I want some skates to go to and from work. Its is about 5 miles each way, all paved, but a little uneven and sometimes tore up. I know there are many different skates in the universe, I am trying to decide between inline or roller, clamp-ons like the scorpion skates, giant wheel off-roady types. I intend to wear a helmet, knee, elbow and wrist guards, and possibly any blinky or flashy things they have at the store I go to. What opions do you have about good skate choices? Or bad ones, so I can avoid them? How should I learn?
Here’s a previous thread on the subject of learning to skate. The important thing is to learn to balance on one skate so that you get to decide when to put the other foot down. Beginners usually have no choice but to let gravity make that decion for them. Considering that the skating-motion is a bit counterintuitive, especially the pushing off to the sides part, a few lessons will be well worth the money.
I don’t have much to say on the equipment part of your question, except that you probably shouldn’t go for the 5-wheelers. They are considered advanced stuff, unless you have a background in speedskating, trading off manoeuvrability for speed. Though once you know what you’re doing that trade-off might be a pretty good one on your commute.