What models do you recommend for passionate and skilled jam & rhythm skaters?

You are starting to learn more complicated moves and roller skating is becoming an everyday workout? You are skating more on the edges and need a model with more lateral stability, but still comfy and not too hard?
The STREET SUEDE is the softest of the roller skates collection and still quite firm so also suitable for passionate skaters. The STREET DELUXE is 20% harder than the STREET SUEDE due to its firmer leather. Still, it is very flexible at the top shaft end. If you are a skilled dancer or rhythm skater we would rather recommend the STREET XTREME for its stronger counter support and lateral stability. This model is 30-40% harder than the STREET DELUXE and will give you the support needed for challenging dance skating moves.

The CHAMPION LIGHT hybrid model is about as strong as the STREET XTREME. The flex notch and construction make it ideal for those who want it all!
This model offers more support than the STREET XTREME The CHAMPION LIGHT provides more stability than the STREET XTREME. The CHAMPION LIGHT has a lower shaft and is more flexible in the ankle area. It is thermoformable and available in 4 widths.
This hybrid model is suitable for so many target groups:
Ice figure skating (all single jumps and more for adults with +-60 kg)
Ice dance
Park-Skating
Artistic roller skating – competition level
Artistic inline skating– competition level
Jamskating for beginners and advanced

You can find more details in the product description of each model.

What models do you recommend for park skaters?

If you are basically an allrounder but want to develop your park skating skills – you will need a model with more support in the ankle area. You can make first rials with the STREET SUEDE and STREET DELUXE but as soon as you want to make more challenging flips you will need a SSTREET XTREME: It has more ankle and lateral stability although still softer in the ball area than the ice skating boots.
If you are a competition park skater, you will appreciate the stability of our hybrid model CHAMPION LIGHT, fully heat moldable and available in 5 widths. Here a link to our test skater Lea Neuhold who switched from STREET XTREME to CHAMPION LIGHT.

The CHAMPION LIGHT hybrid model with its flex notch and construction is ideal for those who demand everything from their boots. This model offers more support than the STREET XTREME, has a lower shaft, is more flexible in the ankle area, is thermoformable and is available in 4 widths. It is suitable for the following performance groups:

Ice figure skating (all single jumps and more for adults with +-60 kg)
Ice dance
Park-Skating
Artistic roller skating – competition level
Artistic inline skating– competition level
Jamskating for beginners and advanced

You can find more details in the product description of each model.

What models do you recommend for artistic skaters?

If you come from the figure skating world and would like to switch to QUAD (retro) rollers in summer then you basically still are a beginner artistic roller skater. You will be doing first jumps. For basics you can still use the two softer models STREET DELUXE & STREET SUEDE.
If you are more ambitious, you should rather opt for the STREET XTREME, as it is overall more robust and has more lateral stability – and will be more durable on the long run. It is reinforced in the ankle area, softer in the ball area than an ice skating boot, and has leather lining, which is a big advantage if spending lots of hours in quads during summer temperatures.
If you want to switch to Inline skating, you need to go for ice skating models since you need a boot with a fully reinforced and stable ball area.
PRIMA INTERMEDIATE or CHAMPION LIGHT are specially suitable for both sports, ice and inline skating, since all these models have a soft cushion at the shaft top.

You will find more details on each model in our ROLLER SKATES CATALOG 2023 and ICE SKATES COLLECTION 2023!

What are the differences between the three Street-Models?

All STREET models have a leather shaft, a high-quality smooth leather lining, a leather soles and a wooden heels.
STREET SUEDE is the softer model. It is made of very flexible and breathable suede leather. Compared to other brands, STREET SUEDE is rather perceived as medium-strong as it provides sufficient grip for the first artistic skating elements and basic park tricks. The upper is made of soft suede leather. It is more elastic at the ball of the foot than the other two models!

STREET DELUXE is made of firmer, durable NUBUK leather with velvet finish. Due to the stronger leather (2-2.2 mm), it offers more support and is more durable. It is approximately 20% stronger than STREET SUEDE. Both models are suitable for street skating and dance, even for first park skating tricks.

STREET XTREME is basically a reinforced STREET DELUXE but approximately 40% stronger. More stable at the heel, increased side reinforcement to also absorb jumps. The STREET XTREME was adapted to the needs of the target groups - advanced street & jam & rhythm skaters as well as park skaters.

