13 of the Best Roller Skates for Every Type of Skater

Boot: High-cut suede boot | Wheels: 65mm/78a wheels | Plates: nylon plate | Toe-stop: adjustable toe-stop

Six of the eight experts we spoke to recommended the Lolly skates from Moxi Skates, founded by professional skater Michelle Steilen (aka Estro Jen) and manufactured by Riedell, one of the oldest skate producers in the United States. “Handmade in the USA, these leather beauties come in all colors of the rainbow,” says professional roller skater and coach Candice Heiden, co-founder of LA Roller Girls Entertainment. The basic package includes a Powerdyne Nylon plate, Kwik Abec 5 bearings, and soft, gummy outdoor wheels, which are better for “rough terrain, cruising, or slippery surfaces,” she explains. Skater Lauren Perrino describes the wheels as being “like marshmallows,” adding that they “absorb shock like no other wheel I’ve skated on.” The wheels’ larger size gives “better stability for beginners and an overall more comfortable ride for all-day or long-distance sessions,” she adds.

This was the second pair of skates I got after learning the basics and I can say with certainty that they are absolutely worth the money. I’ve gone trailskating and clocked ten miles on these babies and my feet and ankles felt completely comfortable the entire trip. There’s a reason you see most skaters wearing Moxi’s on their feet, and it’s not just because they look cool (though that doesn’t hurt).

Roller-skating blogger Kaci Bell agrees that the Lollys are more than capable of handling the rough pavement you’ll encounter skating outdoors. RousHer also likes the Lollys, adding that the skates’ suede boots “feel so comfortable as soon as you put your foot into them.” And skater Marician Dedeaux Brown notes that while “they are definitely an investment, they are worth the money.” Because the Lolly skates as is are designed for street skating and can handle ramps, cracks, and concrete, Heiden suggests buying an extra set of wheels if you want to use them for indoor skating.

Boot: High-cut vinyl boot | Wheels: 58mm/78A wheels | Plates: aluminum plate | Toe-stop: adjustable toe-stop

For beginners, three of our experts suggested going for this less expensive pair of Beach Bunny skates from our best-overall brand. According to RousHer, they have all the durability and support of many higher-priced skates. “You can be sure that they will last through the many adventures, falls, and excitement that comes with being a new skater,” she says. Bell says that they give a really “smooth roll on a wood floor,” making them great for dance skating on a rink. RousHer adds that the Beach Bunny is a skate that beginners can still use even when they’re more comfortable standing on eight wheels. The Beach Bunny skates are versatile enough for basic outdoor skating, too. “This skate has the ability to develop with you as a skater; it is good for if you want to branch out into many types of skating, such as ramps, once you have learned the basics of roller skating,” RousHer says. While the boots aren’t made of leather, Moore says their sturdy vinyl material offers “better ankle support” for those who may need it because the material is a little stiffer.

Boot: High-cut vinyl boot | Wheels: 58mm/82A wheels | Plates: aluminum plate | Toe-stop: adjustable toe-stop

Two of our experts recommended Moxi’s newest skates, the Rainbow Riders, as an even less expensive pair that’s great for beginners. They have “adjustable toe-stops and a colorful design” that made roller skater Toni Bravo “feel like a star” the first time she stepped into them. Moore agrees: “These are a great go-to, no-sweat skate for basic cruising and beginner jam skating.” Like the Beach Bunny skates, the boot is made from sturdy vinyl, but the wheels that come with the Rainbow Riders are softer, making them better for outdoor surfaces. (Given how affordable they are, springing for a set of indoor wheels shouldn’t set you back too much more.)

Boot: High-cut vinyl boot | Wheels: 58mm/82A wheels | Plates: aluminum plate | Toe-stop: non-adjustable toe-stop

For those who know they’ll be skating as much on a rink as they will on the street, a pair of skates with hybrid wheels, like these Impala skates, may be a better choice. Two of our experts recommend them as a great entry-level hybrid roller skate, including Heiden, who says their wheels, aluminum metal plate, and fixed toe-stop make them ideal “for cruising, learning how to skate, and basic dance moves.”

Like Moxi skates, Impalas also come in a variety of stylish colors and patterns (lime green and leopard is a particularly wild one), which is why Bell says, “They allow you to roll comfortably and learn in style.” (These also happen to be the brand of skates that actress Sasheer Zamata told us she wears.) Although the boot is made from synthetic materials, the skates are a PETA-approved vegan product. And Heiden has a pro tip to make them even better: “Upgrading the bearings is worth spending the extra money.”

