Gear Up! Equipment Advice

Choosing a Helmet

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:09:00 -0800

Concussions are not infrequent in roller derby. When you smash your head on the floor, you don’t want a fashion helmet on your noggin—you want a safety-tested and -rated helmet.

Look for extreme sports, bicycle, hockey, and skateboarding helmets that have a sticker inside indicating that the helmet has been rated for safety standards. Some ratings to look for include ASTM and CPSC, among others (if you're not sure, ask a salesperson). These types of helmets will do a better job than non-rated helmets at dispersing impact and helping to prevent concussions and skull fractures. Price is not necessarily an indication of a quality helmet, and many good brands offer low prices. You also need not worry about looking like a bobble head in a safety-rated helmet, as many companies make low profile safety-rated helmets that are styled and fit more like fashion helmets.

Even the best helmet won’t protect you if it doesn’t fit well. Helmets should fit snugly and low on the forehead, and won't move when you shake your head side to side or up and down. If you have a very round or narrow head, look for helmet models designed to fit your head shape. If at all possible, try on a variety of models to find the one that fits the best. The helmet strap should be worn snugly under the chin, with the excess tucked under and not dangling from the head. If, after a period of time, the soft foam liner starts to compress and cause the helmet to fit too loose on your head, either replace the liner or the entire helmet.

Once a helmet has protected you from an extreme impact, gets cracked, or when the inner foam begins to feel loose inside the hard shell, it should be replaced. At the minimum, a helmet for an actively scrimmaging skater should be replaced once a year.

Some brands preferred by skaters include Triple 8 and ProTec.

Shopping For Knee Pads

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:11:00 -0800

Knee pads are not something a roller derby skater should ever skimp on in the interest of saving money. Quality knee pads generally cost between $50 and $100. If that seems expensive, consider the expense of orthopedic surgery. It's important to invest in the best quality pads that you can afford.

Inline and recreational skating pads are absolutely not sufficient for roller derby, even for a beginner just starting out. Falling is such a frequent occurrence in roller derby, that even just a few months of practicing in poor quality or excessively worn knee pads can do permanent damage to the knees.

Most of the high-quality knee pads used in roller derby are designed and manufactured by skateboarding companies. The pad models best suited for roller derby are usually “vert” or “pool” styles. These pads are designed with thicker padding than other styles, in order to protect the wearer during vertical falls and collisions at high speeds.

Some things to look for when shopping for knee pads include:

Thick memory foam and ring-shaped padding on the knee: this keeps pressure off of the kneecap.
Hard plastic cap over the knee, preferably with a flat, rather than curved, sliding surface.
Many skaters prefer butterfly back closure style over the pull-on style, so that the pad may be taken on or off without having to remove their skates.

Like all protective gear, knee pads are useless if they don’t fit properly. They should fit snugly, with the plastic shell cap positioned directly over the skater’s knee. They should not slip out of place when the skater gets sweaty or when performing falls. Be sure to squat, kneel, and shuffle side to side a bit while trying on knee pads to check for comfort and secure fit. New pads often feel awkward during crossovers at first, but most skaters adapt within a few practices in their new pads.

Replace pads when the memory foam begins to compress, or the elastic, Velcro, or stitching wear out. On some models, the plastic shell cap can be replaced if it cracks or wears excessively and the rest of the pad is still in good condition.

Shopping For Skate Boots

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:11:00 -0800

Many things need to be considered when purchasing a pair of roller derby skate boots.

Fit

A properly fitted skate boot is snug when new, but not so tight it is uncomfortable. Your toes should be about a quarter inch from the end while standing in the boot. The skate boot should not be too loose or too long, and your heel should not slip when the boot is fully laced. When you start skating, long or loose skates will get even looser. If your feet are sliding around in a too-big boot, you will get painful blisters and calluses, even with thick socks on. Too-small boots can also cause blisters, calluses, foot pain, and numbness.

If you have unusually narrow feet, small heels, flat arches, or very wide feet, consider spending a little extra money (usually about an additional $60 for certain standard customizations) to have skates custom made to fit your feet. Another option is to try skates that allow you to custom-mold the foot bed of the skate.

It probably goes without saying, but you need to try on skates before you purchase. Make sure that you try them on with the type of socks you will wear to practice and games. If you wear insoles, bring a new pair with you. Feet swell during the day, and most of us play at night, so do your skate shopping in the evening when your feet are at their largest. If you can’t try on skates before you buy, check the store’s return policy before you purchase. If you can’t return them you should not buy them.

Boot Type

Most roller derby skaters choose track, speed, or jam skating boots. Track boots are modeled after speed boots, but with additional features designed specifically for derby. Track and speed boots have more internal support, known as a “counter,” for going fast and turning left. Jam skating boots tend to have less counter-support to allow for ease in making more dramatic lateral moves, and have a lower profile at the ankle. Jam skating boots are not recommended for skaters with weak ankles. Another option, popular with former-hockey players, are roller hockey boots. Roller hockey boots are usually made of a mix of leather and synthetic materials and have more padding than a traditional skate boot. They generally have a slightly higher, softer collar than track, speed, or jam boots.

Boot Materials and Quality

Most roller skate boots are made with leather or vinyl, and/or other synthetic materials.

Vinyl

Vinyl is most commonly found in low-end, recreational skate models. They tend to be good boots for beginners because vinyl does not need to be broken in, has a forgiving fit, and costs substantially less than quality leather. However, vinyl does not stand up well to serious skating, nor does it “breathe.” Vinyl boots can be good for newer skaters, but they will rarely last longer than a season. For serious athletes with ethical issues regarding leather products, vinyl skates can be a good compromise when outfitted with better quality plates and accessories.

Leather

Low-end recreational leather skates are rarely better than vinyl. The pressed leather is usually coated with “stiffeners” that make it more difficult to get a proper fit, which can lead to uncomfortable blisters, calluses, and, in the worst case, issues with hairline fractures and permanent foot damage if the skates are too tight. Low-end recreational leather skates are not meant for serious skaters, as they often feature the same poor quality plates, hardware, and mounting commonly found on vinyl skates.

Quality leather boots of the right size will break in to fit the exact shape of the skater’s feet, and will not cause blisters, calluses, or discomfort when skating. Quality leather is also extremely durable and, when cared for properly, can last the duration of your derby career.