Comparison Fila NRK Pro 2016 vs Fila Helix Men 2016

The general style of skating that inline skates were originally designed for. This parameter determines many design features.

— Fitness (rest). This category includes the simplest models designed for relatively leisurely movement on sidewalks, park paths and other similar places and not designed to perform complex tricks. It is this category that you should pay attention to those who buy their first roller skates (or the first roller skates for a child); fitness models are also suitable for those who are not prone to extreme sports and intend to use roller skates exclusively for walking. Equipment of this class is characterized by medium-sized wheels, bearings with low speed characteristics (so that an inexperienced user does not accelerate to dangerous speeds), the presence of a brake (see below), as well as fairly simple and inexpensive materials — strong enough for safe use for its intended purpose, but generally not very reliable. The latter, however, is not a disadvantage: thanks to this design, fitness rollers themselves are inexpensive, and high loads do not arise on them during normal use.

— Active (stunt). This kind of roller skates can also be called slalom models — their main purpose is to “curly” ride on a flat surface, for example, “snake” between obstacles lined up in a row. Usually, such models do not have brakes, are equipped with fairly “fast” bearings, as well as medi...um-sized wheels that practically do not protrude beyond the front and back of the boot (this is one of the most obvious external differences from the fitness rollers described above). In addition, stunt rollers have very tight foot support in order to ensure high precision of movements — however, the downside of this feature is a low degree of comfort, which requires very precise sizing. The situation is aggravated by the fact that adjustable boots (see "Type of boot") are practically not used in this category. In light of all this, it is worth purchasing such rollers specifically only if you have some driving experience and for their intended use; for a novice rider, they are theoretically suitable, but less comfortable than models in the fitness category.

— Active (aggressive driving). Roller skates of this type are designed for acrobatic riding with jumping over obstacles, sliding along curbs and railings and other extreme tricks. They have a suitably reinforced construction with a solid boot made of solid material, but this is not the only or even the most striking feature of this class. "Aggressive" rollers are distinguished primarily by small diameter wheels; in some models they are so covered by the frame that they are practically invisible and at first glance the frame can be confused with the blade of an ordinary skate. Like all specialized varieties, this type of roller is poorly suited for non-primary applications; in this case, this is due to the fact that small wheels do not “work out” bumps well during normal driving, without tricks. Therefore, even for simple movement on such rollers on asphalt, certain skills are needed.

— Running. As the name suggests, this type of inline skate is designed for running—more specifically, for moving on flat surfaces at high speed. Distinctive features of running equipment are a long frame that protrudes noticeably beyond the boot and sometimes has numerous wheels (5, for example), as well as the large size of the wheels themselves and, of course, the high speed characteristics of the bearings. Cross-country rollers require the possession of a special riding technique and are generally quite difficult to manage; therefore, usually, they belong to the category of professional equipment and are not suitable for novice users in principle.

— Off-road. Roller skates designed specifically for moving on uneven surfaces. They are similar to "aggressive" (see above) in the sense that they were not originally designed for driving on smooth asphalt and other similar surfaces; however, the fundamental difference is that off-road skates are not designed for jumping, but for comfortable overcoming bumps. The key features of such models are large wheels, the size of which can be even larger than that of the cross-country ones described above; in addition, the frame can be supplemented with shock absorbers (this is usually found in rollers with paired wheels, see below). All this allows you to comfortably ride on uneven tiles, lawns overgrown with grass, etc.

Note that some sources may highlight other types of videos; however, in most cases they do not have fundamental differences from the categories described above, and with some reservations they can be included in one of these categories.

— Fixed size. Boots of the simplest design, having one size and not allowing for adjustment in length. In addition to the obvious disadvantage of the impossibility of adjusting to size, this design also has an advantage - it is considered more durable and reliable than an adjustable one, and if selected correctly, it sits “firmer” on the foot, which makes such boots more suitable for performing various tricks. In general, rollers with a fixed size are suitable either for an adult user whose leg is no longer growing, or for a child, if we are talking about a pair for one season.

— Adjustable size. Boots that allow you to adjust the size within a certain range - usually within 3 - 5 sizes, for example 36 - 39 or 28 - 32. The advantages of this option are obvious: it allows you to optimally adjust the boot to your foot size, one pair of rollers can be used in turn by different people, and for rollers bought for a growing child, the adjustable size is simply a salvation: without this, the rollers would have to be changed every year. On the other hand, adjustment complicates the design of the boot and reduces its strength, so this design is not widespread in professional models (“aggressive”, running, etc.).

