Are you looking for the BEST outdoor roller skate wheels? Ready to try some outdoor skating, skate park skating or upgrade your current outdoor wheels to the best wheels on the market today?
From beginner skaters to experienced pro…we have curated the best roller skate wheels for outdoor use. All of these wheels are high quality brands I’ve come to trust in my 35 years of skating. We’ve done all the hard work so you can find the right wheels for your skate style!
I hope you’ll stick with us to see why we’re recommending each of these outdoor wheels followed by our Beginners Guide to Skate Wheel Terminology in this one stop guide but if you’re super pressed for time here are our top recommendations in advance:
Best Outdoor Roller Skate Wheels SUMMARY
All of the outdoor wheels in our guide DO NOT INCLUDE BEARINGS! You can remove the bearings in your current skates with a bearing pusher | puller and add them to your new outdoor wheels or you can purchase a separate set to avoid constantly moving bearings around as they’re pretty inexpensive (I personally love and use Red’s or Rollerbones Bearings).
Atom Pulse Wheels
If you’re looking for the best outdoor roller skating wheels (at an affordable price), the Atom Pulse Wheels have to be at the top of your shopping list. These wheels are my absolute favorite for “all around” outdoor skating and provide the perfect balance between grip & speed on outdoor surfaces. They have a new fiberglass impregnated core which adds strength while reducing weight.
The Atom Pulse Wheels are what I am personally skating on my Moxi Boardwalk Skates and it’s a huge upgrade from the factory issued gummy Moxi wheels that came with the skates. I can do a lot with these like long cruises on the trail along with tricks and quick turns.
These wheels are great for paved trails, asphalt, pavement or concrete skate parks to ensure a smooth glide over small pebbles, cracks and expansion joints. With 32 available bright colors you can find a color that totally customizes the look of your skates.
My only knock on these wheels is that you have to apply quite a bit of pressure to get the bearings in. Be sure to use a bearing puller/press to make your life easier to get bearings in and out.
Technical Specs:
The diameter of these hollow hub wheels come in at 37 mm wide and 65 mm in diameter, which is tall enough to smoothly glide over all sorts of cracks, small twigs, pebbles, and debris with ease. The 78A durometer rating of these wheels will provide you with a comfortable and smooth ride on any rough surface. These are fantastic all around outdoor wheels for the price point.
Note! The Atom Pulse Wheels are sold in 4 packs so you will need TWO packs to outfit a pair of quad roller skates. If you want to keep it interesting you can purchase two different colors to make those roller skates POP!
Sure Grip Boardwalk
If you’re looking for the best beginner outdoor skate wheels…you gotta check out the Sure Grip Boardwalk Outdoor Wheels. These soft wheels are grippy and wide wheels perfect for getting your feet wet and finding your balance out on the pavement. And speaking of balance, these wheels offer more stability than their narrower counterparts, so you can keep your cool and stay on your feet.
These wheels also come in a larger diameter which means you’ll be cruising in no time. These wheels are super soft and perfect for those just starting out. Trust me, you wanna take it slow and steady at first, and these solid wheels will help you do just that. With 9 highly rated colors to choose from you’ll find a color that suits your personal style.
Technical Specs:
The diameter of these nylon core wheels come in at 65 mm diameter which is tall enough to smoothly glide over all sorts of cracks and debris with ease. 36 mm width means more surface area on the ground (good for beginners). The 78A durometer rating of these wheels will provide you with a comfortable and smooth ride with better grip (good for a new skater) on uneven surfaces.
Note! This wheel is sold in 8 packs so you will only need one pack to outfit a pair of quad roller skates.
Riedell Radar Energy Outdoor wheels
Now, let’s talk about the the one and only Riedell Radar Energy Outdoor Wheels. What makes this wheel so special, you ask? It’s all about choices my friends. First off, the Radar Energy comes in not one, not two, but THREE different profiles (diameters) 65 mm, 62 mm, and 57 mm.
The 65 mm wheels are the tallest & fattest of the bunch, which means you’ll be rolling long and strong with minimal effort. These wheels are perfect for those long cruises on the trails or commuting across town.
The 62 mm wheels are a good middle-of-the-road option that’ll work for most outdoor skaters out there. They compare to a lot of the wheels we’ve talked about previously, so you really can’t go wrong.
Now, if you want agility, skate park tricks, quick maneuvers or something that compliments your artistic skating you gotta check out the smaller 57 mm wheels.
