I will begin over the next few weeks with the minimum gear required to try out for the Windy City Rollers: helmet, mouth guard, wrist guards, elbow pads, knee pads, and skates.
Keep in mind that "minimum" here does not mean the cheapest that's out there. Much of the cheapest gear is not suitable for derby, which demands high performance and heavy protection. If you don't know, skating is not exactly an inexpensive pastime; but understandably, you may not want to break the bank before you're sure that derby is for you. These guides present the lowest end options that offer good enough performance and protection to get you started, and then some better options that you'll be happy to shell out the dough for after you're hooked.
There's a lot of information to follow, and it's easy to get overwhelmed or obsessed. Try to keep your head, don't expect your gear to do everything for you, and definitely save yourself some gear to grow into. You're going to change and grow as a skater, and your gear needs will change. And grow, believe me. Also your gear wears out, we're actually required to replace your protective gear at least every season. So you're not getting gear for life, you're getting gear for now. After it's all been said, the best you can do is pick something, try it out, and take it from there...