The size itself is given according to standard shoe sizes. At the same time, the listing of sizes - for example, “ 39, 40..., 41 ” - means that the rollers are available in several modifications with a fixed size; and a hyphenated record like “39 – 41” corresponds to one shoe with an adjustable size.

Note that formal compliance with the foot size does not necessarily mean that the rollers will suit a particular user. Firstly, human legs have individual shapes, and a model that is normal in length may, for example, turn out to be cramped in the instep. Secondly, some manufacturers can be quite liberal with sizes, especially when it comes to budget models. Therefore, when choosing, it is recommended not to rely on the stated figures, but to check the comfort of the boot “live” (or at least clarify how the stated dimensions correspond to the actual ones), especially for children’s skates.

Currently the following roller sizes are available on the market: 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47.

Stiffness of wheels supplied with roller skates.

The higher the number given in this parameter, the harder materials are used in the construction of the wheels and the stiffer they are. Stiffer wheels better roll on different surfaces, it is easier to accelerate on them, they allow you to more accurately feel the surface under your feet and do not wear out as quickly as soft ones. On the other hand, these wheels have less grip, are more prone to vibrations and bumps, and require extra care when cornering. Therefore, wheels with high stiffness ( 83A and above) are typical mainly for professional models, and soft options are recommended for beginner skaters.

Note that most modern roller skates allow the replacement of wheels; this procedure is mandatory from time to time since the wheels tend to wear out. However, if necessary, you can also change a kit that is quite suitable for riding — for a harder one, or vice versa, a softer one.

At the same time, an experienced person buying new roller skates can pre-select the desired wheel stiffness among those on the market: 78A, 80A, 81A, 82A, 83A, 84A, 85A, 86A, 88A, 90A..., 94A

Class of bearings installed in roller skates.

There are several standards by which this parameter can be designated. The most popular is ABEC (Annular Bearing Engineering Committee), and the ILQ (InLine Qualified) designation is also common. In both cases, the bearing class is expressed by a number after the abbreviation: ABEC 1, ABEC 3, ABEC 5, ABEC 7, ABEC 9 or ILQ 5, ILQ 7, ILQ 9. The higher this figure, the higher the accuracy with which the bearing is made, and the higher the quality (and, accordingly, the more expensive it is). The meaning of specific numbers in both standards is the same. So, class 1 and 3 bearings are typical mainly for entry-level children models, and they are used not so much to reduce cost, but because it simply does not make sense to install better parts in such rollers. Class 5 is considered quite sufficient for mid-level fitness roller skates and inexpensive stunt models (see "Riding style"), and higher values are typical mainly for professional equipment.

We note that the class of bearings is not related to their speed characteristics — it is only about the overall build quality. But this parameter noticeably affects the service life: precise fitting of...parts helps to reduce their wear and increase the durability of bearings.

The type of boot provided in the design of roller skates.

— Soft. Such boots are similar in design to high sports shoes made of soft materials, reinforced where necessary with hard materials (most often plastic). Such shoes comfortably and tightly sit on the foot, provide good ventilation, and are light in weight. Of its practical shortcomings, one can only note a slightly lower strength than that of hard boots. However, it can become noticeable only in difficult driving modes, with an abundance of loads (primarily side loads). In addition, the soft part of the boot is not always removable, which can complicate its cleaning. In light of all this, soft boots are very popular in all types and price categories of modern roller skates — except that in " aggressive " models (see "Riding style") they usually have a soft part only on top and at first glance do not differ much from hard ones.

— Hard. Boots are made entirely of solid materials and equipped with a soft insert for comfortable placement of the foot inside. Historically, this is the first type of roller skate boot, but today it is much less common than the soft variety. This is due to several inconveniences: hard boots are less ventilated, weigh more, and also require increased attention to the choice — the slightest mismatch in the shape of the foot can cause serious discomfort. However, they have...high strength and resistance to lateral loads. Therefore, hard boots are still used in some models of inline skates — both for fitness and for stunt riding (see "Riding style").

The main material used in the design of the boot. Note that this material is not the only one: soft varieties of shoes (see “Shoe type”) are necessarily complemented by a rigid frame; hard ones, on the contrary, with a soft insert. However, the features of the boot depend primarily on the base material.

