Finding a nice pair of rollerblades for your kids can be a hell of a drill whether it is for a professional purpose or purely recreational. You can find a huge variety of rollerblades in different sizes, colors, types, and brands. You can pick whichever model fits your personal preferences and skill levels.
However, choosing the right one for your kids from hundreds and thousands of options can be overwhelming and daunting. And then there is the concept of adjustable rollerblades for kids.
I always wondered are the adjustable rollerblades good enough to provide proper support and comfortable fit. As I did my research it turns out that adjustable rollerblades are an ideal option to choose for the growing feet size of your kids.
It is a known fact that kids grow quickly, and they outgrow their feet size even quicker than that. Adjustable rollerblades can accommodate three to four times bigger size feet.
By the time your kids learn the art and skills of rollerblading, you can get them a pair of adjustable rollerblades to practice their tricks. Here is a quick guide on how to choose a perfect pair of adjustable rollerblades for your kids.
How to Select a Pair of Good Adjustable Rollerblades?
When you visit a sports store, you may find hundreds of options with a handful of suggestions for your adjustable rollerblades. To choose the right one for your kids, you must evaluate them based on important features. The following tips will help you narrow down your focus to purchase a quality product:
Wheel Size and Skill Levels
Select the wheel size of the rollerblades according to the skill level of your kids. Choosing the correct wheel size is important to ensure the best skating experience. Here is how wheel size relates to skating skills.
- If you are a first-time skater just entering the world of rollerblading, small wheels will do just fine to help you keep your pace under control. The ideal wheel size for beginners is between 72 to 80 mm. You can learn the art of rollerblading quickly and easily with that wheel size and not to forget the unlimited hours of fun. Always select adjustable recreational rollerblades that are not too expensive at this stage.
- When you are a beginner with introductory know-how of the basics but not much skating experience, you can pick slightly larger wheels. Large-sized wheels between 80 to 84 mm will work perfectly for your basic skill levels. If you do not want to spend more money on your skates at this time, you can simply upgrade your wheels for your existing adjustable skates to save a few bucks. You can opt for shell wheels made up of molded plastic for a more controlled and responsive wheelset.
- For intermediate skaters with moderate skills, a wheel size between 80 to 100mm will be perfect. The focus here is not purely learning or recreational. Most intermediate skaters prefer freestyle, urban, slalom, and cross-training skating tricks. Some also participate in marathon skating. Therefore, the selection of correct wheel size at this stage is paramount. If you are rollerblading in tight urban areas, which require more control and better maneuverability, you should certainly opt for smaller wheels. If your focus area is fitness skating or you want to prepare for a marathon, you can pick a larger wheel size between the range of 90 to 100mm.
- Once you step into the category of advanced skaters, the range of your wheel size will grow even bigger. At this stage, the most recommended size range is between 80 to 110mm depending on the intended use. You should note that smaller wheels often require more maneuverability, however, they offer speed and performance. For performance skating, the ideal wheel size is between 90 to 100mm. For long-distance skating such as marathons, you should select high-end skates with larger wheels. Such rollerblades are specifically designed to transfer maximum energy for every forward stride.
Brand
Once you know your perfect size options, you can narrow down your search for different available brand options. A good brand implies comfortable footbed, cool aesthetics, good ventilation, and quality wheels. Here are some adjustable rollerblade brands to choose for your kids:
- Bladerunner – This brand has sustained to be an industry leader over a long time now. The best advantage of this brand is its low-price tag for suitably designed entry-level skates. Their basic adjustable rollerblades have small-sized wheels with limited performance features.
- K2/Rollerblade/ Roces – All three brands provide an entire range of adjustable rollerblades in various wheel sizes. Further, you can pick a skate for every skill level from any of these brands.
- Seba – If you are freestyle or slalom skater, you will be familiar with the leading brand Seba. Their adjustable rollerblades are primarily famous for their snug fit and firm boots which offer maximum control and ample energy transfer to wheels.
- Vanilla/ Bont/ Luigino/ Powerslide – All these brands mainly target the advanced level rollerbladers. Further, their skates are a little expensive and adorned with tons of features.
Size for The Growing Feet
Size is an important consideration for the growing feet where adjustable skates work best for kids. You may find an appropriate size for your foot, however, certain vendors have only a limited size range or follow varying sizing techniques.
For example, for some brands, size 11 will be a better fit for a foot of size 10. Properly skim through the sizing guide before finalizing your purchase. For kids, you can select adjustable rollerblades that snugly fit their foot. As the fit grow, you can adjust the fitting of the skate to accommodate the growing size.
Price
The price can be an important consideration when you are selecting a pair of rollerblades for your kids. The best models and good brands are always expensive.
So, the best bet is to select a pair of good quality adjustable rollerblades that can serve the purpose for several years to come. Adjustable rollerblades are indeed a go-to solution for kids.