Hiya. I was wondering if anyone would be able to help me, I am a Product Design Student and my current project is to re-design a bag to hold/tranport ice skates. Its ment to be aimed at males and females aged 16-24 either recreational or semi-professional skaters. I have a couple of questions so if you could answer them that would be great! Oh and if you dont fit in the catogory it doesnt matter - every opinion counts! Thanks!

Name
Age
Occupation
How many times a week do you skate?
Do you own your own skates?
Do you have a bag for your skates?
Other than skates, what other equipment do you take with you when you go skating? eg gloves, spare socks, spare laces etc

Ive also heard you shouldnt keep skates in a bag because its bad for them is this true?

Id really appreciate any replys you can give me and look forward to reading them, thanks again!

Name "Clarice"
Age 48Occupation Musician
How many times a week do you skate? 6
Do you own your own skates? yes
Do you have a bag for your skates? yes - I currently use a Transpack
Other than skates, what other equipment do you take with you when you go skating? eg gloves, spare socks, spare laces etc Gloves, big furry mittens, hard guards, soakers (on my blades), CD case, towel to dry blades, jazz shoes, knee pads that I never wear, a couple sets of Champion cords, extra laces, Mondor knee socks, and Bunga pads. Sometimes I jam in extra clothes, too.
Ive also heard you shouldnt keep skates in a bag because its bad for them is this true?
It's not good to keep skates enclosed in a bag with no air circulation. If they don't get a chance to dry out, the leather will deteriorate. One of the things I like about my Transpack is that the compartments that hold my boots have mesh inserts so air can circulate freely all the time.

There is an existing thread about this - check it out for more info.

Name: Isk8NYC
Age: Female, mid-forties
Occupation: Skating coach, IT specialist
How many times a week do you skate? 6-9 times/wk, about an hour each time.
Do you own your own skates? Yes, two pairs.
Do you have a bag for your skates? Yes, a expandable rolling sportsbag with three main compartments.

Other than skates, what other equipment do you take with you when you go skating?
What DON'T I take is a better question. Here goes:
Gloves, laces, pantyhose socks, reference books, appt. book, lesson/practice notebook, skate hook/lanyard, sharpening stone, rubber blade guards, terrycloth blade soakers, sockball filled with silica and lavender, drying chamois, CD's/Cassettes for self and students, CD player with stereo connection cables, iPod with headphones and splitter cable, spare change, jump rope, Champion Cords. Not to mention pens, pencils, washable markers, bandaids, ibuprofen, and screwdrivers. Plus, a whole bunch of other junk that has to be there or it gets lost and some things that are just for fun. (Like the Coca-Cola thermometer on the outside keyhook.)

I've also heard you shouldnt keep skates in a bag because it's bad for them. Is this true?
You have to dry your skates really well, put the cloth soakers on the blades, then let them air out. I never zipper my bag fully closed to allow air circulation. It's like a gym bag - if there's no ventilation, everything will start to smell, including your skates.

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Name: Emberchyld
Age: 28
Occupation: Mechanical Engineer (I design spinal instruments and implants)
How many times a week do you skate?: Uhm, depends on the week. 2-3 times, sometimes more
Do you own your own skates?: Yes
Do you have a bag for your skates?: Yes-- I have a saddlebag for my skates and basic skating essentials and a separate duffel for any clothes, extra pads, etc, that I might need
Other than skates, what other equipment do you take with you when you go skating? eg gloves, spare socks, spare laces etc:
Saddlebag: skates, hard guards, one fuzzy soaker, one piggie soaker, kneepads, elbow pads, 2 pairs gloves, cloth to dry my skates, a million fabric softener sheets (to stuff in my smelly skates), cash, and papers (in a side pocket). The gloves and drying cloth are clipped onto the bag with a caribiner clip-- I'm probably going to do the same with my hard guards.
Duffel: wrist guards, butt pad (for falling), skating tights, skating skirt(s), fleece pants, tank top, t-shirt, and either a fleece or a hoodie.

