Importance of Roller Derby Gear

You know how the Australian Roller derby is this amazing sport event that happens once a year and it’s great because it’s open to people of all ages and there’s no gender specifications? Yes, that roller derby. My friend loves skating and she decided to enrol this year. So naturally, I helped her prepare for the big event, because she wants to win. And I know her, she’s ambitious and if she says she is going to win, she is definitely going to win. Hopefully.

The most important part of preparing for an event of this kind is choosing the right equipment, because trust me, when you fall, the last thing on your mind is whether you’re looking fancy or not. You’d be rolling with great speed, and falling all of a sudden could cause some serious damage. But no worries, that’s why the proper roller derby gear exists; to help you protect yourself while concentrating on winning. Here are the basics:

The helmet

Protecting your head is your priority here; when you fall and suffer a concussion, being trendy will definitely not be the most important thing to think about. When you’re looking to buy a helmet, make sure you check the inside first; if there’s a sticker saying that the product has been rated for safety standards, it’s good to buy it. Or, if you can’t see and inspect the product yourself, make sure you ask a salesperson for this. Another important thing are helmet measurements. This piece of equipment won’t protect your head if it doesn’t fit perfectly. It should be snugly and low on the forehead, and it shouldn’t move at all when you shake your head.

The skate boots

Buying skate boots is rather delicate, because you should be able to try them on before you actually buy them. However, if you follow the procedure carefully, you should be able to pick the right pair of boots. Pay attention to these few things: the boot should be snug when new, but not that tight as to cause discomfort. Your toes shouldn’t be reaching the end of the boot, but you should make sure there is a few centimetres space left between them. Be careful when buying this piece of roller derby gear though; if your boots are too big, you’re risking blisters and calluses, foot pain and numbness. The boots can be made of either leather or vinyl.

Knee pads

Knee pads are also an essential necessity for proper and safe skating. If you’re also planning on participating in a roller derby, make sure you don’t skip this part. High quality knee pads would normally have:

• a ring-shaped padding made of thick memory foam that serves to keep the pressure off the kneecap.
• hard, plastic cap shaped flat instead of curvy for protecting the knee;
• the butterfly back closure system is often more preferred over the pull-on style because it is generally taken off easier than the latter one.