5 Best Outdoor Roller Skates for Beginners [For Men, Women & Kids]

Roller skating became widely popular right after the pandemic stalled everything around us. Despite the lockdown everywhere, roller skating gives a unique opportunity to stay active, and energized and helps you pass the lazy time with style. Not long ago, I was also considering getting a couple of pairs of outdoor roller-skates for my family. And that brings me to the search for the best outdoor roller skates for beginners.

As I was a complete novice in the outdoor roller-skate department, I had to research a lot about roller skates. My goal was to find the best pair not just for me, but also for my wife and kids. Honestly, it wasn’t an easy task. I had to browse through dozens of skates to find the perfect roller skate that would ensure quality, durability & comfort. 

If you are too looking for outdoor rollers to skate for your loved ones and don’t know where to begin, let this will be your starter guide. I will be discussing a great deal about the outdoor roller-skate I bought for my family. Maybe you too can relate and get the pair you like for yourself and your family.

Moreover, all my findings here are from my own experience of using them for an extended period. You can also find a comprehensive buying guide and FAQ section at the end if you decide to find your own best pair. With that being said, let’s get started.

Best Outdoor Roller Skates for Beginners (Comparison Table)

SN.	Product Name	Top Feature	Weight	Material	Color	Wheels	Bearings	Gender	Size
1	Boardwalk Black Outdoor Roller Skate (for Men)	Included Toe Stopper	8.2 lbs.	Nylon, Suede	‎Blue, Black	78A	ABEC 3	Unisex	5-11
2	Jessie Leather Roller Skates (for Women)	Very Lightweight	6.9 lbs.	Faux Leather	Green, Black	PU	ABEC 9	Unisex	7-13
3	Tudoccy Adjustable Roller Skates (for Girls)	Motion Wheel illumination	5.1 lbs.	Quick-dry Wick	Purple	PU	ABEC 7	Girls	S, M, L
4	SZHZS Adjustable Roller Skates (for Kids)	4 step Adjustable	5 lbs.	Breathable Mesh	Black & Blue	PU	ABEC 7	Kids	S, M, L
5	Sure-Grip White Fame Roller Skate (Inexpensive)	Aluminum Trucks	7.9 lbs.	Leather, Nylon	White & Pink	PU	ABEC 5	Unisex	4-11

5 Best Beginners Outdoor Roller Skate Review

1. Boardwalk Black Roller Skate (For Men)

The first outdoor roller skate on the list is from the Boardwalk. They are already pretty famous for their top-quality material and outstanding performance on the paved surface. After reading the specs and choosing a color profile, I bought the pair for myself. I was skeptical at first, but later my expectation was exceeded. Let me tell you why this is one of the best outdoor quad skates for beginners.

Features

Leather Build: The classic design of the roller skate always starts with the leather upper. It looks great, feels good, and provides tons of comfort in most weather conditions. I found it to be true in my Boardwalk suede skate shoe that has nylon linings in it. Even with prolonged usage the material softened a bit and delivered equal comfort anyway.

Double Roller: Most professional skaters opt for inline skating as it gives much faster acceleration and maneuverability. But a newbie like me doesn’t need that performance so I settled for a double roller that gives me ample stability. That’s another reason I like my Boardwalk so much.

Soft wheels: Wheels are the main component that allows you to roll on a different surface. With the 78A big wheels, it’s pretty effortless to ride on paved surfaces as well as indoors. Though I find it tends to slow down quickly on a smooth floor or indoor surfaces.

ABEC 3 Bearing: Smooth riding experience comes from the bearing itself. Good quality bearing always keeps your skate rolling along with a longer life span. I find it to be on point as my months of skating haven’t affected the ABEC 3 bearing at all.

Nylon Linings: Linings around the skate shoe is another vital detail that everyone should look for. It reinforced the overall shoe structure and improved flexibility while moving. With the nylon lining around the boardwalk, skate ensures all that and more.