I have two bags because:
a) a little skate bag is the most convenient for a public session-- I can easily toss it in a locker, on top of the lockers, at the side of the rink. It's great for unfamilar rinks.
b) I keep my skates with me in my car so that I can skate at any opportunity-- my car is small and it's nice not to have to lug a big bag everywhere.
c) I can easily bring the duffel inside and replace anything dirty with clean clothes
d) it keeps my clothes and (sometimes) food very separate from my rather stinky skates and dirty hard guards

Now, if you could design a bag that broke into two components for wierdoes like me.... oooooohhhhh

Ive also heard you shouldnt keep skates in a bag because its bad for them is this true?

Like everyone said above. IMHO, my skates smell bad enough as it is, no need to encourage that any further....

Name Tre
Age 22
Occupation Law Student
How many times a week do you skate? 5-6
Do you own your own skates?Yep
Do you have a bag for your skates? Yes, it's a carry on size rolling suitcase (in a really pretty light purple )
Other than skates, what other equipment do you take with you when you go skating? eg gloves, spare socks, spare laces etc 3-4 pairs of gloves, kleenex, hard guards, soakers, music, water bottle(s), snack, towels, leg warmers, extra sweater/sweatshirt. At competition, I have more (spare tights, etc.)

Ive also heard you shouldnt keep skates in a bag because its bad for them is this true?
Like it's been said before, you have to dry them well and put soakers on them. As soon as I get home, I open my bag and pull the tongues forward to let my skates get plenty of air and dry out so they don't get moldy.

Just as a side note, many of the bags that are made for skaters (transpacks, Zuca bags, etc.) are made mostly for skaters with average size feet. I wear a size 12 women's shoe. My skates don't actually fit into those types of bags if I want to carry all of the other stuff I need.

__________________
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Name Ice Dancer

Age 25

Occupation Administrator

How many times a week do you skate? 2

Do you own your own skates? Yes

Do you have a bag for your skates? Yes. It is actually an old beach bag, it is round and tall if that makes sense, with an inside pocket and I find it works really well.

Other than skates, what other equipment do you take with you when you go skating? I have two towels (one at the bottom of the bag and one to put between the skates to stop them knocking when travelling. This one doubles up as a blade wiper after sessions), gloves, tissues, pen, water bottle, guards, sockers (although these are usually on the skates) and I bung my shoes in it when I am at the rink!

Ive also heard you shouldnt keep skates in a bag because its bad for them is this true? Mine come out as soon as I get home and dry out on one of the towels in the bag. Between lessons they live in the box that they came in with the lid open so they can air.

Name Sue
Age 21
Occupation Substitute teacher, soon to be med student
How many times a week do you skate? Depends on the week, usually 2x, sometimes more, sometimes not at all
Do you own your own skates? yep
Do you have a bag for your skates? I use a regular duffel
Other than skates, what other equipment do you take with you when you go skating? eg gloves, spare socks, spare laces etc gloves, tights, extra pants, extra zip up shirts, extra laces, water, snacks, hair brush, hair tie, usually a change of clothes for after, tylenol, bandiads, asthma inhaler, pens, socks, bunga pads, soakers, hard guards, iPod mini, other random stuff

Ive also heard you shouldnt keep skates in a bag because its bad for them is this true? yea, like everyone else said, you want the skates to dry out so the leather doesn't get ruined

Name Mrs Redboots

Age 53

Occupation None

How many times a week do you skate? Usually 4

Do you own your own skates? Yes

Do you have a bag for your skates? Yes

Other than skates, what other equipment do you take with you when you go skating? eg gloves, spare socks, spare laces etc
In with my skates go blade guards, soakers and the fabric bags my skates live in, a towel to protect my feet, and a towel to dry my blades, plus water bottle, banana and cereal bar. And sometimes a spectacle case with my contact-lens case inside and my contact-lens fluid.

In the pocket on the side of the bag go boot covers; gloves; spare laces; emergency socks; skate sharpener; small screwdriver; reading glasses in their case; tissues and a little bag containing Rescue Remedy, arnica cream, wipes, blister plasters, essential oils of peppermint and lavender, eyedrops, a bunion pad and a nail file. Which doesn't actually take up nearly as much room as it sounds as though it does!

