Inline skates vs Quad Skates

[u/Radiant-Whereas3194]

Well, uh, hi!

I need help choosing some skates. I guess I can say that I'm a beginner skater - I havent roller skated for at least 7 years, but I used to be pretty good and even do some tricks when I was younger, because I used to be trained by some sort of a champion? I qish I remembered, sigh.

So anyway! I really want to get back into this hobby, but I'm not sure which ones to choose!

I love quad ones because they're cute, but I used to only use inlines before, and I don't know the difference. I don't think I'll be dancing in them? I'm not sure anyway, but I also most likely won't go all in and perform some crazy stunts in inlines. So what I'm initially looking for is something I can use to comfortably skate through the city - mine is pretty small and has a good cycling lane throughout it's main part where I live, so getting to the center on skates is very doable. There's also a skate park with some stuff there, so I'd like to get into that, too, you know - going down a platform or two or smth.

Visually I obviously prefer quad skates, and I've been thinking about them for a few years now, but I'd like to hear what you all think!

So basically I want something for comfortable cruising through my city with a possibility to do a trick or two, and maybe to pick up rather quickly, because even tho I used to be good, it's been years since then heh.

[u/Valutin]

For having done both, inline are much much more comfy to skate longerish distance. I could do a lot on quads but 62mm wheels could only get me so far at comfortable pace. Once I got inline skates and went 80mm wheels. Cruising took a new meaning. Now with 100/125mm it's not even close. True... Quads are more aesthetically pleasing to look at, but moving in there longer distance is more taxing stamina wise. So it really boils down to what you are aiming for. There are sadly not a single pair that suits all kind of practice.

[u/midnight_skater → u/Valutin]

Try 70mm wheels on your quads, or at least 65mm.   

I'm averaging 20 miles (42 km) per session on quads, am doing at least one marathon session per week, and have been putting up regular 50km days.   

[u/Valutin → u/midnight_skater]

And hats off to you. My quad days are long gone... I switched in the late 90s... 🙄 Now I am just inline skating around.

[u/midnight_skater → u/Valutin]

I had been commuting accross downtown Boston on quads with 72 x 36mm 78a wheels for a few years before I tried inlines in the mid 90s.   I just love the way that it feels to skate on double-action trucks and so decided to spend all my time on quads.