Shopping Guide for freeskates

In recent years, freeskates have been the best sellers among skates in many countries. Their versatility, durability, and design are some of reasons for their success. There are, however, so many different models, brands, and types of freeskates that it can be really difficult to find the ideal skate for yourself.

With this complete shopping guide we are trying to help you find the best freeskates for your needs.

What are freeskates?

Freeskates, also known as freeride skates, are very versatile urban skates. This means that they are skates constructed to do everything you can think of: skate through the city, jump, skid, do slaloms, etc.

Depending on their particular features, freeskates are good for beginners as well as for expert skaters.

Main freeskate features

Freeskates are usually known to have a hard plastic boot, a relatively short frame, and slightly hard wheels which can survive intensive handling. It is, however, a type of skating that covers so many different possibilities that you can find freeskates models that a very different from each other.
These are the main parts of a freeskate:

Boot: Most freeskate boots are made of hard plastic. This makes them resistant against impact and gives the skater a lot of support, which is ideal for extreme movements. On the other hand, especially for high end models, the boot can be made of carbon or fibreglass. These types of freeskates offer much more precision and agility but they are also more fragile than the ones with plastic boots.

Frame: Freeskate frames are usually made of aluminum, but you can also find plastic or carbon frames. They come in different sizes and configurations, depending on how you use your skates and on personal taste. You can find frames having from four 72mm wheels to three 125mm wheels and even rockering frames (the outer wheels do not touch the ground) or hi-lo frames (not all wheels are of the same size). There are a multitude of possibilities to explore.

Wheels: Freeskate wheels usually have a medium-high hardness, starting normally at 85A going up to 88A. Depending on the skating type the profile can be more flat or more rounded.

Bearings: Freeskates use conventional bearings of differing qualities; durability is usually prioritized over speed.

Liner: Removable liners are mainly used in freeskates with hard plastic boots. The liners provide comfort during skating. There are many different types, from simple foam up to heat moldable liners. Skates of higher quality usually come with better liners. But there are also skaters who, although they have got a good standard liner with their skates, buy another type of liner that suits them better.

Shock absorber: The shock absorber is a piece of rubber that is placed inside the boot, underneath the heel. Thanks to the shock absorber you can comfortably do jumps and skate on rough surfaces.

Mounting system: There are various systems for mounting the boot to the frame and for freeskates you can basically find them all, for example UFS, 195mm, 165mm, and Trinity.

Brake: Especially with mid to low end hard boots you can find models that come with a brake as standard. This is due to the fact that many of these models are ideal for skating beginners. But if a model comes without a brake, a universal brake can almost always be added.

Freeskate types

There are many freeskates that can be adapted to any skater independent of the skill level.

Freeskates for beginners

One of the most interesting characteristics of freeskates is that many models are ideal for beginners. Especially the hard boot models, with the support they provide for the beginner, are helpful in general to learn how to skate. Additionally, the relatively short frame helps dominating the skates even more.

Freeskates for beginners normally cost between 100€ and 150€.

>> see all freeskates for beginners

Medium range freeskates

For somewhat experienced skaters, freeskates range medium are perfect for urban use. They differ from freeskates for beginners in that they have better parts such as wheels, bearings or frames.

Medium range freeskates can cost between 150€ and 230€.

>> see all medium range freeskates

High end freeskates

The high end models are the top range of freeskates. Here you can find hard plastic boots as well as carbon or fibreglass boots. The parts of the high end skates are usually the best on the market. They offer the best of the best to the demanding skater.

The price range is quite wide and starts around 250€ and can get over 500€.

>> see all high end freeskates

Freeskates with 3 wheels or triskates

Freeskates with 3 wheels or triskates are more and more popular, especially with skaters who want to enjoy fast and smooth skating. They are distinguished by having 3 large diameter wheels instead of 4 smaller wheels. Triskate freeskates are usually available in medium to high end and you can therefore find them at prices starting at around 150€.

>> see all freeskates with 3 wheels or triskates

Freeskates for kids

Kids can also find freeskates designed for them to nurture their skills. Just like freeskates for adults, freeskates for kids usually have a hard plastic boot and a short frame. But because they are skates for children, the majority of them is extensible, which allows to have various shoe sizes in the same skate.

You can find freeskates for kids starting at around 60€.

