Best Roller Skates 2026 for Adult Beginners

Are you planning to start roller skating in the New Year? Of course you are!

Here is our rundown of roller skates that we believe represent great value for money.

From I-don’t-know-what-to-choose, to I’m-looking-to-upgrade-from-my-starter-pair to I’ve-surprised-myself-at-how-much-I’m-enjoying-roller-skating and I-want-to-specialise-my-skating, we’ve got the skates and knowledge to match them to you.

Emily and Mel had a chat about skates and commonly asked questions.

Rookie Artistic Roller Skates

We continue to love the classic charm of the Rookie Artistic roller skate – built to take you from beginner to intermediate and allowing you to do all the skate-exploration you want to, we believe this skate, with it’s adjustable toe stop and hybrid wheels is a brilliant all rounder. You can upgrade the wheels – most wheels will comfortably fit on the plate – and swap out toe stops when you’re ready.

What makes these different from the many other vinyl skates available? We’ve tried them on. We know how they feel and believe us, we have tried (and rejected) many pairs of skates that have little shaping in the toe box or a lack of padding.

Available in black or white from sizes UK 4-12

So, you’ve been dabbling. You’ve had a pair from Vinted or dug out the skates from your youth and decided that roller skating is something you can see in your future. Something that has made you feel free and helped you reconnect to joy and yourself. You’ve probably mastered some foundation moves, you’ve met some amazing like-minded people and really found your tribe.

Think about what your skate goals are, what kind of fit you prefer and if you have material preferences. Suede tends to be more comfortable straight away, and is the top choice for many recreational skaters. For folks worried about scuffing of suede, usual suede protectors work well, and suede cleaners are effective. We believe that the marks on suede represent the skater’s journey and are to be celebrated rather than erased.

We want you to concentrate on the skating, rather than worrying that your skates aren’t right. Pick the ones that bring you joy and go SKATE my friend! If you do feel limited by your equipment – come back and have another conversation with us, perhaps we will suggest you try wheels from our Wheel Library or consider a Plate Upgrade.

We just want to remind you that everything in moderation – skating included! We’re glad you’re having a brilliant time on wheels, we just want to warn caution about becoming that person who tries to convert everyone around them into roller skaters. Hehe, softly softly is the approach to take… you just keep having an amazing time and demonstrate the transformation in confidence that roller skating brings, and one day, they may just be curious enough to tag along with you.

Knowing where you want to take your skating will develop over time – most skaters need to begin their roller skate journey by exploring as many places as possible. Get yourself out there to the spaces and places you need to go to see how you feel in those places before going all in with the gear.

Moxi Beach Bunny Roller Skates

This cute and colourful boot is available in 5 different colours. The boot vinyl is thicker than the Rookie Artistic, so it will take longer to mould to your foot, but will also likely last longer. Remember that how long it lasts is always down to the skater, how and where you use it has a significant impact on the lifespan of the skate.

This skate is popular with beginner park skaters, as it offers a lot of ankle support as well as a sturdy plate. Although it is possible to fit a slide block to these and upgrade the wheels to a more park specific (read, firmer) wheel, we suggest that modifications beyond this would be better on a stronger plate.

If you prefer a classic black skate, the same boot is available in black suede – meet the Panther!

Brand new from Rio Roller is this complete ramp skate.

It’s got to be the Riedell R3, available in full sizes UK3 – 11, this is everything you need.

You don’t need special skates to learn roller dance! Your wheels will make a much greater difference – choose smaller, medium firm wheels. Smaller wheels will give you better on-the-spot control. Our top choice are these in Lilac 88A

You don’t need special skates for outdoor roller skating, again, comfort is key, as well as large, bouncy wheels to make sure that you are covering distance quickly. Beware that the larger the wheel, the higher your top speed is!

Please take your safety seriously. Skating is much more enjoyable when you actually are able to relax – in fact – skating is ONLY possible when you are relaxed. If you’re not relaxed, you actually will not be able to bend your knees! Practising falling is essential to support the muscle memory in your body. Falling is part of the process of learning new balance points, so get yourself protected.

Great for your first set.

Butterfly closure back and memory foam

Choose the colours and sizes for your body

Heavy duty pads, roller derby players choice

Protect your tailbone with BumSaver pads – designed to be worn under your clothes

Don’t forget to protect your brain!