What skates should I buy

Inline vs Quads skates: Which skates to buy

Are you new to skating and figuring out which skate is ideal for first time skaters? Do you hear a lot about inline skates vs quad skates and do not know which one is right for you?

Let’s try to answer these questions here. First the basics

What is an inline skate?

Here all the wheels (3 or 4 wheels) are aligned in one straight line

What is a quad skate?

Here the wheels are aligned in two lines, just like how you would find in a car. Traditionally also called as roller skates. 

So which one is easier to learn?

A lot of people think that since quads are more balanced and need less effort to balance while stationary, they are easier to learn. Inline skates are more difficult to balance while stationary since the ankle naturally tends to slip sideways.  Beginners generally tends to slip sideways when practicing inline skating.  However it is not necessarily true that quads skates are easier to learn. There is more tendency to trip backwards in quads when compared to inline skates. Also since the wheel base tends to be longer in inline skates when compared to quads, they provide a bit more stability against backward and forward trips. So in summary, both skates are equally difficult or easy to learn.

Why is inline skates so popular these days?

Earlier days, beginners used to start with quads. But lately, we see so many more beginner skaters picking up inline skates, primarily due to more availability in the market. Thanks to Decathlon, which made quality inline skates so affordable and reachable.

My child is only 4 years old, so which skates will be more suitable?

Traditionally quads used to be the favorite with young skaters since it certain quads models have flexibility to change the shoes size as per the skater’s foot size (also popularly called as Tenacity skates). Moreover, quads seems to provide more stability for young skaters. However, now that trend is reversed since there are new convertible skates that can change an inline skate to a tri skate (like that of an autorickshaw). 

Is the technique to skate inline or quads same or different?

Overall the technique of skating is similar but not exactly the same. There is more subtle movement of knees and ankles in the case of inline skates as compared to quads skates. Also, the technique to stop is completely different. Quads skates have a stop break at the front as opposed to the rear break in inline skates. Quads tend to be preferred on indoor smooth surfaces whereas inline tend to be preferred on outdoor concrete roads surfaces.

What is this Tenacity skates?

Tenacity skates are beginner level quad skates, named after a popular model name. Here the wheel base is adjustable as per the skaters shoe size. Moreover, in this model, the skaters wrap the Tenacity wheels under their sports shoes. Whereas in typical Quads skates, include the shoe as well as the wheels.

If I am more serious about future competitive events, which skates should I use?

There are a host of competitive skating events for both types of skates – speed,  artistic, slalom, hockey, basketball, etc.. 

So overall should I go with inline vs quads?

There is no clear winner here. It mostly depends on personal choice and availability. Whichever skate you start with, please ensure that you learn the technique fully. After which, it would be easier for you to adapt and change the skate as per your opportunity.