So you're thinking about joining the rec league. Awesome! Here's a quick breakdown of what you will need to get started in derby.
SKATES
You want quad skates. Two wheels in front, two wheels behind. You can pick up a half decent pair of starter skates from Argos or skate shops or ebay for around £30-£40, and you probably shouldn't spend any more than that unless you want to dive straight in with a pair of (sexy leather, or vinyl for vegans) Riedell derby skates. They'll set you back £100-£200, but oh they're worth it. Most of us get R3s (vinyl, cheaper) or 265s (leather). You can buy them from our lovely sponsors at
Everglides (free next day shipping in most cases!) or import them from another of our sponsors,
Sin City Skates if you're after something fancier. You can also sometimes pick up a vintage/used pair for cheap on eBay. Don't spend extra cash on Cobras or the Roller Derby brand, they may look better but they're not really worth it. Don't buy the hard plastic skates that come halfway up your shins (Bauers etc), they can cause nasty injuries. Fabric or vinyl ankle boots are fine. You will probably want to upgrade your skate wheels quite soon if you buy starter skates as the wheels they come with are usually small outdoor (soft) wheels and not very suitable for derby, but we can cross that bridge when we come to it. Worry about getting your skate legs outside in the park first.
HELMET
Any skate or skateboard helmet is fine. Bike helmets are usually not (but you can use your skate helmet as a bike helmet!) Probably £15-£30.
WRISTGUARDS/ELBOW PADS/KNEEPADS
You need 'aggressive' or 'vert' skate pads. As thick and padded as you can get. We fall, we fall a lot, and we fall hard. Your knees will thank you. Anarchy or TSG brand pads are probably the best starter pads widely available in the UK, you want the type with the full neoprene sleeve that goes right round your arm/leg. The Anarchy triple-pack is NOT the right type. Look on Ebay or skate shops. You'll probably need to pay at least £35 for the set, and it's a good idea to try them on so you can get a snug fit (loose pads slip and will do you no good). If you can afford better kneepads right off (TSG Force II or III from UK shops, or import Rectors, Scabs or 187s) then go for it as the cheaper Anarchy pads have been known to wear out fairly quickly and a couple of our skaters have suffered knee problems from repeated falling on worn out pads. You can also get gaskets, which are padded sleeves that go under your kneepads. These can help boost the Anarchy pads to a better standard, and some also have metal inserts to prevent your knees twisting sideways.
MOUTHGUARD
A basic boil-and-bite will cost about £2-£5 from sports shops and martial arts shops. You can still skate without one of these, but you won't be able to scrimmage or do any contact (blocking) drills.
If you want specific advice/recommendations/have found a bargain on ebay and want to check it's kosher, post in this forum and we'll do what we can to help you. See you at practice!
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