When I go roller skating, having a great skate bag makes it so much easier to make sure I have all the stuff I need in one place. I experimented with different skate bags: a large tote, a crossbody bag, and finally found my skate backpack: my sturdy Baboon to the Moon. And I’d like to preface all of this by saying that this is not a promotional post.
After measuring out my skates, I went with the Go-Bag Mini (32L), and it was perfect. Not only does it fit my roller skates and all my other knick knacks, but it’s also waterproof, sturdy, and not too hulky. While other bags served the purpose fine, totes and crossbody bags (especially with heavy items like roller skates) throw my posture off whenever I travel. Given my mild case of scoliosis, It was important for me to find a skate bag that would distribute weight evenly across my back.
I was torn between Baboon to the Moon and CalPak Terra. The Terra seemed to have more pockets, which I liked, but Baboon to the Moon had colors I liked and seemed more fortified on the outside (it’s waterproof!). Also, Baboon to the Moon does have a large side pocket which can hold a lot of the clutter.
I recognize that Baboon to the Moon is not exactly the cheapest option. I considered a smaller backpack to hold all the essentials while having a skate leash to hold the skates, but I preferred finding a bag that would hold everything in one place so I could throw it in a basket when biking and to protect my skates if it happened to rain.
What goes in my roller skate bag?
1. Roller Skates! (and skate covers)…obviously: The most important items. Measure your skates to make sure they can fit in the bag the way you want them to fit. Also, to keep my skate bag clean, I invested in some machine washable shoe covers! When I see how dirty my wheels get, the skate covers were a no-brainer.
2. Skate socks: This is very important to have especially if you tend to wear ankle socks or rock Birkenstocks (like myself). Nothing more frustrating than getting ready to lace up and realizing you don’t have socks!
3. Skate tool: You never when you might need to tighten/loosen your trucks or your wheels. The Y skate tool can help you in a pinch.
4. Protective gear: When I first purchased roller skates, I went all in and got elbow pads, knee pads, and wrist guards. I started off with the Impala protective set, but I switched over to the Nike Streak Volleyball Dri-Fit Knee Pads because I felt that the Nike knee pads offered more mobility in the knees. Over time, I’ve gotten more comfortable not wearing protective gear, but whenever I’m on uncomfortable terrain (specifically bumpy trails), I like having my wrist guards and knee pads on the ready.
5. Backup laces: I never thought I would need backup laces until I fell on the boardwalk over the summer, and the lace somehow got ripped apart by the eyelets. It was at that point that I wished I had some extra laces to replace my torn ones.
6. Training cones: I haven’t been doing too many drills with cones, but it’s nice to have them handy when I want to make myself frustrated during practice!
7. Toe stops/jamplugs (optional): These are good to have handy and swap out in case you want to switch from dance skating and go trail skating and need that extra emergency break!
8. Wheels (optional): I normally don’t carry an extra set of wheels because I will do some thinking ahead on whether I’m skating on smooth concrete, bumpy concrete, or wood. But there is room in thet bag if I want to lug around an extra set of wheels!
Everything fits in my skate bag. I can grab my skates quickly and feel confident I’m not forgetting anything. And the best part is that it doesn’t feel heavy when I wear it as a backpack.