Roller skate buying guide
Your First Roller Derby Skates: What Derby Skaters Use
Of the 11 derby players we compiled from their WFTDA profiles, 7 name a metal competition plate, 4 give or use wheel hardness between 88A and 98A chosen for the floor, and 8 list protective gear in their setup; derby coach Dirty Deborah Harry adds a boot with little or no heel and a height-adjustable toe stop. So a first derby skate is a quad with an aluminium plate, 59-62 mm derby wheels around 93-96A for a sports-hall floor, an adjustable stop and full pads, and no player in our compilation tells a beginner which boot brand to buy. The players split on leather against carbon boots; both camps are named below.
Gear on this page: thirteen products are named further down — Impala Quad Skate, Riedell Dart Roller Skates, Sure-Grip Rock GT50, Riedell R3 Indoor Quad Roller Skates, a set of 58 x 39 mm 95A indoor quad wheels, Riedell Radar Halo wheels, Turbo 94A Speed/Derby wheels, a set of quad wheels with bearings and two toe stoppers, Triple Eight Certified Sweatsaver Helmet, Triple Eight Saver Series pad set, Triple Eight KP 22 knee pads, 187 Killer Pads Pro knee pads, SISU Aero mouthguard. They are optional, the page works without them, and the links to them are Amazon affiliate links.
Amazon prices were read on the listing on 7 October 2026, for the size and colour Amazon shows by default; other sizes and colours can cost more or less. Price and availability are set by Amazon and can change.
What top skaters recommend
Features first, brands only where a skater’s setup shows a specific feature. Most derby setups here come from the WFTDA “Featured Skater” profiles of 2010-2016: they show what each player used at that date, not necessarily today, and a listed brand may be sponsored even when the profile does not say so.
Plate: aluminium, competition grade
- Bonnie Thunders, the jammer often called the greatest player of modern derby (four World Cups, eight WFTDA titles with Gotham and Rose City; signature wheel with RollerBones), skated Powerdyne Reactor plates (WFTDA, 1 Aug 2010). Suzy Hotrod, Gotham jammer since 2004, 2008 WFTDA champion and Team USA, used the same plate (WFTDA, Nov 2011).
- Scald Eagle, Rose City and Team USA jammer, WFTDA champion 2015 and 2016 (Bont gear; sponsorship not formally confirmed), used Infinity plates (WFTDA, 1 Oct 2015). Swede Hurt, Sweden’s MVP at the first World Cup and Gotham All-Star, and Snot Rocket Science, Team USA 2011 and 2014, both ran Roll-Line Killer plates (WFTDA, 18 Aug 2016; WFTDA, 4 Oct 2016). Juniper Simonis, 2015 WFTDA champion, used Crazy Venus plates; Satan’s Little Helper, three straight titles with Arizona and an international coach, used Boss plates (WFTDA, 10 Jul 2016; WFTDA, 10 Jun 2016).
- That is 7 of 11 players on a metal plate. None of them gives a reason in the profile; the beginner reason comes from quad coach Lisa J, who says metal, never plastic (Boardwalk Skater, 2023).
Wheels: 88-98A, picked for the floor
- Jackie Daniels, Windy City Rollers skater and coach who skated in the film Whip It, used 95A and 93A wheels (WFTDA, 1 Mar 2010). Bonnie Thunders’ RollerBones signature wheel is 62 x 38 mm in 94A or 96A (sponsor product; the figure comes from the product, not from her words).
- Scald Eagle appears on a Bont blog post that says choose by hardness, not colour: 88-92A on polished concrete, 95-98A on a grippy wooden floor, control and stopping before speed for a jammer, softer wheels for blockers, and a narrow 59 x 38 mm format for acceleration (Bont, 14 Sep 2020; brand text, exact attribution of each point not verified).
- Suzy Hotrod ran narrow “skinny” wheels and changed hardness with the floor.
- Gap: no titled player in our compilation gives a hardness number aimed at a beginner. All of them link hardness to the surface.
Boot: low heel, and leather or carbon
- Dirty Deborah Harry, coach behind Dirty School of Skate (about 299,000 subscribers; video filmed at Wicked Skatewear), says derby is skated low all the time, so look for a boot with no heel or a minimal heel (Dirty School of Skate, 21 Jun 2022). By contrast Carolina “Caro” Hernandez, an ex-derby bowl skater and Moxi rider, wants a heel for ramps, to climb transitions (Moxi, 7 Oct 2020): different disciplines, not a contradiction.
- Disagreement, leather against carbon. Leather Riedell boots: Bonnie Thunders, Suzy Hotrod, Jackie Daniels (a cut-down model), Juniper Simonis. Carbon Bont or MOTA boots: Scald Eagle, Snot Rocket Science, Satan’s Little Helper, and Swede Hurt (moving to MOTA in 2016); Juniper was also moving to Bont. The newer profiles (2015-2016) lean to carbon. Nobody says which a beginner should start in.
- Fit: Dirty Deborah Harry wants a boot that fits “like a slipper” and says go up a size if the width pinches, since your foot does not get longer.
