Looking to but roller blades for indoor skating?

I'm looking to buy a pair of roller blades for indoor use on a smooth surface. What type of skates would you recommend? What type of wheels? Hard or soft wheels? What type of brake? What type of boot? Lacing or band?





Any advice would be great.

Looking to but roller blades for indoor skating?
Most indoor skating offered at rinks is specifically for either racing or hockey. Since you spoke of neither, I’m assuming this is just for casual use. For something casual, the kind of skate you buy isn’t as important as the wheels you use. For indoor use, if you want a good grip (as a hockey player, I definitely do), the softer the better. I’ve found that the best brands are Lebada (Millennium Series is what I use) and Rink Rats. There are plenty of others, but some brands are more use specific. If you’re not going to be stopping hard and turning sharp like a hockey player, than you may not need as soft of a wheel, but you still need something soft enough to prevent you from sliding around out there.


With indoor skating there are also a few things to be cautious of: the first is dust. Wheels wear down and add to any other dust that accumulates on the rink. This can lead to slippage and slower bearings. Dust is common on all indoor surfaces, but I’ve found that sport court is the worst. What I recommend is taking your wheels off semi-regularly and cleaning both the wheel (with water or rubbing alcohol) and the bearing (with bearing or slide oil). The other thing to be aware of is where you can take your wheels. Indoor wheels are designed for indoor use, and outdoor for outdoor. If you take soft rubber wheels onto asphalt too many times, then they will start to look like Swiss cheese, will be rendered useless.


I would normally recommend hockey skates, since most good pairs come with decent indoor wheels, but if you’re not that strong of a skater, than a pair of Missions or Nike-Bauers wouldn’t be wise. If you would feel more comfortable in a pair of buckled recreational skates, than I recommend at least learning different ways to stop besides your brake. One of the great things about soft wheels that is unknown to non-hockey players, is that you can actually perform a ice-style hockey stop. That is something that would require an explanation unto itself, but is worth looking into. Another option is the method of dragging you’re left or right skate behind the other at a 90 degree angle, making a T or L shape. For a more in depth look into brands and styles of skates, go the actual rink you’ll be skating at. They’re likely to have a proshop with skates that would work well on their surface, as well as staff that would have suggestions.
Reply:I am assuming that you are talking about casual or dance rather than speed skating.





The choice of wheels will be made for you when you buy the skates and is one of the lesser part of that choice. When you are ready to replace the wheels (which could be a long time indoors) you can ask the others at the rink what they like.


Wheels can last for years indoors.


I use the softer Zero Drag or Labeda wheels which are good for indoor or outdoor use, but most of my skating is outdoors over longer distances.





A brake you aren't going to have a choice on. However, some rinks may require you to have "non-marking" brakes which are harder to find for most skates.





Laces or buckles is a minor item.





The fit of the boot is most important. It should be snug all around your foot so that there is no movement of the foot within the boot. However, you don't want the toes to be jammed into the front of the boots.





For indoor use or for dance, you can go with smaller wheels. Large wheels are for rougher surfaces or for stability at speed.


80mm wheels are the most common and easiest to replace but that is not as critical if almost all your skating is indoors.


Smaller wheels allow the length of the frame to be shorter which makes it easier to turn and manuever (good for indoors but not usually needed outdoors).



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