Buying Roller Skates

New Skates

When young skaters are first learning, lower cost skates are acceptable.  As those skaters grow and start doing cool stuff on their skates - and playing derby, it may be time for new skates.  A skaters size and skating style should also be considered when buying skates.   Be very careful buying online.

Skates can be purchased new or used.  RJR also has a skate library - consider borrowing from us, or donating used skates!

Common Brands we see around RJR:

Riedell / Antik

Bont

Sure-Grip

Chaya

Lower Cost Options  (Note:  Prices are fluctuating!)

These are a good place to start if your skater is still growing or is not commited to derby yet!  

• Riedell Dart or R3

• SureGrip GT-50 or Rebel

• Antik Skyhawk (hightop)

• Chaya Emerald or Ruby

What To Look For

Boot:

• Low-cut boots are most often used for speed skating and roller derby.  Heeled skates are used for artistic skating.

• The boot should be snug.   Loose boots lead to blisters and you don't want your ankle or foot popping out of the skate.  If you skater is still growing, prioritize a well fitting boot with the expectation that you can sell the old one and buy a new pair.

• NOTE:  Sizing is not consistent - it does make a difference to try on skates, if possible!

Plates:

Nylon plates are cheap and light. They also flex quite a bit, which can rob you of your speed, especially if you're a heavier skater. They probably won't stand up to a lot of aggressive skating. 

Metal plates are more expensive, but more durable - they will not break easily which can happen with nylon. 

Kingpin angle (often 10, 16, or 45 degrees) determines how offset your axle is from the plate. A lower angle will give more stability, a higher angle will be more agile. If you're a beginner skater, don't worry about this too much.

Toe stops:

Skates that come with a bolt-on toe stop cannot have the toe stops upgraded/replaced or re-positioned. The default position may be too high for some people to use effectively.

Adjustable toe stops can be swapped out and the height can be changed.  Look for skates that have a screw that sets the toe stop position.

Big toe stops give a bigger platform for stops and agility moves!

Wheels:

More about wheels...

Most skates come with outdoors wheels.  These are great for asphalt and roll fine indoors, but are not designed for the stops and skating skills we use in roller derby. 

Wheel hardness is measured in durometer. The lower the number, the softer the wheel. Softer wheels have more grip (and give a smoother ride over asphalt) while harder wheels have more slide, which makes them better for derby.  Most skaters, once comfortable on the rink, use 90-97 wheels.

Wheels are pretty much universal, you can put any roller skate wheel on any skate. So if the skates you buy don't have the wheels you like, it's an easy upgrade.

Trucks:

New skates always need their trucks adjusted.   Some come too tight, others too loose!  Trucks are what allows skaters to move around a corner by simply leaning into it.