Has anyone used Riedell Targas for Roller Derby?

[dschadel]

Hi. I am a newbie to roller derby and I'm thinking about getting a pair of Targas. Although I'm new I don't really want to buy another pair of skates in a year. I would like for these to hold up. Does anyone have any experience with this skate? Suggestions?

Thanks so much,
Debi

[RollerGirl]

Hey Debi,

To be honest, if you buy the Targa skates you will probably want to upgrade them in a year. They are good enough for a beginner roller derby skater but if you really get into it then I guarantee that you will upgrade to a higher end boot.

If you can afford it go for a higher end boot like the Riedell 125, or 265. The 125's are the most widely used and loved boots for roller derby but they are pricier.

Another thing to note is that you can't skate derby with the wheels that come standard on the Targa. You will need to upgrade the wheels to ones that are grippier like the Sure-Grip Fugitive or Radar Tuner or Speed Rays.

Lots of people like to go for a cheaper package to start with, until they are really sure that they are going to stick with roller derby. Then they upgrade and get better boots.

[dschadel]

Well, I already bought them, but I'm ok with it. They're super comfortable to learn on. All of the girls on our newly found team will have to upgrade so I'm not too worried about that. Also, they were on clearance for $65 so you really can't beat that for a beginer skate.

If I can ask, is it just because the wheels are bad or is it something more important that is different like the size?

Thanks,
Debi

[RollerGirl]

Hey Debi,

For $65 you really can't lose

The wheels are the right size for roller derby but they are just too hard. You will find it difficult to maintain control in the corners of the track. For derby it is really important to get the right kind of wheels that have lots of grip.

Most people upgrade to higher end boots because they get better performance out of them. The lower end boots are designed for recreational skating and don't provide the energy transfer needed to play your best at roller derby. With boots like the Targa, you tend to get some shifting of your feet inside your boots. This makes you lose speed, control and causes blisters. They are also heavier than higher end speed boots.

The higher end boots like the 125 or 265 are designed for speed skaters and other track skaters. They are super light weight, fit like a glove and provide amazing energy transfer and control.

I find that entry level skates are good for beginner derby skaters because they don't often appreciate the features of the higher end products. It does mean that they eventually upgrade once they have become better players and are looking to improve their performance.

[Anita Guinness]

I've been skating on Targas since November of last year - 2 months of recreational skating and my first 8 months of derby.
I bought them used from another skater who had bought them and realized they were the wrong size, and pretty much had to replace everything that's easy to replace - toe stops, wheels, bearings, bushings. I also added some SuperFeet insoles for comfort and arch support (you can get those from a hiking store like EMS or REI).

What RollerGirl said about the foot-shifting issues is totally true, and it seems to be getting worse with age. I've also ended up ripping two of the eyelets out through the leather trying to tighten the hell out of them and prevent this, so now they don't tighten at ALL. (I generally have to untie, tighten, and re-tie the laces at least once during every practice.) The other problem I've had is that the laces don't go all the way to the bottom of the toe box, so you can't tighten or loosen the fit in the toes. I got terrible toe cramps until putting in the insoles, and still do sometimes if my feet are swollen from work because I can't loosen the toes. However, that's not a major thing if the skates fit right to begin with.

It's been "time to upgrade" for the past 2 months and I've been putting it off for too long - probably going to try the 265s.