If you are a plus-size individual, you may be wondering whether roller skating is the right sport for you or not.
Finding the best roller skates for heavy skaters can be challenging but you do not need to worry as there are a few skates in the market that suits even the heaviest skaters without causing discomfort.
Roller skating can help heavy skaters burn calories and compared to other sports like running, it is a low-impact sport that is easy on your joints and muscles.
In addition to the physical benefits, skating is accessible for all and offers a range of options from social skating to competitive skating.
This article will provide you with product reviews with the 8 best plus-size roller skates that are currently in the market. The reviews discuss the design, performance, pros, and cons of each skate option.
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Our main option for the best roller skates for heavy skaters is the VNLA Parfait Outdoor skates. This is because they offer the structured and soft support that most heavy skaters are seeking. The boot also has extra padding to ensure that your feet are comfortable and secure.
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Our second option is the budget-friendly MOXI Beach Bunny roller skates. They are incredibly fashionable and are made with affordable materials to ensure that you do not break your bank when purchasing them. They have extra padding in the ankle area for security and comfort.
Our Rating - 97%
Another great choice for male heavy skaters is the RIEDELL 111 Citizen Plus skates. They provide great support and comfort and ensure that you have the perfect fit and great movement. They are lightweight and offer great support when making quick tops.
8 Best Roller Skates For Heavy Skaters (2023)
The following product reviews outline the best roller skates for heavy skaters currently available to purchase.
No matter whether you are a beginner or an experienced skater, investing time to understand the design and performance capability of a skate option is crucial as it will increase the chance of making a great purchase.
The product reviews discussed below are broken down into Editor’s Choice, Budget Friendly, High Performance, For Men, and Indoor Skates, to help you refine your product search.
1. VNLA Parfait Outdoor Roller Skates
Best Roller Skates For Heavy Skaters (Editor’s Choice)
VNLA Parfait roller skates are the perfect option for heavy skaters who are looking for comfort and stability.
Design
These skates offer a comfortable fit because the boot comes with ample padding. The microfiber uppers provide enough structured and soft support for your feet.
Performance
VNLA Parfait skates are the first high-top skates designed by the brand specifically for female skaters and those with wide feet. They come with aluminum plates and trucks which are strong enough to provide the needed stability.
They feature a durable, extra-thick, and contrasting durable tongue. If you want extra snugness, you can add contour insoles.
With an ABEC-7 bearing rating and 78A wheel hardness, these skates are 20% lighter compared to most plus size roller skates.
They feature rubber toe-stops that are adjustable and polyurethane cushions.
These skates are suitable for skating in the outdoors whether you are grinding at the park or cruising on sidewalks. If you have narrow feet, you can add contour insoles or your normal socks to make the boots comfortable.
If you wear half-size shoes, it is recommended that you order a size down so that you get a perfect fit.
Pros
- Affordable.
- Great quality.
- Sturdy and comfortable.
- Great for wide feet.
- Several choices when it comes to colors.
Cons
- Easy to scuff on the toe area.
2. MOXI Beach Bunny Outdoor Roller Skates
Budget Friendly
Design
MOXI Beach Bunny skates are the most common skates used by most people globally including heavy skaters. They have high-top boots design and come in various colors.
They have a great transfer of energy because of the aluminum frame and their toe stop is adjustable.
The wheels of these skates are soft making them perfect for outdoor surfaces such as asphalt as well as indoor spaces.
Performance
MOXI Beach Bunny skates are made of completely vegan materials. These skates offer maximum support to heavy skaters because they come with strong metal trucks and aluminum plates.
To ensure that you have enough security and comfort, these skates come with great ankle padding.
The bearings are made of steel and have an ABEC-5 rating. They have a diameter of 58mm which makes the skates stable and agile, especially for beginners.
With a 78A hardness, these skates are soft making them perfect for skating in pavements and sidewalks.
Pros
- Comfortable and versatile.
- Come in a variety of vibrant colors.
- The bolt-on-top toe stops make them safe.
- Perfect for beginners.
Cons
- Tough breaking in.
