For the rostered skater who travels to bouts, the kit optimizes for the road. A skate bag that carries the skates and the gear separately (so the wheels do not chew the pads), a spare set of bearings and axles (they fail on the road), a tool kit, and two helmets (a bout helmet and a backup). The derby skater is their own mechanic — maintain the skates or they fail mid-bout.
Plans
Choose a plan that fits your needs and budget
Item List
4Tools
2 items
Bag & Spares
2 items
Plan Totals$195
FAQ
Common questions about this kit
Why separate skate and gear storage?
Dirty, gritty wheels and trucks chew up pads and fabric in a shared bag. A bag with a separate skate compartment keeps the grime off the pads and extends their life. It also keeps the skate smell (real) somewhat contained. A purpose-built derby bag has the compartments; a duffel does not.
Why spare bearings and axles?
A seized bearing or a bent axle fails mid-bout and benches you — and at an away bout, there is no pro shop. A spare set of bearings and a couple of axles in the tool kit get you back on the floor in minutes. Derby skaters carry spares because the gear is load-bearing and the bouts are far.
What is in the skate tool kit?
The size-14 and 1/2-inch wrenches for the axle nuts and toe-stop, a bearing press/puller, and spare toe stops. Derby skates are user-serviceable (no bike shop equivalent) — you maintain them yourself, at the track. The tool kit is part of every skater's bag, like a cyclist's multi-tool.
Why two helmets?
A cracked or lost helmet means no bout. A backup helmet, packed for travel, ensures a single failure does not scratch you from the roster you traveled for. Helmets are also replaced after a hard impact (the foam compresses); having a spare lets you retire the impacted one immediately.
User Reviews
4.0 / 5.0
Derby travel and my moto touring share the be-your-own-mechanic gospel — the spare-bearings-and-a-tool-kit is the tube-and-a-tire-plug. The two-helmets is the spare-gloves, agreed.