Can You Roller Skate Outside? - Inline Skate Stars

Can you roller skate outside?

Roller skating is a fun hobby with both health and social benefits. It’s an excellent way to keep fit and healthy while having fun at the same time.

There are many places you can go roller skating. But many beginners have been made to believe they can only roller skate indoors. Nothing can be further from the truth.

Roller skating indoors is fun. But outdoor roller skating is more exciting. The problem is that getting started with outdoor roller skating can be a hurdle. But not to worry because I got you!

Can you roller skate outside? Yes, you can roller skate outside under certain conditions. Here’s how to roller skate outside for beginners!

Buy Roller Skates for Outdoor Use
Convert Indoor Roller Skates to Outdoor Skates
Avoid Rough and Wet Surfaces with Debris
Keep off Bad Weather Days
Use the Right Roller Skating Techniques
Wear Protective Gear
Obey Traffic Rules
Avoid Distractions Like Music
Skate with a Team
Hydrate Properly

Can You Roller Skate Outside? How Do You Roller Skate Outside for Beginners?

But this is only the scratch on the surface. I cover detail in the rest of this guide, and you don’t want to miss out. So, let’s get to it!

1. Buy Roller Skates for Outdoor Use

The easiest way to roller skate outdoors is by getting the right roller skates for outdoor use from the onset. They’re sturdy and can handle rough surfaces.

They also have soft wheels for smooth rolling. The recommended wheels should have a durometer rating of between 74A to 105A for guaranteed top-notch performance.

Also, they have ankle support to keep your ankles properly in position. This goes a long way to prevent ankle pains when roller skating.

More importantly, the roller skates should be properly fitting. You want to ensure they’re neither too tight nor too loose.

Too tight roller skates cause discomfort in the feet and lead to ankle and foot injuries. On the other hand, loosely fitting roller skates cause foot pronation, which isn’t good for your feet, lower shins, and ankles.

Here are the top outdoor roller skate recommendations. Feel free to check them out on Amazon!

2. Convert Indoor Roller Skates to Outdoor Skates

You don’t always have to buy a new pair of roller skates for outdoor use. It can be costly, especially when you’re on a budget.

The easiest way around this is to convert your indoor skates for the outdoors. You can buy outdoor wheels and swap them with your indoor wheels.

We’ve already hinted briefly on the type of wheels you should go for. Let’s get into the details! Two things you should get right when shopping for roller skate wheels are durometer and diameter.

Durometer is the hardness of a wheel, measured from 74A to 106A. A low durometer (74A) is considered a soft wheel, while a high durometer (106A) is a hard wheel.

Soft wheels give more friction and traction, but they can be pretty slow. You have to put in more effort to roll out smoothly. They’re recommended for outdoor use.

On the flip side, hard wheels have less friction and traction and can be pretty fast. You don’t have to apply so much force to push yourself. Hard wheels are recommended for indoor use.

Wheel diameter is simply its height. Roller skates, also known as quad skates, have a wheel diameter ranging from 58mm to 65mm.

Overall, the recommended outdoor roller skate wheels have a durometer between 74A to 84A. You can vary this with diameter for optimum performance.

Large-sized wheels have more rollout and cover longer distances per push than small-sized wheels. If you want to go fast, you should go with a large diameter quad skate wheel.

But if you want to skate at moderate speed, small diameter roller skate wheels will be a good fit.

More importantly, bearings also play a significant role when buying new wheels for outdoor roller skating. The recommended bearings for roller skates are ceramic or Swiss. They’re sturdier and more reliable.

Here are the top outdoor roller skate wheels recommendations. Feel free to check them out on Amazon!

How to Change Roller Skate Wheels

Changing roller skate wheels is simple and shouldn’t take you long. You should be done and ready to roll in under an hour maximum.

All you need is a roller skate wheel changing tool like Reflex Utili-Tool Skate Tool and new outdoor roller skate wheels. Below is the step-by-step guide!

Step 1: Take the axle bolts out from the wheels and keep them aside. You’ll have to use the Reflex Utili-Tool Skate tool to loosen the bolts.

Step 2: Transfer the bearing and spacer from the old wheel to the new wheel. Only do this if you don’t have new bearings. If you do, you should use them on your new wheels.

Step 3: put the new roller skate wheels onto the axles, followed by the bolts. Then use the Utility tool to tighten the wheels in position. Be careful not to overdo it, especially if you have nylon spacers.

Step 4: voila! Your roller skates are ready for you. You should spin in them before hitting the roads to check everything is working well.