3. MOXI Lolly Sunlite Outdoor Roller Skates
High Performance
Design
The new MOXI Lolly Sunlite skates can easily be broken in with less discomfort because they are handmade using a soft suede leather material.
For maximum support, these skates have strong metal trucks and high-impact plates. You can easily adjust these skates because of the easy-to-lace system.
Performance
The high-quality padded tongue makes slipping into these skates easy. To ensure that there is less friction when skating, these skates feature ABEC-7 bearings and 65mm outdoor wheels that offer smooth rolling.
The boot design is high providing a snug fit around the ankle area to ensure the ankle has enough strong support.
These skates are comfortable, stylish, and come with adorable retro vibes. The bracing design of the plates gives these skates the optimal strength that most heavy skaters need.
The colored boots come with white cushions, toe stops, and a plate. The soft leather provides your feet with a glove-like and supple fit.
Pros
- Durable.
- Comfortable and easy to lace.
- Have a fashionable design.
- Designed for safety.
Cons
- Issues with sizing.
4. RIEDELL 111 Citizen Plus Roller Skates
For Men
Design
Another great choice for roller skates for plus-size individuals is the RIEDELL Citizen Plus skates.
They are designed for you to enjoy your recreational skating in outdoor environments. The soft uppers create a boot that is flexible and comfortable and requires no time to break-in.
Performance
RIEDELL 111 are the most durable plus-size roller skates in the market as they are made with high-quality products.
They are outdoor skates that offer great comfort and support. They have vinyl uppers that are soft to ensure you have great mobility and a perfect fit.
They feature nylon plates that offer the support you need for skating outside without adding extra weight. The toe stop supports you when you want to make quick stops.
The wheels come with ABEC-7 bearings and are 62mm by 32mm providing you with a smooth ride as you skate through the sidewalks.
The wheels come in a variety of colors to choose from. The white boots come in lady’s sizing while the black boots come in men’s sizing.
Pros
- Durable and lightweight.
- Reduces friction.
- Great mobility and support.
Cons
- Could not find one.
5. Riedell 111 Angel Indoor Roller Skates
Indoor Skates
Design
The Riedell Angel is designed to help recreational or beginning artistic skater enjoy their skating. These skates come with high-top boots and durable nylon plates with Aluminum trucks.
They also have wheels with 96A hardness and 57mm by 30mm. They have ABEC-5 bearings and a gray toe stop that can be adjusted.
Performance
These skates are so lightweight and make your move effortlessly around the roller rink. Because of their high-quality components, Riedell skates are one of the best for indoor artistic skating.
The boots are manmade and have ankle support for beginner artistic skaters and recreational skaters. The black boot comes in men’s size and slightly wider width while the white boots come in ladies’ sizes and a medium width.
The nylon plates offer agility and a solid base to the skate. The wheels are beautiful and offer smooth-rolling and are completed with ABEC-7 bearings.
For a beginning artistic skater Riedell 111 Angel roller skates are a comfortable artistic skate that will make you enjoy your roller skating more than you can imagine. They are unisex skates.
Pros
- Durable and lightweight.
- Affordable.
Cons
- Slightly tight.
6. Rio Roller Signature Roller Skates
Design
The Rio Roller Signature roller skates are designed with a vegan leather brushed finished boot and colors that add vibrancy to the summer setup.
They feature a nylon plate and Aluminum trucks.
The wheel hardness is 82A and measures 58mm by 33mm for medium sizes and 62mm by 36mm for larger sizes. They have fixed toe stops and carry a maximum weight of 220 lbs.
Performance
The Rio Roller Signature skate features plaid patterns and bright colors giving the collection a burst of summer that sits beside the existing winter shades.
These boots are made with Vegan-friendly leather that has a brushed finish and comfortable velvet lining. The heels are cushioned made with a stylish plaid tongue and molded innersole.
They also feature an adjustable stopper made of rubber. It also has a hi-impact chassis and Debossed logo on the tongue.
They are classic double-row roller skates and high-top shoes that ensure optimal safety and shoelaces provide safe and comfortable feet.
They are quality plus-size roller skates for women and beginners who want to easily learn how to roller skate.
