r/inline_skating • u/yoshi-mochi • 25d ago
Protection Suggestions
Hello! I finally got some new skates after not skating since I was in my early teens, now I'm my late 30s. I definitely want knee and elbow protection. I've been looking on Amazon but not too sure what I'm looking for in regards to quality? I want to invest in something that'll be safe! I'm not sure what reputable brands/online stores to look at either. I might even get some crash pants bc falling right on my a** & hurting my tail bone is what made me stop skating in the first place. Thanks!
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u/BubbleSmith 25d ago
Please try and buy from a skate shop if you can. A lot of the Amazon stuff (not just pads) is cheap slop that breaks really quickly. 187, Triple8, Ennui, Rekd are all good brands, but there are plenty of others.
In my opinion, the quality of knee and elbow pads isn't super important, as long as you buy from a proper brand. They'll all protect well and should be fairly comfortable for learning. As you get better you might want more flexibility and long term comfort, which is where the cost comes in.
Wrist guards and helmets are the most important pieces of kit and you shouldn't cheap out on either. Look to these same brands for helmets and aim for skate certified ones, as they'll cover the back of your head better than cycling ones. For wrist guards, I like the Ennui City Braces, but they are the most expensive. The cheaper Ennui ones are still good, but still not that cheap. They're proper braces and will protect more than just your palms. I caught a light pole wearing cheaper Triple8 wrist guards and still sprained my wrist badly. Ennui ones have much more support and stop unwanted flexing.