You will find more details on each model in our ROLLER SKATES CATALOG 2023!

Which quad plates should I take for my skating style?

At the beginning, it is difficult to know exactly which discipline or style you will prefer. It is often a mix of dance (jam & rhythm), trail, park skating or figure skating.
To a certain extent, the steering can be adjusted to your needs – making it tighter or loosen it up. Nevertheless, there are plates that determine the stability/agility through the angle.
The kingpin angle stands for the manoeuvrability of the plates. The higher the angle, the more agility, the smaller the angle, the more stability. Park and trail skating require stability, dance, on the other hand, agility.

The STD models are particularly suitable for beginners to advanced skaters, as they cover almost all disciplines. You want to try everything first before committing yourself.
However, if skating becomes a passion, the plates must be adapted to your main needs. The highly manoeuvrable AVENGER is ideal for jam and rhythm skating.
Park pros, on the other hand, will opt for a more stable frame such as the AVANTI. And artistic roller skaters will remain loyal to STD, as the brand is the European leader in this field.

The following information is important when ordering accessories such as wheels, ball bearings, etc:
Does the frame have 7mm or 8mm axles?
If it has 7mm axles, for example, I need 7mm ball bearings. I can also use wheels with 8mm ball bearings, but I need axle sleeves to put on them.
Does the stopper have a metric thread or an imperial thread?
Plates from European manufacturers usually have 7mm axles, the thread of the stopper is metric. The US plates have 8mm axles, the thread of the stopper is an inch thread. This is important to know when ordering new stoppers when the included ones are used up.

STD (Spain)
The HORNET is a lightweight nylon plate, that is ideal for artistic, dance and trail skating. HORNET has 7mm axles and a kingpin angle of 20°. The toe stops are included in the price and have a metrical thread.
The ELYO is a high-quality aluminum plate with 7mm OR 8mm axles. It has a kingpin angle of 20°. It is ideal for artistic, dance and trail skating and the material stability allows park skating as well. The perfect all-rounder model! The toe stops are included in the price and have a metrical thread.
The SKILL DANCE plate is the preferred model for advanced skaters who like to combine dance and artistic skating. It has 7mm steel axles and a kingpin angle of 20°. Its unique rainbow surface is an eye-catcher! The toe stops are included in the price and have a metrical thread.
Caution with LED Wheels from STD! These only work with 8mm ball bearings, so axle sleeves must be ordered separately for plates with 7mm axles! These sleeves can be slipped onto the axles in no time so that wheels with 8mm ball bearings can also be mounted.

SUREGRIP (USA)
AVANTI frames have a 10° kingpin angle and are very stable plates for challenging flips and jumps in the skate park. They are also popular with skaters who generally prefer a more stable frame. The stability can be changed by loosening or tightening the "Action Adjustment" nuts and by using steering rubbers of different hardness. The toe stops are included in the price, the thread is imperial.
AVENGER frames have a kingpin angle of 45°. They are highly valued by experienced jam and rhythm skaters because of their extreme manoeuvrability.The toe stops are included in the price, the thread is imperial.

SUNLITE (USA)
The SUNLITE frames are made of high-quality nylon and have a kingpin angle of 10°. They are appreciated for their lightness and stability and are available in a wide variety of colors. The toe stops are included in the price, the thread is imperial.

You will find more details on each model in our ROLLER SKATES CATALOG 2023! (p. 26-31)

What size & width should I take?

We use the same orthopedic lasts for roller skates AND ice skates. The roller skates are made in the standard width "C" (wide fit).
You will figure out that you might actually need a smaller WIFA size than your usual shoes. They run big and your foot should have a rather snug fit. Your feet are the most important reference we work with. On our website you can print out the insoles. In order to avoid mistakes due transmission distorsions, please remeasure the insoles after printing the A4 sheets!

