The Best Skates To Buy
The ultimate question:
What are the best roller skates?
This is a tricky question because we are all very different, so here are my favorites! You can also watch my skate reviews here. Most of my recommendations can be found at BackBeatSkates.com or my Amazon Storefront!
If you have any questions, please comment below or check out my Discord! My discord is an inclusive, positive, and fun place to talk about everything from roller skating to our favorite recipes to what books we just finished reading. Everyone is welcome! Myself or any of the amazing skaters on there will be able to help answer your questions too! I hope to see you there!
Why should you trust me? Well, I’m a 4-time world champion artistic roller skater. I’ve been skating since I could walk, and I’ve committed my life to educating, coaching, and choreographing roller skating. After reading, please check out my Foundations Course for all of your foundational skills and the Roll With Me Membership for continued fun and success!
The boot.
There are five main parts to a roller skate: the boot, the plate, the wheels, the bearings, and the toe stop. The best skates usually don’t come as a complete package. You can customize it all! (We’re going to start with the most expensive option, so please don’t freak out 🤣)
Harlick
When it comes to your boot, you want something that will hold your ankle in place while also flexing with your toe point. Harlick’s are my tried and true best skate boot. I have been skating with Harlick since 2007, and I have yet to wear a boot that I’ve loved more! They’re family owned and run, and they were kind enough to make a discount code for you to use!
Use Code: NICOLE for $50 off. Every pair of Harlicks I have worn has lasted me at least 10 years and they are made of real leather, so you can get them fixed over the years.
Riedell 336
My second favorite boot (shorter wait time and much cheaper) is the Riedell 336. I got my complete setup from Back Beat Skates. She does in-person and online fitting to help you get the perfect boot for your skating. You can completely customize your boot with multiple colors, laces, and even hardware color!
The plate/ frame.
This is what connects your wheels to your boot. If you’re familiar with a skateboard, it is essentially the roller skate equivalent to a truck. It actually holds your trucks/axel. There are a couple commonly used materials that plates/frames are made out of: Aluminum, titanium, and Nylon. Each of these has their own benefits, but here are a couple key features of each: Aluminum is sturdy, durable, and moderately priced. Titanium is super light, crazy durable, and quite pricy. Nylon is lightweight, and the most affordable of the three. I prefer aluminum most for it’s affordability. For most general skating and dancing I don’t think the other options are as necessary.
Roll-Line Dance
This plate changed my life. I know that sounds dramatic, but it honestly did! It is perfectly responsive and great for many types of skating: dance skating, artistic dance skating, recreational skating, etc.
Komplex Axiom
Talk about responsive!!! This plate is on another level - which is actually why I’m recommending it second. This plate is truly wonderful, but it takes a while to get get used to.
The wheels.
Indoor Wheels: Roll-Line Ice
These are my favorite wheels ever…for skating indoors. Yes, you can wear them outside, but they will not save you over a pebble.
My favorite hardness is 92A, but that is totally personal preference. I like a sticky wheel because I hate to slide on slippery surfaces, but that’s just me! For most skaters, I recommend 95A.
Outdoor Wheels: Roll-Line Helium
As an artistic skater, I want a wheel that will react like an indoor wheel with the ability to go over pebbles and debris if need be. These wheels are perfect for exactly that!
Outdoor Wheels: Atom Pulse
If I am skating on a trail or street, you’ll find me on these!! They are kind of like monster truck wheels on my skate (I have small feet), and I love them!
The bearings.
aka. what makes your wheel go round. Make sure you know what size to get. Roll-Line, Komplex, and most artistic plates will take 7mm bearings.
Bones - Reds
I don’t go too fancy with my bearings.
Story Time: My grandfather skated and he was also an engineer. He was obsessed with keeping his bearings in great shape and he succeeded. Well, some people inherit gold. I inherited bearings! And I am so grateful. I have been using his old bearings for pretty much my entire life. When I’m not using my inherited bearings, I’m probably on Reds.
The toe stops.
Not just for stopping!
Roll-Line Super Jump
I don’t love to jump, but I do love these toe stops. Of course I use my toe stops to stop, but I use them for so much more than just that. I love toe stop spins, strutting on my toe stops, and so much more. I even have a toe stop section on my skills page!
The safety gear.
Please protect yourself and be as safe as possible while skating! While most of this gear doesn’t look stylish or fashionable, it will keep you safe!
The knowledge.
Now onto my favorite thing - learning! I would be beyond honored to share my knowledge with you ♥️
Drills, skills, choreography, and so much more!! This membership contains over 200 Tutorials with more added regularly. Drills are created to strengthen specific muscles for skating and skills are labeled by level to make learning accessible for all levels. Choreography is available in Beginner/ Intermediate as well as Advanced and can be done on or off skates!
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