What equipment do I need to start playing Roller Derby?

Apart from a good dose of enthusiasm, you will need a few pieces of equipment:

  • Helmet
  • Knee pads
  • Elbow pads
  • Wrist guards
  • Mouth guard / Gum shield
  • Quad skates

This can seem like quite a lot to buy, although often girls who have been skating awhile and have upgraded their equipment will have old equipment to pass on to new skaters. However, as you get better and start bouting you will want to upgrade your equipment. Skate and equipment prices can vary a lot, with a pair of derby skates costing as little as £90 or as much as £500, but in the end, as with most things, you get what you pay for.

  • Skates

    Without a doubt the most expensive thing in your kit bag. 

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  • Wristguards

    Broken wrists aren’t as common as you’d think in derby due to us learning to fall on our knees, but they do still happen occasionally. 

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  • Pads

    Roller Derby is a full contact sport and although under the minimum requirements pads just have to have a 'hard shell cap', we’ve found that pads that only barely meet this requirement really aren't suitable for derby.

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  • Helmet

    There are two types of helmets you can buy, single impact and multi impact. For Roller Derby you will need a multi impact helmet.

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  • Gumshield

    You might think that a mouth guard is just for protecting your teeth, but it’s also for preventing concussion if you hit your chin or jaw rather than the area protected by your helmet. 

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  • Wheels

    On every forum you go on, website you check out, or magazine you read, people will have different opinions about wheels.

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