| Are you a non-skating goalie playing in an inline or roller | | | | maneuverability, where aggressive skates usually have |
| hockey league and ready to make the move to | | | | 4 wheels with a grinding bar bridging the gap between |
| skates? Before you consider coughing up $200-$300 | | | | inner wheels (no concerns that a puck can squeeze |
| for big name goalie skates, you might want to take an | | | | through) |
| alternative and more economical option. | | | | - Aggressive skates tend to have quick release |
| Consider purchasing a pair of aggressive skates to | | | | strapping mechanism, where goalie skates are typically |
| advance your game to the next level. Goalies on | | | | lace based |
| skates can move about their given radius of play a | | | | - Aggressive skates generally cost a fraction of that |
| little quicker and can lunge from side to side with more | | | | of goalie skates In my opinion, the differences in skate |
| leverage than sneakers. Inline goalies and aggressive | | | | functionality do not justify the cost difference. Although |
| skaters have a lot in common: | | | | aggressive skates vary in price, it is not too difficult to |
| - Their skating hardware takes considerable | | | | find a suitable pair at any of the plethora of online |
| punishment | | | | shops for about half the cost of goalie skates. You will |
| - The skater maintains a low profile/center of gravity | | | | probably find that a new pair of aggressive skates is |
| compared to conventional skaters/hockey players | | | | even more economical than a decent pair of used |
| - The skater often moves in directions other than that | | | | goalie skates selling on your favorite online auction site. |
| of wheel rotation Aggressive skates offer a number | | | | Before you start your search for aggressive skates, |
| of features that are very attractive to the roller/inline | | | | keep in mind that all are not created equal. Some are |
| goalie: | | | | more suitable for goalie play than others. Here is a |
| - Sturdy frame construction | | | | short list of construction details to avoid: |
| - Reinforced sole plate | | | | - Soft outer shell construction, especially in the toe |
| - Reinforced inner boot side walls | | | | region. A soft skin covering a hard boot shell is |
| - Grinding bar offers increased rigidity of wheel axis | | | | acceptable |
| - Durable outer boot shell protects foot from impact of | | | | - Wheels with low durometer (measure of hardness) |
| puck/ball | | | | rating. The ability to move (or slide) laterally will require |
| - Small diameter wheel offers low center of gravity | | | | wheels that are relatively hard. You might want to |
| for stability and maneuverability | | | | experiment with different wheels (this is true whether |
| - Overall construction is built for punishment How do | | | | aggressive or goalie) Once you have purchased your |
| the two types of skates differ? | | | | new aggressive skates, you can go ahead and use |
| - Toe reinforcement is not as hefty on aggressive | | | | the money you saved to buy yourself a new |
| skate | | | | composite goalie stick! |
| - Most goalie skates have 5 wheels for stability and | | | | |