Top 5 Best Roller Shoes For Kids Comparison

These safe gliding shoes are a big hit with the kids.

You’ve probably seen kids gliding freely around shopping centres and on the high street. They’re not floating, they’re wearing footwear called roller shoes! The most popular being by Heelys (sound familiar?), designed to promote outdoor fun. Here are 5 of the best roller shoes for kids.

Looking for something a bit more exciting outdoors for your kids? Why not check out these kids roller skates as a more adventurous alternative instead.

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Heelys
Dual Up X2

Heelys
Propel 2.0

Heelys
Fresh

Heelys
Hyper

Heelys
Motion





Our Rating
4.7 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5 stars
Suitable ForBoys / GirlsBoys / GirlsBoys / GirlsBoysBoys / Girls
Upper MaterialSynthetic NubuckSynthetic NubuckCanvasSynthetic LeatherSynthetic Nubuck
Closure• Power Strap
• Elastic Lace
LaceLace• Power Strap
• Elastic Lace
Lace
Wheels2 x 2 DoubleSingle Low Profile2 x 2 DoubleSingle Low ProfileSingle Low Profile
BearingsN/AABEC 5ABEC 3ABEC 5ABEC 5
Price**CHECK PRICE****CHECK PRICE****CHECK PRICE****CHECK PRICE****CHECK PRICE**

Top Features | Best Roller Shoes For Kids

  • Our Rating – This is based on our own research in product testing and user feedback. Clicking on each product takes you to the product page where you can read customer reviews on the product you’re interested in.
  • Best Value / Top Rated – Products that we consider to excel in a certain area such as value for money, reputation or technology have been given one of our aforementioned labels of recognition.
  • Upper Material – What material is the outer and upper shoe constructed from?
  • Closure – Do the kids roller shoes use laces or a velcro strap or both to secure the feet?
  • Wheels – How many wheels do the kids roller shoes have? In most cases, the wheels can also be removed so they can be used as ordinary trainers.
  • Bearings – To minimise friction when the wheels are spinning, bearings are installed on them. They’re measured in an ABEC rating (Annual Bearing Engineers Committee) and the higher the rating, the better precision and efficiency the wheel will be. You can read more about this here.
  • Price – If you want to know the price of any of the models, just click on the Buy Now button or Check Price and you’ll be redirected to the product page. The reason we don’t put prices is because they constantly change and there are so many sellers offering different prices.

Looking for something a bit more exciting outdoors for your kids? Why not check out these kids roller skates as a more adventurous alternative instead.

Best Roller Shoes For Kids

How to Buy the Best Roller Shoes

Style

Roller shoes come in a variety of designs and colours available to boys and girls. The soles are made with strong rubber which is durable and there are grip designs etched into it. This will ensure a strong grip for the rider to prevent slipping when riding.

The majority of heelys are secured with laces but some styles will also have Velcro fastening in addition to the laces for extra security. These are usually found on hi-tops only.

Very few have Velcro fastening only which may be more ideal for younger riders as it is easier for them to put the shoes on and take off.

You will find there are designs similar to trainers or Converse style shoes. There are hi-top and low top styles and are usually made from faux leather, canvas or suede material. Basic styles will generally be cheaper and better suited to beginners. The price is the same whether the shoes come with one wheel or two.

Advanced styles with additional features will be more expensive. For example, some heelys have grind plates included in the design which enables the rider to perform little tricks such as sliding along curbs and rails. However this is best suited for more experienced and extreme riders.

Comfort

Although wheelie shoes look like everyday shoes, they are constructed differently. The soles on roller shoes are a lot thicker so the wheel on the sole cannot be felt when the shoes are on. They are also padded which gives the rider comfort when using for long periods of time.

The trainer styles tend to be padded all around which offers the rider more comfort particularly when pressing down on their heels to stop. This ideal for beginners as it gives them better stability too. The padding will also offer cushioning and protection which will reduce the risk of injury if the rider was to fall.

The Converse style shoes are usually made with canvas material so has no padding and can get quite uncomfortable particularly when the rider needs to lean back on their heels to stop skating. This is better suited for experienced riders instead.

Wheels

The wheels are made with high quality polyurethane (PU) rubber which is strong so it does not damage so easily. These can be removed so it can be used as trainers instead. Heel plugs will help to cover the gaps in the shoes so parents won’t have to worry about dirt or mud getting trapped there. This offers flexibility in how the shoes can be used.

Best Roller Shoes For Kids
The wheels can be removed from the sole of Heelys roller shoes too.

Depending on the manufacturer, wheel sizes will differ. For example, Heelys have two types of wheels – FATS and MEGA. FATS wheels are smaller than MEGA, having bigger wheels will provide the rider with more stability and the rider can make turns easier. As MEGA wheels are bigger, this would be a good wheel for beginners to start off with.

Two wheeled heelys will give kids more balance so this is ideal for a beginner or those with a poor sense of balance as the rider can lean on them.

It may be a good for kids to start off with two wheels if they have never used wheelie shoes before as many kids find it difficult to use them at first. Once your child has mastered their roller shoes, the smaller wheel can be removed.

The one wheeled shoes are ideal for more experienced or older kids. Having one wheel enables to rider to turn easily and speed up as well.

Although there are other manufacturers making roller shoes as well, the main brand remains to be Heelys. For an authentic experience and quality, it may be more ideal to get an official pair instead as there is not much difference in pricing.

Sizing

Roller shoes are generally made a size smaller than normal shoes. It is advisable to get the next size up so if your child is usually a size 1, then they will need a size 2.

Younger kids shoe sizing is a different story, they will need to get 2 sizes up as the heelys are made even smaller. For example, a child with size 8 shoes will need to get a size 10 pair.

Unfortunately, wheelie shoes do not come in half sizes so if your child wears half sized shoes, then it is best they get 1.5 sizes up. So a child wearing size 1.5 should get a size 3 and can wear insoles if needed.

A short tutorial by Heelys on how to use their roller shoes.

What Are Roller Shoes?

One of the latest crazes for kids today are roller shoes as they are stylish, cool and a fun way to get around safely. These look like regular trainers but on the bottom of them, there is a wheel fitted on the sole of each shoe.

With the wheels, it allows kids to go from walking to gliding or skating in seconds. There are some designed for adults as well but it is mainly children that uses these.

The most popular brand of roller shoes is Heelys which was released in the UK scene in 2005 and have been expanding since then. It is due to this brand that started the trend and has led to a few manufacturers producing the same style.

These shoes with wheel provide kids with a safe and fun way to exercise as well as making travel a bit quicker for them. They would be more willing to use their legs to travel about instead of asking for a lift. Although they are similar to roller skating, the difference is that there is no need to bring an extra pair of shoes to change into.

Here are some cool tricks being performed with roller shoes. Practice makes perfect!

How Do They Work?

It is easy for kids to learn how to use heelys but it may take them a few tries before they get used to them. During this time, it is a good idea for kids to wear safety equipment such as elbow/knee pads, gloves and a helmet to help prevent injury.

This type of shoe works by a change of balance and pushing off with a foot. To skate or glide with roller shoes, it is best to start off on flat grounds. Then the rider just needs to follow these steps:

  1. Place the dominant foot whilst lifting the toes up in front of the other foot. The wheels of the shoe in the front foot should be engaged.
  2. Use the back foot to push off and then lift the toes in the back foot as well to engage the wheel. Now the rider should be rolling along smoothly.
  3. When the rider wants to stop, all they need to do is lift their toes up on both feet until their heels are touching the ground.


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