Questiondear kim:
i'm looking to buy a pair of inline skates. i have been skating on and off for about 15 years. since we dont have any store here in puerto rico that carry the selection of inline skates you carry it is very difficult for me to make a decision. i would like to know what is the main difference between a 4 and a 5 wheel skate. i have only used 4 wheelers but would be interested in a 5 wheeler if it suited my needs. are they heavier.? can they be used in the same types of road conditions (rough asphalt etc..) as 4 wheelers? most of the riding here is done in the street and sidewalks.
my other concern is sizing. i wear a us size 13. the largest size rollerblade they sell here in puerto rico is a k2 size 13. i tried it and it felt too tight. do sizes vary according to brands?
i have identified a few models which i would be interested in:
5 wheels :salomon tr vitesse, k2 gx and rollerblade lightining 7. i would surely need one that can be fitted with a brake, and that is available in an adequate size according to what i previously mentioned.
4 wheels:salomon crossmax and tr-mg elite, k2 gt and rollerblade lighting 5
i would really appreciate your help in finding the best ske that suits my needs.
hope to hear from you soon
thanks again
jorge r. de jesus
san juan, p.r.
[email protected]
AnswerHi jorge. I can give you some tips on the difference between 4 and 5 wheel but I cant really help you with each specific skate. Most people who use a 5 wheel skate use it for speed skating or goalie skates for hockey. The speed skates are designed very differently and may not be good for recreational skating. These have a shorter boot and because they are made for speed I dont believe they are heavy. The road condition depend more on your wheels then anything else and you can always change the wheels to something more suited to what you need them for. Size does vary from brand to brand. You may want to see about return policies from where you want to order or see if the companies have customer service reps that can answer questions about their boots. Call anyone you are interested in purchasing from and pick their brain. I would not hestitant to tell you to see if you can get more info from someone else. I dont work in a skate store so Im not up-to-date on every skate. I hope you can find a skate that works for you. Good luck.
