The Best Inline Speed Skates 2022
What we looked for:
We are looking for an inline speed skating boot that fits well and has heat moldability. Additionally, it is lightweight, has durable frame mounting connection points, and uses good quality materials.
Speed skating boots, like all shoes, are built around plastic molds. Unlike most footwear, the cuff of a speed skating boot is above your ankle bone, and hard carbon fiber is not far away from your foot.
There are a ton of inline speed skating boots on Amazon and eBay that will hurt your feet so bad you will make you wish you never bought them. We know because we, unfortunately, tested them. Getting that plastic foot right seems beyond the reach of many skate manufacturers. Some of them have identified that they make painful boots, so to compensate, they add more padding. Consequently, this makes the boot more comfortable, but you lose power because the foam is absorbing your energy.
After all, this is speedskating, we buy speed skates to skate as fast as we can, and we don’t want padding absorbing our speeeeed!
#1 Bont JET
Bont Jet is the world’s most popular inline speed skate, and you don’t have to look too hard to see why.
The inline skate boot is very comfortable. In fact, Bont laser-scanned 10,000 feet to create their lasts. This has definitely paid off. For those wondering, the last is the plastic foot that the inline skate boot is constructed around.
The Jet inline skate boot is heat moldable, in fact, its the most heat moldable on the market. As a result, you can use a hairdryer or the oven to custom mold it to your feet.
The footbed is thin enough for you to feel the road yet thick enough to absorb vibrations. The micro-adjustable buckle holds your foot firmly. The skate boot is made using Bont’s famous one-piece construction. This is usually reserved for boots that cost three times as much as the Bont Jet. The frame and bearings are all top-notch. However, if you want to move to the next level, we recommend upgrading the wheels to a full race wheel such as the Bont Red Magic.
#2 Bont LUNA
The Bont Luna is a new inline speed skate for 2022 and the cheapest one-piece inline boot on the market.
Typically, one-piece speed skate boots are for custom professional racing boots. Consequently, apart from the Bont Jet and Bont Luna inline speed skating boots, you won’t find a one-piece speed skating boot for under $500.
The Bont Luna features a sleek minimalist look with a micro-adjustable buckle, anatomical foot shape, carbon composite base. This inline skate boot differs from the Bont Jet in that it has less heat moldability. As a result, the Bont Luna saves some weight in the boot at the cost of some moldability. Therefore, unless you are planning on putting your boots in the oven and molding them, purchase the Bont Luna. If you require a custom fit and you want to heat mold your boots, go for the Bont Jet.
The Bont Luna can be purchased as a complete inline skate, or as a stand-alone inline skate boot. You can buy components from other brands as they are all interchangeable.
On the Bont website, you can select the inline skate frames, inline skate wheels, and inline skate bearings that suit your budget. The higher-spec inline skate frames are stiffer and made with more expensive materials. The more expensive inline speed skating bearings have more precise balls. These higher-priced inline skate wheels have better urethane, which as a result, moves from Chinese urethane to a USA made urethane.
Read our articles on inline speed skating wheels and inline speed skating bearings on this site.
#3 Capetos
The Capetos inline speed skate is a newcomer to the inline skate scene. It seems as though they have taken many of the best features from a number of established brands, and they have produced a very high-quality boot for a very low price.
This inline speed skating boot uses an industry-standard mounting where you can upgrade the frame from another brand if you wish.
This inline speed skate has a very good starting point for which you can upgrade this skate at a later time with other components. The component that will make the biggest difference to your speed is upgrading the wheels. If you upgrade the wheels to a set of Bont Red Magics, you will be able to take this skate to its full potential.
#4 Rollerblade POWERBLADE ELITE 125
The Rollerblade Powerblade Elite 125 is much better value inline speed skate than the Rollerblade pro 125. The Elite is around $300 cheaper.
A great looking inline skate, but it is not a professional level inline speed skate. It’s an inline skate that looks good and works well, but it’s more suited to training than inline speed skating. The boot has a two-piece carbon composite shell that is well made. The padding also feels supportive and not too soft. The inline frame and inline wheels are on the low end of what’s available in the market, but there are better options available. A little more detail, the frame feels flimsy at high speeds, and while the graphics are nice, the axles and the finishing on the frame feel
low budget. The inline wheels are the worst part of the package. They feel slow and lack rebound. I recommend upgrading the wheels as soon as they wear out.
#5 Bont VAYPOR
If you want the best of the best and money is no object, then the Bont Vaypor Supercell 125mm inline speed skate is for you.
Using the best unidirectional carbon fiber, the inline skate boot is made by hand. Each layer is hand-laid in different directions for maximum strength. Finally finished with a matte dry carbon final coat. Additionally, the resin is the most heat moldable on the market.
The padding is closed cell, so it does not absorb sweat. The outer skin is made of a material called Durolite, which is a high-end Japanese material. Durolite is exceptionally lightweight and has more stretch and durability than leather.
The speed skate boot has layers of anti-stretch material between the carbon and the liner so it will not stretch over time. Even the laces are made from non-stretch material, so you don’t have to tie your laces after warming up.
It has multiple loops and Velcro to hold the tongue of the boot in place, so it doesn’t move. The skate boot has air ventilation in the toe. Proven by the UK Olympic cycling team to improve performance.
Jesa of Switzerland manufactures the bearings. The only racing bearing with an inner race polished in both directions. Additionally, the bearing, made from high tensile steel, doesn’t warp at high speeds.
MPC makes the wheels in the USA on Bont’s aluminum hub, and they have won more world championships marathons than any other inline speed skating wheel.
The Supercell frame is Bont’s new 2022 100% carbon fiber inline racing frame.
It is an unbeatable package if you want the best skate money can buy. Finally, Bont will custom make this boot for you.