>> Ver todos los patines de Freeskate para niños y niñas

Freestyle skates or skates with a fibreglass boot

Although the majority of freeskates have hard plastic boots, there is a variety of skaters who prefer the control and precision that comes with a slightly more flexible boot. That is why, for general urban skating as well for freestyle slalom skating, there is another type of skates. These feature a boot made of fibreglass or carbon lined with leather. They are generally high end skates and more expensive than the ones with a plastic boot. Their main advantages are the light weight and precision due to not having a removable liner. But they are not as abrasion resistant as the hard plastic boot freeskates and therefore should not be treated as roughly.

>> see all freestyle skates

How to choose the freeskates that are best for you

Choosing good freeskates that satisfy your needs is not an easy task. These days there exist such a multitude of models and brands that this makes deciding really difficult.

How you want to use them: It would be wonderful if you could buy just any freeskates totally independent of the price. In reality, however, not all of us can always do that. And even if you had an unlimited budget, spending a lot of money is not always needed, for example if you are a beginner.

How you want to use them: You should also decide on how you want to use your freeskates. If you want some multipurpose skates, easy and without complications, then you go with hard plastic boot skates with four 80mm wheels. But if you prefer skating faster through the city, then you go with freeskates that have at least 90mm wheels. And if you like to slalom, then you should forgo the hard boot skates and go for some slalom skates. It is, however, always best to visit us in our store whether it is our physical store or online.

Comfort: How comfortable skates are is always something very personal and subjective. And it is obviously not something that you can try out online. To make matters even more complicated, sometimes skates seem very comfortable in the store but over time they become more uncomfortable and vice versa. Luckily, we have basically all freeskate models that are available on the market in our retail store, so that you can calmly try them on to see whether they fit you or not.

Best freeskate brands

When buying freeskates it is very important to stick to well known brands. In Inercia, we only work with the best skate brands and we therefore have the best freeskates on the market in the shop. It is essential to rely on a good freeskate brand to guarantee that the skates will last longer, work better and that spare parts are available if necessary.

Every brand on the market has various freeskate models with different features. We recommend the following main freeskate brands:

Powerslide: Powerslide is a German brand that has been on the top of the inline skate market for many years. They have probably the biggest range of freeskates on the market and they cover basically all prices.

Flying Eagle Skates: Flying Eagle Skates is one of the pioneering brands in the freeskate sector, having basically only freeskates in their catalogue. They stand out for offering skates that are less expensive with similar features and performance than those of the competition.

Playlife: Playlife, a sub-brand of Powerslide, offers good quality products at reasonable prices. Their offer for the freeskate sector is somewhat limited.

BKB: BKB is another sub-brand, but this time of the Flying Eagle brand. They stand out, above all, for their quality to price ratio.

Fila Skates: Fila is an Italian brand that has been around for many years. Although they are most known for fitness skates, they do have various freeskate models with a good reputation.

FR Skates: The French brand FR is considered one of the best in the freeskate sector. They offer a wide range of models that cover basically all areas of freeskating.

Seba Skates: Seba is one of pioneering brands for freeskates. Founded by the creators of the brand FR, they now provide skates of a complementary range to the FR skates.

KRF: The Spanish brand KRF offers various freeskate models at a competitive price range.

Rollerblade: Rollerblade is the mother of all brands in the inline skate world. Pioneers and trendsetters, they entered the freeskate market a little late and are now, little by little, finding their spot. They have a wide selection, but their focus is mainly on the mid to high end range.

Roces: Roces is, together with Rollerblade, one of the oldest brands in the inline skate world. Nowadays they offer a wide range for all types of skating.

Must-have accessories and add-ons for freeskates

Universal brake pads: As mentioned before, freeskates are often used by beginners who need the brake pad for stopping. Due to the fact that not all freeskates are standard fitted with a brake pad, there are various universal brake pads that can be fitted to the majority of the freeskates available on the market. They cost usually between 10€ and 20€..

Light wheels: It is very typical to replace the standard wheels with light wheels. This is not just for the looks but also to be more visible at night which is when many skaters go out to skate on the streets. They are therefore a useful and even necessary accessory.

Backpacks: reeskates are often used as a means of transportation. It comes very handy to have a backpack for storing and carrying the skates when you arrive at your destination and want to change into regular shoes.

Cones: Even if you are not a very avid freestyle slalom skater, having a set of cones could be the solution to a boring afternoon. The cones come in all possible colours and even with lights. They are relatively cheap and do not take up much space. They are highly recommend.

Custom kits: Many freestyle models come with custom kits which allow you to personalize your skates. Most kits are made up of cuffs, buckles, laces, and side protectors in different colours. This is without doubt an easy and inexpensive way to have different, bright and colourful skates.

Do you have any doubts as to which freeskates to buy? Contact us and we will be happy to help you.