need advice

[Niccolle Wardrop]

So I have been practicing with a derby team and am now ready to buy better skates. I am still a beginner still working on a lot to pass the skills test. I am looking for skates and came across surefire rock expressions. I cannot find reviews though. I want a skate that will work for me. I am 220 lbs and was told to look for at least a 92 or 91 wheel. I don't want to upgrade a lot but want it to last. Any tips on what kind of skate to purchase would be awesome.

[Reserector]

Welcome to the site!

The ROCK boots are decent. Generally comfortable, and they hold up fairly well. The wheels are usable to decent. I have had them, and did real well on them, but have moved on to better. Currently on Cosmic Superfly wheels.

The boots are riveted to the plates, and the rivets will soon need to be replaced with bolts as they loosen up with heavy use.

The plastic ROCK plates suck for us larger people. They bow under any amount of weight, causing foot pain, and terrible handling. Get a metal plate. There are some good choices out there that won't break the bank, and that will hold up.

What are you skating on now?

Boots are one of the most important part of your derby skates. You will spend a lot of time in them, and proper fit is important. Try on boots at the rink if you can. Try others' boots if you can. That will give you a sense of what might work for you.

The second most important decision is the plates. Often overlooked, the plates are the key to skate performance.

Wheels are something that you will end up with multiple sets of. You will buy, sell, and trade to get what you like. It's kind of fun, to be honest.

[Niccolle Wardrop]

I am skating on these cheap no name skates someone gave me. The boot is fine but already tore up the front of the boot due to one knee stops. So duct tape works wonders. I was going to upgrade those but thought it would just be easier to buy new everything. It has a plastic plate but have not noticed anything different. What skate would you recommend for a beginner? Are those a good wheel size to go with? The rink is used for both roller derby and roller hockey, with open skate as well. It has its marks from the hockey sticks.

[Reserector]

While there are several good plates available, my personal favorites are any of the Sure-Grip DA45 plates such as Invader, Avenger aluminum, and Avenger Magnesium. Those are all lightweight, and have a strong toe stop mount. They are durable, very tunable, and turn like power steering.

You can usually find package skates with those plate choices. You can also contact an derbysmack.com and tell Nathan what boot, plate, and wheels you want, and they will put it together for you for about the same cost. The beauty of that is that you don't waste money on a component you don't really want. You can even upgrade to nice bearings while you are at it.
Nathan has always taken great care of us here at SS.com. He might even help you find a better setup than what I have suggested. Mine is just one opinion. I am hoping that others chime in with suggestions, also.

[danwor82]

Rocks aren't too bad