Skating is in fashion again! Yes, although the number of skating enthusiasts has been growing exponentially for years, it is only relatively recently that skating has become even more popular! Perhaps it is because inline skating or quad skating is one of the recommended sports practices now that we are living through the Covid-19 pandemic, since it can be practiced individually or because it is simply a fantastic way to do sport without realizing it.
This sudden interest in skateboarding has made many people with no previous experience decide to start in this fantastic world. And that’s where the first dilemma begins: inline skates or 4-wheel skates? Which ones do I need? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? If I have skated with 4-wheel skates, will I adapt to inline skates? And a host of questions that we hope to answer in this article.
Two totally different constructions
Although inline skates and 4-wheeled skates are skates and have wheels, their construction and design could not be more different.
Inline skates mount wheels in a row, with a narrow profile, each mounted on independent fixed axles. There can be 3, 4 or 5 wheels inline skates, depending on the modality and uses.
On the other hand, quad or 4-wheeled skates always have 4 wide profile wheels separated by two independent tilting axles.
As for the boot, inline skates require a good ankle support, while in quad or 4-wheel skates it is not so necessary.
These differences in their construction will cause them to have very different behaviors and, therefore, the technique used to skate with them is very different.
Is a 4-wheel skate or an inline skate more stable?
This is one of the main doubts and, sometimes, false belief of the general public. If we take a 4-wheeled skate and an inline skate and we leave them standing on a table, we see that the inline skate falls down but the 4-wheeled skate stays on its 4 wheels. Therefore, it is logical to think that the 4-wheeled skates are more stable. Well, no… 😉
When skating everything changes, being much more important the base on which we stand longitudinally. In other words, the more front and rear wheels we have, the more stable we will be. Inline skates have a much longer wheelbase than 4-wheel or quad skates, which gives them more stability on the move. On the other hand, the 4-wheelers, since the wheels are supported by tilting axles, when weight is exerted on the wheels, they rotate, so mastering this application of weight makes it more difficult to feel stable.
Is it easier to learn to skate with inline skates or 4-wheel skates?
This is another typical query that our customers often ask us. Closely related to the previous point, although it may not seem so, inline skates are more stable and, therefore, easier to learn. In fact, one of the reasons for its popularization has been precisely that.
Here another related question arises: if you skated on ice skates or 4-wheel skates as a child, which type of skating will be easier for you as an adult?
In principle, if you have previous experience with skates or another sliding sport such as skiing, putting on skates, whether inline or 4-wheeled, will not be excessively strange.
Now, there is more transfer between skiing and ice skating with inline skating. On the other hand, if you have experience with 4-wheel skates and you switch to inline skates, the first few days you have to be careful looking for the front heel, as inline skates do not have it and you can quickly run into the ground!
Which skates are best for city skating or urban skating?
Most people buy their first skates to go on the street or to use them as a means of urban transportation. Once again, the question arises as to what type of skate is best for gliding around town. Here we believe that the clear winner is the inline skate! On the one hand, since the wheels have a narrow profile, it is more difficult for them to get blocked by any roughness, pebbles or other objects on the ground. On the other hand, they are faster and more stable, which is also an important factor when using them as urban transport.
This is not to say that quad skates cannot be used on the street, far from it! But it is true that with less experience it is easier and safer to use inline skates as a means of urban transportation.
Are inline skates faster than 4-wheel skates?
The quick answer to this question is yes! Obviously, it all depends on who is wearing the skates. But based on skaters of the same level, there is no color. In fact, until 92-93 in official roller speed skating competitions, there were still skaters using quad or 4-wheel skates. But from about that time on, there was no doubt that inline skates were not only faster, but also more stable at high speed. The main reason is due to its smaller surface area in contact with the ground. Thus, they offer less resistance and less speed is lost.
If we add that the technology of inline skates has not stopped evolving since the 90’s, nowadays with bigger and bigger wheels and better material, they are even faster and more stable than 4-wheel skates or quad skates.
And in terms of traction, aren’t 4-wheeled skates safer than inline skates on very slippery surfaces?
If with the speed theme we had a clear winner, here too, but this time it’s the turn of the 4-wheel quad skates. Because of their larger wheel surface in contact with the ground, in case of skating on very slippery surfaces such as wet ground, quad or four-wheeled skates have much better grip and traction.
Does this mean that inline skates cannot be used when it rains? No, far from it. In fact, there are inline skate wheels specially designed for wet skating. However, even with these wheels, skating with inline skates on slippery surfaces is very complicated and risky compared to 4-wheeled skates or quads.
What about maneuverability?
We understand the maneuverability of a skate to be the ease with which it makes turns, changes of direction and/or trajectory. Here things are a bit more complicated. Depending on the type of inline skate and its wheel and chassis configuration, we can have a very agile and fast turning skate. For example, inline field hockey or freestyle slalom skates.
However, quad or 4-wheeled skates, with their tilting axles, can more easily make very tight turns at low speeds. Proof of this is that in roller figure skating, inline skates have not been able to displace 4-wheel skates.
Which skates are more comfortable?
Comfort is subjective, especially when it comes to skates. Our feet are usually a delicate part of our anatomy and finding skates that are 100% comfortable is complicated. There are several types of inline skates and quad or 4-wheel skates, with different boot styles and, therefore, different padding and fastening systems. However, in inline skates we need a lateral reinforcement to support us when skating, something that does not happen with 4-wheeled skates. In fact, 4-wheeled skates can even be used as boots, even adapted sneakers, so comfort is guaranteed. In short, it is more likely to encounter problems of pain and chafing on inline skates than on four-wheeled skates, although you get used to everything.
Are inline skates cheaper than 4-wheel or quad skates?
Finally, we come to one of the factors that for many people is a determining factor. Many of our customers enter our online store and are overwhelmed with the number of different models we offer, both inline skates and 4 wheel or quad skates with very different price ranges. If we focus on skates for urban use, we find similarities in prices, although it must be said that in general, inline skates, having a higher public, manufacturing costs can be reduced and that gives us the possibility of finding more variety at a better price.
On the other hand, it should be noted that with similar use, four-wheeled skates have a longer component life, with their wheels, for example, wearing much less than those of inline skates.
In short, price is not a factor to be taken into account when deciding between one type of skate or another.
Conclusions
Skating is fantastic! It is a very complete activity that helps us to free our minds, stay in shape and improve our coordination. Skating is suitable for everyone, regardless of age, ability or physical condition. If we are beginners, we will have an easier time adapting to inline skates. On the other hand, quad or 4-wheeled skates have a special “feeling” and bring us other things that cannot be explained with cold data.
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