New to roller, questions

[MarsB 33]

I'm contemplating playing roller to help get my stick handling back after getting back on the ice this past season after 16 years off. The last time I played roller was the early 90's with rollerblades and a mylec ball, so I am definitely out of the loop.

Wheels- I would be playing indoor. I am ~195 lbs, so should I be looking at around 80a durometer? I think the surface is concrete (or whatever is under the ice). I am concerned with grip and stopping (back in the day we had heel brakes :) to assist, will I find 80 too hard?

Shins- I've got some heavy, bombproof pro-stock CCMs that I use for ice. I'm thinking it will be way to hot and more padding than necessary. I use these for DH mountainbiking, way lighter and cooler. No calve protection though. Any thoughts? Was also going to use padded mt bike shorts instard of a girdle, which will probably work out fine.

Full face or cage- I think the league requires them. Is this normal? I am a bit bummed, was looking forward to playing without. I guess I'll suck it up, but seems like overkill.

[Zombies #77 10]

I wouldn't skimp on the shin guards, hockey gear is meant for hockey and mountain bike gear is meant for mountain biking. The puck may be lighter, but can still do damage. One of my team mates had bones in his face broken from an inline puck, so I highly recommend a cage. I have seen guys play without girdles, with girdles, or ice hockey pants, it's all a matter of person preferance. The guys without girdles go home with some nice bruises though. As far as wheels go, I would double check what you are playing on to determine what wheels you are going to need. Hope this helps you.

[romdj 26]

I say go out there and try it all out!if the bike equipment works for you,you might have an advantage on the other guys...

For the wheels,what surfacewill you be playing on? 80 is definitely not too hard if you go lower,they might just be finished in 3 games due to hot surface,the sun and your weight sliding...

I tend to use lacrosse equipment for upper bodysince lax equipment is lighter and more breathable..

For the cage,it might be a pain,but you'll probably be saying thank god once in a while...

[Joker518 0]

The shins depend on the style you play. I block a lot of shots so I wear shins that are only a slight downgrade from my ice gear. I know some guys who play at a pretty competitive level who wear little in the way of shins so you may be able to get away with the biking gear if you're a finesse forward.

If you're playing with inline pucks, be aware that they can do more damage than you think. They're heavy as it is, plus the lighter weight allows guys to put more velocity on the puck. As I said, I'm a shot blocker and even with shins and a decent inline girdle, I get some nasty bruises.

Face protection is your call but the same reasons you want to protect yourself on the ice are the same reasons you'd want to protect yourself on the court. Sticks still fly around unexpectedly and pucks come up out of nowhere.

80a wheels are fine on smooth cement. One thing to keep in mind when it comes to outdoor wheels is that generally the more expensive brands tend to be the most durable. If you plan on playing more than one season, consider spending a little extra.

[MarsB 33]

Awesome, thank you for the feedback! I figure I'll give it a go with the bike armor, if I get too beat up I'll break out my proper shinnys. I haven't played inline with a puck before, so that's good information to know, Joker.

BTW, the shorts are these. They are mesh, padded better than some inline girdles and have pretty good tailbone pro, so they should be fine!

[henryb 4]

My personal experience with concrete floors is that they are very unpredictable! One day they dry and grippy, the very next day, they a coating of cement dust on them and are very slippery. Temperature, barometric pressure, dampness in the atmosphere all have big impacts on those types of floors.

I have found that dual durometer wheels just don't work... the best or rather the most consistent performing wheels are single durometer 78A's, I use Yellow Grippers from Labeda. BTW, dual durometer wheels are ones are use 2 different densities of urethane inside, such Labeda Addictions, Rink Rat Hornets or Revision Variants.

That being said, I have also heard that the Revision Steels work really well to. I am going to be giving those a try this summer.