http://www.gateskate.com

anyone tried these with kite skating, look like they would fit the bill

Rich

Rollka Grass skier, Coyote off road skater, skier, down hill skater, san dune skier & future kite skater

I tried Gateskates a few years ago and see that they have not made many changes other than the thickness of the tires.

I think that they would work great for the moderately motivated kite skater who would be happy rolling around on small fields at low speed.

Absolutely NOT the right skate for screaming across the desert with a big kite! The wheels are too small and the platform too low to the ground to allow leaning over far enough to cut against the pull of a big kite or strong wind.

Also the shoe binding is convenient, but not near secure enough to provide the support necessary for aggressive kite skating. NOTE: be sure to remove the brake.

Admittedly the Gateskates are not designed for kite skating and probably work well for their intended porpoise.

They are certainly better priced than Crosskates (also not perfectly suited for kite skating) and would work well enough for folks planning to use small kites and stay under 15mph. For kite skating, I would give them a rating of 4.

Personally, I prefer to go fast with big kites. With that in mind, I find that these work best:
http://www.doomwheels.com/articles/buildwod.php

Here's a guy in France that makes some good skates:
http://www.kiteskate.com.

BC

If you follow that link to kiteskate.com, and inquire about the skates, you'll find out that M. Dubois has passed away. His son was very nice about it.

Gate Skate will work as an intro but as mentioned they are less that perfect. Turns need to be stepped or a very large carve.

The Cadilac of skates are Powerslide

http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=18180

I use Coyotes by Rollerblade. Watch Ebay and your local lists for these. Buy at least 1/2 size larger than your norm.