Toe stop: adjustable
- Dirty Deborah Harry: a fixed “bullseye” toe stop marks an entry-level skate; a height-adjustable one gets more comfortable as you progress. Among the players, Snot Rocket Science and Juniper Simonis list separate aftermarket toe stops (Roll-Line, Bionic). Caro notes derby skaters are used to big toe stops.
Protective gear: full kit, helmet first
- Bonnie Thunders, Scald Eagle, Atomatrix (Oly Rollers jammer and 17-time world inline speed gold medallist; Atom sponsor), Swede Hurt, Snot Rocket Science, Satan’s Little Helper, Nina Erwes (Helsinki All-Stars captain, Big O 2016 MVP) and Jackie Daniels all list protective gear in their setup; Scald Eagle adds wrist guards and hockey elbow pads, Snot Rocket a mouthguard (WFTDA, 8 Sep 2011; WFTDA, 8 Sep 2016).
- Estro Jen (Michelle Steilen, Moxi founder; a park skater, not a derby player) ranks them for beginners: helmet, then wrist guards, the most common skating injury, then knees and elbows (Estro Jen, 9 Jan 2021).
Train before you upgrade
- Suzy Hotrod: the same gear will not make you her level, “practicing hard will”. Atomatrix puts fitness, strength and technique first; Smarty Pants, Team USA co-captain and coach since 2003 (Antik and Pro Designed sponsor), says get fit before you start (WFTDA, May 2013). Swede Hurt says skate as much as you can and listen; Jackie Daniels says learn the fundamentals.
From the skater behind this site
- Size: follow the brand’s own chart and advice, including “go up a size” when the brand says so; sizes vary a lot between makers. Measure in millimetres, standing, at the end of the day.
- Tight means the fastenings, not the size: laces and straps done up firmly; loosening is never his advice.
- Wheels: 95A and up on a rink floor, 78A-85A outside. That fits the derby range above for an indoor hall.
- Quad caveat: he skated inline and learned on quads later, so weigh his quad points with care.
The comparison
| Model | Price seen (date, where) | Who it is for | Recommended features it meets | Weak point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Impala Quad Skate | Amazon.com $91.36 (B07N7PZ84S, “only 1 left”), read 2026-10-07 | Fresh-meat skaters testing derby on a small budget | Aluminium plate (7 of 11 players on metal) | Fixed toe stop; 82A outdoor wheels, below the 88-98A indoor range; 58 mm; not a derby boot |
| Riedell Dart | Amazon.com $175.00 (B00655ZG0I), read 2026-10-07 | Beginners who want a derby-style rink skate in one box | 62 mm wheels at 93A, inside the derby range (Daniels, Thunders) | Nylon plate, not metal; fixed toe stop |
| 58 x 39 mm 95A indoor quad wheels, 8 pack | Amazon.com $18.16 (B08HMZNVQL), read 2026-10-07 | Anyone putting an outdoor skate on a sports-hall floor | 95A, the middle of the 88-98A range; swappable wheels (Dirty Deborah Harry) | 58 mm, smaller than derby’s usual 59-62 mm; unbranded |
| Quad wheels + bearings + 2 toe stoppers (Tanzfrosch) | Amazon.com $28.99 (B08XQHHSQW), read 2026-10-07 | Replacing worn stops cheaply | Spare toe stops | Wheel hardness not checked for indoor use; not a height-adjustable plate upgrade |
| Triple Eight Certified Sweatsaver Helmet | Amazon.com $54.99 (B077VYDVDY), read 2026-10-07 | Every new skater | Helmet first (Estro Jen; helmets in the setups of Thunders, Scald Eagle, Snot Rocket, Satan’s Little Helper, Nina Erwes, Jackie Daniels) | Check your league’s certification rule |
| Triple Eight Saver Series pad set | Amazon.com $41.00 (B002WTT2J2), read 2026-10-07 | A first full set of wrist, elbow and knee pads | Wrists, elbows, knees in one box | Recreational knee pads; derby players list heavier derby knee pads |
| Triple Eight KP 22 knee pads | Amazon.com $49.99 (B0000ASZ8S, “only 8 left”), read 2026-10-07 | Skaters who will fall on their knees every practice | Dedicated knee pad, as Thunders, Scald Eagle, Swede Hurt and Satan’s Little Helper list | Knees only |
| Sure-Grip Rock GT50 | Amazon.com $199.99 (B00UTN2O7K, “only 10 left”), read 2026-10-07 | Beginners who want a stiffer indoor boot than the Dart | Synthetic leather boot with heel strap; aluminium trucks | Nylon plate, not the metal plate 9 of 11 players ride; wheel hardness not given on the listing |
| Riedell R3 Indoor Quad Roller Skates | Amazon.com $199.00 (B003ZMGSOW), read 2026-10-07 | Beginners who want a Riedell package skate (the R3 Derby version was not found on Amazon) | Riedell boot family, as Thunders, Hotrod, Jackie Daniels and Juniper skate; metal trucks | Vinyl boot; nylon PowerDyne Thrust plate, not metal; wheels, hardness and toe stop not given on the listing |