Pros
- Attractive boots
- Super comfortable.
- High quality.
- Vegan-friendly.
Cons
- Challenges with size fitting.
7. Moxi Panther Outdoor Roller Skates
Best Roller Skates For 300 lbs
Design
The Moxi Panther Outdoor roller skates are designed with suede uppers that have a PVC outsole and heel with custom-designed lining.
The plates are of aluminum with 58mm wheels with 78A hardness. They have ABEC-5 bearings with an adjustable toe-stop that are black.
Performance
These skates are built from the same reinforcements that make the Jungle and the Beach Bunny which are versatile on the streets and at the pack.
These Moxi Panthers skates change the vinyl uppers with genuine suede that is hand-sorted and drum-dyed for a more personalized fit, colorfast look, and extra-abrasion resistance on tough surfaces.
The aluminum plates make them tough and classy and provide optimal support. They have soft-high rebound wheels with a hardness of 78A and 58mm diameter that hold up to rough outdoor surfaces.
They have ankle padding and a curved collar for added comfort accented with panther print lining and laces. These easy to lace systems make adjusting the skate simple.
The curved collar and padded tongue help to slip into the skates for a snug and comfortable fit. They are designed with safety in mind because it has a snug and high fit that has extra ankle padding for strong ankle support.
The ABEC-5 bearings are designed to reduce friction in the skates for a smooth ride.
Pros
- Stunning and comfortable.
- Durable
- High-quality skates.
Cons
- Issues with sizing.
8. Sure-Grip Rebel Roller Skates
Design
The Sure-Grip Rebel roller skate features fugitive wheels, ABEC 7 bearings, leather boots, speed toes stop, and a leather boot.
This boot has minimal or no break-in time thus guaranteeing stability and comfort to set the skate rolling.
Performance
The most notable characteristic of these skates is their grip just as the name says it. For every skater, having a skater with a good grip so as not to hurt yourself or trip is a great deal.
These skates are leather boots, and they look smooth and stylish.
The cost of this Sure-Grip Rebel Outdoor Roller skate is between $180 and $190. They are almost the same range as the Riedell skates but besides the cost, they are worth your coin.
The Roller Derby elite is also leather boots but compared to these boots they are average.
These skates are made from real leather, and they look smooth and shiny. They are also designed like a sneaker so that the skater can have a simple and modern feel on them.
The skates have good reviews from the user because they can roll effortlessly with them and do not find any gunk or dirt stuck to their rollers. This helps in avoiding unwanted accidents.
Pros
- Super comfortable.
- Great look.
- Simple and modern feel.
Cons
- Slightly costly.
Factors To Consider When Choosing Plus Size Roller Skates
Foot Type And Fit
Fit is an important selection factor since if you get the fit wrong your skate will become uncomfortable because they will bruise your feet and cause you nasty blisters.
The boots should fit like gloves because gloves that fit well will protect and support the hands therefore, skates that fit well protect and support the feet, provide comfort, and enhance the skating performance.
Different skate brands have slightly different skates fit. The sizing might also be different between different models of the same brand.
Therefore, usually, measure your feet according to the size chart of the model to calculate the correct size of your skate. The best way to define fit size is through the width and length of the foot.
For wheels it is good to go through reviews of that model to have an idea of how the sizing works for other skaters. For skaters with a wide or narrow fit, most brands do give the width information of the boot.
However, for a narrow fit, most Moxi skates would be an ideal choice and for the skater with Wide feet, Sure-Grip skates and Bont Quadstars are worth a look.
Wheels
Durometer explains an idea of the softness or hardness of roller skate wheels. There are two durometer scales namely A and B and the majority of the quad skate wheels are rated A scale.
Skaters who weigh above 200lbs go for harder wheels than the skating style usually demands. Additionally, different styles of roller-skating work best with certain durometer ranges.
Most outdoor roller skating has a recommended durometer range of 78A-85A and for those skating indoors, the recommended durometer range is 86A-103A.
Any tall or large lady or guy looking to get healthier by burning a few calories should go for wheels whose durometer is not softer than 93A for indoor skating. This is because it’s the wheel hardness that most skaters have learned to work for large frames.
