Whats Inside Your Skating Bag?

[katieskater]

Whats inside your skating bag?

[littlerain]

if you take a look at the thread about zuca bags, alot of people posted what they put inside their bags...

But in mine, usually I have:
- hard guards
- 2-3 pairs of gloves (though only 1 right now, i think - i keep leaving them places)
- soakers (sometimes 2 pair, i have no idea why)
- a small notebook (for taking notes) and pen
- those mondor knee high sock things, for when i don't wear tights (pants!)
- bottle of water

my bag's not very big or organized lol. i've always wanted a zuca, but i think that's just the little kid in me. I dont' think i skate enough to warrant getting one

[FlyAndCrash]

Umm...

Right now -
two pairs of tights and two skirts (all dirty...)
two pairs of soakers
two pairs of hard guards
four or five pairs of gloves
all my previous music
a little cash
a drying cloth
my skates
paper and pens
water bottle
old bills
gel sheeves (that I never use...)

Sometimes -
shorts
socks
jacket/zip-up

Stuff I should also have...
jump rope

[smelltheice]

Ok this varies a bit but usually goes something like this.....

hard guards (rarely used!!)
soakers
skate rag
spare t-shirts
spare socks
deodorant (I don't smell bad honest!!)
Diary (to keep track of lessons etc)
cheque book (its the only place that still accepts them!!)
ipod
pen
small amount of cash
tissues
my medication (anti histamines)
leatherman (multitool)
antiseptic cream
baseball cap (Don't ask cos I don't know why!!)

Thats about it apart from the obvious!!

[AgnesNitt]

Skates
gaurds
two pairs of soakers
3 pairs of gloves
wrist protectors
elbow protectors
lace bite pads
old wristbands from previous skating sessions
Scissors to cut wristbands that apparently are made of bullet proof untearable steel impregnated fiber and can't be torn off
Moleskin, blister packs, foam circles,
Two pairs of back up knee highs
iFlip camera
assorted change and dollar bills
THE WORLDS BEST BLADE TOWELS--go to the local Dollar Store and buy a microfiber towel for cleaning--it absorbs more water faster than anything else.

[Mrs Redboots]

Main compartment:
Skates, in soakers and covers.
guards.
towel to stand on while changing.
micro-fibre cloth to wipe skates with.
Water bottle (when en route to rink)

Side compartment:
Free Dance and Variation music in double-CD case.
Pink zip cosmetics bag containing screwdriver, spare screws, spare laces, SkateMate and sharpening stone.
Red zip cosmetics bag with a broken zip containing MP3 player and spare batteries.
Cream zip cosmetics bag with arnica, emery board, eyedrops, Rescue Remedy, lavender and peppermint essential oils, blister plasters.
Glasses case with reading-glasses.
Hand sterilising gel
Small bottle contact lens fluid
Gloves
Boot-covers (when en route to rink)
Green Baggalini which contains my keys and mobile when I don't take a purse, and in which I leave my watch and bangle while skating.

[FSWer]

For me as a Learn to Skate Skater. I have hard gaurds,my gloves,and I put a towel in when I go to the Rink.

[TiggerTooSkates]

I just cleaned this out last night - I have a Zuca and stick all sorts of stuff in the pockets - it's actually a bit disgraceful...

Outside zipper pockets:

My practice notebook
A nice, big laminated card my coach made for me with the Basic Eights and the Freestyle levels on it
About ten receipts for freestyle ice sessions and coaching lessons
Two packs of gum
A net bag I put my hard guards in and hang on the handle of the Zuca
A spare pair of skating knee socks
Two Walmart receipts (????)
My cell phone (I did know that was there)
An extra car key (I'm paranoid about car keys)

Tiny outside zipper pockets:

Five dollars in ones and change (!!!)

Outside net pockets:

Another pack of gum (!!)
My gloves
My hard guards (which makes me wonder about the net bag)
A water bottle
The towel I dry my blades and skates off with
Two more receipts that are so old I can't read them anymore
My jacket

Inside:
Skates with soakers
Stinkies (which were in the skates)
A booklet I picked up at the Factory Ice House - why, I don't know
A pair of emergency gloves that I only wear if I forget my nicer ones
My Bunga box, which I cannot live (or SKATE, for that matter!) without
Boot covers balled up in the corner

In the velcro pockets on what I call the "door" of the Zuca:
Two (empty!) gum wrappers
A $5 bill (!!)
Two pens and, for some reason, a gum eraser (no clue what that's about)
A fat Sharpie pen
Three of those grippy barrettes and an extra ponytail elastic

Hooked on the outside is the cute little hard case I found for my Shuffle.


