RGG’s Guide to Buying Roller Skates

Mel here. I know how it feels to be out of your depth in knowledge or experience and not even know the questions to ask to ensure I’m getting the right product for me.

When I bought my first car, I went by myself. I had saved and saved for a deposit and I was 23. I must have had the appearance of someone very inexperienced (well, I was). Even though I thought I was confident and assertive, I don’t know much about cars. I was asked loads of questions by the car salesperson, panicked that I had no idea what he was talking about and left without any new wheels. I think I actually had a little cry around the corner somewhere becuase I felt like I should have known what he was talking about, but I simply couldn’t answer the questions. I think after a number of chats with my dad, I did go back and did eventually leave with a very small, bright red (I still refuse to pay extra for metallic paint) Suzuki Swift. I was over 20 years ago, but it could have been a very different experience. I have since traded that car for a few others, and have never been to any garage on my own. It feels like one of those L’Oreal adverts where they say “And here’s the science part,” which is some sort of attempt to blind you with jargon. No thanks.

At the other end of the spectrum are those high end fashion shops where there seems to be a secret code in order to belong. If you’re there checking price tags, you definitely don’t belong, the sales assistants know that and will ignore you! It’s not particularly pleasant and it makes you feel unworthy.

Buying my first roller skates as an adult was much simpler. I asked my roller derby team mates what to get, and got that. Somehow I still managed to make the wrong size choice. Rather than send them back though, I just wore them – mistake! My feet slid all over the place inside the skates as they were just a bit too big. It took me a couple of years before I could afford to replace them.

In setting up Roller Girl Gang, I had the opportunity to do things differently. Sure, we are a roller skate shop but we have in stock everything from ready to roll to high end custom skates and a selection of everything in between. We also train our team to learn about you and your needs because not every skate will suit every person. Think of us as your Skate Auntie – we simply want the best for you and if you don’t need to buy something, we will tell you that!

You probably won’t like this, but be honest with yourself about why you are really buying roller skates.

• Do you really want this brand, or do you feel pressured into buying them for some reason?

• Do you love skating and think you’ll get a lot of use or are you a very casual skater who wants a pair to skate with pals every now and again?

• Do you want a pair to knockabout and not worry if you don’t treat them brilliantly?

• Are you just trying to make new friends?

• Do you believe that having the most expensive skates will make you a better skater?

All of these reasons are valid, just know for yourself what you want out of your roller skates as that will help you to set a realistic budget.

No matter how many times I say choose based on the function of what you need, not the colour… people just don’t do it! When you’re choosing skates for leisure though, the set up CAN be more about your colour choice. I’m pretty certain that in competitive roller sports that would not be the case.

Choose based on the knowledge you have built if you already have skates.

We also have a load of people who come into the shop and quietly apologise for making a poor purchase choice brand wise. Sometimes they don’t even want to get the skates out, they’re so embarrassed. How awful that somewhere on the internet there is some information that shames people. Sure, there are brands that seem to lack integrity in their manufacturing or sales. There are capitalist brands in every industry. These are also usually companies that have a huge presence. They can afford large ad campaigns, can manufacture on a massive scale and stock skates in well known shops both on the high street and online. I’d expect people to buy skates from these brands first, wouldn’t you?

Sometimes people have been so paralysed by the overwhelming choice they have when it comes to research, they actually don’t make one. They either spend years looking at skates, bookmarking every site, watching every video, reading all the blogs and talking to anyone they can. And still they can’t make a decision. Overwhelmed by indecision?

By the time they come to chat with us, they think they know all the things and are ready to make a decision. Then they say something like ‘So I want a really light plate, I’ve chosen the Avanti Magnesium plate. ‘ We get the plate out along with a couple of others and they realise it is in fact not at all a light plate. In fact I was asked this question so much, I did full research into plates we stock, including weighing them. I deliberately compared the weight of plates that would fit the same size boot a UK6, so it’s as fair a comparison as possible.

We also hear “I definitely don’t want that black plastic plate, I know it’s not very good.” My response to that statement is always what do you want to do? Followed up with how much do you want to spend? It’s really hard to tell from just looking how much additional nylon or fibreglass is within the formula of a plate, which gives it far greater strength than just plastic alone. Cheap plastic plates are not great, but ARE FINE for getting started with. Depending how much skating you are doing, you simply won’t be able to tell the difference if it’s your first pair.

This is why we tell people BUY THE BEST YOU CAN AFFORD.

UPGRADE GRADUALLY IF YOU’RE ON A BUDGET

What if you’re on a budget though?

Can you upgrade parts of a roller skate at a time?

