PARK & RECREATIONAL PLATES
Plates that come under this discipline can range depending on the skater. We find that most skaters who skate park like a 10 degree angle, this is due to it placing the skaters weight fully over the kingpin and the cushions giving them more stability which is beneficial for ramp skating.
The price makes a huge difference when it comes to making those hard decisions in life. We would always ask what you're willing to spend before giving out any unwanted advice on a plate that is way out of your budget. Most plates are personal preference to your skating style and what you want to get out of it. Ultimately we want you to make the right choice so you don’t have to fork out another £200-400. So that is why we have written this handy blog to help you make that decision easier.
Powerdyne Reactor Pro
The Reactor Pro is one of our most popular plates for a park setup. With its 10 degree kingpin angle we have found this is perfect for stability and responsiveness when skating ramps. The pro has a slick design made out of high quality 6066 Series Heat Treated Extruded Aircraft Grade Aluminium plus black anodised aluminium trucks. Adjustable toe stop housing allowing for imperial toe stops and plugs. We would usually recommend this for a park/street setup and not roller derby due to the angle of the kingpin, however we have known a lot of skaters who happily use the Pro for derby. Compatible with both CIB Blocks and Grind Trucks as well as Discoblox - Low Rider with added radius kingpin kit.
The pro is priced at £349.95 so is one of the more expensive plates on the market, but it shows in the design and structure - you will definitely get a long life out of this plate.
Powerdyne Reactor Neo
The Reactor Neo is a great choice if you don’t want to stump up for something like the Pro. We would say that it is very similar to the Pro with a 10 degree kingpin angle (great for parks!) and materials used, but with more of a basic design. Unlike the now discontinued Rival plate, the Neo includes lightweight trucks and a click action adjustable kingpin nut, making it easier to adjust your trucks. It also has a rounded front edge design so it is less likely to get damaged if it were to make contact with concrete. It is also has an adjustable toe stop housing allowing for imperial toe stops and plugs. Compatible with both CIB Blocks and Grind Trucks as well as Discoblox - Low Rider with added radius kingpin kit.
The Neo comes in at £219.95. Still slightly more expensive than other aluminium plates out there but will go the distance when it comes to aggressive park skating.
Powerdyne Reactor Fuse
The first of our nylon plates in our blog - the Fuse may be a nylon plate but has more high spec components than you might find in the Thrust (see below). The plate has reinforced fibreglass to help strengthen the plate, but keeping the weight down and the trucks are aluminium with steel rod pivot arms. The Fuse has a 10 degree kingpin angle like the majority of the Powerdyne range, this is great for stability and power especially on ramps. Unlike the Thrust, the Fuse has a toe stop receiver that allows for adjustment with a 5mm allen key, rather than a nut and washer - this ensures the toe stop does not move around. Adjustable toe stop housing allowing for imperial toe stops and plugs. Compatible with both CIB Blocks and Grind Trucks as well as Discoblox - Low Rider with added radius kingpin kit.
The Fuse is priced at £129.95 which is an affordable upgrade plate from a stock plate that may have come with your first pair of skates. This is great if you’re unsure about upgrading to the highest spec plates, but you still want something that is more durable than some of the cheaper nylon plates on the market.
Powerdyne Reactor Thrust
One of the cheapest nylon plates on the market - the Thrust offers great durability for what you’d expect from a low spec plate. This is great if you are learning to skate and are unsure whether you want to spend hundreds of pounds. It has a full nylon plate along with metal trucks and adjustable toe stop locking in with a nut and washer. One thing to bear in mind with the toe stop is that it is known for coming loose, so you have to tighten the nut very very tight! Compatible with both CIB Blocks and Grind Trucks as well as Discoblox.
We tend to offer this plate to those skaters just starting out, or who want to keep the cost of their park/street setup low to begin with. The Thrust is priced at £64.95, so is a very affordable plate just remember you may need to upgrade this if you want to tap into more aggressive park skating.
Roll-Line Variant F
The Variant is primarily an artistic plate, however it can be used for rec skating. We wouldn’t recommend this for park as it is not compatible with Discoblox and CIB slide blocks. It is a great upgrade from nylon to aluminium at an affordable price. The Variant has 7mm axles which means that you would need 7mm bearings as well as adapters to fit most wheels on the market. It also has a metric thread in the toe stop housing, so they are only compatible with Roll-Line toe stops. The Variant F is priced at £134.95.
Sunlite
The nylon plate with a difference! Probably the most lightweight plate out there that many choose for park skating. The cross V bracing design of the plate offers reinforcement along with the steel trucks for durability. Available in pink, blue, green, black, orange, purple, white and yellow. You can choose from either 7mm or 8mm axles and they have a lifetime guarantee.
At the moment manufacturing has been really slow with this plate, and we have really struggled to get hold of some so bear that in mind. As far as we know Sunlite plates are not compatible with CIB blocks, but are fine with Discoblox - Low Rider. The Sunlite is priced at £79.95 and is a really great price for the higher spec components included with the plate.
