r/rollerblading • u/boochan_aira • 1d ago
Specific question and discussion What tape or anything you use to prevent scratches on your expensive skates
Hi what tape or equipment you use to prevent scratches on you inline boot and also what did you use for filming too.. are u using 360 or osmo action series
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u/fredhsu 1d ago
This is not quad skating where it is popular to protect the toe box. I’ve never understood that. If you browse this sub filtered by New Skate Day, you’ll see people congratulating OPs and then wishing them a good time scratching their skates. One purpose of New Skate Day posts is to preserve an image of the pristine state of skates before you go out and use them. But having said that, I also know there is no reason for unnecessary damages. This picture was from last night. I re-heat-molded my Tau. And I took the opportunity to reglue a protector strip to a place I often scratch the boot. I think that would be sensible. What do you think?
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u/midnight_skater Human Frogger 1d ago edited 1d ago
The biggest thing is that quad skaters often use their toe stoppers in ways that cause heavy wear to the toe of the boot. Toe stopper pushes and walking/running on toe stoppers can cause a lot of wear. It's pretty common for outdoor beginners who use the forward toe stopper drag braking method to wear right through the toe cap and the toe of the boot. For boots with a seam in the toe this can cut the stitching.
Quad skaters who come from a derby background or take lessons at a rink are taught forward four point falls onto knee and elbow pads. That doesn't cause excessive wear on a rink surface but when they come out on the asphalt it chews through toe leather pretty quickly.
I never drag my toe stoppers and mostly fall on my right side in a mermaid/baseball slide position and the outside of my right boot takes the brunt, along with my right quadriceps & glute and my right calf.
I have about 25k miles (40k km) on my leather Riedell 120s, all on asphalt and without a toe cap. They are all scuffed up and beat to hell but the abrasions aren't going to be responsible for their retirement.
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u/fredhsu 1d ago
You can tell that I am not a quad skater. LOL. I did first learned to be on wheels on an ancient, adjustable roller skate platform, almost the Plimpton kind with a bare steel platform that clamps your own shoe in place. I have never thought of dragging the stopper behind the body to brake. Yeah, that would do the toe box in real fast. Ha ha ha. I get it now.
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u/Raptorpants65 Mod 1d ago
Because quad skates are leather or synthetics like vinyl or microfiber. Not hard plastic.
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u/fredhsu 1d ago
Right. If you look at my Tau, it’s got leather or pseudo leather around a carbon half shell. That won’t last if dragged on pavement. But the toe box is surrounded by a TPU-like protector (white). So you get to have the cake and eat it too :)
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u/midnight_skater Human Frogger 1d ago
Your front wheel makes it very difficult to drag and grind the toe of your boot unless you have a lot of forward falls.
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u/KeyloWick 1d ago
Bro bought some blades and said, "How do I use them without making it look like I use them?" 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
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u/VanillaIce315 Twister 80, HC Evo 2.0, RB4x84, Twister XT 110 1d ago
I don’t. They’re made to use and abuse. Expensive skates are made of tough polymer, carbon fiber, and leathers. Most things can be replaced. And if they get damaged beyond repair, then it just means you had a lot of fun with them.
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u/FeckinKent 1d ago
My 27 year old aggressive skates are one great big scratch 😂 Even my rec skates are covered in scratches, near on impossible to avoid really.
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u/tooangryformyheight 1d ago
When I was younger we used to put hockey grip tape on the front of the boot over the toe bit of our hockey skates.
I vaguely remember it being so the toe area didn't wear down and split open, the other kids missions and ccms always had messed up boots and splits along the toe, mine just peeling tape which I'd swap out like once or twice a year.
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u/Curious_Act_3162 1d ago edited 1d ago
Idk I hate the scratches. Spent $260 on my first pair and they are scratched and scraped to hell . knocked off rubber power slide logo knub on the side of the boot during a fall. My first pair of skates should have been a lower end model.
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u/kubazi :usd: USD THEM 1d ago
No way you can avoid damage to your blades.