We do our best to give most complete advice on gear as well as providing you with in depth reviews from skaters of all types. The general info pages address general topics we get a lot of questions about, and the “tagged” pages direct you to all posts about a certain topic. If you have a question about gear, please look through those pages or use the search bar. If your question still isn’t answered, feel free to use the ask feature located on the top of the page. If you would like to review gear, use the submit feature, also at the top of the page. Derby love!Tumblr (3.0; @derbygearadvice)http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/<p>Anything other than those wheels will be an incredibly improvement. You probably also need something a little softer as well. You don’t need aluminum hubs but they might be nice.</p> <p>If the horrible Caymans are all you’ve skated on, you should really try out other wheels before investing in a new set. Ask your teammates what they are using and why. You don’t have to get what your teammates have, but it can point you in the correct direction.</p>http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52873480715http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52873480715Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:01:25 -0400<p>The Rebels with outdoor wheels is a much better plan. They’ll last you a lot longer and should be a lot more comfortable.</p> <p>However, if you aren’t going to be using the skates for derby and jsut light outdoor skating, you might be able to get away with the GT-50s with outdoor wheels for a little while.</p>http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52744317805http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52744317805Tue, 11 Jun 2013 19:01:07 -0400<p><a class="tumblr_blog" href="http://flustercluck338.tumblr.com/post/52714969293/the-wheel-review">flustercluck338</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>Didn’t have to wait that long, did you?</p> <p>Ok.  I started the evening on the Scotts as they are my go to wheel for Lloyd’s.  I haven’t been there for a couple months so I wanted to use something familiar to get used to the floor.  About 10 laps and it was time to change.</p> <p>First up, the Atom Lanzini Skins.  First thing I noticed is that these wheels are a fair bit lighter than the Scotts.  They have a plastic hub and they are 6mm narrower. First thing I noticed is they had a soft ride. Not a lot of floor feedback, which was actually quite nice. The softness also translated into a harder push to get that feedback I was looking for while accelerating, and although they did allow me to accelerate slightly quicker than I’m used to, I really had to work to maintain speed. The Skin did have the perfect amount of grip on the floor, I could push to my heart’s content without losing traction, but hockey stop and powerslide on demand. Nice.  This particular set of Skins does suffer from my biggest wheel pet peeve. They<span> are way out of round.  Hmm, instead of out of round, I suspect the rolling surface of the wheel is not concentric to the bearing bore.  It felt like I was rolling over train tracks. Nothing a trip to the lathe wouldn’t fix, but I really don’t think I need to machine brand new wheels.</span></p> <p><span>Next up, Atom Jukes.  This set is much better as far as concentricity goes.  Not perfect, but pretty darn close. These wheels get up to speed quickly, being 59mm tall, but man did I ever have to work to maintain speed. This wheel is very slow.  Any gain in acceleration you may get is kind of pointless if you need to work really hard to maintain.  They have good grip, and I was able to push without losing traction, and hockey stop and powerslide at will.  The short wheel also had me feeling more balanced?  I had wondered about that and was pleasantly surprised. Oh, these wheels are also very light.</span></p> <p><span>Radar Bullets.  Very smooth wheel.  Had better free roll (when not striding) than the Skins and Jukes.  They had very good concentricity with just a bit of bumpy feel.  I’m pretty particular about this and I think it would go unnoticed by most skaters.  These wheels gripped better than the Jukes and Skins.  I could still hockey stop, but more effort was required.  I could get a great push, but the lack of lip and seemingly larger radius on the outside edge of the wheel felt really strange while crossing over. Good acceleration, and that same feeling of balance that the Jukes exhibited.  This wheel seemed to be the lightest of the 3.</span></p> <p><span>Back to the Scotts.  These wheels are HEAVY compared to the other 3 sets.  They have a removable aluminum hub, and a lot of urethane to make up the tire.  They have as close to perfect concentricity as possible, as each wheel is cut by Scott Corey (the manufacturer) before they ship.  They also seem to roll forever.  My guess is that because they are heavy, they act like little flywheels. Grip was about the same as the Skins and Jukes, good long push without slipping, but easy to bust loose for that hockey stop or powerslide.  I really like a lip for going fast.  In Derby, people complain that a wide wheel will get you tangled up with other skaters, but I haven’t had that problem.</span></p> </blockquote>http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52740143634http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52740143634Tue, 11 Jun 2013 18:02:04 -0400wheelsreviewscottscorey scottaussie scottsatomjukelanziniskinsradarbullets<p><a class="tumblr_blog" href="http://chelseaurq.tumblr.com/post/52627580933">chelseaurq</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>Here’s my secret to never, ever have gotten a blister from skating- I have boots that fit (Bonts) and I have figured out what I need to wear on my feet so I never get blisters, hot spots or anything (thanks to when I used to spend 6 hours a day in my soccer cleats). Anyone who says that their feet get “torn up” are doing something wrong. Or at least not doing things as right as they could be.</p> </blockquote> <p>Depending on the boots, you might have a break in period, but after that, there shouldn&#8217;t be all of this foot pain so many people talk about.