What roller blades should I get?

[puckhoggy 0]

I'm looking to buy a pair of blades and am unsure which direction I should go. I haven't bought a pair in a while and my previous have been the "rec" skates.

I'm looking for something around $100-200 mark. I would be playing outdoors only on smooth pavement, but may go on the rough as well.

I am not a Bauer supreme guy in ice skates nor a vapor. I feel comfortable in grafs g35.

If someone can point me to what brand/model I should make a bee line to and what to expect from it. Also, is there a difference when being fitted for a roller compared to ice skate?

Thx

[PassWithSauce 0]

I have the Bauer Vapor RX:15's and they are only $115!! They are great skates for the money, I don't know if you are going to be playing competitively but these are great skates for intense play or just skating around in the driveway shooting pucks. I love the abec 7 bearings. The only flaw I had with them is that they have softer wheels, which wear down faster but you can buy replacement wheels. Or you could fork over a little more cash for the RX:20's which have the LABEDA Gripper 608 X-Soft wheels, but they could be soft too. I would just buy outdoor wheels if you are worried about wearing them down to fast. But anyway, I have been using bauer rollerblades for 5+ years now, and I love every pair of them I get! I hope this was helpful, even though you said you don't like the vapor and supreme lines for ice skates.

[AIREAYE 248]

I suppose there are 2 options for you. You should first know that all (assumption here, all that I've seen anyhow) low-end roller skates (hockey boot style obv) come with outdoor wheels in the 80-84 hardness range (most should be 82), so at your price range they should come with them all set to go. however if you do happen to find a mid-end skate on clearance for that price, then they usually have softer wheels which are not suited as well durability-wise for outdoor surfaces. You'd have to buy a new set of outdoor wheels to change into...not really worth it imo.

[althoma1 574]

Your best bet is probably either a mid-high end skate at a great closeout price of $150 or less (and then add another $40 or so for a set of cheap outdoor wheels - TGM skateboards on ebay has cheap outdoor wheels that aren't high end, but will get the job done for outdoor play) or find a used pair in good condition. The truly low end ones likely won't last long unless you hardly use them or are very light.

If you're willing to consider used, I see you're member++. You could put up a posting in the buy section saying you're looking for boots in good condition with some outdoor wheels. You'd need to indicate your approximate size in different brands, but you may be able to find a high end pair that way for under $200 shipped. Sizing would be a concern, but perhaps it's a boot that you've tried on before or you'll luck out and find someone local and you can try them on in person. That may be a biased suggestion as I have a high end conversion lying around I could let go, but I'm not trying to sell you on those since I don't know what size you take. You could also try your local craiglist and kijji and even a Play It Again sports to see if there's anything in good shape in your price range. If they don't come with outdoor wheels you'd have to grab them for about $150 or less so you can buy outdoor wheels and stick to your budget.

[puckhoggy 0]

Thx for the comments and suggestions guys.

I will be visiting some stores next week and hopefully find a store with reasonable sized selections.

Is the "hardness" level of the wheels indicated on the box by any chance of skates? Also I remember in the past after I would have my driveway sealed, the wheels on a pair of mission skates left marks everywhere while other pairs wouldn't. Is this due the soft/hard factor of the wheels, or something else?

With regular use during the summer months how long will the outdoor wheels last? And do you rotate them as well?

[AIREAYE 248]

Generally for outdoor play, you'd want hardnesses of 80 or up (80,82,84) with the lighter you are having the lower rating. As for marks, it should be the material. A clear (but colored) wheel should leave marks

[Tman09 0]

So would an 84A wheel be too "slippery" to be used in a rink with a smooth surface for someone who weighs roughly 150 pounds? I'm just worried about buying an outdoor wheel like the Labeda outdoor wheel, then not being able to make tight turns during a game.

[wetwilly17 6]

So would an 84A wheel be too "slippery" to be used in a rink with a smooth surface for someone who weighs roughly 150 pounds? I'm just worried about buying an outdoor wheel like the Labeda outdoor wheel, then not being able to make tight turns during a game.

yes

[AIREAYE 248]

Wheels rated 80 and up are mostly meant for outdoors (or was it 82?). At your weight perhaps try a 76?

[Tman09 0]

ok sounds good. Thanks guys.