Return to Skating

[harleysilo]

Hi everyone! I'm forty and took my 5 & 7 year olds skating for the first time. They loved it! The little one said daddy why are you so good and me so bad, and I told him how I used to go all the time. By the way so good means skating around without falling, nothing more LOL.

So I've done a lot of reading here, and am trying to decide what I want to do regarding buying skates for myself and the kids.

For the kids I'm considering they ones that say they fit a range of sizes, at least until they are good enough to want/need a better set.

Something like this http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003JR...&robot_redir=1

For me I'd like to speed less than $200. I'm considering doing what I've read on here with soccer shoes. However for around that same expense I could get a low end set.

We live on a street perfect for skating. I currently skateboard on it and it is very smooth. I imagine we would skate on it more than the rink. My skating ability includes decent speed, ability to turn tight and hockey stop. I can skate backward but it's not pretty. That's something I want to work on.

So if you set your skate up for outdoors, front axle under toes, how does that affect it back on the rink? ( is there and advantage to axle under ball of feet I would loose out on)?

I'm considering these http://www.rollerskates.com/Quadline...-p/rbk-qst.htm I think I saw a video where dude says on that version you can swap out normal wheels. Wondering if I'd like the inline wheels for our street skating, but an anticipating not liking them.

Any thoughts are appreciated!

[Fancy-Kerrigan]

Originally Posted by harleysilo

Hi everyone! I'm forty and took my 5 & 7 year olds skating for the first time. They loved it! The little one said daddy why are you so good and me so bad, and I told him how I used to go all the time. By the way so good means skating around without falling, nothing more LOL.

So I've done a lot of reading here, and am trying to decide what I want to do regarding buying skates for myself and the kids.

For the kids I'm considering they ones that say they fit a range of sizes, at least until they are good enough to want/need a better set.

Something like this http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003JR...&robot_redir=1

I also have 2 kids (10 & 13). Once you buy their first 2 pairs of skates you will only ever have to buy one at a time. As they grow out of one size the big one gets the next size and his/her old skates get handed down. With that in mind, I don't buy crappy skates. Otherwise they will be in no condition to go through the second child. I buy used skates on ebay or wherever I can find them. The boys like the leather vanillas with the sunlite plates. I've been lucky and have been able to find them for less than $200 a pair. You may not be ready to hand over that much cash right now, but I believe that you can find a better quality used skate for $50-$75 that will hold up through both kids. Look for names like Riedell & Vanilla (leather, not Jr.). If used for outside, research outdoor wheels on Skatelog and get a set that will be suitable for your surface and application (my boys have kryptonics for outdoor use)

For me I'd like to speed less than $200. I'm considering doing what I've read on here with soccer shoes. Yikes! However for around that same expense I could get a low end set.

Again, I'd buy used, before I'd shell out $200 for new. I would stay away from the quadline thing......may be cool outside, but to swap to wider wheels for indoors may throw you for a loop. Totally different feel. I'd check out what is available on ebay. If you see something your size in your price range run it through the skatelog search (upper right hand corner) and see what other's have to say about it. Generally speaking, I'd go with a leather boot. I'd go with a metal plate or a sunlite plate. You may need to swap the wheels out to something softer, but it's a start

We live on a street perfect for skating. I currently skateboard on it and it is very smooth. I imagine we would skate on it more than the rink. My skating ability includes decent speed, ability to turn tight and hockey stop. I can skate backward but it's not pretty. That's something I want to work on.

So if you set your skate up for outdoors, front axle under toes, how does that affect it back on the rink? ( is there and advantage to axle under ball of feet I would loose out on)?

Don't have to set it up any different. I skate the same set up indoors and out. I prefer to have the rear wheel a little to the rear of my ankle bone. Skating outside my weight is more on my rear wheels to help make getting over debris a little easier.

I'm considering these http://www.rollerskates.com/Quadline...-p/rbk-qst.htm I think I saw a video where dude says on that version you can swap out normal wheels. Wondering if I'd like the inline wheels for our street skating, but an anticipating not liking them.

Any thoughts are appreciated!

Don't forget protection. A nice set of wrist, elbow, and knee guards help prevent some of the most common road rash.

[Fancy-Kerrigan]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nice-Riedell...item51bd8e259d

I had a pair of these that lasted a couple good years of skating hard outside. You'd just need to swap the wheels out for something a bit softer. (I had kryptonics route 62) Very comfortable. Not the greatest skates that money can buy, but they are not the worst either.

[Derrick]

I started my return with the kids when I was about your age. I made sure I got them off the rail quickly, what a backache to hold kids up. It is sooooo much fun and worth the effort. 200 might be a bit of a challenge for your own skates, but if you can find a deal......

Anyway, good to hear from so many comeback skaters.

Gods speed and have fun.