What Inline Skates Best Simulate Ice Skating?

Question

I want a pair of inline skates I can use to practice when my school's ice rink closes for the season. I've looked at the Pic Skates and they are a bit pricey. I was wondering if people know how good a simulator they actually are, and if there are any less expensive "second-best" simulators?

Answer 1

Since the other posters have pretty much covered everything there is as far as figure skating goes, I'll take a gander that you might mean skates for hockey. The answer is pretty simple, just get hockey inline skates. Even if you're not going to play hockey, and aren't going to figure skate either, hockey skates still are best at mimicking the motions and feel of ice skates. This is because in the last 10 years of so, the brand Mission developed something called the "hi-lo" chassis, which Incorporated two 72mm wheels and two 80mm wheels in the back.They're situated so that the two middle wheels are always touching the surface, and rocking back and forth gives that feeling of a slightly curved ice blade. This is now the standard formation for all inline hockey skates and is used by all brands. Hockey skates also lace up, which could be an easy transition from most ice skates, but might not be something that appeals to you. Like I said, this might not be what is right for you, but just in case it is, hope I helped.

Answer 2

The PIC skates are the only ones designed with the toe pick to emulate that part of your figure skates.  If you want that feature, that is going to be your only choice.

To give you the manueverability of your figure skates you can look for "street" or roller hockey skates.  They will have a shorter wheelbase than the typical skates for skating distances.  

You might find some that allow the wheels to be rockered.  That would mimic the curve of your ice blades better.

Without rockerable axles, you can possibly mimic the effect by finding some wheels that are only a couple millimeters different in diameter.  That is not allways easy to find.  You put the smaller wheels on the front and rear.

Answer 3

Pic Skates are probably the best "known" substitute off ice . . . but there are other brands you might check out:

Snow White Artistic Inline Figure Skates (supposedly lighter)

http://www.inlinefigure.com/snowwhite.ht...

Jump-Spin Skate (I don't know much about this one - its definitely not a figure skate boot. but it is "cheap").

http://jumpspin.com/skate/id39.html

I haven't actually compared prices or anything yet . . . but I have been looking into it off ice skates too (um - I have been for years!!!!).  

I have tried the Pic Skates when the company came out to our rink.  The boot is a figure skate boot so that feels "familiar" - but the frames are clunkier (heavier) and you just know you're not on the ice.  It feels slower . . . and spin technique is definitely different (I tried and I nearly ate it!).  

I only tried them on for 5 minutes tops . . . so I couldn't have possibly given them a good chance.  I'm sure with practice I could figure out the inline technique for figure moves - it is kinda different - but if you get muscle memory for that, you may have to rework your ice technique when you get back.  

It is pricey, but if I were to get them, I would get a new pair of the same exact figure skate boot I have and then the frame.  When I tried on the Pic Skates long ago, the wheel configuration for my size was either too long or too short compared to my figure skate blades - maybe they worked that out since then.  At this point, I lean more towards Pic Skates - only because I've seen and read more about them.