</p>http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52657538897http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52657538897Mon, 10 Jun 2013 18:01:40 -0400roller derbyfresh meatboots<p>It depends on the shoe and what you want to do with the skate.</p> <p>Absolutely anything other than a soccer cleat being turned into a skate is more of a novelty, and should only be used for very light skating.</p> <p>Soccer cleats are a fantastic idea for building skates out of, and if you chose the right show they will actually work very well for derby.</p>http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52632534298http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52632534298Mon, 10 Jun 2013 12:02:06 -0400<p>Loosen your trucks as much as is comfortable for you.</p> <p>If they are too tight, you might fall more and struggle to learn because turning will be so difficult. If they are too loose your skates will feel wobbly under you and you will fall more as well.</p> <p>Start by turning them just a quarter turn at a time and work your way up. You can also change to softer cushions, which might help too.</p> <p>Technically speaking, too tight is when the cushions bulge around the trucks and cushion retainers and too loose is when you can wobble the trucks by just holding your skates and shaking them.</p>http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52580863150http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52580863150Sun, 09 Jun 2013 18:58:04 -0400<p>A lot of that is definitely true. Riedell was one of the first brands to get involved in derby but that by no means makes them the best. For the most part, their plates break a lot, are overpriced, and don’t turn very well. <br/> It’s very hard to pick a top 5 since every skater has completely different needs, but I’ll take a shot at it. <br/> Snyder Royal<br/> Snyder Advantage<br/> Sure Grip Avenger<br/> Sure Grip xk-4<br/> Luigino Falcon Plus</p>http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52552605201http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52552605201Sun, 09 Jun 2013 12:23:22 -0400<p>A big bag.</p> <p>Some skaters put their pads and helmet in a bag and carry their skates outside of it, some put their skates and pads in the bag and carry their helmet outside of it, others use a bag big enough for everything.</p> <p>Some use large sports duffel bags, some use soccer backpacks, some use suitcases, and some use bags designed for carrying skate gear.</p> <p>It’s all about figuring out what works best for you.</p>http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52295796499http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52295796499Thu, 06 Jun 2013 08:13:41 -0400<p>It’s probably not worth it.</p> <p>Which part of the skate are you trying to salvage?</p>http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52295750820http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52295750820Thu, 06 Jun 2013 08:12:24 -0400<p>Dual hardness wheels work really well for some skaters, but in almost all cases it’s best just to get 8 quality wheels in a hardness that works well for you.</p> <p>Softer cushions would probably be a good plan, especially with how small you are.</p> <p>What kind of turnability do you want with your plate? What kind of response? Stability? Lightness?</p> <p>Most skaters pair Bonts with an Avenger, but (while that is a great setup) it may or may not be for you.</p>http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52227410744http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52227410744Wed, 05 Jun 2013 12:31:32 -0400<p>The idea that lighter skaters should only be skating on the softest of wheels is a myth. That whole thing is just a loose guideline or a starting point. If you want harder wheels, get harder wheels. Flat-Outs are not just soft, they are incredibly muddy. No wonder you feel as though you are losing speed. Find something a little bit better quality and a little bit harder and see how that works for you. It can be anything (though I do recommend against Atom wheels). Just try out some teammates’ wheels and see what works. If you get the rest of your setup fairly light, you could definitely get away with an aluminum hubbed wheel. While most light skaters are told to stay away from them, a lot of tiny skaters love them. They are usually higher quality and feel much stronger and stiffer under your feet.</p> <p>Why do you need ankle support? Most skaters who think they need ankle support really don’t. What they need is stronger ankle muscles. If you have had a past, serious ankle injury, then you should look into getting a low profile brace to fit under your boot.</p> <p>If you want light, Bont is the way to go. Plus, you can get them custom fit to you and lots of other fun (and useful) custom options.</p> <p>The other big component you didn’t mention is a plate, which is something you definitely need to upgrade. Have you looked at any? What are you expecting to get out of your plate?</p>http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52145247269http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52145247269Tue, 04 Jun 2013 12:04:13 -0400<p>These are two incredibly different wheels, not really very comparable.</p> <p>Trackstar:</p> <p>Hardness: 89a only</p> <p>Dimensions: 62x44 only</p> <p>Hub: Plastic (very light wheels, not suitable for a heavier skater)</p> <p>Zombies:</p> <p>Hardness: 89a, 92a, 95a, 98a</p> <p>Dimensions: 62x42, 62x38, 58x38</p> <p>Hub: Aluminum (much heavier, but suitable for all sizes of skaters)</p>http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52144739476http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52144739476Tue, 04 Jun 2013 11:55:02 -0400<p>It basically is a system that allows for more precise truck adjustments (When loosening or tightening your trucks). It’s a nice little feature, usually one that comes along with more expensive plates (with a few exceptions).