Roller Skate Aesthetic
Optional: your measurements in cm, taken with a soft tape. Leave blank to see the chart.
A beginner falls in every direction, so all four pieces earn their place on the first day. Wrist guards are for the forward fall: the reflex to catch yourself on a bare palm is faster than any decision. Elbow pads are what you land on going backwards, the fall nobody expects. Knee pads change what falling means: you can drop forward on purpose instead of fighting to stay up. Dropping a piece later is your call, once you know which falls you actually have, and your responsibility.
Use a soft tape measure, or a piece of string and a ruler, and measure the circumference of your head, knee, elbow and wrist. For the helmet, Triple Eight says to start in the middle of your forehead. Every brand here gives the same advice for in-between measurements: take the larger size. Pads tighten; they do not stretch.
Yes, as a beginner. Going over backwards, your elbows hit before anything else. They are not an extra to buy later.
Size up. Triple Eight, 187 Killer Pads and Impala all say so in their own fit guides.
Look at the certification label. The Triple Eight Certified Sweatsaver, for example, is certified both to the US CPSC bicycle standard and to ASTM F1492 for skating. Check the label of the helmet you are buying.
Measure them like an adult and use the junior (JR) row of the chart. Some kids' packs are one size: Triple Eight's Saver Series JR is listed for ages 5 to 8, and its Lil 8 kids' helmet fits 46 to 52 cm heads.
They are an extra, not one of the four. The fall that hurts is backwards, onto your tailbone, and that is the area padded shorts cover.
Size data collected 2026-10-07 from Triple Eight and 187 Killer Pads fit guides. Charts can change; the brand's own page always wins.