Everyone knows weight affects roller skating performance. But a lot of newbies do not know that the weight of roller skates also influences their performance.
So, when you are buying a new pair of quad skates, make sure the weight is right for you. Now, you may wonder, how much do quad skates weigh?
On average, quad skates can weigh 2 kg to 4 kg. However, quad skates can also weigh up to 5kg (11lbs).
The weight of the skates depends on several factors, such as the use of the skates, the materials, boot size, wheel size, plate size, etc.
In this article, I will talk about the weight of quad skates and the factors that influence their weight. Then I will compare lightweight and heavyweight quad skates so you can understand which type you should get.
How Much Do Quad Skates Weigh?
There is not any exact weight limit for quad skates. Depending on brands and materials, the weight of roller skates can be 2kg to 5kg (4.5lbs to 11lbs).
The majority of quad skates weigh 3kg (6.7lbs). You may find cheap plastic skates on the market weighing less than 2kg.
Also, roller skates for children may weigh less than roller skates for adults.
The weight of quad skates for you depends on many factors, like your size, weight, age, gender, and skating style. Besides, it also depends on your preference.
Why Do Roller Skates Have Different Weights?
Now, several factors impact the weight of quad skates. Roller skates have different styles and sizes to fit different sizes of people and their skating styles.
So, the materials and size of the roller skates determine how much they weigh.
If you are aware of these factors, you can choose the quad skates that have the right weight for you. Here is what you need to know:
Skater’s Size
People have different foot sizes. Hence, the size of roller skates or quad skates also varies. The bigger the size of the skates is, the more they may weigh.
So, it is obvious that skates for small feet will be smaller, and the weight will also change.
Then there is the matter of professional and non-professional skating. The size and weight of your quad skates vary based on your purpose of skating.
Wheel Size
The wheels are the most important part of your skates. Your performance matters the most, not what type of wheels you have.
Now, there are softer wheels for indoor skating and harder wheels for outdoor skating. Hard wheels are heavier than soft wheels.
Also, skaters who want more speed choose wheels with a larger diameter. Consequently, the weight of the wheels increases. Plastic wheels have less weight, but they are not durable.
Material Of The Boot
Professional skates have hardshell boots. They are made with materials that can withstand the challenges of competition.
These materials can be vinyl, leather, carbon fiber, or fiberglass. On the other hand, street skates have soft boots.
Some boots have thick layers for ankle support and are padded on the inside for comfort. Hence, professional skate boots are heavier compared to non-professional skate boots.
Quad Plate Materials
The quad plate materials of the skates are a concern for professional players. They mostly prefer aluminum or metal quad plates.
Hence, the weight of the skates gets heavier. You can see the weight of quad plates on the specifications of the roller skates. So, you have to choose the weight carefully for comfortable skating.
If skaters want a lighter quad plate for their skates, they have to choose nylon plates. The weight of the skates matters, which is why professionals often customize their quad plates with their preferred materials.
Roller Skating Style
Brands and manufacturers design quad roller skates for sports and recreational skating. That is why you will find quad skates for different categories, like indoors, outdoors, figure skating, roller derby, or street skating.
These different styles of skating activities require unique styles and designs of quad roller skates. So, they have different shapes, sizes, and weights.
For example, the skates for roller derby need hard wheels and thick boots, but skates for indoor activities need soft wheels. Thus, indoor skates are lighter than skates for roller derby.
Does Your Weight Matter?
The roller skate manufacturers also consider the weight of the skaters. So, the skates have a weight limit on them.
Skates made for heavy people mostly have a hard aluminum core and hard wheels, and durable boots.
As a result, the skates for heavily built people have more weight than normal skates. These skates must be able to withstand the additional weight pressure.
Again, people who are less than 100 pounds may need heavy and hard wheels to build momentum on the skates.
The weight limit of roller skates varies. But they are mostly between 120 pounds and 300 pounds.
Unfortunately, there are very few models of quad roller skates that can carry over 275lbs. So, heavy-weight people do not have many choices.
Your weight and the weight of the quad skates affect your roller skating performance. Therefore, it is essential to buy roller skates that fit your weight. You can check the weight limit from the durometer label on the skates.
Heavy Vs. Light Quad: Roller Skate Which One You Should Get?
You may wonder which type of quad skates you should buy. Should you buy a heavier skate or a lighter skate? Both have their advantages and disadvantages. It actually depends on some of your choices and intentions.
If you are looking for some stability, you should get heavier quad skates. People who prefer stability over speed often prefer heavy quad roller skates. They provide extra ankle support so the skaters feel more stable.
Experienced skaters may want to switch to heavy skates for some challenging moves. They add larger wheels to have more speed.
The wheels balance the extra pads on the boot. So, professional skate players do not have any problem with heavy skates.
Newbies should go for lighter quad skates because they may feel uncomfortable with heavier quad skates. Lighter quad skates usually have smaller wheels.
So, you have to choose a boot design that is not too heavy. Then the small wheels can provide good speed.
Also, for skating indoors or figure skating, you need lighter wheels on the roller skates. Lighter quad skates are perfect for people who want speed and agility.
People who skate outside and skate aggressively should have roller skates with hard wheels. You will also need some ankle support to skate aggressively.
So, heavy skates are the best choice for aggressive skating. Quad skates with soft wheels will not last long on concrete or asphalt. You must avoid skates that have soft wheels if you skate outside.
When you buy quad skates for professional sports competitions like roller derby, get quad skates that boost your performance.
So, a lot of professional skaters personalize their skates. They may add metal plates for durability or change to lighter wheels for speed. Others may opt for heavy wheels but soft materials for the boot.
So, consider these facts before you buy a pair of quad skates. In the end, it is your choice and skills of balancing on quad skates that matter the most.
Conclusion
By now, you must know the answer to how much do quad skates weigh. When you understand the factors changing the weight of your skates, it becomes easier for you to pick the right quad skates.
Hopefully, this article will help you choose your new pair of quad skates for your next adventure.