Exploring the History of Inline Skates
Inline skating, also known as rollerblading, has come a long way since its invention. Whether you're into aggressive inline skating, recreational cruising, urban freeskating, or speed skating, understanding the roots of this wheeled sport can deepen your appreciation for it. In this blog, we'll dive into the early beginnings of inline skates, trace major milestones, and explore the exciting future of the sport.
The Early Beginnings of Inline Skating
The concept of inline skating dates back to the 18th century. The first known inline skate was created in 1760 by Belgian inventor John Joseph Merlin, who attached metal wheels in a single line to a pair of boots. It was only a matter of time before humans would try to attach wheels to their feet. Though innovative, this design wasn’t practical for widespread use due to its lack of maneuverability.
It wasn’t until the 1980s that inline skates became commercially accessible, thanks to the company Rollerblade, Inc. This brand was born out of the Olsen brothers who were hockey players wishing to practice their hockey skills off the ice. Inline skates offered them the ability to do this on concrete. Rollerblade’s skates caught on with the public due to their smooth ride and maneuverability. By placing wheels in a straight line, they allowed for better speed and control compared to traditional quad skates, which had two front and two rear wheels.
Significant Milestones in Inline Skate Design
Inline skate technology evolved rapidly through the late 80s and 90s. In speed skating, athletes began switching from quad skates to inline skates, finding that inlines offered greater efficiency, speed, and cornering ability. This shift led to the development of low-cut boots for ankle mobility, longer frames for stability, and larger wheels for more speed. You can hear a lot more about this in this documentary that was made for Powerslide ( https://youtu.be/4ABMn4QB45I?si=3GOF7tRssPIsHTAP ).
Around the same time, aggressive inline skating emerged as a bold subculture. Skaters started modifying skates to grind rails, ledges, and ramps. This gave rise to specialized features like soul plates, H-blocks, and anti-rocker wheel setups. Brands like USD, K2, and Razors helped shape the identity of aggressive skating during this golden era by sponsoring individual skaters who would go on to have major roles in the culture of the sport for many years to come.
Urban freeskating and slalom also gained traction, pushing innovation in boot stiffness, wheel configurations, and frame materials. As more people used inline skates for commuting and street performance, skate companies focused on making skates more durable and comfortable.
Where is Inline Skating Heading: The Future
Inline skating continues to evolve. One major trend is the rise of bigger wheel sizes—100mm, 110mm, and even 125mm wheels are now common, allowing skaters to cover more distance with less effort and more speed. Tri-skates, featuring three large wheels instead of four, offer improved agility and smoother rides, and have become popular for urban and fitness skating.
Skate companies are also exploring electric inline skates, blending the freedom of skating with electric propulsion. While still in early stages, this could revolutionize commuting and recreational skating alike.
The resurgence of inline skating on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube is introducing the sport to a whole new generation. From skate park edits and inline skate tutorials to gear reviews and vlogs, rollerblading content is thriving online. This was accelerated massively by the Covid-19 Pandemic as inline skating alongside skateboarding and quad skating are sports you can do on your own in the park. Sales for inline skates were through the roof. At Slicks we had 2 hour queues forming outside our store as so many people were looking to put wheels under their feet.
The sales have definitely slowed down since then but we can still see that most of these new skaters are still rolling around using this sport as a fun cheat code to keep fit, seeing a city or to try adrenaline fueled tricks.