Soft wheels are not recommended for heavy skaters because most of them compress, especially those below 93A.
This compression makes the urethane deform under excessive pressure causing the wheel to lose its circular shape and assume an oval shape. When the wheel deforms it will require a lot of energy to keep it rolling faster and the ride gets no stable or smooth.
When the wheel deforms it also calls for a replacement and these good wheels are expensive. Therefore, it is good to go for hard wheels that will not go flat easily.
Roller skate wheels’ diameter range between 45mm and 70mm range. The right wheel diameter for a skater depends on the skating style. Artistic and Freestyle roller skaters can use 45mm wheels.
Speed skating, Jam skating, and Roller Derby skate wheels range between 57mm-62mm while Long-Track speed skating and Outdoor roller skating for larger wheels of range 65mm-70mm in size.
Other than the wheel size, skates with stiff wheel cores and hubs are the kind of wheels that are strong for heavy-weight individuals.
Plate
They are several plate materials to choose from but the most common are nylon plates and metal plates. Plates are the first component to tell the heaviness of a skater because that is where the weight distributes out to the skate.
For heavy-weight skaters, they need metal plates and not plastic plates. Stiff metal plates like aluminum plates are preferable.
The skate metal plates should provide the upward force needed to counteract the downward force exerted by your weight.
Most cheap skates feature nylon plates. Most professional skaters do not use them. They are not recommended for heavy-built skaters because they do not provide enough support for them. Alloy plates also give more power transfer than nylon plates.
Metal plates are a good choice because they are more supportive, more durable, and have very little flex. Usually, most of these skates are cheap for a reason these skates feature nylon plates. This is because the nylon plates flex too much.
High-Top Vs Low-Cut
This depends on the best interest of the player. The High-top boot has a retro look that most skaters are fond of. The high-top design usually favors artistic skaters because they shine most with their retro aesthetic.
The high-top boots also do not provide speed to the users therefore, the skater can just glide and enjoy as well as show off their graceful movement.
The low-cut boot is suitable for competitive roller skating. The low-cut skates are also used for speed skating because they offer great support so that the skates do not wear out quickly.
Low-cut boots are popular and regular among competitive skaters because of the design of sneakers that people are used to. It could also be because the low-cut boots usually come in black while high-top boots come in many colors.
The low-cut boots offer decent articulation and great ankle support. They are also lightweight and designed to deliver turbo-charged performance and speed.
Boot Material
For heavy skaters, it is advisable to go for roller skate boots that have real leather uppers and stitched leather outsoles. This is because leather breathes well and is comfortable.
Leather also lasts longer than other materials. The leather maintenance is also relatively easy and can be addressed easily if it scuffs.
Do Roller Skates Have A Weight Limit?
Roller skates do not have a weight limit. Most of the skates brands do not give the weight limit numbers but some companies state the weight limit like the Rollerblade company state the maximum weight limit to be 20lbs for adults.
The skate load capacity should not be something to worry about because most skates with a weight limit are almost always crappy. The weight limit information of quad skates is usually not available.
Therefore, if you are a heavy-weight person and want to burn some calories, it is advisable to solid skate with an equally solid metal plate, good quality boot, and hard-core wheels.
However, the skater’s weight affects the general acceleration and roll time of the roller skates wheels. Individuals weighing above 200lbs have a better grip compared to average skaters.
Therefore, it is more sensible to choose skates with a high durometer to balance the excess weight. Hence, a rigid core like an aluminum core will work well because it offers more support.
Final Words
A great way to find the best skate that fits perfectly and comfortably for a heavy skater is to go to a skate shop and try on the skates or gather all the parts and build the skate from scratch.
You can also check online for roller skates designed and recommended for heavy skaters.
Our top pick for the best roller skates for heavy skaters is the VNLA Parfait Outdoor skates. This is because they offer the structured and soft support that most heavy skaters are seeking.
The boot also has extra padding to ensure that your feet are comfortable and secure.
Hopefully, this article has provided you with enough details to select the best skate for heavy skaters.