Difference Between Indoor and Outdoor Roller Skate Wheels

For decades, roller skating has been a form of both exercise and recreation. The nature of roller skates makes them useful indoors and outdoors. The surface you skate on, however, necessitates different types of wheels for optimal performance and enjoyment. Some notable differences exist between indoor and outdoor roller skate wheels.

  1. Outdoor Skate Wheels

    • Outdoor roller skates typically have a higher-cut ankle boot or a low-cut skate shoe. The most widely used outdoor roller skate is the roller skate that uses in-line wheels. The in-line wheels are narrower than traditional roller skate wheels. Several types of inline skate wheels exist, including recreational, aggressive, speed and hockey. Multiterrain skates are available with wheels designed for skaters who wish to skate on uneven or rough surfaces.

    Indoor Skate Wheels

    • Indoor skates are also referred to as recreational roller skates. These types of roller skates are equipped with wheels specifically designed for hard indoor surfaces like those found in commercial roller skating rinks. Indoor wheels are also better able to grip floor coatings at high speeds and during sharp turns. Roller skates used indoors typically have a higher skate boot that provides optimal ankle support.

    Differences

    • The main difference between indoor and outdoor roller skate wheels is the firmness of the roller skate wheels. Indoor wheels are firmer and roll more easily than outdoor wheels. Outdoor wheels are typically softer to help grip rougher surfaces like sidewalks and rough pavement. Although roller skate wheels are interchangeable, it is recommended that you never use the two for both indoor and outdoor use. Using indoor wheels outdoors on rough surfaces will cause the wheels to wear and will not provide the gripping performance needed on indoor surfaces.

    Other Types

    • Another type of skate wheel is the quad wheel. Quad wheels are found on very low skate shoes and feature wider and taller wheels. Speed skaters and recreational skaters typically use quad wheels; they find their increased comfort helpful in skating. Artistic skaters, or those involved in roller dancing, find that specially made smaller wheels are helpful for jumps and spins. Keep in mind that regular maintenance of any type of skate wheel is important.