Roller skate buying guide
Hard Boot or Soft Boot Skates? What Top Skaters Say
Of the 17 skaters, coaches and gear specialists we compiled on this question, the larger group tells an adult beginner to start in a hard (rigid) boot for ankle support: Asha, Alex Shulgan, Jan Welch and the Thisissoul shop on inline. Casper (Powerslide) accepts a soft boot if your ankles stay straight, and Ricardo Lino says the label matters less than the shell and the cuff height. On quads and in speed skating the split runs differently, and both camps are named below.
Gear on this page: nine products are named further down — Rollerblade Zetrablade, Bladerunner by Rollerblade Advantage Pro XT, Rollerblade Macroblade 100 3WD, K2 Kinetic 80, Rollerblade Maxxum XT, Impala Quad Skate, Moxi Beach Bunny, Riedell Dart, Riedell R3 Indoor Quad Roller Skates. They are optional, the page works without them, and the links to them are Amazon affiliate links.
Amazon prices were read on the listing on 7 October 2026, for the size and colour Amazon shows by default; other sizes and colours can cost more or less. Price and availability are set by Amazon and can change.
What top skaters recommend
Features first, brands only where a skater recommends a brand for a specific feature. Where a skater works for or owns the brand they talk about, we say so.
Inline: the hard-boot camp
- Asha, coach at Skatefresh, the London skate school, says anyone heavier than a child or a small woman needs a rigid boot; beginners in soft boots are, in her words, “twice as likely to pronate” (roll onto the inside edge). No sponsor declared. (Skatefresh, 2 Feb 2021) In 2018 she called her rigid Powerslide Hardcore Evo the most comfortable boot she had worn; she skates Powerslide without a declared deal. (SkatefreshAsha, 21 Jun 2018)
- Alex Shulgan, professional skater and co-owner of In Move Skates (commercial interest), tells beginners to start in a rigid boot. (NBC News, 9 Sep 2024)
- Jan Welch, editorial director of Big Wheel Blading, 30 years in the industry (owner of the wheel brand Dream Urethane), says a rigid boot is more stable for a first skate. (Big Wheel Blading, updated 14 Apr 2026)
- The Thisissoul shop in Amsterdam (a retailer, presenter not named) wants a skate as rigid as possible sideways while still flexing forward, and says a rigid boot with a removable liner is the best value around 200-250 euros. (Thisissoul, 20 Sep 2020)
Inline: the soft-boot camp
- Casper, presenter of Powerslide’s official channel (Powerslide staff, four years in a skate shop, says he ran a marathon in soft boots), says a hard boot is the answer if your ankles collapse inward; otherwise a soft boot is more comfortable, easier to put on and acceptable. (Powerslide, 11 Mar 2024)
- Ricardo Lino, a pro since the late 1990s with one of the largest skating channels (sells his own clothing brand), says hard or soft does not tell the whole story: support comes from the boot’s internal shell, the cuff height (a higher cuff supports more) and the materials, while comfort comes mostly from the inner foam. He sees soft boots as good for distance and ventilation, hard boots for tricks and impacts, more durable, with a washable liner. (Ricardo Lino, 2 Aug 2017)
- The disagreement, in their own terms: Asha advises against soft boots for almost every adult; Welch and Casper call them acceptable; Lino says some soft boots support more than some hard ones. None of the soft-boot voices is a titled competitor, and Casper speaks for a brand that sells both.
Aggressive: a stiff boot, then made to flex
- Chris Haffey, Remz pro (sponsor Remz), cuts a V into the cuff, runs the strap outside and removes the buckle so the boot gets slimmer, and invites skaters to experiment with the boot rather than keep it stock. (Remz, 8 Oct 2008) No aggressive pro in our compilation gives this as beginner advice. See first aggressive skates.
Quad: rigid artistic boot against the soft Chicago JB boot
- The artistic and dance champions all skate a high, rigid artistic boot: Luca Lucaroni (world champion 2016-2019, Edea page), Rebecca Tarlazzi (world champion 2019, Edea page), Pau Garcia Domeç (world champion 2021, Edea page), Natalia Baldizzone Morales (solo dance world champion 2021, Edea page), Llorenç Alvarez Caballero (European silver 2013, Edea page). All are sponsored by the same brand, Edea; the pages are undated and were read on 7 October 2026.
