Back in the 1700s, the Dutch developed a way to ice skate in the summer.
They nailed wooden spools to strips of wood and hooked them on to their shoes. The concept was taken one step further by an English inventor named Joseph Merlin.
Merlin concocted a way to fasten metal wheels to his boots so he could glide into a masquerade party while playing the violin.
According to the International In-line Skating Association, in-line skating was the fastest growing sport in the past decade.
And its popularity is still growing. Beginners and advanced skaters are finding new ways to glide across the country. And many people are getting into it for the first time. But, like any sport, it can be a bit dangerous to the body and pocketbook if you aren't careful.
Brent Davis, skate specialist at Bike Board Blade, 703 E. 1700 South, has a bit of advice for those who want to get a piece of this fast-moving sport.
"First get protective gear," Davis said during a break from work. "Wrist guards, helmets, knee pads and elbow pads are what I would suggest. There are a lot of people who just use elbow pads and wrist guards, but they need to wear a helmet."
Good helmets range between $40 and $100, he said. "But it really depends on how much you want to spend. There are helmets that cost $100 and up."
As for skates, there are two kinds, Davis explained.
"There are two different styles of skating," he said. "There's aggressive skating and recreational skating. Most of the younger people between the ages of 12 and 18 have been moving toward the aggressive skating, and older people, 19 and up, are more into recreational skating."
While the style names are pretty self-explanatory, Davis said the aggressive skaters will be the ones doing the tricks and rolling in half-pipes, literally curved bowls where skaters jump, spin and flip around.
"Recreational skaters are the ones who go to parks and neighborhoods to skate," he said.
Aggressive skates have small, stocky wheels — designed for tighter control — while the recreational skates have the larger wheels.
Like any good vehicle, skates need to be checked closely before purchase.
Spot check the wheels on each skate and look at the bearings. All in-line skate bearings must be examined by the Annular Bearing Engineer Council, also known as ABEC.
"Bearings come in different qualities and speeds," said Davis, who has been skating for eight years. "ABEC one, three and five are the gauges. There are no even-numbered bearings. ABEC ones are standard on most skates. ABEC threes are common on high-end skates, and ABEC five are the fastest."
After you check the bearings, check the wheels. And remember some basic laws of physics.
"The larger wheels are faster than the smaller ones," Davis said. "And if the wheels are faster, chances are the brake pad is larger."
Unlike roller-rink skates, the brake pads of in-line skates are located in the back of the shoe.
"Brake pads are all similar," Davis said. "But some brands of skates have an adjustable pad that can be moved closer to the ground for beginner skaters and higher off the ground for experienced skaters."
"Buy the kind you want," he said. "But always make sure they're comfortable and fit well. They need to be snug but make sure they don't cut off circulation."
However, before you buy, he said, decide how much you want to spend.
Good, safe in-line skates range between $100-$200, he said. "But you can go lower if you want. Remember, though, you get what you pay for."