NEW ROLLER DERBY GIRLS..READ..

New girls always ask the same questions once they start doing Roller Derby; "What kind of skates should I get?"."What type of gear do I need?". "How much will all this stuff cost". "there are so many different kinds of helmet,skates,pads,and mouth guards". how do you decide??????

We at Lazy Skate Hawaii will try to point you in the right direction and try to lead you into making a smart purchase on your first set of Roller Derby Gears.

Lets start with the most important gear, or the gear a new roller derby girl should invest in first.Lets make a quality mouth guard your first purchase.

Other than your helmet, a mouth guard is your main defense against a concussion. It helps protect your brain by absorbing the shock a blow to your lower jaw. It also prevents jaw fractures and tooth injuries,and keeps your teeth from lacerating your mouth.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT A MOUTHGUARDS:

A good mouthguard should let you talk and breathe,and should cover your entire set of upper teeth,all the way to the back,without chafing your mouth or making you gag. It should also fit snugly enough that when you open your mouth,the mouthguard stays in place on your teeth.

Most mouthguards are of the boil and bite variety,and this is most likely the type you'll want,as it can be molded to your teeth. Some mouthguards can be custom fit by an orthodontist,and while these offer the best fit and protection, they usually run a few hundred dollars. If you find regular mouthguards restrict your ability to talk to much,you wear braces,or you're just very serious about your dental health,you may want to ask your dentist about custom mouthguard.
Two dollar mouthguards can be found in any sporting good store,but I'd recommend spending a little more money on one. If you spend a couple bucks on a cheap mouthguard that fits poorly and is uncomfortable you will regret it, but you will never regret spending twenty dollars or more on a quality mouthguard that protects you and is comfortable to wear.
A decent budget mouthguard is the Shock Doctor Pro at about five bucks.
We at Lazy Skate Hawaii strongly recommend the Shock Doctor GEL MAX which comes in a strapped version and in a variety of colors.

If you have a small mouth,try a youth size mouthguard,or follow the manufacturers' instruction for trimming their mouthguard down.

If you mess up when fitting your mouthguard,just re-boil it and try again.

If your mouthguard ever stops fitting properly,or you bite through it, replace it.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO SPEND: $5 to $25 dollars for a decent boil and bite mouthguard.
$300 + for a custom mouthguard fitted by a dentist or orthodontist.

Popular Brands: Brain Pads or Shock Doctor

HELMETS:
Your second purchase should be a good quality helmet,since they protect your most vital organ,and are usually in short supply for freshies to borrow.
A good helmet should be (CPSC bicycle ) or (ASTM skate ) certified,should be comfortable enough that you will wear it,and should fit properly on your head.
the helmet  should not slide around.You should feel the skin of your scalp move instead of the helmet.

CPSC stands for (Consumer Product Safety Commission) and is federally mandated standard for bicycle helmets.These helmet usually have a hard foam interior that in the event of a crash is meant to crush,much like a crumpie zones on a car,thereby absorbing the impact to your head.
Most of these helmet are single impact helmets,meaning that after a crash or fall they should be replaced,since their ability to protect you may now be diminished.
Some may argue that this makes these helmets ill-suited for roller derby.Others are of the opinion that a helmet rated for a bicycle crash is bound to give you more protection than a skate-rated helmet.

I cant personally say if one certification is better than another for the purpose of roller derby.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT (ASTM certified helmets)

ASTM stands for (American Society for Testing and Materials).The ASTM standard is meant to cover the types of impacts more typical of skateboarding,more frequent crashes,onto hard surfaces,and typically at lower speed than would occur with a bicycle crash.Usually they are multiple impact helmets with a soft liner.ASTM certified helmets do not need to be replaced after each impact,however you should always inspect your helmet shell and liner to ensure they are in good condition,and replace the helmet if it no longer offers adequate protection or fits you properly.Some skaters prefer ASTM helmets with soft liners because they're little ligther than helmets with a hard liner.

