General Info | Inline Skate World

You may have noticed kids wearing shoes with wheels at the back, flying past you, sometimes with flashing lights. If you’re an adult you might have thought “I wish I had a pair of those” and then thought “too bad I’m a responsible adult now”. Well, the good news is, you too can fly around on a pair of wheels if you fancy it… I’ve never seen an adult take the plunge myself however but that shouldn’t stop you. Also, if you’re in the market for a kid, then we’ve got a full guide below. Which heel skates should I buy? If they’re for an adult they should be able to take your weight, overall there’s at least 5 brands that are suitable for adults (as well as kids), and at least 8 suitable for kids. It depends on the colour you want and how flashy you’re willing to go. Some models are more popular than others… There are at least eight different brands, some have multiple models, the prices vary a little bit but not too much. And it’s not like any of them are made from carbon fiber, it’s your basic plastic (typically polyurethane) so it should be relatively hardy but if you start hitting it with a hammer or putting them on your pet elephant they might not hold up. Heelies Vs. Heel Skates There’s a difference between the shoes with the wheels inside them that you see kids shooting past on (heelies), and the skates that actually attach to your shoes (heel skates). Heelies are these Or these Or these Heel skates are different, and that’s what this article is about. They strap to your existing shoes and you really need to take them off to walk properly. They’re a step closer to actual skates without going the full hog. But like heelies they’re a favourite with children. Although, I think when lots of kids have heelies and your kid wants heelies, they actually want heelies not these. So don’t be a dick and buy these instead. Heel Skates / Street Rollers – A (VERY) Brief Guide How do these work? Strap them over shoes and lift your toes up to roll along. You can just about walk with them as well but you wouldn't want to walk very far with them on. Who Are these a good idea for and for what? Kids love them, rarely are adults seen in them but this isn’t to say you couldn’t. Are there any drawbacks? You can’t walk in them basically… They can be quite difficult to use as well. Heelies are easier. Where can I buy them from? The different brands all have their own online stores, you can get them from toy shops and Amazon as well. Some links are provided below. What are the options? That’s what I’ve provided below! All the best options in one place with a breakdown! Aren't I great? 1. Razor Jetts Heel Wheels These are a popular model with over 400 reviews on Amazon, averaging out at 4 stars with the majority being 5 star reviews. Having a look at some 1-star looks like a couple of people found it hard to get them to fit, but the vast majority do not find this an issue at all. Some of the middling reviews also seemed to find they worked perfectly fine, they just weren’t for them. Not really sure what to make of the “sparks flying” parts in the video, I highly doubt you should expect sparks to be flying with you everywhere. If that actually happened, I think the end of the video would be people jumping into lakes trying to put the fire on their jeans out. However, as you can see in this video here (skip to 3:06), you can actually get some little sparks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57gJtTGahmA Kids or adults? Both. Sizes: One size fits all, from U.S. Youth 12 up to adults 12. Price: How much do these bad boys cost? $19.69 Will they support your weight? Well if you’re over 220 pounds (99kg) then they made start to struggle according to the manufacture guidelines. So, I’m personally somewhere on the borderline with that… Where to buy? Get them from Amazon here Other notes: If they don’t fit you’ll want to get them back within 30 days, so make sure they’re not lying around too long if possible before you discover that. Weight: 907 grams They come in either green or purple detail. Mostly they’re still black though. 2. Yvolution Neon Street Rollers Pop N' Lock A flashing neon light variety of Street Rollers. “Pop N’ Lock”, whatever that’s supposed to mean. Also, they’ve spelled evolution wrong, but I’m guessing we can put that down to an expensive market research project. “Ain’t no party like a neon party”So they say A few people on Amazon seem to feel like these are good quality, and are happy they bought them for their kids/nieces/nephews. They come in blue and pink. Kids or adults? The recommended age is 6 years plus, and they support a very light adult, but these are basically made for kids. Size: children’s sizes. Will they support your weight? Only if you’re a child. If you’re over 50kg (110 lbs) these aren’t recommended for you. Price: $24.99 Where to buy? Get them from Amazon here 3. Bxya Adult Heel Wheel Roller Skating Shoes Ok, you’ve decided after all that you’d rather a pair for yourself than waste your money on some spoiled brat. Good for you. Well, you’re in luck. As well as the other ones on this list that are suitable for the heavier type (us adults), then these ones might be a good choice. They come in both flashing (!) and non-flashing varieties. So if you’d rather not look like a moving roller disco, you can get rid of the lights. There is a lot to say for fun flashing lights however… One of the positive reviews is from a 60 year old who tells us these are for the adult who’s a kid at heart. One reviewer did have trouble with the strap however… But overall lots of happy customers. Kids or adults? Adults, but they’ll work on kids too. Size: Should support most adults sizes. Fits normal size shoe width (2.95in-4.33in adjusted range) Will they support your weight? If you’re no heavier than 100kg (220lb) then these should be absolutely fine. Where to buy? Get them from Amazon here 4. HQ Kites And Designs Easy-on Heel Skates Another popular option, with perhaps slightly less branding flashiness as the Razor Jetts – there’s no cool video with sparks flying off the ground, however it is the current “Amazon Choice” product. “Keep all eyes on you as the wheels turn and flash multicolored LED lights”So they say... Kids or adults? The manufacturer recommends these for between 8 – 12 years of age. But technically you could probably use these as long as you’re not too heavy and don't have enormous feet. The size of the product is 18 x 10 cm (7" x 4") and they’re adjustable for different foot sizes. And, you also get to travel back in time to the 90s with these skates, at least that’s my impression from