Still looking for that custom skate and want to know more about different parts, below is some info on different parts and what skate style their more intended for.
Starting from the boot, there are many styles and each has their own qualities. There are heeled boots that are a great all round boot and better suited to jam/dance skating. A flat boot is suited more for longer trail skates and street skating. There’s also a standard high ankle boot, or a lower boot. If you have weaker ankles I suggest a taller boot for more support, I prefer a mid height boot for some ankle support but still allowing ankle movement.
Once you’ve decided on a style of boot you will need to decide on the material. Whether you want the cheaper synthetic material or more expensive leather/vegan boot. I believe leather is easier to keep clean and harder wearing material. You can always add a toe guard to protect the front of your boot to keep it looking nicer longer, they are cheaper to replace then the boot and come in many colours and materials.
Once you have your boot picked out, you need to decide on you plate and trucks. These usually go together as your plate will determine the trucks you can use. If you want to use wider penny trucks, I suggest going with a Sure-Grip plate as they have the appropriate truck angle to suit. You can go with a cheaper (but heavier) steel plate, or a lighter nylon or aluminium plate. A nylon plate is still very strong despite being a type of plastic.
With you plate and trucks you will need pivot cups and cushions. The pivot cups are usually determined by you plate. The cushions allow your trucks to move and your skates to turn. They can be soft or hard, depending on your skating style or preference. For me as more a trail skater I prefer softer cushions for sharper turning.
Once you have the basic parts of your skate you need to decide on what wheels you want to use. For indoor skating you will want to use a harder wheel (higher A/durometer number), and for outdoor skating a softer wheel would suit best. A softer wheel will allow your wheels to roll over small bumps and debris easier. Once you’ve decided on skating indoors or outdoors you can choose different widths. A wider wheel can help with stability and a narrower wheel can make jam/dance skating easier, but it can also be a personal preference.
After all that you will need bearings. If you’re not worried about speed then most any bearings will suit. If you like speed and maintaining a higher average speed then a bearing with a higher ABEC rating will be more suited. The ABEC rating determines the tolerance of the balls and cage. The higher the rating the smaller the tolerance will be.
You can also get Swiss or Ceramic bearings for a good fast roll. For speed I like to use nothing below an ABEC 7.
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