Pros

• Nylon Laces for sturdy fittings
• Wide range of size selection
• The skate is available for both men and women

Cons

• Only one color variation is available
• A bit expensive

2. Jessie Leather Roller Skates (For Women)

Next on the list is pure beauty wrapped with elegant black leather. Another top-of-the-line and best beginner outdoor roller skates for women. I bought it for my wife. Although they have another variation with green, my wife liked the black one with pink wheels. In her words, it’s very comfortable to put it on and much more forgiving when it comes to mistakes. 

Features

High Neck Shoe: The first notable feature of this roller skate is the tall neck that provides extraordinary support to the rider. It’s already hard for a beginner to balance your skate while pacing but the extra neck acts as additional support to the ankle. So, you will have better control and confidence in the corner.

Urethane Wheel: Polyurethane or PU in short is the revolutionary wheel material that lasts a very long time. In addition to that, the soft wheels also deliver top quality riding experience on almost any kind of surface. The Jessie roller skate in this case is for outdoor cruising which is also great for figure skating that my wife loves so much.

Elegant Leather Finish: When an adult puts on a roller skate, most of the time they prefer a classy look rather than something flashy. Well, Jessie offers exactly that with the elegant leather finish. It also functions as a secure enclosure for your feet which conforms to your size as you ride them.

High-Quality Chassis: The frame on this roller skate appears to be polymer Plastic along with metal components on the trucks. Many don’t like this combination of plastic and metal but the truth is it’s really great for absorbing impacts. Both the components actively work for distributing shocks throughout the shoe. So you feel fewer jerks and enjoy more. 

Pros

• Lightweight design
• Great for outdoor & indoor riding
• Sizes available from kids to adult
• Exciting color selection both for shoe and wheels

Cons

• The pads inside are slightly thin

3. Tudoccy Adjustable Roller Skates (for Girls)

If you have kids you know girls have very different tastes in things from boys. They like bright colors and shiny things. It’s not so different in my case. So, I went for the Tudoccy as it has the most features and is packed with accessories that even the adult skate doesn’t provide. And yes! My daughter loves the color.

Features

Thick Padding: In terms of padding, the Tudoccy didn’t do any compromises. I love the fact that this breathable padding goes all around the shoe up to the tall neck. In addition to that, it’s also really comfortable inside even without the socks. I haven’t seen my daughter complaining about any discomfort as of yet. 

Triple Buckle Protection: When it comes to kids riding roller skates there’s that unavoidable concern about protection. But with the triple buckle protection on the top, middle and front there’s nothing much to worry about slipping or impact damage. 

LED wheels: One cool feature about this roller skate is that the wheel lights up when you ride them. Even more surprising is that you don’t need any batteries for that. The wheels light up on their own when it detects any motion. So forget about changing batteries and let the good times roll as long as you like.  

Muted Bearings: The bearing in the cute roller skate is a very special one. Unlike other bearings, they have a special coating around the bearing wall that reduces friction and noises. So when your kid ride them there will be hardly any noise 

Tons of accessories: You won’t believe how many extra accessories you will get with this roller skate. Manufacturers provide different Allan keys and wrenches for changing wheels, toe stop, and adjusting trucks. They also provide one extra pair of laces and a bearing set if you ever need them in the future. 

Pros

• Beautiful and colorful Design
• LED light doesn’t require batteries
• Collision protection padding on the front
• Comes with an Easy toe stopper

Cons

• No color variation 

4. SZHZS Adjustable Roller Skates (for Kids)

I want to teach my little boy skating from a very young age. As skating can be difficult at that age I wanted something that will ease up the learning curve and encourage him along the way. That’s when I stumbled upon the SZHZS a very cool-looking roller skate. And I knew at that moment, this is the one!

Features

Dual Brake system: One great thing about this SZHZS roller skate comes with a dual brake pad in the front and back. I have seen this in very few roller skates in the market. And so glad that SZHZS provided that at such an affordable price point. That way my son can have more protection and control from the learning period. 