You'd think the bag belonged to a 12 year old and not a 35 year old.:mrgreen: Why do I have all this change and all this gum, and yet I can never find any of it when I need it? I had ten bucks in that bag, and yet I made DH buy me coffee and water the other day at the rink because I said I had no money. OOOPS!

Please know that I am NOT this disorganized anywhere else....:yum::oops: Those of you that know I'm an RN are probably a bit concerned!

[Muskoka Skater]

In my skate bag is:

skates
rag
skate covers
my flashing skate guards
my solo music
my artistic music
10hair elastics
a small hair brush
extra tights
stuffed animals that have fallen off my beg
water bottle
lip chap
$10

[Helen88]

Skates :)
Hard guards
Soakers
Three (?) pairs of boot covers in various colours that I never wear
Leg warmers
Blade cloth
Notebook
Hair band
Mirror
Lip balm
Pen
Plasters (band aids or whatever they're called :P)

And a few crumpled up receipts :roll:

[Query]

As I guy, I have a bit less than some.

Skates
Gloves
boot covers
(sometimes) rink schedules
(sometimes) paper and pen or pencils

My bag is a $20-$30 department store backpack. Well padded, very convenient to carry onto metro, lots of pockets and works just fine.

By now I hope everyone knows skates only belong in bags during brief transport, like on a bus or train so as not to scare the other passengers into thinking you are a crazy person with sharp blades. Based on what I've been told by many people, if they stay inside for longer without airing out, they will rot or decompose and last several times less long than they should.

[ibreakhearts66]

Haha my bag is a mess.
-About 3 pairs of hard guards (1 pair doesn't fit, the 2nd pair I use, the 3rd pair is there because someone gave them to me to mix with my second pair)
-12 or so gloves (only one or two actual pairs)
-Soakers
-Towel
-A dirty shirt (or two, or three...)
-My skates
-My coaching jacket
-My FS music
-Hair brush
-Old admission stickers that I never actually wore (shhhhhh)
-Screwdriver (I think...somewhere...)
-Nerds (they fell out of the giant box I got and they now coat the bottom of my bag--every now and then I find one in my skate)

I'm sure there's more. My bag fits a lot of junk. Its a puma soccer backpack left over from my club soccer days.

[Morgail]

Somehow all of this fits into my little Transpack:

-skates
-soakers
-hard guards
-practice notebook
-loose pages of dance patterns and MITF patterns
-USFSA membership renewal & club membership renewal that I thought I'd lost and ended up getting new ones (guess I could throw those away now)
-Silver Moves passing certificate (yay!)
-4 pairs of gloves (that need washing...ew)
-Bunga skater's kit
-2 towels - one nice one from Rainbo, one ancient orange one that dates to my mother's first apartment in 1968
-blister pads
-band-aids
-iPod
-iPod armband
-hair rubber bands
-headband
-bobby pins
-program music CD
-deodorant (useful when rushing to work immediately after skating)
-big fuzzy headband that covers my ears in winter
-2 knee braces - one flimsy, one sturdy
-trade card for a missed club session
-testing session schedule from June

What I need:
-screwdriver for that pesky screw that keeps coming loose on my right skate
-hairbrush
-chapstick
-a pair of thin socks for when I forget to bring them
-dance patterns for Fiesta Tango and Swing


I think the last time we had this thread, I was using a duffel bag I'd had since I was a kid. There were lesson notes and competition info from the early '90s still hiding out in that bag!

[Rusty Blades]

I travel light:
Skates
hard guards
soakers
skating clothes
towels (for blades)
tissue (for nose)
gloves
hair band
notebook
band aides (one boot chaffs my ankle if I don't protect it)

and the only other thing I have is a BIG travel mug for coffee!

[katz in boots]

I'ave had a big cleanout recently when I bought my wheely duffel bag. When I pack to go to the rink, new bag contains:

skates,
hard guards
soakers
boot covers
microfibre towel for wiping blades and/or sweat
tissues
drink bottle

small separate bag inside which holds:
gel sleeves,
cycling fingerless gloves,
long sleeve fingerless gloves
skate tape
spare stockings
spare laces
screwdriver
screws

And a separate pocket holds a clipboard with skate school test requirements (for when I judge/coach), notebook & pen, dance patterns.