These little guys are only 31 mm wide, which makes them some of the smallest wheels available for outdoor roller skating. Smaller wheels are perfect for all your fancy footwork, quick turns and skate park tricks.
So whether you’re all about the long cruise, the middle of the road, or artistic/trick/jam skating, the Radar Energy wheels have got you covered.
Technical Specs:
The Radar Energy Wheels come in three diameters | widths but all have a 78a durometer.
57 mm Diameter| 31 mm Width | 78a Duro Hardness (skate park & artistic)
57 mm Diameter| 32 mm Width | 78a Duro Hardness (all around-er)
65 mm Diameter| 35 mm Width | 78a Duro Hardness (cruising)
Note! This wheel is sold in 4 packs so you will need two packs to outfit a pair of roller skates. With all the color choices you can mix and match wheels to totally customize your skates!
Sure Grip Aerobic Outdoor Wheels
Let’s talk about the budget friendly Sure-Grip Outdoor Aerobic Wheel – it’s a hybrid wheel that can cover both outdoor skating & indoor skating (which is great if you’re a little cash strapped).
The first thing you’ll notice about these babies is that they have an 85A hardness, which makes them soft enough for outdoor use but also suitable for indoor rinks, too (always give your wheels a thorough cleaning before taking outdoor wheels inside to a rink).
Now, I gotta be real with you – these wheels are gonna be a little less forgiving on rough surfaces because they are harder. So if you want a smoother ride at this price point, I’d recommend going with something like the Atom Pulse Wheels.
BUT… if you’ve got a need…a need for speed at the skate park, or on the trail, these wheels are gonna set your hair on fire when compared to some of the softer wheels we talked about earlier.
The width and diameter of these wheels gives you a nice balance of stability and higher speeds which is why it’s one of my all time favorites. You’ll find 8 highly rated colors to match your skate style.
Technical Specs:
The diameter of these nylon core wheels come in at 62 mm diameter | 38 mm width and a 85A durometer rating which makes them one of the best hybrid wheels out there on the market.
Note! This wheel is sold in 8 packs so you will only need one pack to outfit a pair of quad roller skates.
BONT GLOW Outdoor skate Wheels
The BONT GLOW Light Up Wheels are our top pick for outdoor light up roller skate wheels. If you don’t know about LED light up skate wheels yet we’ll give you a quick schooling.
The LED lights inside the wheels are powered by YOUR energy! Whenever the wheels are moving the wheels are glowing. A magnetic floating spacer powers the wheel’s LEDs when the wheels are spinning (using kinetic & electromagnetic energy) . There are NO batteries so you won’t have to worry about the light-up effect burning out when a battery dies.
You can check out a short video of BONT GLOW Light Up Roller Skate Wheels in action below:
These wheels are luminescent and PRETTY even when they aren’t lit. So if you’re skating during the day and the light up effect can’t be seen…these wheels will STILL look really good.
Technical Specs:
The diameter of these nylon core wheels come in at 62 mm diameter | 35 mm width and a 83A durometer rating. If you’d like to see more Light up LED wheels along with in depth reviews check out our BEST Light Up LED Skate Wheels Article before you head out today.
Note! These are sold in sets of 4 so you would need to purchase 2 sets to complete a pair of roller skates. If you like two different colors you can mix and match for a custom look (there are 9 different colors to choose from).
MOXI FUNDAE Outdoor Skate Park Wheels
Next up on our list of TOTALLY sick wheels is the Moxi Fundae Outdoor Roller Skate Wheel. These are the best outdoor roller skating wheels for skate parks! These babies are perfect for shredding up the skate parks. And with a durometer reading of 92A, these harder wheels will catch your hair on fire.
The smaller 57mm diameter and smoothed edges (similar to skateboard wheels) makes these wheels ideal for the high speeds and tricks at the skate park or shorter skate times. You’ll be able to jump ramps and pull off all your favorite maneuvers with ease.
The profile of these outdoor roller skating wheels also makes it easier to pivot safely out of bails and help keep your skates from catching on the coping.
And let’s talk about those colors, shall we? These wheels come in 4 fun, ice cream themed colors that are gonna make your skates look super sweeeeeet!
Technical Specs:
The diameter of these nylon core wheels come in at 57 mm diameter | 34 mm width and a 92A durometer rating which puts them firmly on the hard end of the duro spectrum.
