Chicago skates review

Top 4 Chicago Roller Skates in 2023 [For Men, Women & Kids]

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There have been a good number of the best roller skates brands in the market, but Chicago is an exception. It has been outfitting skaters for more than 100 years now.

In 1914, Chicago earned huge popularity due to their collection of stylish roller skates. Thanks to their focus on diversity. They are now a top priority to skate lovers of different ages and sex. It’s also well known for its rink and convertible ice/roller skate variations. 

If you have heard about Chicago roller skates and become interested in learning the bells and whistles, good and bad we will not disappoint you today.

After hours long research we have shortlisted Chicago’s top four most famous roller skates you can count on. 

Best Chicago Brand Roller Skates Reviewed

After having the list of skates at a glance, we will move into detail. Don’t miss the “Our Opinion” part at the end of each product’s review.

  1. CHICAGO Skates Men’s Classic Roller Skates: Best For Men
  2. Chicago Skates Deluxe Leather Lined Rink Skate for Ladies: Best For Women
  3. Chicago Skates Bullet Men’s Speed Roller Skate: Best For Speed
  4. Chicago Kids Adjustable Quad Roller Skates: Best For Boys and Girls
Chicago skates review

The Review Part

CHICAGO Skates Men’s Classic Roller Skates

Chicago men’s classic has every feature to provide a solid foundation for anyone trying to get into the world of roller skating. These skates are comfortable, and easier to control. They are one of the top selling roller skates on Amazon with tons of positive reviews. So you have strong reasons to give them a try. 

Why have we picked up the Chicago Men’s Classic?

How easy it is to control turning and stopping is a core feature for any roller skates. To meet this requirement, Chicago Classic Roller Skates have ⅝-inch toe stops. The adjustability of this braking system allows you to fine-tune a quick stop or swift turns.

Besides, the Classic Roller Skates come with durable urethane wheels that make them suitable for rink and outdoor skating. 608z semi-precision ball bearings are incorporated into these quad wheels. The combination is perfect to meet a wearer’s requirements for speed, and traction under demanding surfaces. 

Moreover, the traditional high top profile of the boots is designed to provide adequate support to your feet. The simple lacing system on large metallic eyelets/speed hooks allows a quick adjustment. Unlike velcro straps, lacings don’t deteriorate with time and you can change them in the future if needed. 

We also like vinyl material due to its added softness and lightweight feel. Unlike leather, vinyl boots don’t take time to adjust to your feet. Also, the paddings from the tongue to the entire interior surface make them more comfortable than average roller skates.

Thanks to the sturdy aluminum base plate, you can also count on the resistive capabilities of CHICAGO Men’s Classic roller skates. They connect with an adjustable jump bar, truck, and chassis. The best part is, you can customize the base and enhance your maneuverability to your requirement for rink or pavement skating.  

The limitations of CHICAGO Classic roller skates 

Although the skates are designed well, heavy riders can question the construction of the wheels and the bearings. They cannot withstand the same stress as good as the ‘85A hardness’ wheel options. Also, the bearings are semi-precision, which means they will not allow the skate to roll as freely as some more expensive professional models. Vinyl material also does not offer the same level of durability you get from leather linings. 

Our Opinion

More than 80% of the users who have participated in the rating of these boots seem satisfied. For the price point, they are hard to beat. Overall, for occasional practice and recreational skating, CHICAGO Men’s Classic fits perfectly. They are comfortable enough to give your quad skating game a head start. 

Chicago Skates Deluxe Leather Lined Rink Skate for Ladies

At this point, we would like to bring in another pair of classic roller skates from Chicago and this time it suits women style skating. If you are trying to get rolling quickly and make rink skating more fun you will need a pair of these Deluxe Leather Lined roller skates. 

What makes Chicago Deluxe Leather skates famous? 

Before writing this article, we were keen to figure out what is special about these ladies skates to become so popular. We were keen to know this from the real customers. So we didn’t give up on reading thousands of verified reviews across renowned e-commerce stores. 

After skimming through some early feedback on Walmart we came to realize that a lot of women love that these boots are simple yet make a difference in their look and feel. Also, most women appreciated the interior that reacts well with delicate women’s skin from day one. 

With 62mm urethane wheels and aluminum base, they are also able to skate on both indoor and outdoor surfaces. The trucks are adjustable at two brackets which is a big plus. The toe stops is ⅝-inch in this model. 

Last but not least, what makes Deluxe Ladies Rink Skates more remarkable is the leather upper linings. Leather materials are more resistant to ordinary wear compared to the previous vinyl editions. The boots are designed to give you an overall locked-in feel. 

The shortcoming of Chicago’s Ladies Deluxe Leather rink skates 

A few customers have found their boot runs bigger than they expect. So be aware, you may need to order a size down. In rare cases, there have been negative reviews about the quality of the wheels; some people had difficulty adapting to the spin on the wheels, and others found them to wear out quickly.

Our Opinion

If you want to own one of the most popular women roller skates in the market, you cannot go wrong with Chicago’s Ladies Deluxe Leather rink skates. They are excellent roller skates that you can get on a limited budget. 