Ive also heard you shouldnt keep skates in a bag because its bad for them is this true?
They say, but I always do.

__________________
Mrs Redboots
~~~~~~~~
I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

Comments about the Transpack. Mine are big enough not only for my figure skates (Mens size 8.5), but for my in-line 5-wheel speedskates (LONG wheelbase).

The reason I don't use it as much as I could is that it doesn't fit easily into the cubbyhole style lockers at rinks. With the skates out it obviously does bend enough to fit into a locker, but it has wire structural suports in it that make doing this a bit cumbersome (and I don't want to hurt the bag).

Little things I'd change on the transpack (in priority order): add a hip-belt to help support the weight, add reflective material on it for the safety of those who roller-skate or bike-ride at night, add a zippable OUTSIDE compartment for money and keys or ipod that's easilly accessible. Otherwise it's a really good bag, and I'd look to it for design ideas. If you want your bag to be dual use (ice-skates and roller), make sure to have enough room inside for a bike helmet, or have straps outside that you can clip the helmet to (Transpacks have both these features).

Features that are good about the transpack: open mesh for the skates, allowing them to dry. Inside compartment seperate from skates, so that wet skates/guards don't mess up whatever's inside (like books or food). It's backpack style, allowing it to be used for roller-skating or biking to the rink. The design also marks you as a skater when you have one (which I like) but others might prefer to be less conspicuous.

OH and the alternative, that I use when I go to rinks with small lockers, is a canvas tote bag, with the skates stacked one on top of each other (one with blade down, one with blade up). Very compact, easy to navigate in subways or stores with it. A tote/messenger bag design, with expandable compartments for skates, and a seperate compartment for things that you don't want to get wet would be a novel and I think viable design. If using this, there should be a way to secure the skates so they stay stacked properly and don't shift around and make things bulkier than needed.

You know those smallish triangular boot bags, with a zipped pocket on the side ... why, oh why, does no-one make them with an additional deep (one inch deep) squarish pocket on the heel end between the heel and the bootstrap? This would make an ideal place to store CDs (which are the wrong shape for the side pocket).

It occurs to me that this thread might get more responses in the "On Ice: Skaters" folder - I only saw it quite by chance.

__________________
Mrs Redboots
~~~~~~~~
I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

Name Anna
Age teen
Occupation school
How many times a week do you skate? 3 to 4 days about 10 to 12 hours
Do you own your own skates? yes
Do you have a bag for your skates? yes transpack
Other than skates, what other equipment do you take with you when you go skating? eg gloves, spare socks, spare laces etc? I have extra water bottels, 3 pairs of gloves (I hate skating with wet gloves ) chap stick, spare laces, spair socks, sports tape, band aids, extra money, extra hair bands, hair spray, music, extra skirt and stockings, towel to dry skates, sokies, extra blade protectors.

Ive also heard you shouldnt keep skates in a bag because its bad for them is this true?
Yes!!! You should let your skates air dry. The bag I currently have has a seprate compartment for each boot that hangs on the outside of the bag made of mesh. The only thing is that you have to carrie it on your back

**** I like the bag that I currently have but I think it would be a lot better if there were exrta pockets in the inside and on the outside. I think that it would be better if you could roll it or out it on your back. (some times it gets VERY heavy) I paid about $50 for my bag I think that something a little bit more afforadable would be the best!!

link to bag info:
http://www.shopping.com/xPC-Transpac...ges.google.com

__________________
What Nourishes Me Destroys Me

I use a Zuca bag (www.zuca.com), although I wish it was a little larger so that it held a change of clothes and a warm up jacket (not one or the other). I am able to carry the usual - skates, several pairs of gloves, CD case, notebook, checkbook, phone, guards, small first-aid kit (band aids, chapstick), gel pads, etc.

I would LOVE to have one that has mesh fabric for airflow though - at least on the back or the bottom or something. Yes, you're not supposed to keep skates closed in a bag - it's better if they get a chance to dry out. I found a mesh-sided duffle bag (meant for scuba divers), but it doesn't have wheels.