Damn, it sounds like a lot, but it really is all very compact, honestly!

[Gina10179202]

Skates
Green Soakers (No hard guards until I get some money :()
Cloth for wiping blades
Wrist Bandage
Phone
iPod
Video Camera
Spare coins rattling around.
A plastic folder with my SkateUK passport, NISA card and NISA test application forms (which I need to fill out, still.)
School English Book (for catching up on homework due the next day.)
A blade guard keyring.
Screwdriver-My blades are ALWAYS coming loose.

No gloves, I HATE wearing gloves on the ice.

[Mrs Redboots]

As I guy, I have a bit less than some.

Skates
Gloves
boot covers
(sometimes) rink schedules
(sometimes) paper and pen or pencils

No blade guards? No soakers? No small towel to dry your blades with after skating?

Based on what I've been told by many people, if they stay inside for longer without airing out, they will rot or decompose and last several times less long than they should.

Well, my last pair of skates lasted for eight years before they needed replaced; my present pair is still going very strong indeed at three years old.

[Skittl1321]

I just cleaned mine out! I have a Jansport bag that has 2 main compartments... it's my backpack from high school!

Clipped to the outside:
Jump ring with index cards of bronze moves and dutch waltz on them, color coded- purple for moves, green for dances
NY Key Ring a young girl I skate with gave me after her vacation

Inside:
-Skates in terry cloth soakers
-hard guards that only get used for synchro competitions
-Cloth microfiber that I got from a shell gas station to wipe blades clean
-1 pair of gloves
-2 knee straps to help prevent tendonitis on bad days
-deodorant
-fleece jacket
-leggings
-2 silipos gel ankle sleeves
-tissues

I'm currently trying to decide if I should sew on my ISI FS2/3 patches (I didn't get one for FS1) and my USFS PB MITF/Free patches or if that's dorky...

[RoaringSkates]

Oh, boy. I have:
- my skates
- soakers, purple
- hard guards, bright pink
- black skating socks, dirty
- two pairs gloves: one light pink, one hot pink w. black stripes
- extra pair of laces, tangled up at bottom of bag
- a few random bandages for just in case
- two chapsticks: one new, and one empty which should be thrown away but hasn't yet been
- pen
- checkbook
- my skating book, where I keep notes from lessons, phone numbers of coaches and etc.
- a cloth to wipe my skates
- another cloth to wipe my skates (why I have two, I don't know)
- various papers - schedules from rinks and etc.
- coins
- bunga ankle sleeves
- my cell phone
- a card from my old skating coach
- some gummies (candy)

I normally also keep my water bottle in the side pocket, but it bit the dust last week and now needs replacing. My IPod is also normally in there, but I took it out for recharging. It's my spare IPod, and only has ice dance music on it. It's very ice-dance-geeky.

[TiggerTooSkates]

The good thing about this thread is it inspired me to organize my Zuca.:D

Now I'm interested to see just how long it lasts...;)

[Amandaskategirl]

Let's see:

- Skates w/ soakers on them
- blade chamois
- bunga pads! These are a must! I cannot skate without them unless I want my ankles to be destroyed.
- skipping robe
- gloves
- tissues
- arnica
- paracetamol
- plasters and compeed
- deotrant
- hand sanitiser
- hand cream - for me, applying is a post skating must!
- hair grips, hair ties, hair brush
- spare contact lenses
- list of things to practice
- lip balm, sometimes other make up
- leg warmers
- golf ball
- screwdriver

Stuff I add on the day:
- leggings
- over the boot tights
- another pair of tights if it is cold. Yes, I sometimes wear two pairs of tights plus leggings! Not in the summer though.
- spare socks
- t-shirt
- hoody
- water
- more tissues because I like using these rather than the emergency ones I have in my bag for the days i forget

[aussieskater]

..far too much stuff....here goes :oops: ...

I use a standard cheap wheelie bag a bit bigger (and when I've filled it, a lot heavier) than you'd be allowed for cabin baggage.

