What gear do I need to start?
Whether you join for fun, to become an all-star, or to just try it out and learn something new, there are a few items you will need before hitting the floor at practice. Required gear: quad roller skates, helmet, mouthguard, and knee, elbow, and wrist guards. Just make sure to bring a water bottle, and comfortable athletic clothing (no jeans).
All equipment can be found at your local sporting goods shops. There are a few options in our area. We recommend Get Your Bearings Skate Shop because their staff knows skating and roller derby very well.
Get Your Bearings – off 145th in NE Seattle
Dick’s Sporting Goods – Northgate Plaza
This is a Mob city skater, in full protective gear that is required to play!
Helmet
There are variety of helmets out there. Helmets should be designed for impact. Bike, skate, and hockey helmets are all good choices. Do not buy used helmets, once they take hard impact, they should be replaced.
Mouthguard
Mouthguards do not just protect teeth, but help prevent concussions from hard falls or hits. High quality mouthguards are important if your skater is playing a contact sport. Well fitting mouthguards are more likely to stay in and protect the skater.
There are companies (like Sisu) that have moldable mouthguards that are custom fit to the skaters teeth. If you wear braces, you should consult your orthodontist regarding the proper mouthguard to get, and for assistance with fitting it.
Wrist, Elbow, and Knee guards
Good fitting protective pads will stay in place properly during skills and game play. As skaters progress to full contact derby, thicker pads will offer better protection from falls. Please clean gear regularly throughout the season and be sure that skater air out pads and do not leave them contained in bags during the week.
Water Bottle
Practices can be long (most practices are scheduled for about 2 hours), and particularly during the summer they can get hot. It is important to stay hydrated and skaters should have a water bottle for all practices and games. We strongly recommend that water bottles be clearly marked so that it’s easy to tell which water bottle is yours.