Threefold strap system: Another reason I opt for the SZHZS is because of the three layers of strapping on the shoe. It will definitely provide ample ankle support and will reduce the risk of any injury while riding. Also, you don’t have to worry about laces as there aren’t any. So it’s even quicker to put it on and off in a matter of seconds.

Lightweight Construction: The Manufacturer has built the whole roller skate shoe and other components as light as possible. With all the straps and protective padding, it only weighs around a couple of pounds. So your kid won’t feel fatigue or any kind of inconveniences while riding.

Flexible chassis: Although the shoe itself looks very stiff, in real life it’s quite soft. That’s also true for the whole chassis. This flexible but firm frame structure allows users to ride with ease rather than feeling every bump on the road. So far he likes it and it’s hard to get him off of the roller skate once he wears it. 

Pros

• Eye-catchy design
• Improved braking system
• Front and back impact cushioning 
• Doesn’t require laces

Cons

• Plastic brake pad instead of rubber

5. Sure-Grip White Fame Roller Skate (Inexpensive)

The last pair on my list is a very inexpensive yet another Top outdoor beginner roller skate from Sure-grip. I am sure you have heard the name often in the skating community. Well, they are reliable, comfy, and overall a great performer in their price segment. If the above skate shoes haven’t clicked for you yet, I am sure this pair will catch your eye.

Features

Classic leather design: Starting with the all-around leather design not only does it look classy, but also slick as well. There are very few stitches on the boot giving it a clean style that everyone loves. And you will too if the minimalistic design is your cup of tea. 

Frame boot: So the boot has a sturdy frame-like structure that portrays just like a heavy-duty skate boot. That said, the inside of the boot itself is not so stiff as there are a fair amount of spaces to fit your feet like a glove. Also, it provides ample ankle support due to the high neck design.

Nylon plate: Underneath the boot, you will see a nylon chassis that holds the four wheels and two trucks. As it is a flexible nylon material, it distributes shock pretty effectively throughout the frame. So you will feel not as hard as a kick when dealing with bumps. 

High-performing bearings: The main riding component of this roller skate is a high-performing bearing that has a very low level of friction. In technical terms, it’s the ABEC 5 rated bearings. They are durable and quiet as well. So there will be no distracting noise when riding even after extensive use. 

Pros

• Elegant one color profile
• Sturdy boot with a hard sole
• Included rubber stopper
• Minimal stitching design

Cons

• looping laces can be an inconvenience sometimes 

What is Outdoor Skating?

In the simplest definition, outdoor skating is something that you do on outside surfaces. This could be paved roads, concrete surfaces, sidewalks, and so on. The outside surface situation doesn’t have that much smooth finish as you get on skate parks or wooden floors in your house.

And the components of the outdoor skate compliments such an environment along with a wide range of riding support.

Differences in Indoor vs Outdoor Skating

The main difference between indoor and outdoor skating lies in the wheel and surface type. Indoor, skate park and other fine surfaces complement hard wheel roller skates. on the hardness scale, they generally sit between 90-102 ratings on the durometer. The shape of the wheel also gives a certain advantage but that’s more of a personal preference. 

On the other hand, outdoor skating mainly signifies heavy-duty boots with softer wheels. They even have traction on the wheel to get a good grip on rough surfaces. Wheels are bigger in these roller skates and have a 78-89 rating on the durometer. Depending on the style, outdoor skate can have inline wheels or quad wheel formations. 

Beginners Buying Guide for Outdoor Roller Skate 

You are going to buy your first outdoor roller skate and you are very confused about the technicalities. This is as expected for any beginner or someone who doesn’t know a lot about roller skate.

That don’t let this stop you. Here is a quick and easy buying guide for you. Just give it a look and know what’s more important than just the outlook.

Wheel: The first and foremost thing you should look at in the outdoor skate is the wheel. Softer wheels like 78-89 durometers have a greater grip on rough surfaces.

On the matter of wheel size, bigger wheels have better suspension and go over bumps much more easily. But remember, the smaller wheels are easy to maneuver and accelerate even faster.

