And besides money, if you are relatively new to skating, you probably shouldn't buy the best bearings out there anyway. You're probably going to get your wheels wet, or in sand, or something, and forget to clean them. That's what happened to me. About two months after getting fresh bearings on my board, I went skating for a week in Arizona. I got dirt and sand and who knows what in my bearings, and didn't think about cleaning them. In fact, I don't know if I knew how to! So sure enough, a few weeks later, my wheels weren't spinning quite right. When I finally did try to clean them, it was too late.
But don't think that I'm suggesting that you buy these because they're cheap crap that you can miss-use and throw away! Bones REDS are good, quality bearings. I've had a set in my current board for several months, and they've held up great and kept their speed. REDS are "Skate Rated" by Bones, a rating system that they take pride in. Most other brand bearings are ABEC rated, which is a system that doesn't even apply to the abuse that skate bearings go though. Furthermore, REDS come pre-lubricated and are easy to maintain.
The bottom line is that in the REDS price range, there's nothing that compares to their quality. If you've been skating for some time, then I recommend stepping up to a higher grade of bearing, but if you're relatively new, or if you're on a tight budget, check out REDS. They're only a little more than generics, and more than twice as good.
