As a beginner skater, you shouldn’t need too much gear to get started.
The basic protective gear such as a helmet and some knee pads should suffice in the beginning. However, once you’ve learned how to roller skate for beginners and want to roll with the best equipment and roller skating accessories then there are plenty of things to consider.
There are all kinds of gadgets that serve useful functions for skaters as well as accessories that won’t make a difference to your performance in the way of roller skating tricks but will add flair to your look and allow you to stamp your own personality on your skating attire.
If you’re looking to up your game before you invest in all the gear, head to Superprof where you can a roller skating tutor in your area.
We’ve compiled a list of some of the best gadgets and skate accessories you can buy as a beginner skater, so if you want to level up your skating moves and skating style then here’s what you need to buy:
Protective Gear
First things first, before we get into the colorful and exciting accessories that will help you stylize your skating wardrobe, we need to make sure you have everything you need to stay safe as you skate.
Skating for beginners requires everything from knee pads to helmets, so make sure you have everything on this list.
You can read a dozen roller skating tips, but we bet not one of them mentions that you will fall over a lot in the first few days and weeks of roller skating. It’s not a tip to improve your game necessarily but one to help keep you safe.
While it isn’t glamorous, protective gear can help protect you from serious injury, so it’s an essential investment and the first thing you should look to buy along with your skates.
Helmet
Hands-down the most important piece of equipment you'll own as a skater (aside from the skates themselves) is the helmet.
Why?
Because you never know when you might take a tumble and hit your head on the hard ground.
It doesn’t matter if your friends or people you watch on the internet don’t wear helmets, you should wear one every time you skate.
Plus, you can invest in a fun colorful helmet if you want which is another way to elevate your style and stand out from the skating crowd.
Find a helmet that complies with safety standards laid out by the American Society for Testing and Materials and/or the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission since this guarantees they’ve been road tested and are proven to provide superior protection to your dome.
You might also want a helmet that has holes in it since this will increase airflow and reduce the amount you sweat.
It’s also a good idea to try the helmet you want to buy on before you part with your cash, since it needs to fit comfortably.
Knee Pads
Next up, it’s knee pads.
These little lifesavers won’t seem like a significant investment, but after more than a few forward falls you’ll learn just how useful they can be.
In roller skating, it’s good form to land on your hands and knees when you fall forward, and one of the reasons for this is knee pads. These pads will protect your fragile knees from slamming into the ground, and lessen the impact greatly to prevent injury.
Again, to justify the purchase and make it something to get excited about, why not invest in a fun colored pair of knee pads to bring a flash of color to your skating outfit?
The main things to consider with knee pads are your leg measurements, specifically the thighs and calves, as this information will be useful for picking out the best fit.
Wrist Guards
Wrist guards are just as important as knee pads, and perhaps more so, since they protect you when you fall both forwards and backwards.
It’s human instinct to cushion our fall by putting our hands out as we go tumbling to the ground, so it’s imperative that you have something to protect your fragile wrists.
The last thing you want is for an innocuous fall to turn into an agonising trip to the hospital due to fractured wrists or worse.
What are the best Gadgets?
Now we’ve got the protective equipment out of the way, we have a top tip for you - there are some gadgets that will make your life as a skater much easier!
Curious?
Here they are:
Skate Tool
The skate tool is, for many, an essential tool for roller skating.
So what exactly does it do?
Once you know how to rollerskate, you’ll need the skate tool to adjust the skates to ensure everything is exactly as it should be every time you put them on.
The tool enables you to tighten or loosen just about every part of the skates, from the wheels to the truck and even the top stops.
After a skating session, it’s possible that some of these elements would loosen slightly so it’s imperative that you have a tool to tighten them up the next time you lace up.
You won’t need to use a skate tool every time you want to go skating, but you should have one at home just in case.
This tool is relatively inexpensive, too, so it really is a must-have gadget.
Toe Stops
Toe stops are essentially the brakes in roller skates.
They are located at the toe of the skate, and they are there to allow skaters to come to a complete halt when they need to.
To activate the brakes using the toe stops, all you need to do is apply firm pressure to the ground with the toe of your foot which should be out in front of you.
You can buy both fixed and adjustable toe stops.
Fixed toe stops are bolted onto the skates, and have a hole in the middle where a bolt goes to secure them to the skate plate.
Adjustable toe stops are those which allow you to adjust the height.
Both types of toe stop come in different colors, shapes, and designs.
Jam Plugs
A jam plug is for those skaters who do not need to use a toe stop.
They are used frequently for jam skating, a form of skating in which toe stops can be a nuisance.
These jam plugs are simply meant to plug up the hole where the toe stop would usually be.
Accessories
Skating in style might not be important to you in your first few weeks, but after a while, you might get the urge to accessorise and up your game.
If/when you do, we have you covered.
Aside from roller skates for beginners, here are some of the best accessories to spice up your skater look:
Laces
Laces are functional, of course, but they can have style too as well as substance.
There are many laces out there that boast bright and bold colors or striking patterns, so you can add a splash of color to your skates.
What’s more, laces are affordable, so you don’t need to break the bank to adjust the appearance of your skates.
Hip Pack
The hip pack or bum bag is a great investment to make after you’ve been skating for a while.
It might even be a purchase you consider after just a single session.
Why?
Because it provides a space for you to put all of your valuable possessions as you skate around.
If you don’t have one, you need to either wear clothes with pockets deep enough to hold all of your belongings or you need a backpack. Neither of these options works quite as well as the simple bum bag though.
It wraps around your waist and lets you keep your valuables close and within reach.
Socks
You’d be correct in thinking regular socks wouldn’t show when you’re wearing socks, since skates ride up the ankle quite a lot.
However, we’re not talking about your bog-standard socks.
Knee-high socks or at least socks that reach your calves are all the rage in the roller skating world.
The main reason to wear knee-high socks is that you can add color and personality to your look.
The other benefit of wearing socks like this is that they will protect your legs from friction.
Bandana
The bandana isn’t for everyone, we’ll be straight with you.
However, if you’ve ever been curious about wearing one, then we implore you to give it a go!
Not only can the bandana add an extra dimension to your skating outfit, but it can also come in handy when you start to sweat profusely - which you inevitably will.
Skate Covers
Again, this accessory isn’t for everyone, but skate covers can really individualize your look and ensure you never lose your skates.
You can find all sorts of covers for your skates, from basic colors and patterns to floral designs and more.
With the covers, you will breathe life into plain skates and stamp your personality onto them.
Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
