roller skate nation

How to Choose the Best Beginner Speed Skates

May 21, 2014 by Jordan Youtz Leave a Comment

If there’s one thing that every beginner has in common, it’s a fast learning curve and this is especially true for beginners on roller skates. The first month on speed skates will either make you or break you but you will learn more during this time than in the near future. Beginner skaters are like sponges and the first couple months are when newbies soak up all the fundamentals that lay the foundation. From balance, confidence, stopping to starting and everything in between learning to speed skate starts with choosing the right pair of roller skates!

Let’s first define what a speed skate is, shall we?

Speed skates are among one of the most popular design styles of roller skates and they are meant to go fast. Speed skates feature low cut boots that fit your feet similar to tennis shoes and this low cut design helps you cut corners and maintain agility. As a result of the freedom they provide, these skates are very popular for jam (dance) skating and of course, speed skating. They also feature speed style wheels and bearing which enable skaters to skate faster and longer.

Ask yourself these 5 questions and you will be well prepared to make a decision about which speed skates are best for you!

1. Do you like using velcro straps?

Let’s lay out the pros and cons of velcro straps:

+ Help you achieve a custom snug fit

+ Very simple to use!

+ Velcro straps can quickly be adjusted on the go

+ Prevent laces from untying

– Velcro straps collect dirt and debris

– May stretch over time and prohibit you from keeping a snug fit

– The comfort of your skates will be affected if the velcro strap were to break off

If you are buying beginner speed skates for someone who uses velcro straps on their tennis shoes, we reckon they will easily adapt to this style. The pros of velcro straps outweigh the cons and it really comes down to personal taste.

2. Will you be using your speed skates for roller derby?

Search for a pair of speed skates that match your derby team colors. You also want to be sure you buy speed skates with adjustable toe stops to become accustomed to the distance between the toe stop and the track. Roller derby is most often played indoor so look for skates with indoor wheels.

3. Will you be skating indoors or outdoors?

Santa’s List Must Have Roller Skates For Kids!

December 10, 2013 by Jordan Youtz Leave a Comment

3 Gift Ideas and Things To Know When Shopping At Roller Skate Nation This Christmas

Has your child roller skated before?

Does he/she enjoy being active throughout the entire year?

Do you think he/she could burn off some energy through one of the most healthy ways possible?

If you answered yes to at least one of these questions then you found the right place to shop for roller skates for kids.

Kids stuff isn’t too complex for the most part but shopping for kids is the hard part. Keep in mind we’re referring to roller skates for kids that are between the ages of eight and fourteen.

Remember when you received a t-shirt or some pajamas for the holidays. You had to fake a smile while you were screaming inside for Nerf guns and roller skates.

Santa made his list and he’s checking it twice this year to be sure he brings all the tots the best roller skates for kids. Here’s a list of quick tips and roller skates for kids that will withstand the wear and tear of active kids without breaking the budget.

Use Your Smartphone To Get The Most Out Of Roller Skating: Part I

November 18, 2013 by Jordan Youtz 1 Comment

The Best iphone Apps Every Roller Skater Should Download

iphones, smartphones, cell phones…whatever you call the device you spend half your day staring at. Let’s learn how to use them for roller skating. This is the first post in a soon to come blog series to teach you how to use your smartphone in order to optimize and enhance your roller skating and/or inline skating experience. The apps below are supported for iphone users. Stay tuned if you own an android device!

We presume and hope you own a smart device before proceeding with the post. If you don’t, feel free to continue and sharpen up your geeky side right alongside the amazing sport of roller skating.

Whether you are just starting to roller skate and could benefit from simple how to video tutorials while you’re out and about or if you prefer to dive into some awesome data about your average speed and trails you travel, these apps are for you. (ps, click on the icon to view app in app store)

How-To Roller Skate Apps for iOS

The Most Popular Low Price Roller Skates

November 3, 2013 by Jordan Youtz Leave a Comment

Roller Skating is no different than any other type of recreational sport. There will always be the best selling items for each sport and this is especially true for roller skates. Everyone has their own opinion about the best roller skates on the market and roller skating appeals to many different types of skaters. In our opinion, we believe the best roller skates are those that are priced at great prices and that are made by the best brands in the industry.

Our algorithm for researching our most popular and low price roller skates is simple; we researched our database to determine which skates we sold the most of at the best prices.

3 Ways To Celebrate The 30th Anniversary Of National Roller Skating Month

October 23, 2013 by Jordan Youtz Leave a Comment

The Ronald Reagan presidency occupied most of the 80’s and was a major turning point for the United States. We may hold different opinions in regards to his economic policy later coined “Reaganomics”, but we at Roller Skate Nation believe the best thing left behind from those long eight years was declaring October the “National Roller Skating Month”. Guess what folks? This year marks the 30th anniversary and the sport is still rolling strong. Families throughout the nation and around the world continue to lace up their quad skates to reap all of the benefits of the healthy, entertaining and social sport that began back in 1760.

5 Important Things To Considering When Online Shopping For Roller Skates

September 27, 2013 by Jordan Youtz Leave a Comment

We all hold our own opinions on in-store shopping vs. online shopping and there are pro’s and con’s of each. Whether you prefer to shop for roller skates at five in the morning from your comfortable sofa or dive into the noisy crowd and wait in lines at the store, one things remains certain: the product remains the same and the only thing different is the way you obtain your knowledge about it…and how fast you get it.

Shopping online at Roller Skate Nation gives you the benefit of a huge selection of roller skates at affordable prices while maintaining the in-store experience you enjoy. Our employees are highly skilled and passionate about roller skating and you can get in touch with them anytime through our online/real time question and answer portal.

