Wheels for Men's Skates

With few exceptions, new skates come pre-fitted with factory wheels. And unless you're a veteran skater with experience in swapping out the wheels on your men's skates, the factory wheels are likely to meet or exceed your needs for a while. Eventually, however, you might want to experiment with other styles. The most popular wheel manufacturers are Radar, Atom/Answer, Sure-Grip, Hyper, Kryptonics, Bones, and Fomac. The wheels coming in different hardnesses or durometers. Indoor wheels are typically from 92A to 103A. Outdoor wheels are 78A to 88A. The lower the number the softer the wheel.

Wider wheels are generally for speed skating and are 40mm wide. Narrow wheels are more maneuverable and are between 30 and 40mm wide.

For men or boys, skates can be upgraded with larger wheels that will allow for measurably higher top speeds, but this will come at the expense of stability. You can also opt for wheels of varying hardness. Softer wheels are better at absorbing impact and the bumpiness of rough outdoor surfaces, but they wear out faster than harder ones. Harder wheels may be impractical for outdoor use, but they work brilliantly in the rink and last longer, too.

Click here for the Mens Speed Wheels Catalog.

Cool Boys Skates Encourage Exercise

Parents are up against increasing competition from TV and video games to get their kids up and moving. If you're worried that your son isn't getting the exercise he needs, you might want to consider a great gift for boys: skates designed to impress with speed and the coolness factor. Boys skates generally come in black and it is common to order them one size larger to allow for growth room. The best way to do this for a kids skate is to take the insole out and have the child stand on the insole and see if they have at least a quarter inch to a half inch room in front of their big toe.

With the proper equipment and a little bit of practice, skating is welcomed by children of all ages as a safe and healthy lifelong passion. It's an ideal social activity, too; roller rinks are thriving all over the nation, and the only thing keeping your son from joining in on the fun is a sturdy pair of children's skates. While you're thinking about it, do a little browsing through the boys' styles featured on skatemall.com and see if there's something your child might like.

Click here for the Kids Skates Catalog.

Children's Skates, Multiple Skill Levels

A great deal has changed within the skating industry over the last few decades. If you have memories of great difficulty learning to skate as a child, you should know that the children's skates of today are engineered to ensure a much safer and more pleasurable learning experience. While young skaters must still learn the basic skills and practice regularly to build confidence and master a sense of balance, the advanced technology used for skate design results in a terrific head start for future skaters.

And for adults who never quite got the hang of skating as a child, modern-day women and men's skates are engineered to the same high standards. Skates designed specifically for beginners are available in all youth and adult sizes through skatemall.com; if you've never given yourself the chance to succeed at skating, SkateMall is ready to help you get your start.