What Every Beginner In Aggressive Inline Skating Should Know
Aggressive inline skating is like any other wheel-based sport; it takes minutes to learn and years to master.
For those new to the term, “aggressive inline skating” doesn’t mean you’re yelling at other patrons of the skate park and cutting off skateboarders on ramps—it refers to a type of specialized inline skating that focuses on grinds and spins.
Even though you can start practicing pretty easily, the hard part is to make sure you’re practicing correctly and safely. So before you get started, here are the four questions you need to answer about your aggressive inline skating.
1. What is your purpose?
Everyone starts skating with a purpose, and whether that purpose is recreation, fitness, or crosstraining for other sports, your skates need to align with those goals. This is because different aggressive skates are tailored for different usage patterns.
You should also consider where you’ll be skating—in a rink, or on a sidewalk?—and how often you’ll be using them. This way, when you go to buy them, you can be sure you get the best possible skate for your particular situation.
2. What is your budget?
Aggressive inline skates can get pretty expensive. There are basic skates that’ll run you about $35, but the quality of these skates are so low that you’ll likely be disappointed with your performance. For a better performance and higher quality, look for skates in the $200 range. One of the (unfortunate?) truths of the inline skating world is that the skates rated highest for comfort tend to cost between $300 and $1,000.
Figure out how much you can afford to spend and go from there. You might be able to find what you’re looking for on a lucky Craigslist search!
3. What kind of boot should you get?
A perfect aggressive inline skating boot should fit comfortably AND be hard enough to support your ankles when you skate. Even though the boot’s main function is support, don’t sacrifice comfort! If the boots are uncomfortable, you’ll be in pain whenever you skate, and that’s something nobody wants.
4. Which wheels and bearings are right for you?
Just like skateboards, you have to keep the wheels and bearings in mind with your inline skates. As far as size goes, the wheels of recreational inline skates can be anywhere from 72mm to 76mm. The wheels also have different levels of strength; if you’re using the skates inside, you should opt for a harder while like an 85A. If you’re using your skates outside, you’d be better off with a softer wheel like a 75A.
For bearings, you should know that they’re rated according to the precision with which they are made. If you are buying an expensive skate that’s at least $100, I would make sure you get at least an ABEC-3 or higher bearings.
Conclusion
Though it can seem overwhelming to know which aggressive inline skates to buy, these four questions will help steer you in the right direction. When you consider what kind of skating you want to do, where you’re going to skate, how often you’re going to use the skates, and how much you can afford to spend, you’re well on your way to becoming the next awesome aggressive inline skater!
Inline skaters in the audience—is there anything we missed? Let us know in the comments!
About the Author: John Dev is a professional blogger who loves to write about his passion for skateboarding and longboarding. A big fan of the sport, he is also an in-house blogger for SkatesUSA, and guest contributor to the Board Blazers blog. In his free time, he longboards on his Loaded Complete Tan Tien 2012 longboard.
Featured Image from Flickr Creative Commons