The Top Five Roller Skating Collector Items

September 20, 2013 by Jordan Youtz Leave a Comment

In todays day and age, roller skating has a mass appeal and attracts many different types of skaters and athletes. From speed skating, roller derby, jam skating to artistic skating there are many ways to enjoy the sport. Believe it or not, roller skating dates back to 1760 to the city of London where instrument maker Joseph Merlin attended a masquerade party wearing metal wheeled boots.

From today, that gives us 253 years of roller skating history to dive in and research the coolest and most sought after roller skating collectors items. We know everyone has their own taste when it comes to vintage stuff so we kept one thing in mind when making this list: to bring your attention to a variety of antique, creative and must have items related to roller skating.

It’s time to dust off your shelves and reach for your wallet! These items are a must have for every roller skating enthusiast.

1. Repurposed Roller Skate Truck Multipurpose Center Piece

This would make for an epic trophy for any roller skating competition or roller derby champion. The truck is made from hand with custom parts and it’s up to your imagination for how you use it. Great for holding business cards, condiments and wallets or keys, this fancy truck also makes for an awesome flower vase or candy dish! It is listed on the craft website Etsy for a whopping $875. Too much for your budget? Let’s move forward.

2. Know Down Knits: 30 Projects From The Roller Derby Track

This one is for the derby chicks. The Naptown Roller Girls of Indianapolis put together a creative 134 page book packed full of crafts specifically for derby players. This book contains great ideas to create your own derby costume. That is if you know how to knit*. The books provides a step by step guide for knitting roller derby jersey quilts, tote bags and more. We know derby dames can be hell on wheels and they carry that style with them off the track.

3. Roller Skating Bearing Necklace

You’re probably most familiar with this craft and perhaps already have one yourself. If not, now is the time. This collector item is a great addition to your jewelry box and is an easy project. You can either make one yourself or shop around here for one at the price $20. If you choose the first option, we salute your creativity. Just grab an extra bearing and polish it off. Use your favorite gold/silver chain and loop it through the bearing hole and voila.

4. Yves Saint Laurent Roller Skates

Where high end fashion collides with a do it yourself attitude and high price tag. French fashion designer and creative director of Saint Laurent must of been in need of a serious breakthrough when he placed fancy high top sneakers on some Krytpo Impulse wheels with padded cushioning. They are a budget buster at $895Euros ($1211.56) and were released in June 2013.

5. Vintage Roller Rink Tickets From Chicago Roller Skate Company

Ready to time warp back to the 1900’s for the ultimate roller skating experience? These vintage roller rink tickets are 100% original and individually marked with their own number. They are even made in the USA and are in great condition. Oh, they also ship for free. Grab a pair of these for yourself or to give as a great gift.

Did we miss out on any awesome collector items? Please leave a comment below about what you think is a must have roller skating collector item.

How To Play Roller Derby In Your Living Room

September 3, 2013 by Jordan Youtz Leave a Comment

Yes, you read that title right and now that we have your attention we will reveal the secret method for pushing your furniture aside to make room for the ultimate Flat Track Roller Derby, right inside your home!

Actually this would be fairly impossible to pull off but thanks to a couple great ideas backed by KickStarter, you can bring the strategy, excitement and competitive edge of roller derby right to your living room with the two recent roller derby board games called Impact City Roller Derby and JammerUp. If your not familiar with Kickstarter, it is a website that gives people with ideas the opportunity to bring them to life through raising funds. In the case of the board games, the required funding was mostly for manufacturing and design.

Top 5 Reasons To Shop At Roller Skate Nation

July 3, 2013 by Jordan Youtz Leave a Comment

There are more than five reason that make Roller Skate Nation a great choice for your roller skating needs but I narrowed the list down to focus on the fact of the matter that you when you buy roller skates from us, you are joining a community of avid skaters and gurus of all things skating.

1. For as popular as online shopping has become, customer service remains one of the most important reasons for why people choose a company. Online shopping can be confusing and roller skates are more complex than what meets the eye. That is why we created live support customer service to answer your questions and concerns about anything related to your shopping and skating experience when you buy roller skates. Next time you’re browsing our site, take notice of the “Contact a Skate Rep!” menu on the lower right of the screen. If no one is available at the moment you request help, just leave your email and a message and a rep will get back asap.

2. We know how it is during the moment of check out when you choose your shipping option and get slapped with a dreaded shipping fee. We offer over 250 roller skates that ship themselves for free and we’ve divided them into 6 categories to help you find what you’re looking for faster for when you buy roller skates.

3. We are Roller Skate Nation based in Columbus Georgia but there are no borders between your order and our warehouse. We love international customers and we’ve partnered with MyUS.com to offer fast and convenient international shipping to more than 225 countries. Just follow these steps for international delivery.

Follow these two steps for international delivery:
1. Get your own U.S. address in America at www.MyUS.com.
2. Use your new U.S. address, provided by MyUS.com, when placing your order with us.

4. If we had to do the math, there are probably thousands of roller skates on sale at any given time on the web and there are only so many types of skates. Lucky for you, you’ve come to one of the biggest roller skate stores with the biggest collection of skates. If you find a skate at a lower price then we will stand by our low price guarantee and match that competitors’ price. This is our 100% skater satisfaction policy. Were happy to offer this service but it’s best to inform yourself of the policy and restrictions that apply. Don’t worry, we make it as easy as possible.

5. We are your one stop shop for all of your skating needs for when you buy roller skates. From mouth guards, bearings to helmets and everything in between, we organized our online store with the both pro skaters and beginners in mind.

Our relationship does not end when the transaction is over. In fact, this is when it starts rolling.

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