So you have decided to try inline skating but are confused with the type of skate you need? Well, it all depends on what type of skating you are interested in:

Recreational skating
If you want to try skating for recreational purpose then you would not need professional inline skates. These basic skates are designed along with a boot to firmly hold your ankle and wheels that provide a large degree of control.

The boot materials are available from one or two piece moulds of engineering plastic and newer soft boot designs that are similar to a hiking or training shoe. All recreational skates have brake attachments.

Fitness skates
They are similar to recreational skates. They are usually light in weight with large wheels and a low cut boot. They also have break attachments.

Speed skates
Racing skates come with 5 wheels and some frames are capable of having even more wheels. They have a longer wheelbase along with ankle support and low cut leather boots. These skates are for experienced skaters only as they have no brakes.

Hockey skates
They are similar to ice hockey skates. They are made up of lace up and stitched leather for a very comfortable and close fit. They are specially designed for quick and better manoeuvring. Some skates even have brake attachments.

Aggressive skates
These are specially designed for performing stunts on ramps and rails. They have grind plates with smaller wheels to withstand rough use. Brakes can interfere while performing stunts and hence they do not have any brake attachments.