Depending on your needs (we will give you questions to consider below), this is the order we think you should upgrade.

Wheels will make the biggest difference to your skating.

If you have less confidence or experience, you will likely love Radar Energy 57mm 78a wheels as they will provide you with some grip and you’ll feel like you’re in control. These are a great quality wheel and will last years with care. They will also fit pretty much all roller skates.

If you want to skate outdoors and have a bit more speed, choose a larger wheel for both speed and stability. The Atom pulse 62mm 78A wheel is out favourite choice especially the mint green colour. The Sims street snakes are also a great wheel though. For a bit more speed, go with Chaya Neons 78A 65mm.

Maybe you want more control as you are working on roller dance? Smaller wheels will help here. My favourite is the Komplex Ghibli* and while we don’t choose based on colour, the lilac 88a are just so pretty. We run out of these pretty regularly so if they’re in stock, get them! We always recommend that you get bearings at the same time as putting bearings into these wheels is HARD without a bearing press. If you want even more control, try the Radar Crush wheels at just 48mm. A word of caution though – they don’t fit all plates.

*Ghibli wheels are rated as 88A ‘supersoft’ to 98A but this doesn’t mean they are soft for outdoors. These wheels are intended for artistic free skaters. When performing, skaters want to be able to perform exactly the same, regardless of the floor, so they will switch wheels to get the same amount of grip. By using a softer wheel on a slippery floor and a harder wheel on a grippy floor, this can be achieved. Having said that you CAN skate on these outside – smoother surfaces will feel more pleasant.

Can’t be bothered to swap wheels all the time, or maybe you’re travelling and can’t fit multiple sets of wheels in your bag? Decide what you are doing the most – if it’s outdoor distance, take an outdoor wheel rated 78A, but a smaller or slimmer one so you can disco too. If it’s just general pootling, how about the Luminous 62mm 85A hybrid wheel? A massive range of colours is available (and they can be dyed). If I only had one wheel to take, it would be these.

If you’re ready to push yourself out of your comfort zone, you’ve gained experience in your skating and you want to try something new, try hard or super hard wheels. We do suggest you build experience more gradually as it’s SUCH a different experience, but ultimately it’s up to you.

If you’ve only ever skated on 78a soft wheels and you go straight for 98a hard – you will need to give yourself time to adjust to the slippery feel these will give you.

First time hard wheels for dance – the Medallion wheels 96A 57mm, or Ghibli wheels mint 93A 57mm are a decent shout. Both come as a full set of 8 wheels.

First time harder wheels for skate park – fundae wheels.

Harder wheels for more speed – Komplex Tango 63mm 93A or 96A.

Hard wheels for more experienced skaters – try the Radar Domino wheels – similar to Fo-mac mini Mac, but a bit prettier – or the Suregrip Velvet wheels. Rollerbones Elite (not Team) would also be a good choice.

Don’t forget you need 8 wheels and 16 bearings. Lots of wheels come in packs of 4, so you’ll need two packs. The bearings we sell are for roller skaters, so come in packs of 16. If you’re buying bearings intended for skateboards, you need to double up.

You’ve upgraded your wheels, now what?

You can try swapping out your cushions. Sometimes called bushings, these little jelly like pieces in your skate can make a huge difference to how your skates feel. BUT cushions come in a variety of different shapes and sizes – there isn’t a universal fit. If you’re not sure what you need, drop us a message and ask.

Okay, I have taken care of the cushions and wheels. It made me happier as a skater for a bit, but I can’t help wonder what’s next?

This part is all down to you. (Well it all is really)

*How much do you enjoy skating?

*What kind of skating have you found you enjoy?

*Do you have an aesthetic?

*Do you have preferences about material?

*How soon do you want new skates?

Let’s go to budget first.

If you’re looking to spend around £200, you can possibly get a new boot and nylon plate. It will be a squeeze, but it can be done. Depending on the boot preference of course. Options will be limited.

Essentially, the more money you can put into an upgrade, the better quality component parts you can buy.

If you’re upgrading gradually it can look like this:

• First roller skates – upgrade wheels and cushions.

• Replace toe stop.

• Upgrade boot and plate (nylon) – use existing wheels.

• Get a different set of wheels.

• Upgrade plate(metal) – to existing boot and wheels.

• When boot wears out – swap it for a new one, using existing plate and wheels.

• Replace cushions on plate

• Replace axle nuts

• Replace bearings in wheels

• Replace toe stop / toe plug

• Replace laces

This whole time line can easily take 3-5 years, but we do have customers who follow this route in far less time, as they realise roller skating quickly becomes an important activity in their life and they have the means to invest in their hobby.

