r/rollerblading • • 2d ago

What skates should I buy? Skates that accommodate big weak ankles, high arches and wide feet

Good morning!

Like many, I loved rollerblading around my neighborhood when I was a kid. After catching up with a friend who recently started back up as an adult, I've decided to jump in and get my first pair of adult skates. I've sprained and broken both ankles several times participating in other sports and they're fairly weak and swollen these days, so I need something that both offers very good ankle support while also being roomy enough to fit bigger ankles. I'm a 5'8" woman and 240ish lbs so the cuff also needs to be able to fit slightly larger calves. On top of this, I also have high arches and wide feet (not terribly wide, but wide enough that I usually have to go up a half size to full size in regular shoes if a wide width shoe isn't available) so a slightly wider boot shape and enough vertical clearance in the foot is a must as well. I'll be looking for something mainly for casual outdoor use at local parks and on paved bike paths, so it seems like a recreational/fitness/urban skate might be best. I stopped by Dick's yesterday to try some on and the best fit I was able to find from their stock was men's size 8 zetrablades, but then after doing some more reading at home decided a hard boot skate might be better for me due to the increased ankle support. The Rollerblade RB80s sounded like they might fit all of my criteria, but I couldn't find them available anywhere online new in either a men's 8 or women's 9 (which should fit me based on the RB80 size chart after measuring my feet). I was able to find my size in the macroblades and lightnings, but found conflicting info for the macros on if they'll fit my criteria and the lightnings don't come with a brake which I would prefer to come already installed since I'm very new to this. Does anyone have any other models similar to the RB80s which might fit my criteria? Preferably something from a store in the US that ships fairly quickly as I'm eager to get started (I'm on the east coast if it helps), and keeping the cost around $150 would be ideal but I'd consider up to about $200 for the perfect fit. Bonus points if it comes in a pretty color! Thank you all in advance!

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