Currently,there is no U.S. Law that requires manufacturers to meet a specific standard for helmets to be sold as a "SKATE" helmet. So watch out for skate helmets that are not ASTM certified.

Lazy Skate Hawaii has instock (Pro-Tec Classic Helmets)


KNEEPADS
When it comes to protection gear, your kneepads will probably be your single biggest purchase,and its a good place to spend a little more money. You will be using your knee pads alot, to fall on,slide on,to turn on,and to scrub off speed,among other things.Having a decent set of kneepads means you dont have to be worried or scared about using them,and you
focus on skating and doing what you need to do.

How can you tell you need a replacement:If your experiencing knee pains from regular sliding and falling drills.If you find yourself tugging,adjusting,or pulling up your pads a lot or if you just have a history of knee injuries or problems,it may be a good sign you need a new set of pads.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT KNEEPADS:
Things to look for in a good set of kneepads are a hinged design that allows your knee to move freely,replaceable caps,thick comfortable padding,heavy duty fabric,such as ballistic nylon,and a secure fastening system that keeps the pads from sliding or twisting.
Personally, I also prefer an open backed design that lets you put your knee pads on and take them off without having to remove your skate.

A good set of kneepads should absorb the impact of a properly executed fall or slide,allow you to slide and turn easily,and stay comfortably in place.A good set of kneepads can save you from a lot of injuries, both minor and major.

Look for knee pads that are machine washable to cut down the stink,Some cheaper knee pads made of foam that will fall apart if it gets wet.

The best knee pads usually have replaceable caps that are held on heavy duty Velcro.This means that if you ever manage to crack or damage one of the plastic caps,you can replace just the caps rather than the entire pad.

What can you expect to spend: $60 to $80 for a very good knee pads and $20 to $30 dollars for a cheaper set.

Lazy Skate Hawaii supply (Pro-Tec and 187's)

ELBOW PADS:
Elbow pads have a pretty basic job,they keep you from getting nasty rink or pavement rash on your elbows while preventing fractures and other such injuries.A decent pair of elbow pads paired with a good set of knee pads can make more advanced techniques like barrel rolls and superman slides an important part of your falling repertoires.

A good elbow pad absorbs the impact of a four point fall or slide and stays comfortably in place.It has sturdy caps and padding and fits snugly enough that pulling or tugging on it will not make a slide down your arm

Elbow pads with open strap design tend to breath more than pads with full neoprene sleev,but they are also more prone to pinching the skin on the inside of your elbows.

To cut down on elbow pad stink, you can make your own washable gaskets.Take a pair of holy old crew socks and cut off just above the heel,leaving a tube. Slip them on,then put your elbow pads on.
When they get smelly,just toss them in with the laundry.

If you like to do four point slides,look for an elbow pad with smooth,symmetrical caps.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO SPEND: $20 to $30 a pair.

Lazy Skate Hawaii Supply: (Pro-Tec & 187's)

WRIST GUARDS:
Wrist guards are meant to prevent fractures to the small bones of your wrist and the bones of your arm and by keeping the wrist from bending when you catch yourself during an unexpected fall. They also help prevent burns to the heels of your hands when sliding across the floor.

Look for a wristguard that is comfortable and will absorb impact.

Slip on style wristguards or wristguards with a full neoprene sleeve have great protection against track rash,but will get smelly faster than a wristguard with more open,ventilated style.

A wristguard with a hard plastic palm will slide across the floor more easily than a wristguard with a cloth or leather palm. Depending on your skating style,this could be a good thing or a bad thing.

To cut down on wristguard stink,you can make your own washable gasket.Take a pair of holy old crew socks and cut the feet off just below the heel,leaving a tube.Snip a hole partway down on one side for your thumb and slide them on,then put your wristguards on. When they get nasty smelly,just toss them in with the laundry.

On popular demand Lazy Skate Hawaii stocks: Pro-Tec Wrist Guards