How Much Are Roller Skates And Rollerblades

Here is another trend that social media has initiated: the current growing popularity of roller skating.

Have you also seen the videos on TikTok of people skating in groups through the streets of Detroit?

Are you thinking you want to join the fun but need to know how much are roller skates? Well, that’s a very practical question, we’ll answer in this article.

Before diving into the particulars of today’s fashionable roller skates, here are the basic prices to give you an idea of what a pair of skates costs.

You can get a pair of roller skates for beginners for as little as $40 or as much as $360. The price for inline skates is roughly the same.

Current Popularity Of Roller Skating

Roller rinks have been popping up all over the country since the pandemic, sporting folks donning snazzy roller skates and having a lot of fun.

During the pandemic roller skating sales at popular retailer, Moxi were up 1,000 percent.

And you can see where the skates that were bought there are being used – on the streets and in the parks, where skateboarders and inline skaters used to have their style of fun.

How Much Are Roller Skates – The Quick Answer

As with everything else in life, the higher the quality, the higher the price.

High-quality skates worn by athletes participating in roller sports like roller derby, speed skating, artistic skating or roller hockey, can cost as much as $1,000 and more.

However, most people you see on skates probably paid around $200 for their skates. Beginners mostly start off with skates that cost around $150, and overtime pay more for more advanced skates.

In practice, these figures vary as individuals have different needs, tastes, and budgets.

The Materials That Influence The Price Of Skates

Roller skates have three main parts: the boot, wheels, and plates. The materials used to manufacture these affect the price of the skates because they influence their quality.

The Boots

Skate boots are either made of vinyl or leather, with some being a combination of vinyl and leather. The leather boots are more expensive.

The material the inner lining is made of will also influence the price, with some expensive inner linings made of luxurious padding, and others very basic and thin.

Vinyl boots are much more affordable and perfect for someone learning to skate. For more serious workouts, you’ll have to invest in leather uppers.

Also, look out for boots that have a wide toe box – it will save your feet in the long run.

Wheels

Most skate wheels are made from polyurethane, a durable plastic that has a good grip and lasts long.

The hub where the skate bearings snap into place and hold the wheels is the core of the wheel. This is made from either Nylon or Aluminum.

Nylon hubs are light and somewhat soft and more affordable. Aluminum hubs are stronger, more rigid and more expensive than Nylon hubs.

Cheap wheels tend to be made out of lower-quality urethane. They are not suitable for speed skating, roller derby, artistic skating, or jam skating.

Wheel prices vary considerably from as little as $30 for a whole set to $200 for a full set of high-end inline speed skate wheels.

When choosing roller skate wheels, you need to take hardness and wheel size into account.

The hardness of a wheel is measured on the Durometer scale: a scale, ranging from soft (74A) up to 105A (hard). The hardness of the wheels affect their durability, shock absorption, and grip on indoor or outdoor surfaces.

Harder wheels roll faster than soft wheels, but they tend to be more slippery, so the chances of falling are greater.

In terms of wheel size, smaller wheels roll slower but you have more flexibility; larger wheels are faster but less flexible.

Plates

The skate plates are either made of vinyl or heavy-cast aluminum. Most skates have vinyl plates, which is the cheaper option.

The really high-end skates used in roller sports usually contain special aircraft aluminum roller skate plates. The plates alone will cost you in the region of $200.

Different Types Of Roller Skates And Inline Skates

Speed Skates

As the name indicates, these skates are meant for speed. Inline speed skates are identifiable by their low-cut boots. The low-cut boots give the ankles maximum movement, ideal for going around corners at high speeds.

Speed skates are popular for jam skating, derby skating and speed skating. These skates have wheels specially made for speed skating.

Popular styles include skates from Riedell, Sure-Grip, Roller Derby, and VNLA Jr.

A pair of VNLA Freestyle Avanti Deluxe Jam Skate Lifestyle costs $429.99.

Outdoor Skates

Outdoor skates are designed for rough outdoor surfaces. The wheels for outdoor skates are typically softer than for indoor skates. Softer wheels make for a smooth ride over uneven and rough outdoor surfaces.

There are even skates designed specifically for the hard, smooth concrete surfaces found in parks. There are also wheels specifically designed for outdoor roller dance.

You get high-top and low-top outdoor speed skates. The lower-cut ankle boot is very popular because it offers more freedom of movement.

Indoor Skates

This is a large category of skates, which include

• High Top Indoor Skates
• Low Top Indoor Skates
• Artistic Skates
• Rhythm Skates
• Speed Skates
• Jam Skates
• Roller Derby Skates

High-top indoor roller skates are the choice of artistic or rhythm skaters who need proper ankle support.