-Sara, age 43, I skate 5-6 days a week

Name - Cath.
Age - 37
Occupation - Part time computer programmer, part time mum
How many times a week do you skate? 2
Do you own your own skates? Yes
Do you have a bag for your skates? Yes
Other than skates, what other equipment do you take with you when you go skating? eg gloves, spare socks, spare laces etc

Gloves, soakers, bladeguards

Ive also heard you shouldnt keep skates in a bag because its bad for them is this true?

I've heard it is. I always leave mine in it, but I don't zip it up.

My daughter uses the padded case from a computer (a mini-tower case designed to be taken between locations). It's a cuboid shape, about 1' long and 6" square, and the whole top surface zips open to give easy access. It's ideal because it has a reinforced end pocket specifically designed to take CDs. It would be too small for adult size skates, but holds her skates+soakers+bladeguards. It's ideal for her because almost every skater at our rink has the exact same bag, and it's dead easy to pick up the wrong one.

Name: Mika
Age: 31
Occupation: Editor/manager
How many times a week do you skate? 3-4 times (approx 4-6 hours)
Do you own your own skates? yes
Do you have a bag for your skates? I have this bag by Samsonite. I like it because I can use it as a carryon bag when I'm traveling. Also, the price was good--I got it on sale. I also liked that it was smaller than a lot of other wheeled suitcases--when going to the rink, I didn't want something too huge--just enough for my skates and a change of clothes and other stuff. I like that it has lots of different-sized pockets in the small front compartment, including several that zipper, plus a fob to attach keys to. The main compartment has two zippered pockets and it has straps to wrap around the luggage to hold it in place. It also has a stretchy elastic web on the front that you can stuff a rolled towel or blanket into. I don't ever use the shoulder strap--I took it off. The one thing I dislike about it is that it is so wide (especially when I have something in the side pouch) that it is hard to get through doors sometimes. I live in the city and when I'm walking home with my skate bag, I'm constantly on the lookout to make sure I don't accidentally roll through dog poop on the sidewalk, as I imagine cleaning up the mess would be a pain.

I've had this bag for approximately 3.5 years. Before that, I just used a duffel bag, but it was killing my shoulder and I needed small luggage for a summer trip at the time.

Other than skates, what other equipment do you take with you when you go skating?
Guards
Towel for wiping blades
Skating skirt
Tote bag containing change of clothes and running shoes if I'm coming from work
Knee and ankle pads
Theraband
CD and tape of program music
Screwdriver for skates
Pens
Hand warmers
Foot spray
Hand sanitizer
Gloves
Fleece jacket
Extra pairs of laces
Kleenex
Water bottle
Bottle of nail polish for stopping runs/holes in tights
Sewing kit
Breath mints
Chewing gum
Spare change
Punch card for skating sessions
Cheat sheet I made myself showing lesson cost in various increments (15, 20, 25, 30, 35 mins. etc.) for ease of calculating what to write on my checks
Sports tape and blister pads
Bandaids
Tennis ball (for massaging foot muscles)
Spare pair of tights
And the most nerdy, a handwritten diagram showing the FO paragraph three figure. I've never done figures (and may not have a chance to ever), but I saw a diagram of this figure once and copied it down. The one push thing for a paragraph figure boggles my mind!

Edited to add: And yes, all this stuff fits. I have to pack my skates, shoes, guards/towel, and clothes all a certain way, but it all does fit.

Ive also heard you shouldnt keep skates in a bag because its bad for them is this true? When I leave the rink, I pull my insoles out of my skates. When I get home, I dry the skates and insoles by a fan, then put them in the closet on top of my bag rather than closing them inside my bag. In really hot or cold weather, I usually bring my skates in to the office with me instead of leaving them in my car all day long.

__________________
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Name: Jazzpants
Age: 39
Occupation: Software Engineer
How many times a week do you skate? About 7-8 hrs/wk. Probably could do a little more time, but hey, I *AM* an adult skater and I do have a full-time gig to pay for this stuff, off-ice training (gym) to do, a hubby to spend time with, friends to spend time with... too much stuff going on!!!
Do you own your own skates? Yes
Do you have a bag for your skates? Yes. It's just a simple backpack that's a cheaper line of the JanSport backpack line bag. I would like my next bag to have wheels, since it's hard on my shoulders to carry stuff. But I also have concerns about fitting stuff into the cubbyhole-sized lockers! (I've noticed now that there are a few skaters at my rink using the ZUCA suitcases too! It's nice but...)

