Kick Speed Roller Skate Shoes FAQ

They are sneakers with wheels built into the sole, so one pair walks and rolls. Kick Speed makes two kinds. Pop-out roller skate shoes hide four wheels inside the sole and release them with a button on the heel. Heel wheel shoes work the Heelys way, rolling on a wheel in the heel, with the option of adding a front wheel. Browse roller skate shoes with pop-out wheels or heel wheel shoes to see both.

Pop-out shoes carry four wheels that retract fully into the sole at the press of a button, giving a wider platform under the whole foot. Heel wheel shoes carry a wheel in the heel that you tip back onto, the classic Heelys-style glide, and most of our models also take a detachable front wheel for a steadier ride. Neither is safer than the other, it is a difference in how they feel. Our how-it-works guide shows both, and Kick Speed vs Heelys compares them in detail.

Children, teenagers and adults with smaller feet. Our sizes run from US 0.5 up to US 10, which is roughly EU 28 to 42, and that covers most women and most teenagers. Adult men with larger feet will not find a fit in our range, and we would rather say so than take the order. If you are buying for yourself, our guide to roller skate shoes for adults covers what changes when a grown-up learns to ride.

Every pair ships with the shoes, a repair kit with a spare wheel, and a printed user manual. LED models also include a micro USB charging cable. If you wear the wheels down, replacements are available as a set of five spare wheels.

The switch sits on the heel of each shoe. To open, check that the arrow on the switch points up to "Open", press the button so the wheels extend outward, then turn the switch to the right to lock them. To close, keep the arrow pointing up, press the button while putting pressure on the heel or toe, and turn the switch right again once the wheels are back inside. Always confirm the wheels are locked before you roll. The full sequence is in our how-it-works guide.

Heel wheel shoes roll on a wheel set into the heel. You walk normally, then shift your weight back onto the heel and lift the toe to start gliding. With the wheels taken out, the flat sole walks like an ordinary sneaker.

How the rear wheel comes out depends on the model. On some it lifts out and clips back in by hand. On others a button on the heel drops it out and retracts it again. The wheel system is listed on every product page. See the whole range in heel wheel shoes, or read best Heelys alternative for kids if you are comparing them with the original.

On most models, yes. A front wheel fits into a second mount and spreads the contact over two points along the length of the foot instead of one under the heel, which is easier to balance on while you are learning. Classic Heelys-style shoes do not offer this. Beginners usually start with the front wheel fitted and remove it later once the heel glide feels natural. Check the wheel system listed on each product page, and see how to teach a kid to ride for the learning order.

Bend your knees to lower your centre of gravity. Slide your dominant foot slightly forward and keep most of your weight on it. Lift the back foot a little, turn it out about ninety degrees to form a T shape, then lower it gently onto the ground and drag it. More pressure stops you sooner. Do not stamp down, it will unbalance you. Keep your hips square to the front foot so you do not swerve. Practise this on a smooth, empty surface before you need it, and read our safety guide first.

We use two LED systems. 7-LED offers seven colours and three flashing modes, cycled with the button on the shoe. NEW LED is the brighter of the two and stays visible in daylight, where the older system mostly shows at dusk and indoors. Both charge over micro USB and both work independently of the wheels. Browse the full LED shoes with wheels range, or LED heel wheel roller shoes if you want lights on the Heelys-style models.

Each LED roller shoe has a micro USB port behind the same button that changes the light modes. Plug in the cable supplied in the box and charge from any USB port. The lights and the wheels are separate systems, so a flat battery does not stop the shoe rolling, it only turns the glow off.

NEW LED models stay visible in daylight. The 7-LED system is brighter at dusk, indoors and after dark, and washes out in strong sun. If the lights are mainly for visibility on the way home from school, choose a NEW LED model. If they are for fun indoors, either works.

