Why Do Plates Feel Different?
•Posted on August 12 2014
We get SO many people asking us about plates that we thought we'd write up a little description for you. If you have only ever skated on your starter plate (which is usually a nylon one around 16 degrees) the world of plates can seem very confusing!
Like with anything, nothing beats trying something out, and of course everyone has their own preference for the kind of 'feeling' they want when playing roller derby.
Often the difference in a plate can be described by the angle of the kingpin, though changing the cushions or the tightness of the trucks can drastically alter the kind of feeling you get. So keep that in mind! Put very simply, the steeper the angle of the kingpin, the less pressure it takes for the axles to tilt, which is what makes your skates turn. So a really steep angled plate favours sweeping lateral movement, while a stricter angled plate favours efficient forward power transfer, control and precise edge work. Most derby plates range between 10-20 degrees with the 45 degree plates at the extreme end of the scale.
Every plate has it's pros and cons, so it's just a matter of trying something that appeals to you (depending on your strengths and weaknesses) and going from there. It's not unusual to prefer a different feeling from your plates as your style changes and adapts throughout your derby career. Though a plate will never replace good old fashioned hard work and practice, the right plate can absolutely enhance your movements (just as the wrong plate may hamper you from truly reaching your best).
NYLON OR ALUMINIUM?? A nylon plate will flex, which means some of your energy is lost in that absorption compared to an aluminium plate. Aluminium is generally stronger than the materials used in non-aluminium plates.
10 degree Kingpin angle (eg: PowerDyne Reactor, SureGrip Avanti):
This is what we would call a more 'rigid' or 'strict' angle.
People who love this plate like the snappiness of being able to quickly transfer your weight from either side, giving you strong edgework. This kingpin degree originally comes from a speedskating setup, so you also get a lot of power pushing forward.
People who don't like this plate may feel it is a little too 'rigid' or 'stiff' compared to a higher angled kingpin.
These plates are great for Street or Park as they give a really solid, stable feel.
15 or 16 degree Kingpin angle (eg: Pilot Falcon, Hypno Chaos):
This plate is what we would call a good in between mix. We often recommend these degree plates to a skater who is upgrading for the first time who isn't sure about committing one way or the other. This plate will give you the ability to sink into your lateral motion a little more than a ten degree plate. It will still give you good control, really strong ability to push forward and snapback. A good mix of power and strong laterals.
20 degree Kingpin angle (eg: Bont thena, Chaya or Roll Line (ok, Roll Line is usually between 16-18 but due to the large cushions can often feel like a 20)):
These plates are traditionally a 'dance plate'. The higher degree kingpin gives the ability to really sink into your lateral motion in a nice swoopy way. Depending on your setup, you do start to lose a little bit of power pushing forward.
DA45 (eg: Sure Grip's Avenger):
These plates are often referred to as a 45 degree plate however the kingpin is actually around 30 degrees.
As soon as you put these on, a lot of people automatically feel super agile because of the tighter turning circle you get with the higher degree. This can have its ups and downs.
People who love this plate enjoy the swoopy, swervy feeling it can give you.
Those who are not fans would call the feeling 'squirelly' and a little hard to control your super precise edegwork, as well as losing power to push forward.
No Kingpin Plate!
The only one on the market is the PowerDyne Arius plate. A revolutionary new design, it takes out the forward to backward wastefullness of the round cushion by using butterfly shaped cushions that only allow the axles to move side to side, which makes energy transfer a lot more intuitive. With any plate, you can alter it's feeling with the cushions, however with the Arius, this seems to really give you a more personalised feeling. Simply by changing the cushions, you can get a super snappy feeling OR a softer, looser one (yet still retain the snap of being able to change direction quickly).