Some popular brands for high-top skates include Riedell, VNLA, Sure-Grip, Rio Roller, and Roller Derby.

Prices range from $39.99 to $359.99.

Artistic roller skates are worn for solo, pair, and synchronized dancing. These skates feature high-quality leather boots with a strong, thick soles that can handle jumping and landing.

Some popular brands are Riedell, VNLA, and Sure-Grip.

The average price for a pair of artistic roller skates is $250 – $300, but many are more expensive. A pair from Riedel can set you back $1,000.

Rhythm skates are used for dance skating. Rhythm skating uses a high-top boot with jam plugs and no toe stops.

The range of VNLA Godfather skates is a popular choice.

VNLA skates for rhythm skating can cost as little as $199, but the average price is around $359. They can cost up to $699.

Jam skates are for the young guns you see on TikTok. The moves they do in their skates make you double take so make sure if they are actually wearing skates.

For their outrageous mix of different dance styles, including break dancing and modern dance combined with gymnastics, they need a pair of skates that can take the punishment.

The skates they wear have low-cut boots for maximum movement and are made with light materials so there’s no unnecessary weight holding them back.

VNLA has a range of jam skates, ranging from $299 to $549.

Roller Derby Skates

Derby boots are typically low-cut, but there are also high-cut boots. Low-cut boots are popular because they provide more maneuverability making it easier to take sharp turns.

Since roller derby is a contact sport, roller derby skates are of high quality, durable materials and parts.

A pair of advanced roller derby skates can be modified to have a special toe-stop, a slimmer wheel, or a leather boot that will fit like a glove.

These quad skates take a lot of punishment during a derby, so must be made very strong. Roller Derby Skates must be durable, go fast, and take tight turns.

Riedel has a huge range of high-quality roller derby skates that go up to $899. On the other end of the scale is the Roller Derby Glidr Sneaker Roller skate for $199.

Kids Skates

Kids skates for children are designed not to go as fast as skates for adults. They come in a range of fun styles and colors to appeal to youngsters.

And they appeal to parents because they are affordable and come in adjustable styles so you don’t have to replace their skates every year.

Popular brands are Lenexa, Zippy, Rollr, FILA, Pacer, and Fun Roll. Average prices range roughly from $29 to $59.

Inline Skates

There are many different rollerblades, but the four most common are recreational, fitness, speed, and roller hockey skates.

Recreational Skates are the most common skates on the market today. People buy them when they start rollerblading.

They usually have brakes for safety and are high-cut to provide ankle support. The boot is made of soft material that can move with the foot.

The soft material combined with relatively small wheels, make recreational inline skates comfortable and light for first-time users.

There are many brands of recreational skates. K2, Rollerblade, FILA, Powerslide, Impala, Flying Eagle, and Heelys are just a few of them.

You can get a pair for $44 on Amazon, where you can also get a pair for $258. It depends on your budget.

Fitness Skates are similar to recreational skates but they are made of more robust components to withstand more wear and tear. They are high-performance skates that people wear to skate long distances in order to work on their fitness.

Fitness skates are taller than recreational skates for more support, but they are not meant for beginners.

The average price for fitness skates is $160, but they can go up to $229. K2 and Powerslide seem to be the two brands to go for if you want to buy fitness skates.

Speed Skates are inline skates optimized for speed and performance. Everything about these skates is focused on speed: large, thin wheels, a low-cut boot made of soft, lightweight material, a carbon fiber-reinforced cuff, and an ultra-light carbon or aluminum frame.

Speed skates are expensive. For a quality pair from Powerslide, you can pay up to $619, but you can also get a more affordable pair for $259.

Roller Hockey Skates are designed for playing inline hockey. Roller hockey is a very popular sport among youth and young adults. These skates are designed to take the abuse this aggressive sport imposes on them.

In terms of design and construction, roller hockey skates are very similar to ice hockey skates, the main difference being that inline skates have wheels and ice hockey skates have blades.

The prices for roller hockey skates depend on whether you are shopping for junior, youth, intermediate, or senior skaters. Roller hockey skates for seniors can fetch well over $1,000.

Final Thoughts

Roller skating and inline skating are hugely popular at the moment and many of you may be wondering how much you’ll have to pay for a pair of skates.

There really is no simple answer to that question. It depends on your purpose with the skating and your budget. Hopefully our article has given you a rough idea of what you are in for price wise.