</p>http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52066106634http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52066106634Mon, 03 Jun 2013 13:04:41 -0400<p>Shamans are fantastic wheels, but like most aluminum hubbed wheels they are pretty heavy. However, because they are so stiff and roll so well that’s usually only a problem for the lightest of skaters.</p> <p>Aluminum wheels are also typically much more expensive than most plastic hubbed wheels.</p> <p>Backspin Mayhems are a bit harder than what you are looking for, but they are lighter and cheaper than most other aluminum wheels, however they are both shorter and narrower than your Shamans.</p> <p>Rollerbones Turbos have some wheels that fall into that hardness range, and they are some of the lightest aluminum wheels on the market. They are fairly expensive, though, and are also narrower than Shamans.</p>http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52065990778http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52065990778Mon, 03 Jun 2013 13:02:46 -0400<p>Unfortunately, derby is an expensive sport, and it can be pricy to start.</p> <p>If you take your time and are smart about it, you can probably find yourself a mediocre used setup for under $100, preferably with upgraded wheels already (if you’re lucky). This setup probably won’t last you a long time, but it will get you started so you can save up to upgrade everything bit by bit.</p> <p>The cheapest setups used in derby (and they definitely aren’t ideal) are the Riedell R3, and it’s already over $100 and it’s wheels are virtually unskateable, which means you’d need to upgrade them immediately (which is at least $60 new, maybe $40 or so used). On top of that, you will definitely want to upgrade the cushions as soon as possible, which is another $10.</p> <p>On top of all of this, you need your protective gear. While you can get a starter mouthguard, wrist guards, and elbow pads for fairly cheap, you can’t skimp on knee pads or you’ll be paying for knee surgery in no time at all. For that reason, pads alone can run you at LEAST another $100. A helmet is another pricy bit. For $30 or so you can get one that will last you one hard fall on your head, but you’ll need to instantly upgrade to something better.</p> <p>I’m not trying to turn you off of the sport, I just want you to be aware that there are a lot of start up costs. Even the bare minimum where all you are considering is safety, you will still be spending a couple hundred dollars just to start out, and that’s if you buy used and smart.</p> <p>I’m working on putting together a directory of sorts for sources of used gear online, and that should prove to be a great resource for you.</p> <p>You can also talk to the league you are interested in joining to see if they have loaner gear for you to use your first practice or so. If you realize it’s not for you that quickly, then you’ll have wasted very little money.</p>http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52065416911http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/52065416911Mon, 03 Jun 2013 12:53:22 -0400<p>The boot is probably slightly too narrow for you. You might need to get a wider boot.</p>http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/51967402329http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/51967402329Sun, 02 Jun 2013 09:50:00 -0400fresh meatriedellwicked<p>It’s probably partially that you aren’t used to skating that long, but it could also be slightly improper fit in your boots. Where do your feet hurt?</p>http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/51964293845http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/51964293845Sun, 02 Jun 2013 08:47:00 -0400fresh meat<p>Sure-Grip boots are wide, Riedell tends to be narrow. For a full setup, go for the Rebel Avenger. If you just want boots, the Sure-Grip Rebel or anything higher quality than that will suit you just fine.</p> <p>The Vanilla Renegade is also a cheaper, wider option.</p>http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/51927857346http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/51927857346Sat, 01 Jun 2013 21:13:00 -0400bootsriedellsure-gripsure grip<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/9fae2c045f037c810966ae29732ecaf5/tumblr_mno2jxHpgj1r1z8u7o1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a class="tumblr_blog" href="http://freshmeatotter.tumblr.com/post/51804287912/turn-your-skates-over-educate-yourself-its">freshmeatotter</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>Turn your skates over & educate yourself. It’s good to know the proper terms for your skates!</p> </blockquote> <p>This is a helpful little guide. Knowing the parts of your skates is absolutely vital to taking care of your gear, adjusting your gear, and learning about which gear and upgrades you might want in the future.</p> <p>The “truck nut” here is also commonly called a “kingpin nut” as it technically goes on the kingpin, not the truck. </p> <p>Also, there is another cushion retainer under the other cushion.</p>http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/51828366320http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/51828366320Fri, 31 May 2013 17:07:09 -0400roller derbyderbyrollerderbyplatestruckscushions<p><a class="tumblr_blog" href="http://interfinium.tumblr.com/post/51754675976/leaving-my-pads-as-in-knees-elbows-out-to-air">interfinium</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>leaving my pads (as in knees, elbows) out to air in my room for once but WHY DO THEY SMELL SO BAD SERIOUSLY what is it that makes them smell like vodka and sour milk?!??????? :’(</p> </blockquote> <p>That smell is actually bacteria. Your sweat creates a warm, moist environment in your pads and bacteria love it. Clean your pads in a lot of water with white vinegar to help get the stench off. Keep a dryer sheet in your bag, and sprinkle some baking soda in your pads in between washings to keep the odor down.</p> <p>Also, don&#8217;t leave your pads in the car because that makes an even warmer environment for the bacteria.</p>http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/51816246820http://derbygearadvice.tumblr.com/post/51816246820Fri, 31 May 2013 14:05:00 -0400pads