Chassis: This is just A plate that sits between the trucks and the sole of the boot. You will see the different materials like metal, plastic, and nylon on the chassis. Each has its advantage of durability and distributing impacts. For example, metal chassis last a very long time but they are not very good at dispensing impact throughout the boot.

On the other hand, plastic chassis isn’t that durable but they have great shock distributing capacity. For a beginner, you should go for the plastic one as they are much more affordable and easy to deal with.

Trucks: Trucks are the metal components that house the wheels. Most of the time these trucks are from metal like aluminum and compound steel. They also have some rubber gaskets to even out the shock from the wheel and maneuver. Aluminum trucks are lightweight and fairly durable for occasional to regular use.

If you are just starting out, aluminum trucks can be a great choice.

Bearings: In terms of Bearing you have to understand bearing standards. One easy way to remember is that the higher the standard number finer the bearing quality like ABEC 7-9. Also, remember that higher standard bearing tends to cost more than usual.

So if you have a tight budget get alters ABEC 5 or 7 for optimum riding quality. Apart from that, as long as the manufacturer has certified bearing in their skate, it’s going to be just fine.

Boot: Skate boots have numerous designs. Some of them aim to give riders agility and some give safety and comfort. So when you have comfort in mind, always go for a heavily padded boot with a high neck design. Some skate manufacturers also provide additional padding on the outside for impact protection. That’s very helpful for a beginner to reduce injury and keep the morale high. 

Make sure the boot has enough straps and buckles to hold your feet securely. Laces are a good option in this case but they are very inconvenient to make an adjustment. You can choose buckles instead as they are quick to undo and put on at a moment’s notice.

Accessories: This is optional but necessary if you have a neck for modifying skate components like laces, wheels, bearings, stoppers, and so on. Some manufacturers provide wrenches, hex keys, and other tools to modify riders’ choices as they see fit. 

Other features: Apart from the above components some manufacturers offer other features like LED lighting, and designs option to make the skate more unique. If you have the budget there’s no harm in going for a flashy skate that looks cool and turns heads on the street.

That changes when you have a limited budget. You should try to focus on the vital components like bearings, wheels, and comfortable boots rather than going for the show stopper.

Read: Our Budget Skates Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Quad Skate vs Inline skate, which one should you choose for outdoor skating?

Ans: Both the inline and quad skate has a very distinct advantage over one another. If you look at the wheel formation, quad skates have a total of 4 wheels in 2 sets side by side. This tells us the quad skate has wider surface contact. That translates into greater balance, control, and safe maneuverability.

If you look at the inline skate, the wheels on this skate are in one line. Hence the name inline skate. Some people also call it a rollerblade as all wheels in line almost look like a blade on the surface. the main advantage of inline skates is they are stupidly fast. And they can ride on almost any kind of rough surface.

The downside of inline skates is they are very hard to control. Unless you are a professional inline skate rider, it would be a major inconvenience to get any fun out of it. But that completely changes if you have some experience with inline skating and a decent endurance level. There’s a high chance that you would not go back to quad again.

So to sum it up, if your plan is off-road riding and cruising around rough surfaces, start with inline and build up endurance as fast as you can. But if you are in for light exercises, figure skating, and running errands around town, go for a quad skate.

2. Which roller skate is best for a beginner?

Ans: Roller skating is a very fun activity for all ages of people. But there are some steep learning curves before you tap into the fun realm. The first problem people face is the balancing hurdle. If you have the quad skate that has a wider contact surface, it would not be that hard even while on the move. 

The same thing happens in the acceleration phase. When you learn to accelerate those wide wheel formations give you excellent grip on the surface and easy maneuverability. So in conclusion, go for the quad skate if you are a beginner. Moreover, they are also inexpensive compared to inline skating.

Final Thought

Choosing a great roller skate isn’t that hard if you just focus on the vital components. I hope my detailed article about the best outdoor roller skates for beginners will help you along the way ever further. That said, keep up the regular practice and your hopes for a better riding experience as you climb up the experience ladder.