The dream is to have more than one pair of skates. Multiple pairs of skates allows the skaters to set each pair up for different purposes. If you enjoy skating outdoors, have a skate for that, and a different set for the skate park or roller dance. As you gain experience you’ll likely find yourself swapping wheels so this is simply a time saving luxury. (This took years for me to achieve as the pre-loved market is not what it is now.)

This one is hard. If you’ve thought about your budget, then the budget may dictate for you. Why choose a metal plate? A good quality (quality varies massively) metal plate will outlast your boot with care. Metal also doesn’t flex in the way a nylon plate does, so you’ll find it more responsive.

There are loads of things to think about choosing a plate – talk to us if you’re really struggling with a decision.

Favourite plate as a first metal plate – Pilot Falcon. It’s great value for money, comes with a toe stop and it’s available in loads of shiny colours.

Most gorgeous plate that people say WOW – Danza (pictured)with it’s neochrome finish. Be aware this is uses European standards (metric thread and 7mm bearings) and it’s not as light as the Pilot Falcon plate. It’s also an extra £100.

(BTW, just because we don’t have something in stock right now, doesn’t mean we can’t get it – get in touch with us shop@rollergirlgang.co.uk // +447479430404 and ask)

Most expensive doesn’t necessarily mean best. But paying more will usually afford a lighter plate, possibly with more adjustable features. Unless you are skating competitively though, you probably won’t need all the adjustments. There’s always someone out there who goes “No Mel, I check and micro-adjust the pivot pins whenever I swap out the wheels for a different size.” That’s fine, and up to you.

Boot – how long do you want to wait? RGG specialise in roller dance and stock a range of heeled boots – yes, all genders wear these – as it lifts the wearer onto the ball of their foot. You can dance in any skate of course, but a heel can be helpful.

Custom boots – made to your specification – will always cost more and take longer – usually months.

Stock colour boots are usually available quicker, though colour availability can depend on your size. We will always let you know how long you will need to wait. (At least an idea).

What level of support do you prefer? Do you want mega comfort or super structured support? The shape of boots varies a lot. Inside the boot there are different amounts of arch support. People often claim to have wide feet… For skating, your foot is considered wide if the ball of your foot is over 9.5cm. You may find the next size up is more comfortable. We have some brilliant innersoles that give an added later of cushioning and support to the sole for an extra £10-12. (At the time of writing these are still being tested, so not yet listed). Bear in mind also that your foot will swell slightly.

Can you try on the boot? We do have people visit us from all over the country (and abroad!) and now we are in our studio, our opening hours are extended, and there is free parking for visitors at the weekend.

If we are just too far, we can post boots to you to try on. We think the peace of mind is worth the hassle of sending it out and having it returned, even if it does cost you a little extra. You will need to buy it to try on – we can’t just send goods out for free! Once it is back in store though, we can refund you or put this amount towards your skate build.

Ultimately, your skates should make you feel amazing when you wear them. You aren’t meant to look at your feet while you’re skating anyway, so whatever you create aesthetic-wise is for the enjoyment of others!

It’s okay if we are not right for you.

We don’t expect to be everyone’s cup of tea, but we equally don’t want to hear negativity about any other brands or manufacturers. Not every brand will suit every person. If it’s not for you, that’s fine, just find what does suit you. We are a small business and we only stock equipment we really love. It takes us time to try* everything out to decide if it’s worth stocking, and we also have to consider how easy it is to get and if we can maintain a decent level of stock. We don’t enjoy telling you that we don’t know when something will be back in stock (Von Merlin Wheels we are looking at you). Usually this is because we are dealing with other small businesses and we have to import products.

*Did you know that when we want to test products, we buy them to test. Companies don’t just donate goods for us to try. Buying boots, plates and wheels to try is expensive – once they are used, we can’t sell them at full price! So building skates, actually using the skates and then filming and writing up usually takes a few months, minimum.  

In conclusion, I’m incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to be able to run a business full time and to have met so many wonderful people through roller skating. I hope that this guide will help you choose your next pair of roller skates. It doesn’t matter if you don’t buy them with RGG (though obvs we would love it if you did choose something from us hehe). We would rather skate with you all and not have anyone feel weird about it. By choosing us though, you are choosing a social enterprise that wants roller skating in the UK to continue to grow and will do everything we can to support that. More roller skating opportunities means more skating for everyone and the chance for more people to try. We think roller skating is life changing and everyone should have the opportunity to try.

If you think Roller Girl Gang are the right fit to help you choose your next pair of roller skates, then we would love to hear from you!

Other blog posts you may want to read about equipment:
WHEELS

Wheels – All wheels, from soft to hard