It’s a middle of inline skating season, summer holidays, we have a beautiful (arguably, sometimes too beautiful) weather. If you have children, it is highly possible that you’ve found yourselves facing a problem prevalent through ages, countries and societies: how to keep them occupied during summer without going insane in the process. Yes, some of us are parents and we feel your pain.
Skates are one of popular solutions, as children simply love skating. They can easily spend hours rolling.
But question remains – which skates to choose for children?
We wanted to get an opinion of people who work with children and teach them skating on daily basis. People we trust, so we have reached out to a reliable source – Eryk Muszyński and Paulina Czapla-Muszyńska from Akademia Rolkarza inline skating school located in iconic Cracow.
If you do not know who they are, we recommend checking their website, although it is only available in Polish as of now. Eryk is most known in Polish aggressive inline skating community (although he can freeskate very well, too) so you may have not seen him anywhere on social media in the past. Paulina, nickname “Boska” is a true legend of Polish inline skating scene and one of three sisters forming Czapla Team (they have received a pro-wheel from Undercover this year!). She’s bursting with energy, the amount of work she has put into promoting freestyle slalom and inline skating in general is monumental, plus she was in original crew of Powerslide Poland team.
We would like to add that both of them have tons of experience working with children and know very well, first-hand, which skates work best in case of their students. We are listing their recommendations below. Or rather, skates recommended by Eryk, approved by Paulina. There’s nothing better than to off-load some work onto husband, right? So, after a brief brainstorm with his beloved wife, Eryk has sent us feedback we have asked for, with more detailed comments in case of some skates.
We must add that of course, like all opinions, this one is subjective and it would be unrealistic to expect that they’ll know every single skate on the market in detail. For example, Eryk has told us that he doesn’t have any opinion about FRJ (and similar E3 Junior) skates, as his experience with them while working with children was very limited – it seems that they aren’t that popular in Cracow. Still, as FRJ remain one of top-sellers in our shop, it is safe to say they have dedicated fans and thus, we reached out to one additional person to get feedback on them, but we are saving it for the last.
Let’s get started with the list, then!
The #1 and most versatile skate for children – Rollerblade Apex
What Eryk said
Rollerblade Apex come with a brake, strong plastic shell and they have frame length and wheel diameter adjusted to boot size. Brake can be detached and then, the skate will be an excellent choice for freestyle slalom basics, freeskating and even beginner level park skating. You hold the skate in your hands and simply know that their quality is top level, materials are high grade and Premium liner super comfortable.
We would like to add that Apex are basically a children’s equivalent of Twister Edge skate, when it comes to overall quality and use case scenarios. We fully agree with Eryk, it is #1 skate on the market right now, sells like hot cakes and represents top-tier engineering and materials Rollerblade is known for. We have even wrote an extensive article about them in the past.
Apex are also available in triskate version. It comes with a hybrid frame, though, so you can switch to 4 wheels if needed. It’s not possible to do it the other way around if you choose 4 wheel version, as it doesn’t come with hybrid frame (as of now, maybe Rollerblade decide to use the same frame in all models one day).
Second place: Powerslide Universe
Our friends recommend it for one simple reason – reliability:
Since we have started teaching children how to skate (over 10 years now), we have never experienced any issues with Universe skates. These always behave like they are supposed to and never get in the way of learning new things.
We must say that Universe are overall a bit less versatile than Apex, as they are not as much geared towards freeskating as competitor is. Still, they have a rigid hardboot providing all necessary ankle support and allow for learning basics of these styles. These are 3 and 4 wheeled variants to choose from, although the frames are not hybrid, so you cannot switch from one setup to another. They come with frame length and wheel diameter adjusted to boot size.
Universe are true classics among Powerslide skates and one of best models ever made by the company (not only among skates for children!). Their design is almost 15 years old and only minor details have changed since the first iteration – to put it simply, there is not much to improve here, as designers have nailed it the first time. Want to learn more about these skates? Check our article here.
Winner in “best bang for your bucks” category – Powerslide Stargaze
Stargaze use exactly the same cuff and toe cap as Universe, but their lower part is made to be a single piece with composite frame. Thus, the frame is not as rigid as aluminum one used in more expensive skate, but worry not - the center of gravity is low and thanks to unibody concept, the responsiveness is still very good.
These changes aside, the top buckle is simpler and skates come with more simplistic brake than height adjustable HABS one present in more expensive sibling. In addition, as of now the skate is available only in 4 wheel configuration. Wheels are a bit lower grade in comparison, to drive down the cost, but still pretty good, overall.
Stargaze’s simplicity of design, great ankle support and reliability have made them a very popular model in places which rent out skates to try. A lot of children who try them on and skate for a bit wants them for a first pair of their own skates immediately after that
We have covered the skates in separate article here.
The cheap option for learning how to skate without any issues – Powerslide Khaan Junior LTD
Khaan Junior LTD are very basic skates, without any advanced features. They have supportive shell, a comfortable liner and wheels that roll well – all you need in skates for children.
They are positioned below Stargaze, as they use a bit lower grade materials and openly available boot mold. This simply means that the injection molds are owned by factory and anyone can use them to make skates. Universe and Stargaze ones are exclusive to Powerslide. This is why you may find skates with the exact same shell made by different brands. Notably, Kaltik have used it to make aggressive inline K skate for kids, designed with grind tricks and jumps in mind. No better proof of the design’s reliability!
By choosing Khaan LDT, you can be sure that they won’t cause children to ditch the sport because of fit issues or lack of proper ankle support.