- Park riders want firm too. Carolina “Caro” Hernandez (Moxi rider, ex-derby) skates a rigid heeled boot on ramps and says she cannot stand soft boots there (Moxi, 7 Oct 2020). Kid Ace (Moxi team) rides the stiffer version of her boot and calls a supportive boot essential for jumping and landing hard (Moxi, 25 Sep 2020).
- The other camp: Chicago JB. Dunbeezy, who teaches rhythm skating on YouTube (reputation outside YouTube not verified), says Chicago JB skaters use a high boot that is softer than average, and that the softness forces you to work on control. His beginner test for a cheap quality quad: leather boot, aluminium plate, adjustable stop. (Dunbeezytv, 12 Aug 2024)
- Dirty Deborah Harry, coach behind Dirty School of Skate (about 299,000 subscribers; video shot at Wicked Skatewear), says the boot should fit “like a slipper” without relying on size for support, and that ankle support exists on entry-level skates too. (Dirty School of Skate, 21 Jun 2022)
Speed: Viktor Thorup and the semi-speed boot
- Viktor Hald Thorup, two-time Olympic ice speed skater, Rollerblade World Team, owner of a skate shop (conflict of interest), tells an adult beginner to start on a fitness skate with a high cuff and a soft shell, and to move to a low speed boot only when ready; he says he went low too young and his ankle sagged. A high cuff gives more support for weak ankles or little experience, at the cost of mobility. (Viktor Thorup, 25 Jul 2023; Viktor Thorup, 6 Feb 2021)
- He changed his mind on semi-speed (a high carbon cuff on a speed base). In 2020 he advised never buying them: heavy, they limit ankle flex, cause blisters and bad habits (Viktor Thorup, 28 Dec 2020). In 2023 he kept his preference but accepted them as a transition, and as a lasting choice for people who start late or skate ultra distances; he co-developed one.
What we did not find
- No world artistic or dance champion explains in their own words why the rigid boot; we only have the model of boot on their sponsor’s page.
- No verified-reputation Chicago JB skater talking about boots; Dunbeezy is the only voice.
- No titled inline competitor in the soft-boot camp.
What the skater behind this site adds
- A rigid boot hurts a bit, even a good one. Pain from a rigid shoe is part of skating, not a defect; bad-quality skates are what really hurt, new or not. See why skates hurt.
- The question is mostly an inline one: inline boots are rigid shells by construction, while quads are very often built soft, like sneakers, so they usually hurt less early on.
- Size by the brand, tighten the fastenings: read the brand’s chart, not your street size, and follow its advice; “tight” means laces, straps and buckle, not a smaller skate. See how to size roller skates and never loosen your laces.
- Wheels do not change the boot question: 78A-85A outside, 95A and up on a rink floor.
The comparison
| Model | Type | Boot on the listing (2026-10-07) | Price seen (date) | Recommended features it meets | Who it is for | Weak point |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rollerblade Zetrablade (women’s) · see it on Amazon | Inline, 4x80 mm | High “durable shell” with a liner: semi-rigid | Amazon.com $139.99, read 2026-10-07 | Four 80 mm wheels (Welch, Shulgan, Thisissoul) | Adults whose ankles stay straight and who want comfort (Casper’s soft-boot case) | Soft boot on the Elite spec sheet: Asha and Thisissoul would want rigid; check the listing’s own specs |
| Bladerunner Advantage Pro XT (women’s) · see it on Amazon; men’s on Amazon | Inline, 80 mm | Men’s listing: “supportive shell” with a laced liner; women’s: not stated | Women’s $89.23, men’s $99.99 (search result), 2026-10-07 | Locking cuff buckle and 45° strap for ankle hold; 80 mm (Welch) | Tight budgets | Composite frame, not metal (Thisissoul); shell rigidity not stated on the listing |
| Rollerblade Macroblade 100 3WD · see it on Amazon | Inline, 3x100 mm | Mesh upper: soft | Amazon.com $170.46, read 2026-10-07 | Aluminium frame (Thisissoul); 85A (Welch, Casper) | Adults heading for distance | Three 100 mm wheels go against Thisissoul’s 90 mm ceiling; boot construction not checked |
| K2 Kinetic 80 Men’s Inline Skates · see it on Amazon | Inline, 80 mm | Not stated (classic lacing, “Stability Plus” cuff) | Amazon.com $79.95, read 2026-10-07 | 80 mm wheels (Welch); 80A | Tight budgets | Composite frame, not metal (Thisissoul); shell rigidity not stated; sold by a third-party seller, 2 left when read |
