Derby Gear Advice
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!
I’ve had a couple of people ask me about these lately, plus I’ve been wanting to show them off. This is right after we finished making them, so of course they are shiny and all.
The only differences between this picture and how they are now is that they’ve got a couple strips of hockey tape up front and the toe stops are in way higher.
They skate in their first game (it’s actually a half game and a whole game) tomorrow, but they’ve been put to the test in derby practices, outdoor skating, and a fair pit of just messing around and practicing on my own.
They are incredibly comfortable and lightweight. I absolutely love the low ankle, the overall low profile design, and of course the plate they are on is beyond fantastic. I’m not loving the Jukes. I like their dimensions (They are Juke 1.0s, wide) but there’s something funky about that urethane that just isn’t working for me all that well. I’m thinking about getting some Cannibals and cutting them down to 59mm if I can’t afford any custom wheels any time soon. These are 88a, so my crappy surface wheels, which is what I’ve been skating on lately.
Anyways, these boots are made out of a synthetic leather that is advertised as stronger, lighter, and comfier than kangaroo leather. I’m inclined to believe that. They are lighter because they don’t absorb water and sweat like leather tends to do, and these things have been slid across rough concrete with nothing more than a smudge. Of course, they are comfy as hell. I’ve never worn kangaroo leather so I’m not sure what the comfiness level is there, but honestly I can’t see wearing dead skin of another creature being any more comfortable than these things.
Oh, these also get a TON of looks and compliments. Not many people have bright purple and silver skates that aren’t Antiks.
A lot of skaters have been submitting their reviews on these plates, so I figured it’s time to write my own.
I have skated on 3 plates in my derby career long enough to actually form opinions about them. The nylon Powerdyne Thrust, the Powerdyne Revenge, and my current plate, the Sure-Grip Avenger in magnesium.
To be completely frank, I hated the Thrust (that’s the plate that comes on an R3), I hated the Revenge ($200, but barely better than the chuck of plastic my R3s came with AND it felt like a brick under my feet), and I am in love with my Avenger. I really feel like I’ve found the plate that is best for me.
The Sure-Grip Avenger is one of Sure-Grips newest plates, and it comes with 2 options - aluminum or magnesium. The aluminum version is cheaper, black, and slightly heavier than the magnesium, which is white stiffer, and more expensive. Both plates use the same aluminum DA45 trucks, which you can get with 8mm or 7mm axles.
While the magnesium Avenger is lighter than a Revenge by a few grams, it feels like a feather compared to my Revenge. My theory is that when you fight your skates and have trouble turning and cutting, they feel heavier than they are. When your plates work with you and make movement easier, they feel much lighter. Both Avengers are cheaper than a Revenge as well, and have less breakage problems.
The turnability is a DA45 plate’s biggest selling point - especially in the derby world. Being able to turn on a dime and cut across the track quickly and easily is very important in derby, and it’s just not something you can accomplish as well on a plate with a shallower kingpin angle. A lot of skaters swear by their Powerdyne plates, but I gave them a fair shot and wasn’t impressed. I’ve gone the DA45 route and I’m not going back.
I have mine mounted to a soccer shoe, a sort of build that this plate is ideal for, since it is light, stiff, and has a very wide base offering lots of support for the boot. I currently have a mix of blue and yellow Sure-Grip Super cushions in. I’ve been skating this setup for a few months now and love it. Getting used to a DA45 plate does take some skaters a bit of time, but it’s well worth it.
