RollerFit Recommends - Kids Roller Skates and Protection
Nurturing and watching the next generation of roller skaters grow up on wheels from an early age is one of our fave things here at RollerFit. If you want your little roller to feel comfortable on skates and progress with building confidence and skills, having them in the right kind of roller skates and protective gear can do wonders. We’ve got you covered with the recommendations we give to our young skaters and their parents/guardians who come along to our classes.
Roller Skates for Kids 3-7 Years
For those little and fast growing feet, we tend to recommend adjustable skate models. These kinds of skates usually have a rigid plastic shell that can assist kids with stability and control. The hard external shell is accompanied by an internal soft boot for comfort. These skates are lighter than a standard roller skate, which is great for smaller kids who have yet to develop the necessary strength for lifting a skate and holding it off the ground.
Adjustable roller skates are the perfect option for young beginners. You can go for the tractor style set up for maximum stability for the youngest skaters who want to start walking and marching around with the RDS Fun Roll. For a more common skate look and feel check out these popular adjustable skate models that go up to a kid's size 6:
We use all these models as part of our rental fleet, and they stand up to the test.
Roller Skates for Kids 8+ Years
From around 8 years old, kids should have the necessary strength to be able to use a standard, non-adjustable roller skate. A standard roller skate offers more manoeuvrability in terms of using our edges (skaters will know) which helps to unlock more skills, balance and speed.
It can be a daunting idea to fork out your money on something that your child might grow out of quickly but we usually size kids up 1-2 sizes depending on the model so they can grow into their skates and get a longer life out of them. This won’t impede their skating, just pop on some thick socks or add in an extra innersole and they’ll be none the wiser.
When it comes to a standard roller skate you do get what you pay for, so weigh up the options, there is a wide budget range out there. Here are our go-to recommendations that have sizing kids and adult sizing available (sorted according to price, from low to high):
- Chuffed Skates – Cruiser
- Moxi Roller Skates – Rainbow Rider
- Sure-Grip - Fame
- Moxi Roller Skates – Beach Bunny
- Moxi Roller Skates – Jungle
- Chuffed Skates – Wanderer
- Moxi Roller Skates – Panther
Protection Recommendations
There’s no denying that falling is a part of roller skating, but we can certainly take preventative measures to make sure your little roller is equipped to cope with those inevitable mishaps. This is where protective gear enters the chat. Like skates, you definitely get what you pay for with protection. You want something that has a bit of padding and will last until your child grows out of that size.
Let’s start with helmets, they’re a no brainer. You’ll want to protect your child with a helmet certified by AUS/NZ standards, we have the most stringent standards out there for helmet manufacturing. A multi-impact helmet is even better. Our fave helmets are the S1 Lifer or Triple 8 The Certified Sweatsaver. Just remember the golden helmet rule: if they have a good hit then it’s time to replace it.
Pad packs are the most affordable way to get your child kitted out and ready to roll. Most pad packs come with a full set of knee pads, elbow pads and wrist guards. Recreational level packs like the Triple 8 Saver Series and the Smith Scabs Tri Packs will provide ample protection for cruising around and RollerFit classes. If your child is a bit more hardcore and is doing roller derby or hitting up the skatepark or if they’re just a bit accident prone, then you should consider some more heavy-duty protection like the 187 Six Packs.
If your child absolutely refuses to wear protective gear and don’t worry, we’ve seen our fair share of those, then at the very least you should try to get them wearing hand/wrist protection. In the heat of the moment, kids tend to fall forward or put out their hands to brace themselves. Not to sound biased, but our RollerFit Palm Sliders are ideal for the protective gear adverse because they are comfortable and low-profile, retaining full hand and wrist mobility. The shock absorbing gel will help to reduce the impact of falls, and the hard exterior is designed to slide, meaning force is distributed away from the body.
We can’t wait to see your kids out there rolling around! If you need help getting them started visit a RollerFit Kids class. We have weekly kids classes operating at our Gold Coast, Brisbane, Central Coast, Sydney and Canberra venues. If you’re not close to us, we also have the online learn to skate program which will give you all the info you need to help them get rolling safely and more.