Roller Skate Boots 1.01

There are several things to consider when purchasing roller skate boots. In effort to not confuse anyone, I'm going to keep this real simple and answer the most basic questions.1. High Tops or Low Tops? What is the difference???

Most high top boots come with a heel, as shown in the red skate above. Outdoor and dance skates have heels. I like to wear heeled skates for outdoors. This may seem silly, but I just feel a little prettier in them,.. as if you were on high heels compared to flats.

A higher heel is better for spinning and not as effective for leverage on your stride, which is why most speed and derby skates are flat. A flat sole allows you to dig deeper in your stride, using both the ball and heel of your feet to pick up speed. Where as a higher heel makes it a bit easier to turn into a spin on the balls of your feet.

Just because a boot has a low top does not mean it is meant for speed. For example, this skate is a low top, but made for casual skating.



You can actually turn any pair of skates into a pair of roller skates, and at Moxi we can do it for you. A basic pair of plates, wheels, bearings and installation will run you between $120 and $2oo.

Most casual sneaker type skates like the one shown above will not last you for every day use.

If you want speed for roller derby or competition, you need guts! And what I mean by guts, I mean built-in stiffeners that make the boots sturdy to withstand a good beating. Stay tuned for my article on derby boots.

2. Vinyl or Leather

Leather is far better but it is more expensive. The reason that leather is better is because it breaks down to the shape of your feet. To avoid getting blisters and for the most comfortable ride, you want your skates to fit GREAT! Almost as if your feet sprouted wheels :)

When the leather becomes softer and breaks to the shape of your feet it is called the 'break-in' period. Back in the day the break-in period for a pair of roller skates took about 3-4 weeks, but with recent boot technology, you can get a pair of leather roller skates and feel virtually no break-in period. What does a break-in period feel like? well, at first the leather is stiff and will rub against the curves in your feet until it remembers and builds pockets for the curves.

Vinyl roller skate boots are decent for casual usage. If you like to skate just a few times a month, find a vinyl boot with padding. Vinyl without padding can be painful since it is not very flexible and can rub and create blisters. Vinyl is also not breathable like leather is, so you're feet tend to sweat.


Stay tuned for more advanced info. on the different types of boots.

Roller Skates 1.01

Since this is my first entry, it will be the most basic advice on buying roller skates. Basically, you can buy roller skates from Big 5 for $35. , take them out once or twice come to find your wheels are made of plastic and absorb no shock from the cracks or bumps on the sidewalk, you'll get gnarly blisters and then you will probably hang them on a nail in the garage OR take them to Moxi to be fixed. We would love to help you get rolling by fixing your junk, but we've learned that changing the parts on cheap skates can actually make them even more dangerous.

Don't give up there, though! You had the right idea, Skating is one of the rare exercises that feels effortless and fun! (and it's the quickest way to get a great rear end just before summer!) Moxi's mission is to get peeps on skates, period! We sell used and vintage at affordable prices, and if we don't have something you can afford now, we will look for it!

You see, cheap skates are most likely made by the same people that make toy vacuums, checkers and ring toss games. What these people know about how much you are anticipating a smooth ride is NIL. SO! Our advice to you is to buy from a quality ROLLER SKATING MANUFACTURER.

All of our roller skates are made by roller skate makers. Most of our skates are HAND MADE in America by Riedell, located in Red Wing, Minnesota. We've been to the factory, we've met the people that make up the evolution of roller skate boots, wheels and frames and we want to outfit you on equipment that will last you loooooong time.

Sooo,... what if you HAVE old skates that might just need a tune up? Did you know that you can replace and upgrade every component on a quality pair of skates? Maybe you have skate boots that have holes in the toes,.. but maybe the plates just need a tune up? We can salvage your old parts and replace your old with new.

Components of Roller Skates
Very basically, there 3 parts to Roller Skates.
Boots (the part you put your foot inside)
Plates (the part that connects the boots to the wheels)
Wheels

To learn more about the basics of these components, go to Basics of Boots, Basics of Plates and Basics of Wheels :)