Main compartment:

- skates, guards, soakers, skate rag
- tissues
- coffee mug
- jacket, spare zip-off pants and gloves (I rarely wear them but when you need them, you really need them!)
- lavender and rice skate warmers in winter (yes, I admit it. I'm a wimp. I hate cold feet)
- spare knee-hi's
- soft knee pads
- sewing kit
- ziplock bag with skate tape (black and white - I keep some for DH), diamond-edge tiny rasp etc
- another ziplock bag with bandaids, paper (surgical) tape, headache tablets etc
- large pencil case with my "ears" - MP3, FM transmitter, radio receiver and two pairs of headphones (earbuds for DH and over-ears for me)
- locker key safety-pinned to the inside so I don't forget to bring it.

In zip-up compartment inside lid:

- chapstick
- spare tights in new packet
- spare laces in ziplock bag
- spare screws in tiny envelope
- spare batteries for various bits of "ears"
- small amount of cash

In front outside pocket:

- ziplock bag with synchro finance information (I'm treasurer)
- another ziplock bag with dance patterns
- another ziplock bag with random information in it (seeing a pattern here yet??)
- spiral notebook and pen (not in a ziplock bag!)

I have noticed that over the course of say 2 months, I or a friend will use everything in the bag at least once (except the new tights and laces - yet!), and in many cases I (or the friend who has borrowed the "whatever" from me) has been pathetically glad I had it, so there's nothing I'd really be prepared to ditch from the bag. I'll just keep complaining how heavy it is!

[kimberley801]

Too much junk! Just like my purse!

I use a sports bag I got from a work employee appreciation week. Nothing too special.

Main compartment:
Skates *with smell-good shoe deoderizer balls...mmmm minty fresh*
Soakers with an American flag pattern
Teal hard guards
Small towel
Public skate schedules from the past three months
USFSA Basic skills handbook
Notebook with pen for notes
2 additional pairs of Dr. Scholls insoles that I don't use anymore
2 pairs of socks
2 pairs of gloves
Old receipts

Side pocket #1
Moleskin for any blisters that appear
Headband

Side pocket #2
public skate pass

[jcookie1982]

Figure skates
Blade soakers
Boot covers
hoodie
towel
my daughter's pullover
socks
a bunch of old skating receipts and registration papers

[Query]

No blade guards? No soakers? No small towel to dry your blades with after skating?

Yes on soakers.

No on towel - soakers let water evaporate pretty fast.

I sometimes add supplies for skate repair and mod, band aids, and a book for long metro rides.


>Based on what I've been told by many people,
>if they stay inside for longer without airing out,
>they will rot or decompose and last several times
>less long than they should.

Well, my last pair of skates lasted for eight years before they needed replaced; my present pair is still going very strong indeed at three years old.

That's interesting. I've heard stories from reliable sources of inline and old (leather) hockey skates rotting in a month or so, and of ice figure skates rotting in 6 - 24 months.

It must have to do with how much you personally sweat in your boots, and maybe whether you wear socks to absorb some of the moisture. Maybe your bag is also somewhat "breathable" to moisture, or it gets aired out at home? Or do you do other things to prevent rot, like oiling your boots or doing something else to dry them?

[Skittl1321]

That's interesting. I've heard stories from reliable sources of inline and old (leather) hockey skates rotting in a month or so, and of ice figure skates rotting in 6 - 24 months.

It must have to do with how much you personally sweat in your boots, and maybe whether you wear socks to absorb some of the moisture. Maybe your bag is also somewhat "breathable" to moisture, or it gets aired out at home? Or do you do other things to prevent rot, like oiling your boots or doing something else to dry them?

I think rotting at that rate has to be the exception and not the rule. I've never seen shoes go bad that fast. I keep my bag zipped at home (it's a backpack, no mesh)- I skate barefoot, and sweat quite a bit. My skates are often still wet if I skate a session a few hours later in the day. I don't take any precautions to care for my boots other than to keep them out of the car to prevent the heat molding from being undone, or from turning into frozen bricks in the winter. I'm much more worried about my blades. They are 6 months old now, and I'm the 4th owner (and judging by when I took my blades off the previous owner didn't even waterproof the soles, which i've since done), making the boots about 3-4 years old, and they certainly aren't breaking down or rotting.

I'm suprised you aren't getting rust on your blades if you aren't wiping them down before putting them on soakers- is the humidty high where you live? My old blades showed rust even when I was wiping them off well, our humidty is very high, and I figured that was part of the problem.

