Vanilla Skates (now known as VNLA) is a top brand who makes jam skates, roller derby skates and speed skates for all kinds of roller skating. In today’s article, I’m going to go over the best VNLA speed skates out right now.
VNLA has been making roller skates since 2005. While VNLA is best known for skates for jam skating, they also make some decent beginner inline speed skates.
My Top 6 Vanilla Skates for Speed Skating
1. Vanilla Carbon Skate | Best VNLA Inline Speed Roller Skates | ||
2. VNLA X1 | Best Vanilla Inline Speed Skates Runner-Up | ||
3. Vanilla Freestyle | Best Vanilla Speed Skate Quads | ||
4. VNLA Blackout | Best VNLA Speed Skate Quads (Runner-Up) | ||
5. Vanilla Classic | Best VNLA Speed Skate Quads (Bronze) | ||
6. VNLA Junior | Best VNLA Speed Skate Quads (4th) |
Detailed Reviews of Vanilla Speed Quad, Roller Blades & Inline Skates
1. Vanilla Carbon Fiber Inline Skates
Max out your roller skating speed with a pair of Vanilla Carbon Speed Inline Skates. Whether you are using these as indoor or outdoor roller skates, these top-of-the-line skates are designed for speed. This Vanilla Carbon skate has a special combination of carbon fiber and fiberglass that makes them light and fast. You can also use a heat molding process on the skate boots for a perfect fit. Whether you’re hitting the indoor or outdoor skating scene, these skates are ready to perform, with high-quality urethane wheels and smooth Abec 9 bearings.
The Vanilla Speed Skates come equipped with a 7000 series aluminum frame and high-quality urethane wheels that can conquer any indoor or outdoor surface. Vanilla’s original design and engineering give these skates a sleek look, with a comfortable fit that’s perfect for racing or casual skating. Coming in at one of the lowest price points on this list, the Vanilla Carbon Speed Skates are a superior choice for anyone looking to go fast.
VNLA Carbon at a Glance
Boots | Kid’s 1 – 4, Men’s 5 – 13, Women’s 6 – 13 Carbon fiber, fiberglass |
Frame | 7000 aluminum 195mm/12.4″, 4x100mm Child sizes: 3 wheels Adult sizes: 4 wheels |
Wheels | Urethane 100mm / 85A |
Bearings | ABEC-9 |
2. VNLA X1 Inline Skates
VNLA X1 Speed Inline Skates are the perfect skates for beginners and have a thin blade just like ice skates (except there are wheels). These skates come with everything you need for a precise and comfortable fit, including laces, an adjustable ratchet buckle, and an adjustable velcro cinch strap. The VNLA X1 Speed Inline Skates are also ultra-durable, thanks to the 85A hardness inline wheels and the Vanilla Reaction ABEC 9 bearings. So whether you’re skating indoors or outdoors, you can rest assured that these skates will provide a smooth and fast ride.
The VNLA X1 Speed Inline Skates come with a molded plastic shell and comfort-fit leather upper. These skates are designed to be comfortable, yet durable enough to stand up to regular use. Priced for the budget-conscious, the VNLA X1 Speed Inline Skates are great for beginners of all ages.
X1 at a Glance
Boots | Kid’s 1 – 4, Men’s 5 – 13, Women’s 6 – 13 PU leather, carbon fiber heel |
Frame | 7000 aluminum 195mm/12.4″, 4x100mm Child sizes: 3 wheels Adult sizes: 4 wheels |
Wheels | Urethane 100mm / 85A |
Bearings | ABEC-9 |
3. Vanilla Freestyle
One of my favorites on this list are the VNLA Freestyle Pro. Most skaters will use these as jam skates as VNLA is one of the top brands for jam skates. However, these skates are also a perfect combination as speed roller skates. I have an older version of these skates and use them a lot when I skate at my local rink. The boot is pretty comfortable. It doesn’t have any extra padding, but it’s a nice fit.