Chicago Skates Bullet Men’s Speed Roller Skate

Bullet Men’s is an iconic name to Chicago’s roller skate collections. As their name suggests they are primarily racing skates, however they are also a popular choice for teens, children, beginners and adults. 

What are the features of this speed roller skate?

At first glance, the Chicago Men’s Bullet Skate seems more like a shoe than a roller skate. This low-cut design is strategically maintained to allow freedom of movement to the skater. This gives a more comfortable feel and ample control to the rider trying to determine whether he likes roller skating at all.  

Despite the word “speed” given to their name, we don’t believe they are the fastest skates on the market, but if you check the Amazon page, you will notice many customers rave about how comfortable these boots are. Thanks to the padded collar and the vinyl material used in the construction. 

Again, the high-quality laces allow you to adjust the tightness of your boot, while the top velcro strap reinforces safety by binding them up. The 62mm wheels are oversized. They are made out of polyurethane which taps on precision bearings and fixed axles, everything you expect in a pair of speed skates. 

The base plate provided in these skates is made of nylon. Nylon is a lightweight material so you need less effort to control your skating game. 

The limitations of CHICAGO Bullet Speed roller skates 

We are talking about a speed skate with fixed toe stops. The opening they use is 5/16-inch. Given that the axles are fixed at the center they cannot be adjusted to different heights. 

Although the product has managed to grab a 4.5 rating (out of 5) on Amazon among 2,209 users, some of them criticized the quality of stitching on the boot. We have also seen a few users complaining about the wheels wearing out after a month of use. 

Our Opinion

Despite having some limitations Chicago’s bullet speed pair is excellent if not the best for all social and recreational activities. The low cut athletic boots allow you to easily and quickly adjust to the rink style skating. 

Moreover, the price you pay for these speed skates is pretty reasonable. Overall, if you want a starter skate that doesn’t compromise quality for the price there is not much competition for CHICAGO Bullet Speed roller skates. 

Chicago Kids Adjustable Quad Roller Skates

We are about to end our reviews on Chicago roller skates, but before we move on to the conclusion let’s finish our list with an outstanding kid quad roller skate. Chicago released these Quad roller skates in 2014 and have become the most solid skates on the market for kids. 

This skate accommodates four different sizes which make it stand out from the rest of its competition. Let’s explore the roller skates in more detail.

Why is this quad roller skate so successful?

The very first reason that makes these Chicago kids skates outstanding is that they grow with your children. Your children can never outgrow these champs. If one goes obsolete, you have options to enlarge the boot to multiple sizes. Thus you save a lot of bucks not having to spend on a fresh purchase. 

What is more pleasing, you won’t need any tool to do the change. Just push the side-mounted button and you can switch between the four (full) sizes. 

Also, the safety of kids is of utmost importance to any parent. These kids quad skates ensure this with 60mm wide composite wheels. The hi-top profile along with the silhouette provides support to the ankle region as well. 

The breathable nylon mesh (interior) makes these quad skates child-friendly. In addition, their collar and tough incorporates enough padding to protect your kid from countless scratches. 

Also being able to adjust the rolling speed is a fundamental feature of any kids qual skate. This Chicago roller skate gives more freedom in this respect. It allows loosening or tightening the axle bolts. Again, the built-in toe brakes give your child adequate power if he ever needs to come to a sudden stop. 

The limitations of CHICAGO Kids Quad roller skates 

The roller skates don’t come pre-lubed. So keep this in mind before you put this pair to any real test. You can consider the toe brakes a problem in case an accident takes place. Due to their built-in feature, you cannot replace or reattach if they break. 

Our Opinion

Chicago has set a standard in the quad roller skate industry and their kids version is no exception. The four size provision along with long lasting features has made it a true setting any young child will need to hone his/her skating skills. Except for the need for oiling, we haven’t found any significant issues to complain about. 

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Hope our Chicago roller skates reviews stated above helps you out. Now, take a look at some common questions related to Chicago skates:

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Are Chicago roller skates good?

Chicago skates are good for beginners and kids. These skates are inexpensive and good learning ones for the newbies. However, you should pick a smooth ground to roll on with these skates. Otherwise, they may break down soon.

Q2. Are Chicago skates good for outdoors?

If you want to skate outdoors, you should pick softer and wider wheels along with the bearings ranging from ABEC 5 to ABEC 7. Normally, these Chicago roller skates perform better indoors rather than outdoors. However, you can find some good outdoor roller skates in our recommended skates brands guide.

Conclusion: Should You Try Chicago Roller Skates?

Elisha Clark Ware began Chicago company back in 1905 and was later led by his sons Ralph, Walter, and Robert to become one of the largest manufacturers of roller skates in the 21st century. 

Chicago roller skates are regarded as one of the best roller skating manufacturers in the US. Their traditional style skates have been around for many years and are known to pick up speed and turn nicely. 

Besides, Chicago Skates are great for learning, occasional practices, and recreational rink skating. They are also a great choice for newcomers due to their low price. So, check out again our Chicago skates reviews and choose yours.

However, if you’re already a skilled roller skater, investing in Chicago Skates may not be a good idea. Their old style skates are not suitable for professional skating and do not perform well on outdoor rough surfaces.

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