About Roller Hockey Skates

Roller hockey skates are used in the sport of roller hockey which is a played on a dry surface with wheels rather than on an icy surface with blades. The name is used interchangeably to refer to both the quad wheel skates used in traditional roller hockey, as well as the inline skates used in inline hockey. The skates were designed in 1979 when the Olson brothers saw a pair of inline skates made by the Chicago Roller Skate Company and saw the potential in out of season training for hockey. They redesigned the skate with a traditional ice hockey boot and founded Rollerblade Inc.

Types Of Roller Hockey Skates

Although the term roller hockey skates is used interchangeably, it actually refers to one of two types of hockey skates. The first, quad roller hockey, most common in Latin America uses traditional 4 wheeled skates with a rubber stopper on the nose of the skate. However, as the popularity of “Rollerblades” grew, inline hockey roller skates began to overtake the market.
Beyond which style of skate that is used, there are several varieties of traditional and inline skates that can be distilled into two categories, entry level vs. professional grade. Entry level skates are usually much softer, less durable, and more comfortable for the infrequent use it will we receive. Professional grade roller hockey skates are much stiffer, more durable, and offer more dexterity and articulation.

Choosing Roller Hockey Skates

Whether you are planning on purchasing entry level or professional roller hockey skates, there are several characteristics you should be aware of before you buy.

• Fit – Inline roller hockey skates do not go by your usual shoe size. For a proper fit, go by dress shoe size and then take off ½ of a size. For example if you where a size 10 tennis shoe, and a 9 and ½ dress shoe, order a size 9 roller hockey skate.
• Width – Just as important in sizing is the width of your skate. For your reference, here are the markings for each width size in skates — C=Narrow, D=Standard, R=Wider, E=Wide
• Wheel Size – Your wheel size will determine your speed and agility. Most skates will have an 80mm (Standard Wheel Size) wheel, and you can swap out replacements as you see fit.
• Wheel Setup – In order to take advantage of high speed and high agility wheels, you can use different wheel sizes on the same skate. For example, a Hi-Lo setup will use a smaller wheel on the front than in the 3 rears. For even more flexibility, a Tri-Di setup will have several wheel sizes increasing in size towards the back of the skate.
• Stance – Depending on your level of experience, you will want to choose a stance that suits your playing style, traditional or aggressive. Traditional skates will have a straighter back ankle brace while the aggressive roller hockey skate will lean forward giving you a more prepared stance.