These were the very first pair of skates I bought as a beginner. Initially, I used them on the hardwood floor of my living room–turned–roller rink. When I felt like I had the basics down I took them outside and found that, as promised, the hybrid wheels handled both smooth asphalt basketball courts and rougher concrete parking lots just as well (though I wouldn’t take them out to the skate park or areas with less smooth terrain like the street). The boots, which are made of synthetic materials, are quite stiff which gave me the stability I needed as a wobbly beginner and are also super comfortable right out of the box. However, I highly recommend loosening the wheels with a Y3 tool before lacing up. Most brand new skates from the factory floor will have wheels that are too tight to spin freely, which makes skating much harder. And while I skated on these as they are for a year, in retrospect if you have a little more money to spend, I do think upgrading the wheels and the bearings (as Heiden suggests) is worth it.

Boot: High cut leather boot | customizable hardwear

Rhythm skating is a style of skating that combines elements of dance and roller skating. It requires a specific kind of boot — called an artistic boot — that typically has a higher top for added ankle support and a bit of a heel to shift your weight forward, both of which help you safely execute different techniques. To those who are looking to really bust a move, skater Liz Brazile suggests these skates from Riedell. While they are pricey — the retail price of the boot itself is $289, and that’s before customizing it with additional parts, like wheels — she explains that “they’re one of the cheapest Riedell artistic-boot models.” Brazile adds that these boots only come in black and white; black is available in men’s sizing, while the white boots come in women’s sizing, so she says to “make sure to follow the sizing charts closely.”

Boot: High-cut split leather suede boot | customizable hardwear

If you know you want to get serious about street skating, investing in a high-quality, durable boot is a must. Both Bell and RousHer say that the boots on these Jack Boot skates from Moxi make them a prime choice for street skating. According to Bell, the skates are designed for “taking on concrete, ramps, and rough terrain,” and RousHer says they are “perfect for parks” because of their high-performance, padded suede boots that are extra firm and offer superior ankle support. She does warn that “the skates take about ten hours of break-in time, but just like a good pair of Doc Martens, after that break-in time, they feel like heaven and are well built to handle any aggressive skating you are doing.” Bell adds that slightly upgrading the standard out-of-the box Jack Boot skates is worth it if you’ll be using them a lot. For the perfect setup, Heiden suggests mounting the Moxi Jack Boot on a metal plate with an adjustable toe stop from either Roll-Line or Komplex, and finishing it off with wheels from Rollerbones Team Wheels or CIB Park Wheels.

Boot: High-cut synthetic leather boot | Wheels: 61mm/78A wheels | Plates: fiberglass-reinforced plastic plate | Toe-stop: non-adjustable toe-stop

At a much more palatable price point, these Chaya Melrose skates with a vegan synthetic boot come recommended by Heiden, who says they make good street skates because they have a bit of heel — like that on rhythm skates — that will automatically shift your weight onto the ball of your foot for increased agility. “Right out of the box, it won’t be hard to cruise around town and maneuver obstacles” in these, she says. To get even more bang for your buck, she says to upgrade them by swapping in some affordable long-stemmed toe-stops that not only offer added stability, but make it even easier to stop when you need to because they’re lower to the ground.

Boot: reinforced double split suede leather | customizable hardware

Moxi recently released their Jack 2 boot, which is designed with even greater ankle support and stability than the original Jack Boot. After a doctor prescribed an ankle brace to alleviate strain caused by daily high-impact skating, the founder of Moxi skates, Michelle Steilen, was inspired to improve the ankle support of the Jack 1 and added double-backed, dual-density padding to the Jack 2 that wraps underneath the heel through the top of the ankle and mimics the stabilizations of her brace. Because the Jack 2 is engineered to withstand high stress, it’s a great choice if you’re taking your park skating to the next level and plan to learn tricks with more high-impact landings, use your skates for multiple hours a day, or just feel like you need more ankle support while skating. It also features a shearling tongue lining for increased comfort and a tongue stabilizer to keep the tongue in place. Because it is the stiffest of the Moxi boots, the brand recommends 20 hours of break-in time before the skates will completely form to the contours of your foot.