Perfect beginner skate, step up from Fisher Price plastic skates
Written: Mar 17 '04 (Updated Apr 11 '04)
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Pros: Next step up from plastic toddler skates, lightweight, perfect roll for beginner
Cons: Not the best quality skate but would be a lot more expensive if it was
The Bottom Line: I would recommend these skates for any beginner who does well with plastic adjustable skates. These will help a young child learn the basics of skating (not walking on skates).
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| ahoult's Full Review: Chicago Roller Skate Youth Rink Skate 1900/1905 |
(Note: the 1900 model is white, for girls. The 1905 model is black, for boys.)
ABOUT OUR SKATING EXPERIENCE
I am an artistic (roller) dance skater who just started taking my 4-year old son to the rink with me. At first, I could not get him to use the rental skates. He was very frustrated with their heavy weight and "slippery" wheels. He didn't even want to put them on after our first visit so I purchased a pair of Fisher Price plastic adjustable "inline" skates. These were lightweight and easy for him to balance on. The only problem was that he would "walk" on them...clip-clopping around the rink and not getting much of a roll. Still, I knew that this was a transition period. I really only got the plastic skates to give him some confidence and get him out on the rink. After about 1 month we moved to our next skate...the Chicago brand 1905 model
ABOUT CHOOSING THIS SKATE
I chose this particular skate because: 1) all I could find locally in a vinyl skate were "Barbie" skates; 2) they come in small children's sizes (J10-4); 3) they are fairly inexpensive ($29.95); and 4) they have a nylon or plastic plate that is nice and lightweight for little ones. An added bonus that I didn't realize was that these skates had wheels perfect for a beginner. The wheels had some spin to get a roll, but not so fast that it was difficult and too "slippery" to gain balance and momentum. Some might argue that it is not a "quality" skate. This is true. The boot is made of vinyl, not leather, but it gets the job done when it comes to learning the basics. I don't think that most parents want to go out and spend more than $100 on beginner skates. (Mine cost $700!). When my little guy gets speeding along and has more control, he will get a better quality pair. In the meantime, I recommend this skate for beginners.
I encourage shoppers to check around for the best price, since (I hate to say this) rinks can gouge you. I even saw these skates advertised on ebay by an "outlet" seller for $50. We shopped online and found with shipping the best price through Skatebuys.com.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 29.95
Type of Toy: Sports
Age Range of Child: 3 to 5 Years
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Epinions.com ID:
ahoult
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Location: Upstate NY
Reviews written: 41
Trusted by: 6 members
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