The first time I watched Russian in-line skaters was in downtown St. Petersburg in late 1998. They were a miserable bunch on cheap skates, trying half-heartedly to do tricks to hip-hop music. Much has changed since then: The quality of skates is up, they are more affordable and the quality of skaters has increased accordingly. On a recent tour of Moscow's skating hangouts, I was happy to see that Russian skaters are learning to grind rails, do hand-plants, ride down stairs, flip and spin.

The only problem with Moscow is that the city's busy streets, crazy drivers and overloaded babushkas mean it's a rough place to skate in. Parks are the best option for mellow outdoor skating, but those in search of an adrenaline rush will need to head to an indoor location to find any ramps or half-pipes. Lockstream is an impressive skating complex, far from the center but with a half-pipe, ramps and other amenities to practice tricks or just cruise. Admission is 70 rubles for adults, 50 for students and 30 for children.

The Kant Sports Complex has all the trimmings for acrobatic skaters, plus slalom lessons - however, the slalom course is designed for skiers to brush up on their skills. It's one of the cheaper pay parks in town, though, at only 30 rubles a visit.
For those in search of a more family-oriented venue, Tsentr is a good place to take the kids to skate safely indoors. It also has skate rentals for 80 rubles an hour, 150 rubles for two hours, plus a 70-ruble deposit on weekdays. On weekends, rentals are 140 rubles for one hour, or 250 for two, plus a 130-ruble deposit. Entrance fees are 70 rubles on weekdays, 140 rubles on weekends.

Of course, the cheapest option is just to take your skates out to a local park. One of the most scenic and open places to skate is Park Pobedy, near the Great Patriotic War memorial. It's a big open park near the Kutuzovkaya metro station with lots of room to skate, but not much shade on hot days. You'll have to cool off in the fountains if you overheat.

The All-Russian Exhibition Center, better known as VDNKh, is another popular location. While the park has lost some of its luster since its Soviet heyday, the crumbling monuments to the people in the midst of computer and appliance stores make it a surreal place to skate the day away. On the weekends, it can be overcrowded with shoppers, but there are lots of places to stop for a shashlik and a beer.
Sokolniki Park is also a good place for those who want to skate for distance. There are lots of long tree-covered lanes and paths for a good workout, and plenty of small stands selling shashlik. Last year, according to local skaters, there was a half-pipe for tricks and stunts, but it's not clear if it will open again this year. A recent trip revealed nothing had opened yet.

Izmailovsky Park is also another good spot, but don't go looking for urban culture. There's lots of room to skate, but it's more like a forest with paths cut through it than a park, and the broken-down amusement park for children is just downright depressing.
Fortunately, finding skates is a snap. Sporting goods stores are finally spreading their way across Moscow and you can easily find high-quality skates at most of the city's indoor shopping centers. Skates at sporting-goods shops around town vary from affordable beginner skates, for 3,000 rubles to 6,169 rubles, while top-end skates are usually no less than 4,800 rubles and cost as much as 10,075 rubles.