Buying Skates You are off to buy your first pair of skates but are unsure what you want or what to look out for. Here are a few pointers that might ease your task. 1.   First of all , be aware that in most sports shops that sell skates the staff have only a limited knowledge (just the sale patter they have been taught). If you can, try and go to a (friendly) skate shop. 2. Know what type of skate you want: recreational, aggressive, vert or some mix. 3. The most important thing about buying skates is getting a pair that fits comfortably. Don't put up with a bad fitting pair - you will regret it eventually. Remember that skate sizes usually don't correspond to shoe size. Often they will be one size bigger. 4. Some features you may wish to look out for are: memory foam lining, memory buckles, aluminium spacers, rockerable frame, ABEC rating of bearings (although read the bearing myths article first) Do they have the wheel set-up you want? Can they accommodate grind plates? In general, know what you want from your skates. 5. Remember when buying skates to budget for protection. A bare minimum are wrist-guards, with knee and elbow pads coming next. A helmet would be a good idea if you plan to skate vert, aggressive or on the streets. 6. Thats all, I hope this helps.