hour letting him/her test out a few pairs. The skates should fit snugly, without any pinching or soreness. If the skates are a little loose, don't brush it off thinking "oh it'll be fine, they'll grow into it…" Looseness will cause friction sores and make skating difficult!
So, look for a pair that fits their current size closely. The best part is, most kids skates models expand four to five sizes. So you can keep up with their rapidly growing feet, get the most out of the skates, and not waste money on something you'll toss out in a few months.
Closure System
Now, the next factor to consider is the closure system. We recommend a system they can use without any assistance from you, for convenience. These are the common options:
Alright, are you ready to check out some real-world examples? Let's go over to Part 2 to see what the different brands and models have to offer.
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- Tags: boys, girls, K2, kids, powerslide, rollerblade, skates
Riding your inline skates on Lightning
Well, not exactly lightning — but the closest you can get to it without being fried to a crisp. How, you ask? Simply kit out your skates with these snazzy PG Lightning of Life skate wheels, freshly landed in store!
Here they are in their regular form, pretty decent design, but not particularly eye-catching... yet. Wait for it…
Like whoa. Would you look at that. (See our video to admire it in motion.)
The most mesmerising combo of colours morph into a super cool, glow-in-the-dark hue, when spun at skating speed. Still slightly visible in normal light, these really come alive in the dark, and will add some pizzazz to your night-time skate sesh.
We carry the 3 standard sizes: 72mm, 76mm, and 80mm, suitable for most of you skaters out there.
Rave on!