this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FI5qjQTcXo **Don’t watch this video if you think you might like to get these, the music may put you off going anywhere near them** Sizes: One size fits all apparently, though they don’t provide specific sizes other to say they recommend kids between 8 – 12 years. But adults definitely use them, the Amazon reviews indicate people at least as old as 25 are using them happily, and your shoe size shouldn’t really still be growing by the time you’re 25. If it is I might see a doctor. Will they support your weight? These bad boys support up to 176lbs (80kg), so for me unfortunately I’d have to lose a bit of weight… might be worth it though. Price: $22.51 (from UK £15.95) Where to buy? Get them from Amazon here Other notes: They gloat ABEC 5 quality bearings Weight: 800 grams They come in black. If you want the lights to stop working so they’re not flashing you can simply take the battery out. Also worth checking every now and again that the bolts are still tightened well. 5. Easy Rollerz A company based out of southern California, providing slightly less information on their products, but coming in a range of colours, including pink, blue, black, purple, and rainbow coloured. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zo1_HqhpV8 Sizes: again, supposedly one-size fits all. Though there’s probably a limit and it could be stretching it if you have adult size 14… Will they support your weight? If you’re a young boy or girl, yes they will. If you’re an adult, there’s a good chance they might not be designed for you. Price: $39.99 off their website, or £12.99 from the UK Where to buy? From the US From the UK 6. WINNEG Led Freeline Skates So, these ones light up as well unless you take the batteries out. The difference between these and the others is instead of two wheels they have four. So these are an updated version of an earlier model, with 2 small wheels added behind to protect against falling backwards essentially. They come in black, blue or pink frames. Kids or adults? These are probably designed for kids (like most heel skates...), but they will be fine for adults. Size: Fits any normal size shoe width (the adjusting range is 2.56'' to 3.54''). Will they support your weight? So the max weight as stated by the manufacturer on Amazon is “100kg/200lbs”. 100kg is actually 220lbs so maybe something magic happens when you’re living in an imperial country… Either way it looks like they should be fine for adults. Price: £17.87 or €17 Where to buy? UK - Here Germany - Here France - Here Italy - Here 7. Neon Street Rollers If you love neon and lights, then these are the ones for you (or more accurately, your kid). These come in black with the option of having green, blue, pink and purple. But they’re not really for adults. Kids or adults? Kids only really, unless you’re super light and have small feet. Size: should fit all children’s sizes. Will they support your weight? Max user weight is 132 lbs so just shy of 60kg. So, I’m going to go out on a limb and say “probably not”. But then again you could be as light as a feather. Where to buy? Get them from Amazon here 7. Sharper Image Clip-N-Roll Skates These ones have mixed reviews on Amazon, but the negative reviews don’t really talk about the product quality, but reflect the individual product-irrelevant circumstances of the purchaser instead. Don't you love it when a review is: "I don't like these coffee beans because even though it's the most delicious coffee I've ever tried, I tripped and spilled coffee on my dog. 1 star." They don’t actually have many reviews so they’re not as popular as the others. They do have a couple of good reviews so presumably they work just fine. Kids or adults? Kids really due to the weight limit being at 110lbs (50kg) Size: Kids sizes Will they support your weight? Not unless you’re super light, or a child… Price: $29.99 Where to buy? Get them from Amazon here 8. Zerodis. Light up Wheel Heel Skates Coming from Zerodis, an Amazon store that just sells a bunch of random items. They certainly don’t specialise in this product. The light is powered by a small electric generator, so there’s no need for batteries, which is neat. Kids or adults? These are made with children in mind and it says as much in their product description, but the weight-bearing ability of these is quite good so it should also support adults. Will they support your weight? Well, the manufacturer states they’ll support up to 100kg (220lbs) which is pretty heavy. Price: $19.99 or £13.29 in the UK Where to buy? Buy them from the US on Amazon Buy them from the UK on Amazon 9. Flashy Rollers All the way from Germany... “Der neue Schildkröt-Fersenroller ist die coole neue Art der Fortbewegung.”A German said this... This means something like their product is the new way to travel (I think?). Who knew? I guess we should all get rid of our cars and give up on the failed experiment of public transport? The future is here! Kids or adults? Both, at least according to the marketing material on their German website. They have some happy looking adults using these, however according to the website they don’t support as much weight as some of the other options are claiming. Will they support your weight? Only if you’re 75kg or less. Price: £17.69 or €24,99 Where to buy? This is the German site here You can order them from Amazon UK BONUS: Notable Mentions Razor Turbo Jetts Electric Heel Wheels Some mixed reviews about these. A few people complaining they’re not very powerful or not the best quality of product. But, nonetheless, you can see them in action here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLL5YR6QeCE Where to buy? Get them from Amazon here Red Ferrari Heel Skates Apparently these have a max weight of 100kg, which is pretty heavy, so actually these are good for adults as well. Get them from Amazon here Freeline Skates – A Weird and Difficult Alternative In the midst of the depths of research into these interesting detachable skates, I came across these: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlhUt8AJJO8 Basically, someone has taken a skateboard, cut it in half, and you try to skate like that with two wheels and a tiny square board per foot. 4 Million people have watched that video, I wonder how many rushed out to buy a pair? So, this is freelining. It looks pretty damn difficult. How do you use Heel Skates or Street Rollers? Basically: Adjust to fit your shoe and snap onPlace one foot slightly in front of the other, find your balance pointStep forward, push with your back foot, lift your toesTo stop, transfer your weight to the balls of your feet, then gradually jog or walk to a stop.