Do not care about freeskating or freestyle and want lighter skates? Grab K2 or Rollerblade softboot models!
What Eryk says:
K2 and Rollerblade softboots perform very well, are of superb quality and proper amount of ankle support. They are comfy and to put it simply, look good. No problems with ankles bending inwards whatsoever.
When it comes to Rollerblade Microblade in specific, we have never seen a child which wouldn’t be happy to skate these. These are a straightforward recommendation. The only downside is the brake attachment – you need to knock out a thin pin.
Truth is, softboots have undeserved, bad reputation (the problem we cover in this article of ours) and furthermore, writing them off in case of skates for children is a pure nonsense. Thing is, kids put a lot less strain on skates than adults do and softboots need to be of really poor quality, too big or not laced and buckled properly to bend in ankle area.
In case of K2 and Rollerblade gear, you do not need to worry about quality, as both manufacturers make top-tier gear. Good softboots are comfortable, lightweight and expel moisture and heat very well. They are perfect for children who want to skate purely for fun and do not have ambitions to learn freestyle slalom, jumps or slides.
Bonus round: skates for children, but without adjustable shell!
There are two brands which offer skates with solid, non-adjustable shells for children: FR Skates and Seba.
FR Skates FRJ and Seba E3 Junior are based on the same boots as models for adults – they simply use the smallest shell variant. Instead of sliding adjustment mechanism, they use a set of three insoles which allow you to make more or less room inside.
Seeing that these designs have proven themselves in case of adult skaters, a lot of parents and caretakers are interested in getting kids versions. FRJ were once most often recommended and popular option of a freeskate model when it comes to skates for children, but nowadays Apex took the crown. Adjustable shell allows for a tighter fit than replaceable inserts. It also makes skates appearing as smaller
Still, FRJ do have a lot of fans and Seba’s alternative, the E3 Junior, is slowly gaining popularity. We have asked Małgorzata Trześniewska, an instructor of I Love Rolki and employee of one of Bladeville shops in Warsaw about these two models. Few people know so much about the skates as Gosia does. As expected, her feedback is extensive and almost qualifies for a separate article.
Read what she has to say about FRJ and E3 Junior below!
Before Rollerblade Apex hit the market, parents who wanted their children to progress in skating beyond basics, in freeskating or freestyle slalom direction, were buying Imperial Junior (not made for some time now) or FRJ. Even though Apex is on the top spot now, FRJ are still a frequent choice. To some extent, it comes down to how one’s foot is shaped, but Rollerblade skates are simply selling in higher volumes. FRJ are great freeskates and a good entry level slalom skate, considering that their frames have an option for rockering – no need to use two different wheel sizes. Most kids who skate freestyle used these at some point.
There are minor downsides – top buckle can be hard to close for children on their own, as considerable force must be used (all FR models share this issue). In addition, the skates come with elastic rubbers rather than normal laces – these serve decorative purposes mostly, so it is recommended to replace them with regular laces. It’s a cheap, but useful upgrade which can radically change how well the skate fits and how efficiently it locks the heel.
Because there are three insoles stacked on top on each other, the skate feels very snug at first, before liner breaks-in. This is especially true in case of children who have higher instep or wider feet. What we do in these cases, is to take one insole out, allow the liner to break-in during skating and then put the insole back inside when boot becomess a bit loose.
As all three insoles are curved at the sides, sometimes their edges can bend inwards too much in the middle. You have to keep that in mind while trying the skates on and later, during phase when skates break-in and before everything settles down in place. Always check before child puts skates on and re-adjust if needed.
In general, FRJ are recommended by students, instructors and skateshop workers alike. If child is skilled at skating already, it is better to go for FRJ Club version right away. They do not have a brake, but come with better quality wheels, a 45 degree buckle instead of Velcro strap, regular FR laces and cuff mounted with screws instead of rivets, making the skate easily compatible with FR custom kits.
Seba E3 Junior have thinner liner and a bit wider shell, so they are more spacious. The price difference compared to FRJ is not that significant, but you can easily say that their overall build quality is slightly lower. Still, if FRJ are too tight, it is worth to consider E3 Junior as alternative - it is still a very solid skate and comes with the same, rockerable frame. As for the rest of feedback, well, it is the same as in case of FRJ, as these are very similar skates and even use some of the same parts.
That’s it!
Have we covered the subject thoroughly? Absolutely not. If we would run a query among more people from I Love Rolki skating schools, this list would most likely have one or two skates more. We also have focused on skates to start on and left aggressive inline models out on purpose, as these are more specialised gear and not as good for learning how to skate from scratch. Usually, these are picked up as a second pair, after kids learn how to skate at level allowing them to roll around the skatepark without problems.
We wanted to keep it simple. You’ve just read a feedback coming from people with over 10 years of teaching experience each, true specialists in their field.
If you live in Cracow or nearby, we highly recommend giving Akademia Rolkarza skating school a go – they have a wide range of classes targeted towards different ages and skill levels. Furthermore, even though their website is not in English language, many of their instructors do speak it, so there shouldn’t be any problems with communication.
Malgorzata is working at I Love Rolki Warszawa skating school – among many other great instructors. Once again, the lack of knowledge of Polish language shouldn’t be an issue, if you speak English well enough.
As you can see, no matter in which capital of Poland you live in – current or historical one – I Love Rolki offers classes for you and your kids! :)
When it comes to skates – you’ll find them in our shop, of course! The models mentioned in this article and more are available here.
Cheers!
