What skates should I buy? A guide for newbies!

Hi all,

We get a TON of posts each day asking "What skates should I get?" and "Are these skates any good?" Because this gets answered very often in the weekly newbie thread, here's a reference guide that will be pinned to the top of the sub for a bit.

Check the bottom of the post for TL;DR list of recommendations!

Note: Some of this is borrowed from our wiki so please check that out for additional info.

Boot:

• Low-cut boots are most often used for speed skating and roller derby, but work just fine for learning how to skate. They're not as popular at the moment since they aren't as "cute" as heeled skates and often only come in black.
• Heeled skates are used for artistic skating and will shift your balance forward a bit compared to a flat skate. The ankle support offered by this style of boot will vary depending on the stiffness of the material, but shouldn't necessarily be relied upon; all skaters should work on ankle strengthening!
• Any kind of skate boot can be used outdoors for learning, cruising trails, or grooving on pavement; slap some soft wheels on your skates and you're good to go!
• You can also use both types of skates at the skate park, high-top versus low-cut is a matter of personal preference.

Plates:

• Nylon plates are cheap and light. They also flex quite a bit, which can rob you of your speed, especially if you're a heavier skater. They probably won't stand up to a lot of aggressive (park) skating.
• Metal plates can be more expensive, but are generally more durable. Cheaper models are heavier than nylon, but fancier plates can be fairly light.
• Kingpin angle (often 10, 16, or 45 degrees) determines how offset your axle is from the plate. A lower angle will give more stability, a higher angle will be more agile. If you're a beginner skater, don't worry about this too much.

Toe stops:

• Skates that come with a bolt-on toe stop (as seen on the Impala skates and similar) cannot have the toe stops upgraded/replaced or re-positioned. The default position may be too high for some people to use effectively.
• Adjustable toe stops can be swapped out and the height can be changed.
• You can also swap out the toe stops for jam plugs for dance skating.

Wheels:

• Wheel hardness is measured in durometer. The lower the number, the softer the wheel. Softer wheels have more grip (and give a smoother ride over asphalt) while harder wheels have more slide, which makes them better for dancing or rink skating.
• Wheels are pretty much universal, you can put any roller skate wheel on any skate. So if the skates you buy don't have the wheels you like, it's an easy upgrade.

Fit:

• Google for the size chart of your specific model. You'll need to measure your foot and compare it to the chart.
• Skates are often sold in men's shoe sizes, so if you wear women's shoes, you'll probably need to size down by 1 - 1.5 sizes.
• Anecdotally: Moxi skates tend to run a bit narrow, so size up if you have wide feet or a wide toe box. Sure-Grip are more accommodating of wider feet. Bont skates are great for wide feet or a wide toe box.

TL;DR: What specific kind of skate should I get?

Check this post for a fantastic summary of most skates currently on the market!

There's also a fantastic spreadsheet here with details on specific models!

Do not buy:

• Angel skates and similar, or anything from Wish/AliExpress -- these are drop-shipped from China and very overpriced for what you get, flimsy and unsafe)
• Impala skates -- search the sub and you'll see lots of stories of them falling apart without much use
• Any skates with a plastic truck -- these are toys and will likely break on you quickly

Cheaper beginner skates ($100 - $150)

• Moxi Rainbow Rider -- entry-level skates from a reputable company with good reviews. Won't hold up to the skate park, but should be good for learning.
• Moxi Beach Bunny -- quality vegan skate with aluminum plate and gummy wheels. Might be hard to find in stock, but work well for a lot of people.
• Chaya Melrose -- lots of versions available, including the rainbow "Love is Love" model. Boot is quite stiff and doesn't break in, but provides good ankle support. Wheels seem hard for 78A.
• Riedell Angel -- vinyl artistic skate, usually comes with wheels rated for indoors (96A).
• Candi Girl Carlin -- not a lot of reviews out there, but I've yet to hear anything bad about them.
• Rio Rollers -- available in the UK, seem to have good reviews though they're not super fancy.
• Riedell R3 -- low-cut skates that are often recommended for beginners in roller derby. Not fancy, but a great pick for starting out.
• Sure-Grip Rebel or GT-50 -- another sneaker-style derby skate that holds up great. You can get the Rebel with an aluminum Avanti plate if you'd like something more durable.
• Sneekrskate kit -- if you're interested in making your own skates using high-top Vans or similar, these will have everything you need.

More expensive, higher-quality skates ($200+)

• Sure-Grip Prism or Stardust -- sparkly vegan vinyl skate with plastic plate and adjustable toe stop
• Moxi Lolly -- very popular model (and quite hard to find due to stock issues) in a variety of colors. Nylon plate and gummy wheels. Very durable! If you can't find one new, there are a lot of them coming on the resale market as people are reselling their skates that they ordered but did not get the right size.
• Moxi Jack -- similar to the Lolly, but stiffer boot intended for park skating. Usually mounted on a metal plate like the Sure-Grip Avanti. Generally ordered as part of a custom setup, but orders are currently on pause due to the backlog of orders.
• Sure-Grip Boardwalk -- suede skate with components that are very similar to the Lolly, but at a considerably lower price point.
• Riedell Zone -- also similar to the Lolly, comes in black or tan suede.
• Jackson Vista -- micro-suede heeled skate, some stores have them on an upgraded alloy plate.
• Bont Quadstar or Parkstar -- low-cut skates with aluminum plates. Great reviews, used often by derby skaters and park skaters both.