Roller Derby Toe Stops Buying Advice

Roller derby toe stops, just like EVERYTHING to do with derby, is down to personal preference.ﾠ

Luckily, it's not as broad or expensive as wheels, so you can't go horrendously wrong, as longﾠas you have some basic knowledge.

Adjustable or screw?

This one's easy, because only one is going to fit on your skate's plate anyway. If your toe stopﾠhas a screw that runs through the middle, you will only be able to use other screw-in toe stops.ﾠ

The majority of skates made for derby will have an adjustable toe stop, which attaches to theﾠplate with a nut, rather than needing a screwdriver. Adjustable toe stops include Gumball, Crazy Big Bloc or Lil Bloc, Bionic and Riedell Moonwalker.ﾠ

Flat or round?

Toe stops are either flat, or more of a rounded shape. The original Gumball and Moonwalkerﾠstops are both slightly rounded. Bearing in mind that toe stops are rarely used to actually STOPﾠduring derby play (more for running into a speed start, juking and general agility), the aim is toﾠfeel balanced on the stop, not just drag it along the ground. A rounded toe stop can give moreﾠroom to maneuver, as you can lean into the stop as little or as much as you need to. A flat toeﾠstop, therefore, gives you a very even surface where you can feel stable.ﾠ

Long or short?

Whether you want a long or short stem toeﾭstop will depend on where you like your toe stops toﾠsit. Some people like them long, some people like them short, there's no benchmark. If you'reﾠnot quite sure, it's advisable to opt for a long stem, so you can at least play around with lengthsﾠa little more.