Derby Gear Advice

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.

The Vanilla Renegade is also a cheaper, wider option.

Antiks are a very heavy boot. If you want the lightest, strongest possible, you should look at Bonts made out of durolite.
As for plates, metal plates are much stronger but they are heavier. Magnesium plates are lighter than aluminum, and some aluminum plates are lighter than others.

Yes, Bont hybrids would probably be a great option for you. Make sure to get then semi custom and send in a tracing of your foot. You can contact a Bont rep or a store like DerbySMACK to get more info on ordering them.

The R3 plate, while not a great plate, will work short term on a Bont because of how stiff Bont soles are.

Durolite is the newest Bont material. It is light, strong, and easy to care for. From what I’ve gathered so far, it is similar in strength and quality to leather, a bit lighter, and free of any ethical issues one might have with wearing leather.

If the boot fits you better and you like it more, then there’s no such thing as a step down. Honestly, the 265 is a fairly overrated boot and the older model is about the same quality level or lower than the 126.

I know a lot of skaters who love the Crazy Venus plates and I haven’t heard of any breakage issues with it, so if that’s what you want I think it’s a great idea.

Hockey boots might help out, but they also might make you more prone to breaking your leg instead of your ankle.

As for boot recommendations, as I’ve said in the past, I don’t really have any for hurt ankles because your boot shouldn’t be supporting your ankle that much. Too much support weakens your ankle over time, making you even more prone to injury. Broken bones heal. You aren’t going to be more likely to break it if it heals properly. Get a boot that you like and that fits you well and wear a brace under it while you heal. This way you can control exactly how much support you get and you can reduce that support over time as your ankle gets stronger.

It is possible but you can’t use the oven. Use a hair dryer instead.

So far I have only seen very limited reviews on the boots, though most are pretty good. They seem to be very comfy if they fit you properly and you heat mold them correctly. Once again, this is based on very few reviews.

As for the plates, I’m only hearing about the Falcon Plus, but I’m hearing a lot of good. A lot of turning for skaters who have found that a DA45 setup isn’t for them, and so far they seem to be pretty solid. As for the lower end versions, I’ve heard next to nothing.

Neither.

While Antiks have a higher ankle, they do not actually offer much ankle support, and the Patriots had a lot of break-in issues and have been discontinued.

If you need ankle support, get a comfy, low cut boot (or even a higher cut if you feel like it) and wear a low profile ankle brace underneath it. This way you have full control over how much support you are getting.

Keep in mind that ankle support can weaken your ankles and make you more prone to injury.

Why would your size make you skeptical of metal plates? The idea that heavier skaters should stay away from plastic plates does not work the other way around. Plastic plates are almost always not suitable for derby, even under a lighter skater.

However, skate weight is more important for lighter skaters and Antiks are fairly heavy boots. If you want something light and fast, Bonts are the best way to go. You don’t need to worry much about fit as they can be made very custom, and you get the choice of 4 different materials (microfiber, leather, thick leather, and their new Durolite).

Most higher end Riedell boots are not quite as heavy, but I’d definitely recommend trying them on first before buying to make sure they fit well.

As for plates, magnesium Avengers are very light and strong, but there are other options out there. Do you know about what you are looking for?

Much better than getting a boot that restricts ankle movement (which might just cause you to break your leg instead of your ankle, depending on just how restricting it is), is to strengthen your ankle as much as possible to prevent injuries.

If for some reason your ankle still is injury prone, it might be a good idea to wear a low-profile brace under a lower cut boot. That way you can control the amount of support you are getting.

If you have the opportunity, give some DA45 plates a try. See if there’s anyone in the area that wear a similar size as you.

If you do that, keep in mind that DA45 plates do often take some getting used to and their mount isn’t going to be PERFECT for your feet, but it will give you a great idea of what they are like.

I think the magnesium Avenger is a great option for a lightweight DA45 plate (though the aluminum is fairly light as well). There really aren’t a whole lot of other budget friendly lightweight options on the market, but if budget is not an issue, Kickin’ Edge plates are carbon fiber and super fancy and light.

When you first switch to DA45 plates, expect a small adjustment period (the exact length is different for all skaters), and understand that you will be spending some time playing around with your trucks.