Hell’s Gear Review: Roll-Line Killer Plates

Any gear review is based on personal experience, including this one! I hope this review will be helpful and serve as a guide. Please remember this review is from my own perspective. My opinion is influenced by my size (height; 5’3” and weight; about 155 lbs.) as well and my skill level (Rose City Rollers Home Team Level Skater, take that as you may). Keep all of this in mind while reading any of my reviews and know that my opinions could change as I change as a skater as well. If my feelings about a product change, I’ll ensure that my updates are clear.

Also, know I am not sponsored by any company. My opinions are my own. All of the gear I will review has been purchased or loaned to me. I have no personal opinions about the companies other than things I’ve personally experienced with them. I am happy to review any and all gear! However, know I am an East Coast kid from Brooklyn and will be honest about how I feel regardless of if it was free or not. I’m straightforward but I am also a gear-head and want to try EVERYTHING!

Plates:

Roll-Line Killer Plates

Nitty Gritty:

-Specifications*- Different angled trucks — The greater inclination (18 degrees) of the front axle allows you to enter turns more easily and with less pressure. The lower inclination (15 degrees) of the back axle improves stability and centering during turns.

Practicality — The unique angled trucks have totally changed my skating. My transitions have become very fluid and comfortable. Turing around is so pleasant. Now I can even turn on one axle, which I’ve never been able to do before. I feel so fancy. I also feel like these plates give me more stability and agility skating backward. It’s much easier to cut into turns backward. I am much faster when skating backward laps, in fact so much more speed that I have thrown myself out at the corners. I have also found that I’m able to dig in more with my heels after a few tweaks. This for me is HUGE as it means I can finally get the edge I need for plow stops.

Specifications — Both 008mm and 007mm are available (even though their site states differently I’ve been told you can get these in 8mm?). Redesigned suspensions in an elastomer with double stage compression, providing an excellent base while preparing for jumping and perfect stability when landing. Click action adjustment system for the trucks.

Practicality — I am borrowing a pair with 007mm axles. You can find higher quality bearings for the 007mm, but you probably won’t notice much of a difference other than the cost. I’d probably suggest going with 8mm for ease and affordability.

I don’t jump a lot (I’m a blocker), but my landings have become smooth. The suspension and the elastomer with double state compression are talking about the way the cushions react to impact. The cushions basically have a two stage stiffness where they react similarly to shock absorbers in a car or like a spring. With the initial impact, the cushions are hard at first and then get softer to buffer the wheel impact and to improve the dynamic performance of the skate overall.

I LOVE the Click action adjustment system!!! To be honest, I thought this was going to be a cheesy gimmick. If you have any plate other than the Arius you know what it’s like to loosen your trucks and then try to guess how far to turn the nut. With these, once you loosen it up a bit you can then use the click action to fine tune the tightness My first go was way too loose and I was very squirrely. I did a few clicks one way and then tried it out. I went too far back, so with just one click and BOOM! As I got used to it I found I could go another click or so looser either with the front or back and if it was ever too much, I knew exactly where to go back to. It is really a blessing. As I mentioned above I have been able to adjust the rear axle a little each week and now really feel GREAT about my edges.

-Specifications — They are ultra-light plates made of special aluminum alloy and the trucks are made with steel axles for strength. You can also get them in light Titanium as an upgrade, but it will cost you.

Practicality — Light is good. If your skates are light, you feel light. Really that’s all I have for you on weight when it comes to skates. When you start on heavier skates and switch to a lighter set, well you understand what weight really means. It’s like you can do so much more. If you have heavy plates look for something lighter. Will lighter equipment make you an all-star; no you still need to put in the work. However, lighter skates will help with that fast agility work and make your legs hate you a bit less while you’re working towards that goal ;)

What they come with — Being that I’m borrowing these, I snagged my information from a few websites. They come with the plates (2), Professional wrenches kit, toe stops (Ambra super professional), Clear Blue-Medium cushions. They come in sizes from 135–180 (increasing in increments of 5).

Questions people want to know:

- How Easy are they to adjust? — For me, pretty darn easy! The Click Action adjustment system makes adjusting the trucks a breeze! All you need to have is an allen wrench to loosen the locking nut and a wrench to loosen the click action nut. Then you’re good to go. Changing out the cushions is just as easy. (I will try to put up a video of breaking these down later.)

- How easy to fix or find parts? (Do they break often if so what breaks?)- I have not heard of parts on these breaking often. Thing is, I also haven’t heard of a ton of people skating on them. Roll-line is known for high quality on their top line plates so I will assume these would be pretty good. Cushions are easy to come by and pretty reasonably priced. You can get a full set (8 cushions) for between $20 and $40 depending on where you go.

- How reliable is the company? Will it take forever to get them? — Roll-Line is one of the oldest skate companies around. However, most skate shops don’t stock these yet, so it could take some times. This is probably because of the cost and because they aren’t as popular (yet?) as other plates.

- What is the break in time? — This will depend on the person! I personally have found that after tweaking the trucks a bit I got use to them relatively fast, somewhere within a couple of practices. I haven’t fully gotten my plow on my left side but I blame myself more than I do the plates. Personally, I feel like it’s a short break in with these, I really liked them right away, which is rare for me and new plates. I’ve been trying them for about two months and though I’m still making small adjustments I’d say it took me about two weeks to feel pretty comfortable in them. Edit — I wrote this a few weeks ago and since then have gotten new wheels and tweaked the left truck some more. I am now getting a really good edge on my left side! Which I would say I’ve never had. The thing with plates in my opinion and how you work your edges has a lot to do with the angle of your trucks. A few more clicks each week and finally they feel just perfect.

- What was used to make the product? — These plates were made via CNC cutting. They were designed by making a hybrid of the DB12 and the Matrix plate. So a high-level artistic plate and a pretty well-known derby plate. Roll-line asked for feedback from top derby athletes they sponsor and came up with the Killer plate.

- Who Endorses it? — Bonnie Thunders (team USA/Gotham), OMG (team USA/Gotham), Trauma(team USA/Gotham), Melanie Pfister(team USA), Second Hand Smoke(team USA), Master Blaster(team Germany), Kosmic Bruise (team France), Miss Tea Maven (Gotham), etc. There are more but this would get pretty long you can see their testimonials on the Roll-line page here http://rollerderby.roll-line.it/product/killer-titanium/

- What is the advantage of it vs. something else? — I would say the advantage here is the different angle of the trucks. Not many plates offer these angles; they definitely provide an advantage with their stability with the ease of transitions and tight cuts. The high quality of Roll-line would probably be the other advantage. They have been in the business of making plates for a long time and make some of the best skate equipment out there. It will probably hold up better than any other comparably priced plates.

- What about the price? — This is a high end and expensive plate. If you are just starting derby, I wouldn’t suggest them. Once you are fully addicted to playing this sport, then go for it, but until then wait. I have seen this plate range between $300-$500 US. My suggestion to anyone interested in this plate is, search around!

*Specifications are taken from the Roll-Line site for the Killer Plates — http://rollerderby.roll-line.it/product/killer-titanium/