A lot of cheap, low quality roller skates are now available in the Philippines particularly in online platforms like Shopee, Lazada, and Tiktok. They usually look like this:
These roller skates are not proper skates for beginners to learn proper roller skating on. Here are 3 reasons why:
1. No Ankle Support
These low quality skates don't have ankle support. Beginner roller skaters need ankle support for stability, support, and protection.
2. Plates are structurally wrong
Their plates are structurally wrong which is why the "edges" on these skates don't work properly. This is how their pivot arm looks like compared to a correct pivot arm shape:
Look at the tip of the pivot arms. Low quality skates have thin, flat tipped pivot arms, which should not be the case. Pivot arms should have a rounded tip for the trucks to move properly. The plates should also have pivot cups to smoothen the movement of the tucks. But the plates of these low quality skates don't have pivot cups.
This is why these low quality roller skates are hard to use and difficult to control. It all lies in its incorrect plate structure.
3. Skating progress will be hindered with these skates
Beginner roller skaters will have a hard time learning moves with edges using these low quality, structurally incorrect skates and they can even develop bad skating habits with these. Edges are an important element in skating and its one of the priority skating fundamentals beginners should learn. If beginners can't learn and master their edges properly, they won't have a strong skating foundation. Any structure with incomplete foundations is not a strong structure.
How then can beginners learn all the roller skating fundamentals properly?
We recommend getting proper roller skates with the correct plate structure and ankle support in boots. Brands like C7 Skates, Rookie Skates, Moxi Skates, and Riedell Skates all offer high quality beginner skates that can help roller skaters learn the sport properly and progress faster in a safe manner. It is an investment in a safe and better learning experience.