| Rollerblade Maxxum XT Men’s Inline Skate · see it on Amazon | Inline, 90 mm | Not stated | Amazon.com $257.78, read 2026-10-07 | Aluminium frame (Thisissoul); 90 mm, within Thisissoul’s ceiling; 85A (Welch, Casper) | Adults who want a faster skate | Dearest here; boot construction not stated on the listing; sold by a third-party seller, 1 left when read |
| Impala Quad Skate · see it on Amazon | Quad | Not stated | Amazon.com $91.36, read 2026-10-07 | Aluminium plate (Dunbeezy) | Rink and street beginners on a budget | Low-top boot; fixed toe stop fails Dunbeezy’s adjustable-stop test |
| Moxi Beach Bunny · see it on Amazon | Quad | Not stated | Amazon.com $119.20, read 2026-10-07 | Metal plate, adjustable stop (Dunbeezy, Dirty Deborah Harry) | Quad beginners who will skate outside | Boot material not checked against Dunbeezy’s leather test; a soft, sneaker-like build, not an artistic boot |
| Riedell Dart · see it on Amazon | Quad | Not stated | Amazon.com $175.00, read 2026-10-07 | A named rink brand | Quad beginners who want a rink skate | Nylon plate and fixed toe stop fail Dunbeezy’s checks; boot stiffness not checked |
| Riedell R3 Indoor Quad Roller Skates · see it on Amazon | Quad | Vinyl (synthetic); stiffness not stated | Amazon.com $199.00, read 2026-10-07 | A named rink brand; metal trucks | Quad beginners who want an indoor rink skate | Vinyl boot fails Dunbeezy’s leather test; nylon plate; stop not stated |
What most of them agree on
- Support at the ankle comes first for a beginner: Asha, Shulgan, Welch, Thisissoul, Thorup, and Casper as soon as the ankles fold in.
- Look at the shell and the cuff height, not just the word “soft” or “hard” (Lino, Thorup on cuff height).
- Fit decides comfort: heel locked (Casper), sized by the brand’s chart (the skater behind this site), slipper-like on quads (Dirty Deborah Harry).
- Soft is a choice for later or for a style: distance (Lino, Casper), Chicago JB (Dunbeezy), semi-speed for late starters (Thorup 2023).
Next: best roller skates for adult beginners, quad vs inline, skates for wide feet, first roller derby skates, the size calculator and the skate quiz. Wobbly? Read wobbly ankles are not weak ankles.
FAQ
Are hard boot or soft boot inline skates better for beginners?
The skaters disagree. Asha (Skatefresh), Alex Shulgan and Jan Welch tell adult beginners to start in a rigid boot; Asha says beginners in soft boots pronate more. Casper (Powerslide) says a soft boot is acceptable and more comfortable unless your ankles collapse inward. Ricardo Lino says the hard or soft label matters less than the shell and the cuff height.
Do soft boot skates give enough ankle support?
Some do. Ricardo Lino says support comes from the boot's internal shell, the height of the cuff and the materials, and that the hard or soft label alone does not tell you. Casper's test: if your ankles fold inward, choose a hard boot. Dirty Deborah Harry adds that ankle support exists on entry-level quads too.
Why do hard boot skates hurt at first?
According to the skater behind this site, a rigid boot produces some pain even when the skate is good; bad-quality skates hurt more, and pain that stays in one spot is usually a size or model problem. Casper says localised pain means change the model, not the size. See why skates hurt.
Should quad skates have a stiff boot?
It depends on the style. The world artistic and dance champions sponsored by Edea all skate high, rigid artistic boots; park riders Caro Hernandez and Kid Ace want a firm boot for ramps and landings. Dunbeezy says Chicago JB rhythm skaters prefer a softer boot, which forces you to work on control.
What about semi-speed skates with a high carbon cuff?
Viktor Thorup, two-time Olympic speed skater, warned against them in 2020 (heavy, limit ankle flex, blisters) and, in 2023, accepted them as a transition or for people who start late or skate ultra distances. He suggests adult beginners start in a high-cuff fitness skate.
Should I size up for a soft boot?
No: follow the brand's own size chart, measured in millimetres, and do the fastenings up tight, says the skater behind this site. Casper had to go one size down and says your heel should be locked: "think ski boot". Use the size calculator.
How this page was compiled: 17 skaters, coaches and gear specialists who speak about boot stiffness (inline urban, fitness, aggressive and speed; quad artistic, dance, rhythm and park), drawn from our skater compilation of 7 October 2026. Each claim links to its source. Full compilation and method: the skater gear compilation.