# What's the point of inline skates? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 7, 2009, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-inline-skates/512947 "2009-10-07T16:11:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-inline-skates/512947/1 "2009-10-07T16:11:00Z")
When I was younger everyone was on roller skates. A decade later, it seems that they’ve been almost entirely replaced by inline skates. These are much harder to roll around on, so why have they become the new de facto? ---
**Author:** ![TNWPsycho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/47e85d/32.png) [@TNWPsycho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TNWPsycho)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-inline-skates/512947/2 "2009-10-07T16:13:05Z")
Its all about speed, inline skates are faster, and in my experience a little easier to navigate in. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-inline-skates/512947/3 "2009-10-07T16:20:54Z")
You place the body’s weight directly above the support point at all times, even when turning, like in ice skates. Traditional for-wheel roller skates put that point of support off to one side, and there’s more stress on yoiur ankles. I appreciate this, because I was always twisting my ankles as a kid. I once saw a picture of some 19th century “roller skates” with outrageously large wheels, but only on the _outside_ of the foot. I thought it was a neat idea – except that I’d constantly be spraining my ankles. Modern in-line skates, I think, avoid all that. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-inline-skates/512947/4 "2009-10-07T16:46:47Z")
I always found them easier than normal roller skates. On roller skates you have four wheels that like to stay flat, which is hard to turn in. Inline skates let you pivot your foot to the left or right, which makes turning a lot easier. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-inline-skates/512947/5 "2009-10-07T16:49:43Z")
> [@](#): > > I always found them easier than normal roller skates. On roller skates you have four wheels that like to stay flat, which is hard to turn in. Inline skates let you pivot your foot to the left or right, which makes turning a lot easier. The same point I made – you _can_ lift two of the wheels and ride on the two edge ones, but you’re got to exert force through your ankles, and that’s not easy – especially with that short a moment arm. Much easier on a single line of wheels that lie on a direct line from your body to the ground. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-inline-skates/512947/6 "2009-10-07T17:37:46Z")
You can lean your feet a little because of the [quad truck system](http://www.quadskating.com/skates/roller-skate-trucks.htm) on roller skates but not nearly as far as on inline skates. I can do both fairly well and while inline skates are harder to master, they are far easier once learned. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-inline-skates/512947/7 "2009-10-07T18:08:13Z")
Besides the easier navigation, inline skates are much lighter and more comfortable than roller skates. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-inline-skates/512947/8 "2009-10-07T19:48:01Z")
Young whipper snappers… with yer in-line skates! BAH! When I was a kid, we twisted and racked up our ankles and feet with four-wheel skates, and Suzie could stay out late skating to that new-fangled Disco music the kids were starting to play after all the hippies got arrested. And we liked it! Now get off my lawn, ya little sons of b–tches! ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-inline-skates/512947/9 "2009-10-07T20:14:31Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > Young whipper snappers… with yer in-line skates! BAH! When I was a kid, we twisted and racked up our ankles and feet with four-wheel skates, and Suzie could stay out late skating to that new-fangled Disco music the kids were starting to play after all the hippies got arrested. > > And we liked it! > > Now get off my lawn, ya little sons of b–tches! When I was a kid, skates were something you strapped to the bottom of your shoes! ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-inline-skates/512947/10 "2009-10-07T20:38:25Z")
I recently went to a roller rink with some adults and their teen kids. We had a choice between inline and regular. The adults chose inline and the kids chose regular, scoffing at how “old school” and lame the adults were. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-inline-skates/512947/11 "2009-10-07T21:07:49Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I once saw a picture of some 19th century “roller skates” with outrageously large wheels, but only on the _outside_ of the foot. I thought it was a neat idea – except that I’d constantly be spraining my ankles. Modern in-line skates, I think, avoid all that. Everything that’s old is [new again](http://www.chinatraderonline.com/Sports-and-Outdoor-Living-Products/Skating-Products/In-line-Skates-with-Aluminum-Frame-001257165.htm). I’m not sure what the point is, nor are the ones linked necessarily the finest example of the breed–I just remember seeing them when I was looking into getting back onto skates a while back. (I ended up running instead–while harder on my knees, I tend to fall down and crash into things much less frequently.) ---
**Author:** ![Ring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Ring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ring)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-inline-skates/512947/12 "2009-10-07T23:32:33Z")
Do womens’ roller derbies still exist, and if so what kind of skates do they use? I have no idea why I’m asking this question. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-inline-skates/512947/13 "2009-10-07T23:37:54Z")
> [@Ring](#): > > Do womens’ roller derbies still exist, and if so what kind of skates do they use? I have no idea why I’m asking this question. Try again [in this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=534902). ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2009, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-inline-skates/512947/14 "2009-10-08T00:35:59Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > Everything that’s old is [new again](http://www.chinatraderonline.com/Sports-and-Outdoor-Living-Products/Skating-Products/In-line-Skates-with-Aluminum-Frame-001257165.htm). I’m not sure what the point is, nor are the ones linked necessarily the finest example of the breed–I just remember seeing them when I was looking into getting back onto skates a while back. (I ended up running instead–while harder on my knees, I tend to fall down and crash into things much less frequently.) I believe the idea is to reduce rolling friction. I’ve seen something like that with the wheels angled in, so the wheels contact the ground directly under the feet, but I think the ankle would still have extra strain. One way to get around that is to put the wheels in front and behind the foot, but that gets ungainly. There’s always [these](http://img.moronail.net/img/3/2/1232.jpg), which help their user win arguments and are self-propelled. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2009, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-inline-skates/512947/15 "2009-10-08T01:25:53Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > When I was a kid, skates were something you strapped to the bottom of your shoes! When I was a kid we used to strap [these skates](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skate) to our shoes! ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-inline-skates/512947/16 "2009-10-08T01:33:04Z")
> [@Ring](#): > > Do womens’ roller derbies still exist, and if so what kind of skates do they use? I have no idea why I’m asking this question. [Yes!](http://www.santacruzderbygirls.org/) I go to a lot of the home games. I highly recommend it… such fans. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2009, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-inline-skates/512947/17 "2009-10-08T13:59:21Z")
> [@Ring](#): > > Do womens’ roller derbies still exist, and if so what kind of skates do they use? I have no idea why I’m asking this question. [http://www.archrivalrollergirls.com/](http://www.archrivalrollergirls.com/) with old-school non-inline skates. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2009, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-inline-skates/512947/18 "2009-10-08T13:59:53Z")
Since it seems so obvious that inline skates are superior, I’ve got to ask when they were invented? Seems like I’d never seen one until the 1990’s. Wasn’t the idea obvious to serious skaters? ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2009, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-inline-skates/512947/19 "2009-10-08T14:14:44Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > Since it seems so obvious that inline skates are superior, I’ve got to ask when they were invented? Seems like I’d never seen one until the 1990’s. Wasn’t the idea obvious to serious skaters? In fact, roller blades were first marketed as an alternative not to roller skating, but to cross-country skiing. People were out on trails with inline skates and ski poles. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2009, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-inline-skates/512947/20 "2009-10-08T14:30:07Z")
> [@](#): > > Wasn’t the idea obvious to serious skaters? I suspect the reason they weren’t around earlier is that we had to wait for the materials and manufacturing techniques to become available and cheap. It certainly could have been done earlier, but I suspect they wouldn’t have lasted long and would have been pretty expensive. The Trobriand Islanders were jumping off high platforms for ages, but we only got bungee jumping when there were lots of inexpensive and reliable bungee cords around. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-inline-skates/512947.md?page=2)