Difference between Inline Skates and Aggressive Skates – Complete Guide

You must have heard about inline skates and aggressive skates but do you know what the
difference between them is?
If your answer is no then read this article till the end. In this article, I will explain to you
in brief, what the difference is between Inline skates and aggressive skates.
If you think that inline skates and aggressive skates are the same, then you are not entirely
right. There are a lot of differences between both of them. By reading this comprehensive
guide, you will get to know everything about inline skates and aggressive skates.

What are Inline Skates?

Inline skates are similar to roller skates, but it does not have two toe stops in the front
end of the skates.  Instead inline skates have two to five wheels arranged in a single
line. Which is where the name inline skate comes from.
Moreover, they have a break attached to it on the rear end of one or both the skates. With the
help of this brake, the skater can slow their speed by leaning back on the skate with the brake.
Most of the inline skates are designed in a way so ice skaters can efficiently train without ice during
periods of Summer.

Types of Inline Skates

There are four main types of inline skates which are as following:

  •  Fitness: This type is for the skaters who are looking to get more out of their skates.
    There are a lot of styles available for fitness skates. Some skates have a feature to
    skate faster whereas some have a function to skate for longer distance.
  • Recreation: It is one of the most popular types of inline skates. Most of the beginner
    and intermediate skater prefer the recreation skates. Moreover, it provides a great fit
    and feel for the first time skater.
  •  Race: These types of skates have a very stiff boot design due to which the skater gets
    better performance. However, due to its rigid boot design, the skater will not
    feel as comfortable. Race skates are for those who want high speed and can
    compromise on comfort quality.
  •  Urban: It is one of the most newly designed skate types. This type of skates is mainly
    built for the city streets because it has a compact frame design.

Apart from there is one more type which is aggressive.

What are Aggressive Skates?

As I have already mentioned that aggressive skates are a sub-niche of inline skates, but they are specially
modified for doing tricks such as jumping, sliding, and grinding.
The wheels of aggressive skates are mostly under 60 mm so they can create a low center
of gravity due to which it becomes easier to perform and land tricks.
However, as smaller wheels decrease the speed of skate, so some people prefer aggressive skates
with a wheel more than 80 mm.
Aggressive skates are usually made up of hard plastic, but some high-end models also use
carbon fiber. Carbon fiber is a lightweight material and makes it easier for skaters to preform stunts.
However, carbon skates are quite expensive compared to plastic skates.

Types of Aggressive Skates?

There are three main types of aggressive skates:

  • Soft Shell Aggressive Skates: This type of skate is made up of material that provides
    support for stunts and also increases the comfort level for skaters. They work perfectly
    for doing grinds and give you better control as you can feel skate.
  • Hard Shell Aggressive Skates: These skates are made up of a plastic boot that is
    wrapped around a removable liner. They provide more protection for the ankle and are stiffer
    compare to soft shell skates.
  • Skeletal Shell Aggressive Skates: These are one of the newest skates in the category
    of aggressive skates. Skeletal shell models allow you to customize your skate by
    using your own shoes with the shells. Skeletal shell skates are very lightweight due to this and it becomes easier for skaters to do tricks.

Designing Difference between Inline Skates and Aggressive Skates

Aggressive skates are just a type of inline skates. The difference is in the designing of the skates. Below I have explained what are the key differences between the designs of both skates.


Liners are an essential part of skates. Inline skates use foam material liners and offer necessary comfort for your feet. You cannot customize inline skates liners according to your requirements.

Almost all of the aggressive skate models have a feature to change the liner of the skate. So with aggressive skates, a skater can choose the liner which will fulfill the requirements of the skater.

Furthermore, there are liners that are specially designed for aggressive skates. These liners provide better support to the skater’s ankle.


Inline skate frames are mainly made up of plastic, aluminium, or carbon. Each of the frames has its own advantage and disadvantages.

Aggressive skate frames are also made up of these materials, but they are designed differently. Aggressive skate frames come in the two designs below.

  • Anti-rocker: It consists of two big wheels and two smaller and harder wheels
  • Flat: It consists of equally size wheels.


The wheels of both the skates are made up of polyurethane. The only difference is in the size of the wheels. Typically aggressive skates have more durable and smaller wheels. So they can remain more stable while landing from a jump.

The wheel size of aggressive skates is usually 54-64mm.


Bearings are an essential part of the skates. It determines the smoothness of your ride and the speed of the skates. Bearings reduce the friction that exists between the moving wheels and the frames.

However, the bearings wear with time, so eventually you will need to replace them. In aggressive skates, you need to replace the bearings on a regular basis. New bearings will ensure that your skates wheels roll perfectly.

I hope this comprehensive guide on inline skates vs aggressive skates is helpful for you and helps you to understand the difference between them.









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