rollerblade

Rollerblade is a brand of inline skates and related skating equipment. The brand and company, Rollerblade, Inc., were established in the United States in the early 1980s by Scott and Brennan Olsen. They developed and marketed the first widely popular inline skates, helping to transform inline skating from a niche activity into a mainstream sport and leisure pursuit.

The typical Rollerblade design features a boot mounted to a lightweight frame that holds multiple in-line wheels in a straight line, commonly four or five wheels. Many models include a heel brake on the right skate for speed control, though configurations vary by model. In addition to skates, Rollerblade has produced protective gear, maintenance supplies, and accessories, and has released product lines aimed at beginners, fitness skaters, and enthusiasts.

As inline skating grew in popularity during the 1980s and 1990s, Rollerblade played a central role in expanding the sport’s reach, including recreational skating, urban commuting, and various competitive disciplines such as speed skating and artistic or aggressive inline skating. The brand’s name became widely used in popular language to refer to inline skating, though it remains a trademark and other brands produce competing skates. Over time, Rollerblade became part of broader corporate structures within the sports equipment industry, with continued product development and collaborations that reflect evolving skating trends.