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KNOW YOUR SKATES
Roller skates are as diverse as the skaters that use them. However, knowing about your skates is a great way to use them to their, and your, best potential. There are many styles and types of roller skates and roller skating. It would be nearly impossible to go into all of them, but there are some things that are important for any skater to think about.
what type of skating do you want to do?
The answer to this question is crucial for choosing each part of your skates.
Plates
Skate plates typically come in 10 degree or 45 degree, with 10 degree more typically used for dance and competive skating and the 45 degree used more for speed and trick skating (like what you see in our videos).
Axles
This also means picking out either...
single action (one cushion per axle) or
double action (two cushion per axle) plates. This comes down to more of a personal skater preference although we would recommend double action for anything more then speed skating.
Cushions
Cushions are also one of the most important parts of the skates which is why there are so many to pick from. They are made of urethane or rubber and they are rated on a durometer (hardness) scale. The higher the number the harder the cushions are. The hardness of your cushions can determine how flexible the trucks are and can change the maneuverability and stability of your skates.
The shape of your cushions can also play a role . Most standard cushions have a regular barrel shape. However, if you choose you can get cushions in a conical shape. This allows for even more flexibility and range of motion.
Sometimes it can be difficult to find the cushions that work best for you. Many of us use the Sure-Grip Conical Cushions.
These cushions come in:
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Red 94A (hardest)
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Purple 85A (medium)
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Yellow 82A (medium-soft)
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Blue 78A (softest)
Picture Courtesy of Sure-Grip
If your not sure where to start usually a person's cushion preference will correspond with their weight. We'll use the Sure-Grips as an example. This is only a guideline and you might have to try differnent ones to find what really works for you.
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Blue = weighs up to about 140 lbs
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Yellow = weighs about 130 - 160 lbs
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Purple = weighs about 150 - 180 lbs
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Red = weighs about 200 lbs
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Bearings
Bearings are yet another skate part that should be considered based on your skating style. There are basically two types:
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Steel Bearings
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Ceramic Bearings
Ceramic bearings are very fast spinning and smooth for derby/speed skaters. However, the ceramic balls are harder then the steel case and they can dent the casing and become damaged if used for jumping and other hard hitting or impact skating. Steel bearings will hold up better while doing jumps and tricks but you will have a little more friction and have to work a little harder.
Lastly, pay attention to the ABEC rating, which denotes the quality of the bearing, but this can vary between manufactures. A good rolling bearing makes a world of difference when trying to keep up with a skate pack. One bearing that we recommend that is not only cheap, but rolls pretty good are any of the bones bearings (specifically the Bones Reds).
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