#sure-grip

[derbygearadvice]

Hi! I'm a fairly new skater, I'm steady on things like regular skating, plow stops, etc, but I'm only just learning things like skating backwards and transitions. I recently ordered the Suregrip Rebel Avengers and have been counting down the days until they come in, but lately all of the skaters around me (including shop owners) have been kind of scaring me away from the avengers and saying that they're squirrelly and not for beginners. Thoughts?

Unfortunately (and also fortunately) the skaters around you are wrong.

A lot of misinformation gets spread around about gear, and a lot of skaters believe it.

This myth stems from speed skaters that have been skating for years and years on DA10 degree trucks that switch over to a DA45 and have trouble keeping their feet under themselves because they skate so differently. They came to the conclusion that if they can’t skate on them, then definitely no beginner can. All of the companies that do not sell DA45 plates jumped on to this story.

In reality, the BEST time to start using a DA45 plate is right when you are starting, since they do skate very differently and are much harder to get used to further down the line.

They will feel a bit wobbly at first, but start out with tour trucks fairly tight and some hard cushions. As you get comfortable, loosen your trucks and switch your cushions out for a softer set.

You’ll notice those transitions getting a LOT easier when you have DA45s under your feet.

[derbygearadvice]

I have owned a pair of Sure Grip XL-55 skates for 6+ years. About 4 of those spent as a ref and two were simply in storage during a break. Fast forward to a couple recent merby practices and I ripped both heels away from the soles during plow-stop drills. I'm quite sure the age of the boots is to blame, but I have a bad feeling that is making it hard for me to be confident in ordering the new S-55 or S-75 boots. Tell me I'm crazy or could you recommend a similar fitting alternative? 5'7 145lbs

The XL-55 boots did not have a stitched sole. The S-55 and S-75 do.

What probably happened to your boots was that the glue wore out. That’s a long life for glued-sole boots.

It’s not a problem you would likely have with the two boots you’re looking at.

[derbygearadvice]

(1) Hiya! Currently skating on the Suregrip GT-50s starter wheels, they're a 95a. I'm hoping to upgrade to something slightly softer and narrower (for better agility); I'm currently looking between Heartless Chasers (92a), Suregrip Fugitive Mids (93a) or Rollerbones DotDeads (92a). Firstly, I'm basing the durometer off being a touch softer than my current wheels, however if I'm going narrower should I also go softer to compensate for the loss of contact surface area? E.g. 90s or even 88s. [...]

(2) Second question is if you think any of these wheels would be suitable? If so, which you’d recommend most; if not, which other wheels you’d suggest I look into? Ooh, and if the answer to Q1 is yes I would of course look into the slightly softer wheels of those lines if you think they’d be okay, e.g. 90a Fugitive Mids. (: I’m ~150lbs, 5’4”, if that helps you to comment, and currently skating in any position I’m allowed. Thanks in advance for any advice!

To answer your questions I’d need to know what type of floor you’re skating on, but is does sound like you’re on the right track. You might want to also consider aluminum hubbed wheels, as they won’t flex over time.

Heartless wheels wear out quickly and can be a little muddy.

[derbygearadvice]

What's your reason for steering (ha) people away from the powerdyne Revenge?

The plate has numerous breakage issues. The pivot cups wear out incredibly quickly, and there have been tons of reports of the plates bending right behind the toe stops ruining the plates and sometimes even the boots. The trucks also have been reported to break time and time again. On top of all of that, there are lighter plates for the money that turn better and don’t break nearly as easily, like the magnesium Avenger. That being said, Powerdyne finally seems to be addressing these issues and has released a “fixed” version, but I don’t know for sure yet if they are actually better.

[derbygearadvice]

Thanks I have a wider foot. Currently in sure grips but think there is too much room in length. My toes aren't that close to the end which would be fine for normal shoes but I think it's too much play for skating. Time for a change I think!

If the Sure Grips fit you width wise then I’d suggest you stay with a Sure-Grip boot or a Vanilla boot (or a Bont of your budget allows). So the Brass Knuckles are probably a great idea. Since you can’t try them on in person, measure your feet really well and compare to online size charts. If you are in between sizes, pick the smaller size. Completely ignore shoe sizes and just go by size chart measurements.

That definitely sounds like too much room. It’s very common for skaters to get their first pair of skates a bit too big. Good luck!

[derbygearadvice]

I'm currently skating in Riedell Carreras, not in derby (only 7 months 'til I can thought!) and they pinch the side of my feet quite a lot :c I initially thought they'd break in and get more comfortable eventually, but it's limiting how long I can comfortably skate for. What cheaper, wider boots would you recommend I look at?? Preferably derby quality.

Sure-Grip boots are wide, Riedell tends to be narrow. For a full setup, go for the Rebel Avenger. If you just want boots, the Sure-Grip Rebel or anything higher quality than that will suit you just fine.

The Vanilla Renegade is also a cheaper, wider option.

[derbygearadvice]

Hi! I'm very fresh meat and not that great at skating yet but I'm having wheel issues that are hampering my ability to get faster. We skate on a shiny coated wood floor that is always dusty and slippery. I weigh 120kg, about 280lb I think, and nylon hub wheels just don't work for me, they feel like marshmallows. I currently have some Sure-Grip Power Plus wheels which are 97a. These work brilliantly for me on other less slippy floors. Any heavyweight suggestions? Price not an issue.

If you really love the Power Plus wheels, then they do make a softer version of them, but it might be too soft depending on just how slippery the floor is.

Since if seems like you like your Power Plus wheels, I’ll suggest a few with similar dimensions that you might want to try first, then I’ll suggest the more different ones. Depending on the slipperiness of the floor, go for something between 93a and 95a.

Hyper Shamans (Very sticky even in their harder durometers, but the still roll very well)

Hyper Cannibals

Aussie Scotts (these are pricy and will take some time to get to you, but they are likely the highest quality wheels on the market, and they’ll grip and roll forever, no matter your weight)

Faster Full Width wheels

Sure Grip Zombies

If you are willing to experiment a bit further and think narrower wheels might be for you, you can also look into varieties of the Zombies, Faster (Skinny Dipper), and the Aussie Scotts, as well as Rollerbones Turbos.

Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions!

[derbygearadvice]

Thoughts on the Sure-Grip Chrome Invader?

The Chrome Invader is the SA45 version of the Invader.

They are great, turny, durable plates, but SA45 are a bit more difficult to tune to perfection than DA45 plates.

Sure-Grip does not make Invaders anymore, and most of the chrome Invaders out there have been upgraded to DA45.

If you have a chrome Invader that has not been upgraded and you would like a DA45 plate, you can buy an upgrade kit from a lot of skate stores.