Gear Up

Now we’re into the serious Derby stuff it’s time not only to gear up but make sure you have the right stuff.
As Vader said last Monday “this is the dangerous side of Derby. This is where you start breaking bones.” Some people have found this out already!

There are several items of compulsory gear you must have to practice and bout.
Skates (if you’re still using the Parks loaners, you’re going to find them a hindrance for some skills)
· Helmet
· Knee pads
· Elbow pads
· Wrist guards
· Mouth guard
These are NOT Negotiable! If you don’t have them you may be sidelined and sitting out with me watching everyone skate past.

Optional items include
· Padded Derby short
· Toe guards (for your skates not your feet)
· Knee gaskets
· Outdoor wheels and bearings for outdoor training

Ladies, if you wear a skirt to practice it may be wise to invest in bike shorts or tights, because when we’re doing double knee slides or stretching out your legs, those around you may not want to see undies… or your vag!

Care of Gear
Since your gear can cost upwards of $300 you don’t want to be replacing it every season. Here are some experienced words of wisdom from the Mouldies.

Helmets
Helmets clean up with a bit of eucalyptus to get off some of the skid marks that build up and the sticky marks left from old stickers.
Foam lining can be aired, deodorised or left to fester.
If you fall and land on your helmet be sure to check for cracks and weaknesses in the helmet. If it seems compromised or take a hard hit, throw it out!

Skates
Toe guards fitted over the front (from toe guard to laces) can save a lot of the stitching on the front of your skates and stop the need for gaffa tape. You can buy them made from leather or vinyl to lace on to the front. But be sure to check out Dee Injuria’s hand knitted toe guards made from a piece of felted knitting 10cmx5cm with holes in the appropriate places to thread through laces and for the toe stopper. If you’re not that crafty cut up an old jumper that’s been shrunk in the wash.
Spare parts for your skates are also a good idea. Outdoor wheels and bearings are obviously better suited to rougher uneven tracks. Vader recommends “buy a second set of lock nuts especially if you are constantly changing your wheels ie outdoor skating. Those nuts have about 6 changes before they lose their integrity and don't grab the thread securely which means loose wheels and eventual wheel falling off whilst skating = not very fun experience!”

Wheels
Wheels and bearings should be separated before cleaning either. What will clean one can ruin the other.
Rebel’s advice
· Do not clean wheels with acetone - it can melt the urethane.
· Do not clean wheels with alcohol - it can dry out the urethane.
· Wheels are best cleaned with nothing more than water or a mild detergent (a bit of dishwashing liquid, is all that's usually required to remove dirt). If there is hard crud stuck on your wheels, Chux magic erasers and scrubbing brushes are really good, but if it's really bad, a bit of steel wool may be needed.
Rowan de Boate warns that “most solvents (acetone, alcohol(inc metho)) damage the polyurethanes used in wheels, and can cause them to de-polymer (turn to goop)”

The floor at the parks is not the best, by now you have flaky bits of crud throughout your gear. Many girls bring old cloths or baby wipes to give their wheels a wipe down before and after practice.
If you’re still slipping around corners after cleaning the wheels, check the tread. You may have worn it out and will need your wheels either re-treaded or replaced.

Bearings
DON’T keep your skates with your pads. After training pads are generally wet and smelly and metal skate bearings can rust quickly! You’ll be replacing your bearings soon otherwise.
More hints from Rebel:
· Do not use WD-40 or similar to clean or lubricate bearings - this is the quickest way to make them sieze up.
· Do not use any water or water-based products to clean bearings - they will rust.
· Bearings are best cleaned in an oil based solution to prevent rusting (white spirits, methylated spirits, kerosene, etc).
Many skaters have found out the wrong way, even though nail polish remover has acetone in it, there are other components that will rust your bearings.

Mouth Guard
Clean it! And clean it regularly. A lot of sports guards can be porous enough to allow bacteria to grow between wearings.
And if you want any extra incentive to clean your mouth guard, then threats of growing oral thrush in your guard should have you running off to drop it in a cup of mouth wash and scrubbing it til it shines.

Pads
There is much discussion on the best way to care for pads.
Some people wash them, some just air them, some hose them down or wait for a rain shower, some cover them in foot deodorizer, and others (you’ll know who by the smell) leave them in the car all week!
Pads have been known to disintegrate in a washing machine, and regular and frequent washing can shorten the life of your pads. However it will also reduce the smell.
Find your own mixture of cleaning routines to match your level of smell tolerance.

But be warned, there’s a reason why they are called ‘Mouldies’!
Grazer: “Washes superstitiously. Before each bout. Like her jockstrap.”
Bessy "Get used to the stink. The harder you train, the more it will stink. Washing is overrated!"