How To Choose the Right Skates for Your Child

If you are looking to buy skates for your child, but feel overwhelmed by the vast range of choices available on the market and have no idea from where to start, you’ve come to the right place. We have made a comprehensive and helpful guide on choosing children’s skates. More specifically, we’ve outlined the most important things that you need to take into account before you head to your local shop or before you choose an online skate shop Australia wide.

Types of Skates

There are several different types of skates for kids; the most important factors that determine the right type for your children are their age and experience. Let’s take a look at the most important features of the four most common types of children’s skates.

• Recreational Skates – This is the basic and simplest skate type; they are perfect for both, indoor and outdoor use and are the best option for kids who have no previous experience in skating.
• Fitness Skates – one of the most common types of skates you will find at any traditional and online skate shop Australia wide. They share the same design and shape specifications as recreational skates, the difference being that they are enhanced with a fancy closure system, wheels with a larger diameter and smoother bearings.
• Aggressive Skates – made to be used by skaters with more advanced skating skills as well as for overcoming skate obstacles such as those at the skate parks, this skate type comes with wheels with a smaller diameter and more squared off style and additional padding; these two features provide increased stability and therefore, a better skating experience.
• Inline Hockey Skates – A shorter wheelbase and larger wheels are the two main features of inline hockey skates that enable fast-speed skating from one point to another and easy turns. These skates are recommended for intermediate to more advanced skaters.

Size

Size is one of the crucial and most delicate factors when it comes to choosing skates for kids. Due to the fact that children’s feet grow relatively quickly, it can be really tricky to decide what size to choose in order for your child to use the roller skates more than just one season. The best solution for this matter are skates with an option for size adjustments. When buying such skates choose a size that is close to the current feet size of your child.

Type of Closure

Although it might seem that this is not one of the most important factors to consider, many online skate shop online Australia experts recommend paying special attention to the closure/lacing system of skates. In fact, it is the closure system that determines whether the child will be able to put the skates on and take them off by himself, or he will need your assistance. The three types of closures you can choose from include: BOA, speedlace system and traditional laces.