[fsk8r]

I don't take any precautions to care for my boots other than to keep them out of the car to prevent the heat molding from being undone, or from turning into frozen bricks in the winter.

Interesting - I like putting the boots in the car on a warm day because it means I can have them remolded when I put them on! But they only go into the car when I'm about to skate, but that does mean they sometimes sit there all day when I've got to go to work first and they're pretty miserable to wear when it does get cold in winter.

[Skittl1321]

Interesting - I like putting the boots in the car on a warm day because it means I can have them remolded when I put them on! But they only go into the car when I'm about to skate, but that does mean they sometimes sit there all day when I've got to go to work first and they're pretty miserable to wear when it does get cold in winter.

Well I usually chat for 15-30 minutes when I get to the rink before I put the skates on, so I worry they will have heated up in the car enough that it messed up the molding but aren't warm enough that they are remoldable.

On very cold winter days I do put heated bean bags into my skates, but they aren't hot enough to affect the molding. Since I skate barefoot- cold skates are just a sure sign I'll lose feeling in my feet within the first 10 minutes.

[Mrs Redboots]

Yes on soakers.

No on towel - soakers let water evaporate pretty fast.

Nevertheless, you should dry them before you put the soakers on, or you do risk rust spots on your blade. I find they happen all too easily if one is not absolutely rigorous.

That's interesting. I've heard stories from reliable sources of inline and old (leather) hockey skates rotting in a month or so, and of ice figure skates rotting in 6 - 24 months.They must have been pretty poor quality, then. Some figure skaters' boots don't last more than a year, but that is usually either because they are growing or they have broken them down through constant practice and jumping. Free skaters' boots don't last as long as dancers' boots because of all the jumping.

It must have to do with how much you personally sweat in your boots, and maybe whether you wear socks to absorb some of the moisture. Maybe your bag is also somewhat "breathable" to moisture, or it gets aired out at home? Or do you do other things to prevent rot, like oiling your boots or doing something else to dry them?

Obviously I polish my boots regularly, as I do all leather shoes. Doesn't everybody?

[samba]

Obviously I polish my boots regularly, as I do all leather shoes. Doesn't everybody?

Polish? what's polish?8O

[Thin-Ice]

Polish? what's polish?8O

Uhm... isn't that a type of frankfurter? Usually served with mustard and a large pickle?:yum:

[Query]

>[Mrs Redboots]Nevertheless, you should dry them
>before you put the soakers on, or you do risk
>rust spots on your blade. I find they happen all
>too easily if one is not absolutely rigorous.

Could that be because you store them in a bag?

I guess getting rid of the moisture on the blade would help preserve the leather too, given that they are stored in a bag.

>>[Me] I've heard stories from reliable sources of inline
>>and old (leather) hockey skates rotting in a
>>month or so, and of ice figure skates rotting
>>in 6 - 24 months.

>[Mrs Redboots] They must have been pretty
>poor quality, then.

The opposite, in most cases.

The hockey boots were worn by pros who were given top end boots for free. But pros use skates hard, and broke them in by wearing them into a hot tub.

The stuff about inlines was told me by a very knowledgeable speed skating coach who ran a skate shop. Some of the stuff about hockey and figure skate boot life was said to me by him too, as well as other boot shop managers.

The 2 year old rotted figure skates were upper level boots used by a coach who said her feet sweated a lot, plus she kept the skates in a bag, which she left in the trunk of her car.

I don't know why people see such different results with boots, or how it is possible for them to come to such different conclusions. There must be many factors.

[Mrs Redboots]

The 2 year old rotted figure skates were upper level boots used by a coach who said her feet sweated a lot, plus she kept the skates in a bag, which she left in the trunk of her car. And, of course, coaches are wearing their boots for 6-8 hours a day, quite often, and taking them on and off to give their feet a break.

I don't know why people see such different results with boots, or how it is possible for them to come to such different conclusions. There must be many factors.Masses. Guy at our rink has had his boots for ten years and is only now replacing them because the insides are perishing - from the outside, they still look fine.

[samba]

Masses. Guy at our rink has had his boots for ten years and is only now replacing them because the insides are perishing - from the outside, they still look fine.

As with me also, although towards the end I painted them with gloss paint for the last 3 years (I wouldnt recommend it though) but people would ask if I had got new boots.