3. Avoid Rough and Wet Surfaces with Debris

Roller skating outside is fun. But debris like twigs, pebbles, soil, and rocks can come in the way. Skating on these obstacles can be a hurdle because you have to use extra energy.

You’re also likely to fall and hurt yourself, especially when skating on a wet surface. The best way to go about this is to avoid these unfriendly surfaces when you’re still a beginner skater.

4. Keep off Bad Weather Days

Bad weather days aren’t excellent for roller skating. They ruin the fun and can be risky to skate in. You should avoid skating on a rainy day because you can quickly lose your balance and hurt yourself. Skating when it’s snowing isn’t a good idea either.

5. Wear Protective Gear

After getting the right roller skates for the outdoors, you must ensure you have protective gear to protect yourself from the head, elbow, wrist, palms, and knee injuries.

Below are the recommended protective gear for roller skating. You can find them on Amazon!

6. Use the Right Roller Skating Techniques

Be sure to only go roller skating outside after learning the basic stopping technique like the toe-stop. It’s crucial for your safety while out there.

You also want to know how to fall safely in an emergency. Safe falling helps reduce the impact of falls when you lose your balance in the middle of roller skating.

More importantly, you should use the proper skating posture. What is the proper posture, you ask?

The correct posture for skating requires bending your knees. They should be above your toes and shoulders over your hips.

This posture is crucial because it helps transfer weight to your toe balls and helps with body balance and coordination. It’s hard to fall when you’re correctly bending!

7. Obey Traffic Rules

Traffic rules apply everywhere, and you should obey them because your life depends on it. For one, it’s for your safety, and for two, you don’t want to rub police offices the wrong way. Obeying your city’s traffic rules is a great way to stay out of trouble.

8. Avoid Distractions Like Music

Music is a great way to entertain yourself while skating. But as a beginner, you want to avoid music when roller skating outside in the streets because it can be a distraction. Your safety is crucial, and music in your ears can jeopardize it.

9. Skate with a Team

Roller skating alone is fun, but it’s nowhere close to roller skating with a team. Roller skating in a team environment motivates you to keep going even when it’s hard.

Plus, you learn some techniques from more experienced skaters. Roller skating with others quickly flattens your learning curve and gives you the confidence to go skating outdoors.

10. Hydrate Properly

Roller skating outside can be uncomfortable, especially when the sun is scorching. Losing water from your body is almost inevitable when skating fast. This is why you want to drink a lot of water to keep your body well hydrated.

Where Can You Go Roller Skating Outside?

Below are some awesome places you can roller skate outside. This can be at home or away from home. You’re at liberty to go with what works best for you.

Sidewalks
Streets
Driveway
Car Parking Lot
Skate Park
Bike Lane
Skate Trails

More Reading>> Can You Roller Skate on the Road?

Can You Rollerblade in the Bike Lane?

Can You Rollerblade on Sidewalks?

Can You Roller Skate in the Mall?

Can You Roller Skate Outside? FAQs

1. Can u Roller Skate on the Street?

No doubt, you can roller skate on the street, especially when your local town bylaws allow it.

But you’ll need to be more careful because it can be risky to roller skate on the streets.

For example, you should avoid streets busy with heavy vehicular traffic and no lanes for non-motorized transport.

2. Is it Easier to Roller Skate Outside or Inside?

It’s easier to roller skate outside if you have the right roller skates and roller skate wheels for outdoor use.

You also need to skate on smooth surfaces without debris like soil, sand, pebbles, and rocks.

But it’ll be easier to roller skate indoors if you don’t have the right roller skates for outdoor use.

3. How do I Practice Roller Skating Outside?

You can practice roller skating outside on the grass (lawn), pavement, driveway, at a parking lot, or at a skate park.

Learn the basic techniques like bending properly for weight distribution, scissors, and the ready position. The ready position involves putting your feet in a V or pizza shape.

4. Can Roller Skates go on Grass?

Yes, roller skates can go on grass. It’s the recommended way for beginners to learn roller skating.

Finding stability on normal surfaces like asphalt can be a hurdle for beginners. Starting on grass helps beginners learn the basics of roller skating, like balance and matching.

Can You Roller Skate Outside? Wrapping Up

Can you roller skate outside? Absolutely yes. Roller skating outside is fun, exciting, and thrilling. You need to have the right gear like helmets and roller skate for outdoor use.

The best part is that you can convert your indoor roller skates for outdoor use by replacing the wheels. The best roller skates for outdoor use are Atom Pulse Outdoor Roller Skate Wheels and Devaskation Bankroll x4 Outdoor Quad Skate Wheels. Feel free to check them out on Amazon.

That’s it for today. I hope you found this guide helpful. Happy roller skating!