Recreational:    4 standard size wheels, plastic/soft boot, laces/buckles, usually short frames, which are easier to maneuver for beginners.

Fitness:             4 or 5 standard or slightly larger wheels, combination plastic/soft boot, laces/buckles, longer frames (some are adjustable) for keeping stability at higher speeds and going longer distances. A 4 wheel fitness skates is still a good choice for beginners.

Street/Urban/Slalom:  4 wheel, a new breed of skate for quick turns, and artist skating, and manuvering urban terrain. A bit of a cross-breed between rec-fitness-agressive, higher more supportive cuff, but with larger wheels (usually 80mm-90mm), on a shorter frame.

Hockey:            4 standard indoor wheels,  tightly spaced, laced, usually fabric boots, indoor/outdoor, very short frames for quick turns.

Aggressive:     4 very small wheels,  tightly spaced, laces/buckles, plastic/fabric boots, grind plates, used for doing tricks, jumps.

Speed Skates: 5  wheels or 4 very large wheels, long fully adjustable aluminum/composite, or magnesium frames, laced, very low cut, stiff boots, minimally padded, that are typically heat moldable for a better fit, made of composite materials: leather, plastics, carbon fiber, kevlar.  These skates are designed for high speeds and racing.

• SAFETY GEAR (PADS) : Helmet, Elbow, Knee & Wrist Guards

An ANSI or CPSC standard,  approved  bike helmet provides much protection to your head in event of injury. This is by far most your most important piece of protective gear you can invest in. Always wear a helmet when skating.  Be sure to get a proper fit, and tighten the chin strap appropriately.  

Protective pads for wrist, knees, and elbows are a must for anyone learning the sport of inline skating.  Concrete and Asphalt are not forgiving surfaces.  Be sure to get a proper fit.  Also, available to skaters are "crash-pants" - padded spandex/lycra style shorts designed to protect the tail and hip bones. 

• WHEELS & BEARINGS: Types & Hypes
  

Wheels:         Wheels are defined by both Diameter in Millimeters and Hardness in Durometers.  Wheel sizes: 76mm, 78mm, 80mm are common sizes for Recreational, 84mm - 90mm are common for Cross-training & Fitness skates, and 90mm,100mm & 110mm are common sizes for Speed Skates.Smaller sizes are common for Hockey and aggressive skates: 68-76mm. Check to see what size the wheels are on the skates you are purchasing, and see whether the frames will accept larger wheels.  As you progress, larger wheels afford you an easier roll, and last a bit longer.  The Durometer is the other number you will see on the skate wheels, it refers to the hardness or softness of a wheel. Usually it is 78a, 80a, 82a on Recreational or Fitness skates and 83a, 84a, 85a and up on Speedskates. As speedskaters we talk about wheels characteristics such as rebound, roll-out, wear patterns.  Rule of Thumb: A softer wheel is a bit more forgiving, while a harder wheel is less forgiving, and a very hard wheel can even cause you to slip easily, not recommended.  There are also specific wheels for Indoor or Outdoor uses.  Unless you plan to be a rink-rat, get outdoor wheels. You will have far more fun enjoying the great outdoors than turning endlessly tight circles to vintage disco tunes........ Of course, it's your choice, but we advocate the great outdoors.  After all how often do you have the opportunity to see deer, bison, coyotes, turtles, rabbits, red tail hawk, a family of eagles, or even a great blue heron while skating?  

Bearings:     Your skates will come with bearings that are typically serviceable, with protective shields are designed to come off for cleaning, meaning at some point, you will need to clean and re-lube them.  (We typically teach skate maintenance as part of our lessons).  From the factory bearings are either packed with a special light grease, gel, or oil, , all of which are fine. Greased bearings tend to take a bit longer to "break-in", but will last longer between cleanings.  Just don't expect them to roll too quickly until you get a few miles on them.  Oiled bearings roll a bit faster initially, but require more servicing than grease packed bearings.  Grease packed protect the bearings from water and dirt better than oiled bearings. Gel lubed bearings are a nice medium that roll well and last longer then oiled bearings.  If your bearings get wet, get them dried out immediately or they will rust.   Towel dry, then use a hair drier to get them as dry as possible.   If your skates come with non serviceable bearings, expect to spend upwards of $50 for a new set of bearings once they do get worn out.  How do you tell a worn bearing?  Does it still roll, does it make crunchy or squeaky noises?  If the answer is "yes", they are toast.  

What's all the Hype about ABEC or ILQ? These are rating standards for bearings which for Recreational and Fitness skating purposes really doesn't equate to a whole lot, except maybe extra expense.   The ratings go from ABEC1 to ABEC 11, and are priced accordingly.  Some bearings are not rated at all, and others have similar rating systems such as ILQ. The ABEC rating is a reference to the tolerances designed between the bearings in the crown and the inner hub diameter within the bearings.....  just hyped, tech-talk, as bearings used for inline skating will never meet or exceed the speeds they are designed for.  ILQ bearings and some other similar types use less balls within the bearing crown and argue that there is better free spin, and less chance for dirt and grit to slow down your roll, thus less maintenance and servicing. We tend to agree. If your skates come with an ABEC 3,  5, or 7 or ILQ 7 or 9  they should be fine for many years providing you take proper care of them.  The standard bearing size is 608 for most skates and is universal.  For Speed Skates there are also mini and micro bearings 688, either steel or ceramics, which are lighter and perhaps arguably a wee bit faster than standard bearings, but a bit more maintenance, all designed to keep you moving fast.   

• WHAT TO WEAR: Clothing
  Loose, comfortable fitting clothing is best for beginning skaters. If the weather is hot, look to micro-fiber clothing over cotten blends for wicking away sweat and moisture.  Some people like spandex/lycra exercise shorts or running pants.  Spandex/lycra is good as it will provide a minimum amount of protection in event of a fall, and could save you from road rash.  They also offer compression and support for muscles. You can also wear them under regular loose fitting shorts for an added layer of protection.  Cycling jerseys are a great  choice because they have those nifty little pockets for ID and other small personal items.  Or, if you're a T-shirt kinda person, some skaters carry  small fanny  / hip packs designed to hold a water bottle, ID, cell ph., mp3's, etc. This keep your hands free while skating.  

• MISCELLANEOUS: Weather, Hydration, and more.

Check the Weather before heading out. Wet slick pathways can be dangerous, plus water is not good for inline skates.  Sadly enough, snow and ice are not good for inline skates either.  Though we did manage to get in a December skate a few years back.  

Always bring along Water or other Sports Drink and keep well hydrated, especially in hotter weather.  

If you are going to be out for an hour or more, Sunscreen is a must.

Sunglasses are highly recommended, and helpful to protect your eyes from dust or objects tossed up by other skaters, or cyclist.