— Nylon. The soft material used in roller skates with the appropriate type of boot. This material is very popular in sports shoes in general and roller skates in particular: it is inexpensive, durable enough, and can be of any colour, and there are many varieties of nylon on the market, including those with rather advanced features. Thanks to all this, nylon is today, in fact, the main material for soft boots of all levels, from the simplest to the professional.

— Faux leather. Material that imitates the appearance of genuine leather. Like nylon, it is used for soft boots and has many varieties that vary in quality. However, for several reasons, the use of faux leather is typical mainly for fairly advanced skates, including running models, and the quality of this material is quite consistent with the class of equipment.

— Microfibre. Another option is found in soft varieties of boots. Microfibre is based on polymer synthetic threads of extremely small thickness, due to which this material has several useful features. In particular, it retains heat well and at the same time provides moisture removal, allowing...the skin to "breathe", while it dries quickly, and is easy to clean and wash. At the same time, microfibre is not cheap. As a result of all this, it is a professional sports material and is found in models of the appropriate level (and even then quite rarely).

— Plastic. This material is the same material for hard roller skate boots as nylon is for soft ones. It is characterized by a combination of low cost with an abundance of colours and good durability characteristics. It is also available in many grades, among which you can choose an option for almost any occasion — from inexpensive children's skates to durable professional models. And the fact that plastic shoes are rare is not due to the characteristics of plastic, but to the low prevalence of hard shoes in general.

— Carbon fibre. Material based on elongated carbon fibre filaments. It is used in hard boots and is considered very advanced: at a lower weight than plastic, carbon fibre has an extremely high strength, comparable to the characteristics of steel. At the same time, in roller skates, even professional ones, such strength is rarely required, and boots made of this material are not cheap. Therefore, carbon fibre is not widely used.

The presence of a brake in the design of roller skates.

Note that the design features and application of this device depend on the wheels setup in the roller skates (see above). So, in most popular inline models, the brake is installed at the rear of the frame, behind the wheels. It looks like a characteristic ridge that contacts the ground with a fairly slight backward deflection of the foot, thus providing easy, fast and safe braking. The presence of such equipment in such roller skates is considered almost mandatory for novice users. In turn, in quad models, a similar protrusion is placed in the front, and its purpose is not only and not so much to slow down the movement but to provide the opportunity to safely stand on the toe — for example, when performing a dance movement.

In both cases, the brakes are consumables: from contact with asphalt, they wear out and require periodic replacement.

The method of fixing the foot, provided in the design of roller skates.

— Buckle. The buckle of a special design is one of the components of such a latch. A strap (most often rubber or plastic) with special notches is threaded into this buckle; while the buckle is unfastened, the strap can move freely, and when fastened, it is fixed, holding the foot as well. At the same time, the combination of the special design of the clasp with the mentioned notches on the strap provides a secure hold, and the buckle is unfastened quite easily.

— Hook-and-loop. Strap-style fastener held in place with a classic hook-and-loop fastener. The action of hook-and-loop is based on the use of small hooks on one half of the fastener, which cling to the felt backing on the second half. Such fasteners are extremely easy to use: the halves “stick” to each other without much effort on the part of the user (hence the name), and to unfasten it is enough to pull the edge of the strap up, gradually disengaging the halves. Thanks to this, hook-and-loop can be used without problems even by kids. On the other hand, such fasteners are considered less reliable than buckles and are practically not used on their own.

— Lacing. Classic lacing, similar to that used in regular shoes. Note that this type of fixation can be used in both soft and hard boots (see "Boot type") — in the latter case, the laces tighten th...e halves of the boot in the upper part, pressing it to the instep of the foot. Regardless of the type of boot, this fixation is very effective, as it covers a large area and provides a good contact density. Of its shortcomings, one can note poor suitability for kids, who may have difficulty with a strong tightening of the laces.

Note that rollers with one type of fixation are quite rare — usually, certain combinations are used.

Type of heel strap provided in the design of roller skates; more precisely, the type of fastener provided on such a belt.

The heel strap covers the leg at the level of the ankle joint. Such a strap is usually located at an angle of approximately 45° to the horizontal; its purpose is to press the user's heel, providing the necessary density of contact between the sole and the foot. The main types of fasteners used for heel straps are buckle and hook-and-loop; their features are described in detail above, in the paragraph “Foot fixation” (in fact, this strap also belongs to the system of such fixation).