Note! This wheel is sold in 4 packs so you will two packs to outfit a pair of quad skates.
Why you need outdoor specific wheels
The main difference between indoor and outdoor roller skating wheels comes down to wheel hardness (or durometer). Outdoor wheels are softer and have more grip and less slide. Indoor wheels have more slide and less grip. Technically all outdoor wheels will work indoors, but those softer wheels are gonna be slower on hardwood floors of a roller rink.
If you skate both outdoors and indoors you’ll want to have a set of outdoor wheels and indoors wheels. Don’t take your outdoor wheels inside (like to a roller rink) or your indoor wheels outside.
If you only have the budget for one set of wheels, you might go with a hybrid wheel. These are the wheels that fall in that hardness sweet spot and straddle a little bit of both worlds but not either world perfectly so be prepared for that. We have hybrid wheels to recommend.
Finally, you do not need to purchase outdoor roller skates…just outdoor wheels to turn whatever skates you have into outdoor skates.
Beginners Guide to Skate Wheel Terminology
What YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT Wheel Hardness
The most important thing to remember is that every wheel has a hardness rating that gives you an indication of whether it is an indoor wheel or an outdoor wheel. The hardness of the wheels is the most important factor in determining whether a wheel is for indoor or outdoor use.
Wheels come in a variety of hardness levels. The hardness will affect how your skates feel and what they should be used for indoors and outdoors. One end of the hardness spectrum is grip and the other end is slide.
You can pinpoint a wheel’s hardness (durometer) by looking at the side of the wheel itself or searching in the product description.
The durometer number is a two digit number followed by an “a” in the wheel’s graphics or in the product description. Softer wheels (usually for outdoor use) have a lower durometer and generally provide more grip and absorb shock. These softer wheels are ideal for rougher outdoor terrain…providing a smooth ride.
Hard wheels (for indoor use) with higher durometers offer more roll/slide/speed for an indoor rink…derby skating and speed skating.
If you’re looking for hybrid wheels that can do both, shoot for something in the middle (we have a hybrid recommendation in this guide). I personally have separate outdoor and indoor wheels because I don’t like skating indoors with a lot of grit and road grime stuck to my wheels (makes my wheels too slippery).
What YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT Wheel SIZE (PROFILE)
As you’re shopping for wheels you will find that you are given wheel diameter (in mm) and width (also in mm). This isn’t too technical, just keep in mind that larger diameter wheels mean that the skater can travel further with each push (this is great for skating long distances).
Larger wheels achieve higher speeds. Smaller wheels mean more pushing and slower speeds. It doesn’t matter what type of skate you have…it applies to them all.
Now, let’s talk about the wheel width. Skinny wheels have less surface area contact with the ground and therefore less drag/friction so they will be faster but have less grip. Fat width wheels will be slower but have more grip.
If your a beginner skaters this level of detail is going to be nuance for you. You may not even be able to tell the difference at this point. Experienced skaters can really tell the difference from one set of wheels to another. Different hardness and wheel sizes can make a real difference to a life long skater.
What YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT Wheel Bearings
Most wheel manufacturers do not include wheel bearings with the wheels. You can use the bearings from your current wheels or you can purchase a separate set (I love and use Red’s or Rollerbones Bearings).
I would totally recommend purchasing a 2nd set of bearings because it takes a significant amount of time to switch bearings out from one set of wheels to another set (and you need a bearing puller to do this without causing damage). If you change from indoor to outdoor wheels often, it’s a good idea to purchase a another set of bearings.
Make sure that you also have a skate tool so you can take wheels on and off and tighten them correctly. You should always carry a skate tool with you wherever you skate just in case you need to make an on the fly adjustment.
Skate wheels are made of a polyurethane material and you can find many high quality, high performance wheels on the market today (which wasn’t the case a few years ago). You can even find them for different types of surfaces…inline skates etc.
How Long Do Outdoor Wheels Last?
The answer really depends on how much you skate, wheel hardness and the surfaces you skate on. If you skate a lot they might last 1-2 years. If you don’t skate very often they can certainly last longer than that. Make sure you always do a visual inspection of your wheels before you start skating and clean your outdoor wheels regularly to maximize performance and grip!
I hope you found the best outdoor roller skating wheels for your unique skate style! There is more style and selection than ever before thanks to the roller skate rebirth. You can find great wheels in every color of the rainbow.