Yes. Some riders, and most adults, want the wheels without a flashing sole. We make roller skate shoes without LED lights in the pop-out range and heel wheel shoes without LED in the Heelys-style range. They roll exactly the same, because the lights were never part of the mechanism.

Measure, do not guess from an old pair, because sizing runs differently between brands. Stand on a sheet of paper, mark the back of the heel and the tip of the longest toe, and measure between the marks. Measure both feet and use the longer one. Then match that number to the chart in our size guide. For a snug fit take the size that matches your foot length exactly. For a comfort fit take 0.5 to 1 cm longer, which is also the sensible choice for a child who is still growing.

Yes, and it is one of the practical differences between us and Heelys, who make whole sizes only and advise rounding up. You can order 3.5, 4.5, 5.5, 6.5, 7.5, 8.5 or 9.5 depending on the model. In a shoe you balance and roll in, a heel that lifts is where control goes, so half a size matters more than it does in an ordinary trainer.

Our range tops out at US 10, roughly EU 42, on the pop-out models. The heel wheel range reaches US 9.5. That covers most women and teenagers, but it means adult men with larger feet will not find a fit here. Availability varies by model and colourway, so check the size selector on the product page before ordering.

They carry the same risk as any wheeled activity, and the research is reassuring rather than alarming: injuries are mostly to the wrist and forearm from falling onto an outstretched hand, and they are far less common than parents expect. What makes the difference is protective gear. A helmet, wrist guards and knee pads change the outcome of a fall more than any feature of the shoe does. We cover the actual injury data in are roller skate shoes safe for kids, and the safety guide lists what to wear and where to ride.

There is no fixed age, it depends on balance and on foot size. Our smallest size is US 0.5, which fits many children around four or five. A child who can already ride a scooter confidently usually picks up rolling quickly. Start indoors on a smooth floor, keep the front wheels fitted on heel wheel models, and follow the steps in our guide to teaching a kid to ride.

It varies enormously from school to school. Some allow them as long as the wheels stay retracted or removed during lessons, others ban them outright, and a light-up sole draws more attention than a plain one. If the shoes are mainly for school, our models without LED are the sensible choice. Our guide to roller shoes in schools sets out what teachers and parents usually raise, and it is worth asking before you buy rather than after.

Smooth, dry, flat surfaces. Indoor floors, smooth pavement, empty car parks and skating rinks all work. Wet ground, loose gravel, grass and steep hills do not, and neither does traffic. Check the wheels are locked or properly seated before every ride. Everything else is in the safety guide.

We recommend a maximum of 220 lb / 100 kg. There is no hard cut-off, but beyond that the wheels and the mechanism wear faster and the ride is less stable. The shoes themselves weigh roughly 2.5 to 3.5 lb (1.1 to 1.6 kg) a pair, depending on size and model.

We ship worldwide. Delivery is free within the United States, and international rates are listed below and on our shipping page. Orders are dispatched within two business days and you receive a tracking number by email.

USA: free

Europe and Canada: $5.99

Australia and New Zealand: $6.99

South and Central America: $9.99

Asia and Africa: $14.99

Delivery times vary by destination and by customs processing. Current estimates for every region are on our shipping page, and the exact estimate for your address appears at checkout.

Every order gets a tracking number by email. Allow up to two business days after ordering for it to activate, then follow it on our order tracking page. If the number does not update after that, contact us and we will chase it.

Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, JCB and Diners Club, plus PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay. All payments run over an encrypted connection and we never see your card details. Full details are on our payment options page.

You have 90 days. Shoes must come back unworn, unwashed and in their original packaging. When you first try them on, do it indoors on a clean floor, because a pair worn outside cannot be returned. Sizing is the most common reason for an exchange, so measure with our size guide before ordering. The full process is on our refund policy page.

If you ride and you make content, yes. Ambassadors get a personal discount code, free product, and access to our events. Email info@kickspeedrollerskateshoes.com with NEW AMBASSADOR in the subject line, include your social links and a few lines on why you would be a good fit.