| Riedell Radar Halo wheels, 4 pack | Amazon.com $69.00 (B01EJYHRXA, pink, 93A), read 2026-10-07 | Upgrading the stock wheels of a beginner skate | 93A, inside the 88-98A indoor range; Radar Halo is in Snot Rocket Science’s setup | Sold by 4: two packs for a pair of skates; the listing shows “38 millimeters” but we could not confirm the diameter |
| Turbo 94A Speed/Derby Wheels with an Aluminum Hub (Set of 8) | Amazon.com $179.95 (B00L9ZQTPU, “only 3 left”), read 2026-10-07 | Skaters ready for a derby wheel | 62 mm, 94A, inside the derby range; Bonnie Thunders has a RollerBones Turbo signature wheel | Price; a set of 8 at once |
| SISU Aero Medium Mouthguard | Amazon.com $16.99 (B01LZO6CDY, Snow White, list price $19.99), read 2026-10-07 | Every derby player (most leagues ask for one) | Sisu mouthguard, in Snot Rocket Science’s setup | Medium size; a Small exists, check the size chart |
| 187 Killer Pads Pro Knee Pad | Amazon.com $135.95 (B014170ZZC, Large), read 2026-10-07 | Players who want a derby-grade knee pad | 187 pads, among the most cited by the players (Thunders, Scald Eagle, Snot Rocket Science); Swede Hurt lists the 187 Pro Derby | This is the 187 Pro, not the Pro Derby (not found on Amazon); Large shown, XL is B014171092 at the same price |
The table now has derby wheels (Radar Halo, Turbo 94A), a 187 knee pad and a Sisu mouthguard. The skates added (Sure-Grip Rock GT50, Riedell R3) are indoor rink skates on nylon plates, not derby boots: the Riedell R3 Derby was not found on Amazon, and the Sure-Grip Rebel derby skate had no offer on 7 October 2026. No carbon derby boot is in the table.
Beginner FAQ
What should my first roller derby skates have?
Among the 11 derby players we compiled, 7 used a metal competition plate and those who give wheel figures sit between 88A and 98A, chosen for the floor. Coach Dirty Deborah Harry adds a boot with no heel or a minimal heel, because derby is skated low, and a height-adjustable toe stop. Add a helmet and full pads.
What wheel hardness do derby skaters use?
Jackie Daniels used 93A and 95A, Bonnie Thunders’ signature wheel is sold in 94A and 96A, and a Bont post featuring Scald Eagle gives 88-92A on polished concrete and 95-98A on a grippy wooden floor. Suzy Hotrod changed hardness with the floor. All of them tie hardness to the surface.
Leather or carbon boot for derby?
The players are split. Bonnie Thunders, Suzy Hotrod, Jackie Daniels and Juniper Simonis skated leather Riedell boots in their profiles; Scald Eagle, Snot Rocket Science, Satan’s Little Helper and Swede Hurt had moved to carbon Bont or MOTA boots by 2015-2016. No player in our compilation tells a beginner which to buy.
What protective gear do I need for roller derby?
Eight of the 11 derby players list protective gear in their setup: helmet, knee pads, and for several wrist guards, elbow pads and a mouthguard. Estro Jen, a park skater, ranks them helmet first, then wrist guards, knees, elbows. Your league’s own gear rules come first. See the protective gear checklist.
Can I use my outdoor skates for derby practice?
Dirty Deborah Harry says wheels are swappable: keep the skate and change to harder wheels indoors. The skater behind this site gives 95A and up on a rink floor and 78A-85A outside. See outdoor vs indoor wheels.
Does expensive gear make you a better derby skater?
No. Suzy Hotrod says the same gear will not make you her level, practising hard will; Atomatrix, Smarty Pants, Swede Hurt and Jackie Daniels all put fitness, technique and practice first.
Related pages
- Protective gear that actually fitsSizing pads and helmets.
- Best roller skates for adult beginnersThe general first-skate guide.
- Best skates for wide feetIf the boot pinches.
- Wheel hardness toolPick a durometer for your floor.
- Size calculatorBrand charts in one place.
- Protective gear checklist toolTick off your kit.
- Toe stop vs T-stopTwo ways to stop on quads.
- How to fall safelyFalling on your pads, on purpose.
- Outdoor vs indoor wheelsWhy hardness follows the floor.
How this page was compiled: 15 skaters cited (11 roller derby players from their WFTDA profiles, derby coach Dirty Deborah Harry, plus quad skaters Estro Jen, Caro Hernandez and Lisa J for points the derby sources leave open), drawn from our skater compilation of 7 October 2026. Each claim links to its source. Full compilation and method: the skater gear compilation.
What this page does not cover: league rules and minimum-skills tests, which vary by league; ask yours before buying a helmet or mouthguard.
Keep going: this is one of the buying guides that sit next to the full Roller Skating for Beginners guide — sizing, gear, stopping, and where to skate, in one page. Free, no sign-up, nothing to buy.