It is a low-top skate, so absolute beginners who need the extra ankle support for balance should pick a different roller skate. However, if you are into jam skating, roller derby, speed skating or just a good all-around pair of quads, then these are really good. They come in men’s sizes 3-13. Ladies will want to go down one size (regardless of boot color) as all of these are in men’s sizes.
These skates come with VNLA’s Gorilla nylon plate and metal trucks. I weigh around 200 lbs. and they support me just fine. They also have a nice Backspin Remix wheel that is good for jam, speed or everyday rink skating. I switched my wheels out for some harder indoor roller skate wheels..
VNLA Freestyle Pro At a Glance
Boots | VNLA Freestyle Boot in men’s sizes 3-13. Check out my roller skating size guide for sizing help. |
Colors / Patterns | Black or White |
Plates | VNLA Gorilla Nylon Plate & Gorilla Aluminum Trucks |
Wheels | Backspin Remix Lite – 62mm diameter x 42mm width – 92A durometer |
Bearings | VNLA Reaction ABEC-9 |
Toe Stops | Adjustable lock nut |
4. VNLA Blackout
If you are looking for a pair of roller derby skates that will also work as speed skates, then check out the VNLA Blackout. I own a pair of these roller skates and they are quite comfortable. I like the style on the boot. The boot size is a little wider than some of VNLA’s other skates, and this is the only VNLA boot that also comes in half sizes. Overall, it’s a great skate for speed skating or derby.
VNLA Blackout At a Glance
Boots | VNLA Blackout Boot in men’s sizes 3-13 in half sizes. Check out my roller skating size guide for sizing help. |
Colors / Patterns | Black |
Plates | VNLA Gorilla Nylon Plate & Gorilla Aluminum Trucks |
Wheels | Backspin Eclipse Aluminum – 59mm diameter x 39mm width – 95A durometer |
Bearings | VNLA Reaction ABEC-9 |
Toe Stops | Adjustable lock nut |
5. Vanilla Classic
Next on the list, we have the Vanilla Classic Roller Skates. These roller skates come in 2 versions: the Classic Pro and the Classic Pro Plus. These are really the same skate, the only difference is the wheels and bearings. The Pro skate has nylon core wheels which are lighter but won’t roll as fast as the aluminum core Pro Plus wheels.
VNLA Classic At a Glance
Boots | VNLA Blackout Boot in men’s sizes 3-13. Check out my roller skating size guide for sizing help. |
Colors / Patterns | White with Black Trim |
Plates | VNLA Gorilla Nylon Plate & Gorilla Aluminum Trucks |
Wheels | Pro: Remix Nylon 62mm x 42mm – 93A in white or black Pro Plus: Uprock Aluminum 62mm x 42mm – 92A in Pink or Teal / 95A in Red or Black |
Bearings | Pro: VNLA Reaction ABEC-7 Pro Plus: VNLA Reaction ABEC-9 |
Toe Stops | Adjustable lock nut |
6. VNLA Junior
If you want a low-cut boot with a lot of style, check out the VNLA Junior indoor skates. These skates were originally made for jam skating, but they also work great as an indoor skate for regular rink skating or even quad speed skating.
The boot is leather and comes with laces and a flap to hide those laces. The Junior also comes in a lot of fun colors perfect for showing off your style. They come with the VNLA Gorilla vinyl skate plates and 62mm diameter x 42mm width Backspin wheels. The wheels have a 95A hardness making them good for the rink.
Both my daughters wear VNLA Junior jam skates and they love them. They are comfortable and durable. We still have the original pair that both my girls wear and they are still going strong. We’ve just changed out the wheels, bearings and toe stops over time.
VNLA Junior At a Glance
Boots | Men’s sizes 3-13. Check out my roller skating size guide for sizing help. |
Colors / Patterns | Blue, Black, Pink, Red, Burgundy, Mint, Black/White |
Plates | Vanilla Gorilla Nylon Plate with Aluminum Trucks |
Wheels | Backspin 62mm diameter x 42mm wide with a 95A wheel hardness |
Bearings | Reaction ABEC-9 |
Toe Stop | No toe stops. They come with skate plugs. You’ll need to buy the toe stops separately. |