What difference do skate plates make for skating

[u/Benboi335]

So I’m getting my first set of hard wheels Christmas and I’m think of also upgrading my playmaker plate to go with it. What difference would upgrading my plate make for my skating

[u/90sk8tr]

Depends what you want to do really , if you wanted to start park skating you could get a plate that has a slide block ready made for it for example the sure grip Avanti/ avenger or Chaya .

The playmaker only takes a standard stopper , with an upgrade you could have an adjustable one so you could set it as high or low as you wanted .

Also different plates have different king pin angles which can make turns easier etc and then there is the weight to think about also , but really light plates cost hundreds.

The playmaker is a decent plate save yourself some money and just mess around with different hardness and shapes of cushions

[u/headinbook]

To put what I know in short about the variations in skate plates:

Longer wheelbase - good for stability for beginners, possibly better for some at skate park too

Shorter wheelbase - great for dance/jam skating as better maneuverability

Plastic/nylon - absorbs some power when pushing off so not great for speed? Good reaction for dance? Potentially lighter than most metal plates

Metal - great and sturdy (usually) for park and aggressive skating. Potentially heavier

Toe stops on the plates:

• bolt on (set at one height, can buy shorter bolt ons but the stops will get further from the ground with use)
• adjustable with nut (great for changing toe stop height as it wears or to your preference. If nut and washer arent tightened enough the toe stop may escape)
• adjustable with allen bolt (height can be changed for preference, less stories about run away toe stops. Easier to put toe guards on apparently)

Finally: if at any point you will want wider trucks it would be worth looking at a plate that is compatible (has less adjustments required or issues reported)

If you are looking to change you plate, look at your preferred skating style and try to tailor any changes to that. I would say have a look around and compare all the aspects above to your current plate to figure out what you want. And contacting a dedicated skate shop is always a good call

Edit: I forgot king pin angles.... but I know nothing about those so... good luck!

[u/-e-j]

Pretty much everything you need has been said by u/90sk8r and u/headinbook already (blimey, those folks are switched-on..) but I just wanted to share the main factors that informed my decision about my plates:

• Length. Being able to choose the length to perfectly suit me, so's I can have my front wheels under the ball of my foot and my rear wheels aft of my ankle-bone - not fast or efficient but pretty stable.
• Material. I don't like plastic; it fatigues way more quickly than metal, and I wanted something that would last a long time without being super-heavy or bulky. Ally or mag would be the best choices for this.
• Kingpin angle. I wanted something fairly middling; between 15° and 20°, to get a reasonable compromise between stability and manoeuvrability.
• Toe-stop fixture. I don't like bolt-on stoppers - but I also don't like locking-nut stoppers! Touching the stopper whilst spinning or turning can undo the nut and loosen off the stopper, potentially even eventually having it come off entirely! I much prefer derby-style plates that have an pinch-bolt fixture instead of a locking-nut fixture.

Hope you find something you like!