The insoles help a lot to determine the size as you can visualize how much toe space you need. If you have wide feet at the front (e.g. Roman foot shape), you will need more toe space since the WIFA boots are slighly narrower at the toe cap. If you have narrower feet and a Greek or Agyptian foot shape you will need less space for rather a snug fit. But please leave at least 4 mm comfort toe space to be on the safe side - unless you can try them on in a shop.
For a STREET SUEDE you will need less toe space than with STREET DELUXE & STREET XTREME , because the suede leather is softer and more elastic and therefore adapts better to the skater’s foot shape. The following rule of thumb applies: STREET Deluxe & Xtreme - we recommend to take the same size as the shoe size (for skaters with wide feet at front) or half a size smaller (for standard or narrow feet).
STREET Suede - can be half a size smaller or even a full size smaller. Please read our Technical Guide for more detailed information and the relevant measuring tables.

Please watch our VIDEO TUTORIALS for foot measurements and size selection.

How is the mounting done and what does it cost?

We make a full mounting suitable for all skting styles. Our mounting service cost net 25 €.

If you order our mounting service we will mount according to our recommendations and to our sizing chart (catalog p. 40). We mount slightly „off center“ as recommended by most specialized shops and top skaters. If you want a different mounting, please advise.

For STD-plates and the Avenger (Surepgrip) we take the shorter plates since most skaters use these plates for dancing and want them to be more indented at the front.

For Avanti (Suregrip) and SUNLITE plates we use the longest possible plate size as these are normally used by skaters seaking stability.

How to mount the plates:
heel: 2 pull-through screws, 2 long screws (length 25 mm)
front part of boots: 2 pull-through screws (20mm) + 2 screws (16 mm)

CAUTION! Inside the boots - at the heel - screws are placed that are very important for the heel stability. The shaft is glued with high pression on the soles and screwed additionally to the heel. These long screws must not be removed! If they are in the way when mounting the plates, please move them to another part and screw them in again.

IMPORTANT CARE INSTRUCTIONS

Like all quality products, WIFA boots deserve the best possible care. All feet sweat during training - some more than others, and even though the boots are made of breathable leather, they can get very damp inside. After a training session the boots should be carefully dried inside and outside. Skating bags should only be used for carrying boots home. Skating boots should never be put on top of, or near to a radiator, or in the sun. They should be left in a well ventilated place. If the boots are very damp, please use moisture absorbing products like „boot bananas“ or simply use the old school method of stuffing paper into the leather boots.

The right care of the upper material
Roller skates made of NUBUCK leather can become greasy over time if they are not adequately cared for. Use a nubuck rubber brush to clean the boots. Leather color can be freshened up with a nubuck spray. Our NUBUK boots are water-repellent (hydrophobic), but please imprignate after longer use. All care products mentioned above are available in every well-stocked specialist shoe shop or on the Internet.

The right care of the soles
Although the soles are waxed, abrasion marks develop over time, especially when skating on edges. These should be covered with natural wax or transparent shoe balm on a regular basis so that no moisture penetrates. If the boots were used during wet weather or on ice areas with water puddles, soles have to be dryed immediately and waxed additionally. We advise against using varnishes, as leather needs to breathe. Special impregnation sprays with natural components should only be used as a temporary solution.

However, if mold has already formed on the surface, we recommend using a 1:1 mixture of transparent vinegar-essence solution (25% acetic acid) and water. Please cealn the areas thoroughly and apply wax when dry. If the mold has already penetrated the sole, damage will occur which is often difficult to repair. This damage is not covered by the warranty. Please check regularly that the blades or plates are securely fastened to the sole. If not, the screws must be retightened, otherwise moisture can penetrate the leather and cause damage. If the screw holes are worn out and screws have no grip, put small wooden sticks into the holes and insert the screws. Also use free holes in the plates to insert new screws.

The right care of the wheels
We use shielded ball bearings on the outside to protect them against dirt. When skating in rainy weather, moisture can nevertheless penetrate the ball bearings, which inevitably leads to rust formation. If you are caught in the rain, take off the wheels and place them in the sun to dry. If necessary, treat the ball bearings with thin lubricating oil. A rust remover (WD 40) can be used to loosen small rust formations. If the ball bearings are heavily rusted, they must be cleaned or replaced.

The right care of the roller plates
Please always check that all components of the frame are screwed tight. The adjustable toe stops can be fastened with a hexagonal wrench and fixed with a drop of Locktite or nail polish, if necessary. The stability of a frame can be changed by loosening or tightening the kingpin nuts and by using cushions of different hardness.