Skate Protection & Helmets

What protection do you need for skating?

In rough order of how often it saves you:

• Helmet — non-negotiable, and the one piece that protects against the most serious injury. A certified skate helmet, not a fashion lookalike.
• Wrist guards — the most valuable pad for beginners, since falls are usually hands-first and wrist fractures are the most common skateboarding injury. A splint plate spreads the impact.
• Knee pads — essential for transition, bowl and vert, where hard-cap pads let you knee-slide out of failed drop-ins safely.
• Elbow pads — protect against side-fall scrapes and impacts, valuable for beginners and ramp skating.

For learning, a helmet plus a knee, elbow and wrist set is the sensible starting point, and buying a set is usually cheaper than buying each piece separately.

What certification should a skate helmet have?

Look for ASTM F1492, the skate-specific standard that tests for the repeated lower-velocity impacts of skating, or CPSC dual-certification. Every helmet we stock is certified, and we do not sell uncertified fashion helmets, which offer minimal real protection. A certified helmet is cheap insurance against the one injury you cannot undo.

How should protective gear fit?

Snug and secure, staying put when you move without cutting off circulation. A helmet should sit level, two fingers above the eyebrows, and not rock when you shake your head. Pads should stay in position through the straps, since gear that slides does not protect you. Kids sizing matters especially, so size to the child rather than buying big to grow into, and come in and we will fit you or your kid properly.

Hard-cap or soft pads?

Hard-cap knee and elbow pads (ProTec, Triple 8, 187) have a plastic shell that lets you slide on impact and take repeated hits, which is what you want for ramp and bowl skating. Soft pads are lower profile and fine for casual street and cruising. Match the pad to how you skate.

Which protection brands do you carry?

ProTec and Triple 8 are the long-standing benchmarks for skate helmets and pads, 187 Killer Pads is the premium choice popular in bowl and vert, and TSG and Thousand round out helmets and sets. All make certified, quality protection for kids and adults.

Buying skate protection in Australia

Helmets, wrist guards, pads and full sets for all ages, free shipping on orders over $90, and same and next-day dispatch from our Richmond flagship store. Come in and we will fit you properly, because protection only works if it fits.

Skateboard Helmets · Protective Pads · Wrist Guards · Kids Skateboards · Snowboard Protection