Roller Skates vs Ice Skates
Roller skating and ice skating are two similar forms of recreation and have become popular sports as well with ice skating championships being held and the sport being included in winter Olympics as well. To indulge in skating on smooth surfaces such as ice or wooden platforms, special footwear is needed. Roller skate, as the name indicates has wheels or rollers that have the ability to grip the surface and allow the skater to move or glide on the surface for long with the minimum of effort. Ice skates on the other hand are special footwear that have blades beneath that glide on the ice when a person wears them. The basic purpose of both the roller skates and ice skates is same and the difference arises because of their shapes and design.
Roller Skates
Roller skates have 4 small wheels aligned together at the bottom of the skate much like an automobile and provide great balance while moving or gliding on a hard surface. These wheels have ball bearings positioned in between these wheels to reduce friction and allow free movement for a long time. They also have a stopper in front that allows the skater to stop by raising his heels so that the stopper touches the surface and makes the skate come to a rest.
Ice Skates
Ice skate has a leather boot fitted with a blade below the surface of the boot that allows the skater to have a better grip of the ice surface. These skates have a pointed pick at the toe that allows the skaters to have a better grip on the ice. The blade of the roller skates is made of steel in such a fashion that it does not dig into the ice surface but allows the skater to glide instead.
Difference between Roller Skate and Ice Skate
The basic difference between ice skates and roller skates pertains to the use of gliding mechanism. Whereas it is wheels in the case of roller skates, ice skates make use of blade for gliding on ice. Otherwise, it is all the talent of the person and his balancing abilities that decide whether he can quickly learn skating.
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Roller Skate vs Ice Skate • Ice skating is done with the help of ice skates whereas roller skates are used for skating on other hard surfaces such as wood. • Roller skates make use of small wheels aligned below the skates whereas ice skates use metallic blade designed to reduce friction between the skater and ice.
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