Derby Plate Buying Guide

By DW Staff | Updated: July

For more information, please visit Alloy Plate.

The plates under your boots play a huge role in how your skates will feel and perform on the track. Finding the right fit for your skating style and budget can be hard but getting it right can make a big impact.

When should you be plate shopping? If you are shopping for complete skates, you'll want to pay close attention to the plates they are using. Whether you are buying a stock package or building a custom setup, the plates will be a key feature to take into consideration. We also recommend considering plates to skaters who need an upgrade to their current skates but have boots that they aren't ready to part with or a budget that has their dream setup out of reach.

In this guide, the DW staff will walk you through the important points to consider when shopping for your next plate upgrade. Continue on to read how to narrow down the field based on:

• Level of Play
• Plate Materials
• Kingpin Angles (also known as "Action")
• Additional Features
• Size
• Mounting

Level of Play

You'll find that each plate on our site is labelled as Recreational, Competitive or Elite. These designations are there to help you find a plate that will stand up to your skating demands while also allowing you to see price appropriate options. Sure, an Arius is going to feel like a Hot Rod to any skater, but we don't feel it is necessary for a Recreational Skater to spend top dollar for bells and whistles they won't take advantage of.

Recreational

For entry-level players playing just for fun, those on a tight budget, or are unsure about their future in roller derby. Plates are economical in price, but may lack performance and durability features of higher-level skates.

Competitive

This player intends to play on a competitive team and/or place more rigorous demands on their equipment. Most players fall into this category. Plates in are an investment and built to be more durable with variations of higher-level components that can affect price. Ok for both beginners (that plan to stick with derby), and advanced level skaters.

Elite

An Elite player may skate for a nationally competitive team, or is simply a bonafide badass. Plates are not "too advanced" for Recreational or Competitive players, but being the highest price with the highest quality of components, Elite players benefit from their built-in performance features where others may not.

Plate Materials

Plates are made of differing materials that will help determine the weight, performance level and feel of your skates. These materials are broken down into Nylon and Metal Alloys.

Nylon

Nylon is less expensive and great for those on a budget. In the past they were known to be weak and flexible. This is still true on very basic low-end models, but modern day nylon plates are reinforced with fiberglass to be durable and strong enough for Recreational play and for lighter Competitive players. They are also lightweight which can help reduce fatigue.

Metal Alloys

This category includes aluminum and magnesium varieties and is highly recommended for Competitive to Elite players. The metal plates can sometimes be heavier than nylon but they are more rigid to provide better power transfer and performance.

Aluminum Alloys

Aluminum alloys have a wide range of grades, with higher end options being lighter and more rigid. Common grades for aluminum are:

• Cast Aluminum - Die and pressed casts, these are typically the heaviest plate options but are economical.
• Aircraft Aluminum - Wide range of middle, Competitive level plates. Can range from aircraft aluminum, extruded aircraft aluminum and lightweight extruded aluminum. Each step up will be lighter and more performance-based.
• 6000- Aluminum - The highest level of aircraft aluminum, these are considered elite and will typically be lighter than nylon plates. You get the best of both worlds, lightweight and high performance!

Magnesium Alloys

Magnesium is another alloy option and is lighter and more rigid than most aluminum alloys (with the exception of some series grades). This makes for a more responsive and durable plate.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of Molybdenum Electrode. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

For more information watch: Plates 101: Materials

Kingpin Angle

Each plate will have a set kingpin angle. Typical kingpin angles will range on a scale from 10-45¡ (degrees). The math for how a kingpin angle is determined can be tricky but when looking at skates the important part to remember is that lower numbers are referred to as smaller angles and higher numbers are larger.

• Smaller angle = more stable, upright skating stance
• Larger angle = more agile, lower skating stance

Kingpin angle is a personal preference based on skating style rather than competition level. Inexperienced skaters may feel more confident on a more stable skate that has a smaller kingpin angle. If unsure, we recommend testing out a few teammates' skates before choosing.

For more information visit: Kingpins 101: Angles

Additional Features

Some plates have advanced features that should be taken into consideration.

Kingpin Adjustment

The type of kingpin nut adjustment is broken down into standard and micro adjustable. This refers to the ease of accurately adjusting the pressure put on your cushions. Micro adjustable kingpin nuts allow for more precise customization to the feel of your skates.

Adjustable Pivot Arms

What are adjustable pivot arms and who should buy them?

Toe Stop Housings

This is the part of the plate that where the toe stop will is placed. There are 3 different types, two of which are suitable for derby: Lock Nut or Cinch Screw.

• Lock Nut - Almost exclusively found on Nylon plates, they feature a metal insert to screw the toe stop directly into the plate. The toe stop is then secured in place with a lock nut and washer using an open-ended wrench.
• Cinch Screw - Preferred toe stop housing for roller derby skates, and is the most secure. The toe stop is screwed into threading integrated into the baseplate, and then the plate is tightened around the stem by hex screw on the plate.

Size

Plate sizing is determined by the brand and model of a plate. For brand-specific information you can click on the "Sizing Chart" button at the bottom of each product description. The best reference for size when replacing a plate is the wheelbase, however, you can also base it off of the Men's Shoe size that corresponds to your boot size.

For more information see: Plate Sizing Guide

Mounting

Mounting hardware is often included but will be noted in the product description under "Hardware Included." This will let you know if the plate comes with mounting hardware and axle nuts. If you do not see these parts listed, be sure to purchase it separately. You can buy mounting hardware and axle nuts here.

Derby Warehouse also does custom mounting! Not ready to drill into your boots yourself? No worries, we'll do it for you! Just use our custom skate builder or contact our staff to get it set up!

For more information visit: Plates 201: Mounts.

Related Information

Thanks. I read the Wikipedia article before, but didn't know if there were any hidden "gotchas" with . For whatever reason, it seems I can actually get cheaper than , so I will probably go with that. But I note that is supposedly harder to "machine" than . I'm not quite sure what falls under the mantra of machining. I would want to drill a couple of holes. I might want to do some very, very minor engraving, too. Those seem like fairly simple tasks, so I'm guessing is OK, but let me know if you think I'm on the safer side going for .

Do you know if I am correct about the thickness of the stock Bottlehead chassis plates? And do you see any downside to using something thicker (e.g., 0.125")? Would 0.125" thick plate be significantly harder to work with in terms of drilling holes, etc?

Thanks for your assistance!

Best regards,
Adam

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