Other than skates, what other equipment do you take with you when you go skating? gloves, spare laces, butt and knee pads (though I don't use them much, I like keeping them on hand, in case I need them), glove pads (which I DO use often... I doubt my coaches would have a problem with me protecting my hands and wrists at least... I need them for work!!!), music, tissues, sometimes wallet, keys, change for lockers, towels for blades, soakers, blade guards, ball gel cushion for the boots, pen (for writing checks...)

I think we've had enough comments about taking the skates out of the bag (or at least leaving the skate bag open at least to air out the skates.) My guess for that question is b/c the OP wants to know if just having a mesh opening would be good enough. Me personally, I don't like mesh! I like my bags very strong and very well-contructed and lasts a long time. Mesh is easier to rip apart. And I think in the end most people just open the bag or just open the skate bag (which is what I do... along with wiping the boots and blades very dry before putting the soakers on.)

__________________
Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

Name: Casey
Age: 26
Occupation: Software Development
How many times a week do you skate? 5+
Do you own your own skates? Yep.
Do you have a bag for your skates? I have 2 - one is a larger laptop bag - I can fit one skate in each side and just the basics like gloves, walking softguards, ipod... the other is a long rolling bag with a pull-out handle and one giant compartment for everything, and one smaller pocket on the front. I use it when I want to tote along all of my skating-related gear at once and know I have everything I could possibly need, plus with the space I can wrap my skates in towels and still fit them and everything else in.
Other than skates, what other equipment do you take with you when you go skating? Variety of guards, spare laces, bandaids, ipod, headphones, wires for plugging ipod into various rink music systems, a pile of gloves, a lace puller thingy, towel(s), pads, extra socks, and sometimes a spare set of clothes.

My dream bag:

- Wearable comfortably as a backpack for when I bike to the rink.
- Wheels and pull-out handle for when I'm just walking in and out.
- GOOD wheels (i.e. rollerblade wheels, the larger the better). Not some small hard plastic cheap crap.
- Durable enough to repeatedly pull over curbs without denting up the channel for the slide-out handle thus making it not work right.
- Solid rubber bottom so that it can stand up on it's own, and sit in a puddle of an inch or two of water without getting soaked.
- One of those wraparound zippers like you see on some luggage to expand the pack a few inches when you're toting an extra lot of stuff around, but can be zipped up to make it smaller when you're not.
- Lots of compartments and small pockets of various sizes (CD-size pocket, smaller pockets for ipods/cell phones (both inside and out), larger inside pockets for stuff like several sets of gloves and spare laces, bigger thin sleeve for papers and folders.
- Zippers on every pocket. No velcro.
- If it has some ventilation, I want to be able to close it up so it's sealed watertight when I'm biking in the rain. Would be happy if it didn't have any mesh/ventilation.
- Size options to allow for adult men's size feet (so many things don't fit our skate sizes...)
- Leather would be really really nice (and can be waterproofed easily enough).
- Metal rings here and there so I can clip random stuff on.
- Size within airplane carry-on limits when in compact zipped-up position (but barely because I want room ), but also strong enough to be checked if they decide to make me.

If you could make a bag that satisfied all those desires, I would pay a lot for it.

I wouldn't leave my skates in any bag even if it were ventilated. It's just for transport...

__________________
Casey Allen Shobe | http://casey.shobe.info
"What matters is not experience per se but 'effortful study'."
"At first, dreams seem impossible, then improbable, and eventually inevitable" ~ Christopher Reeve

I think I've seen some wheelie backpacks that are on the larger side, so they might fit a pair of skates plus other stuff but could still be worn as a backpack. I think it was either Jansport or L.L. Bean. Not sure which. (My friends who have nonwheelie L.L. Bean backpacks rave about how spacious they are and the lifetime guarantee on the construction.)

__________________
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Name: Sabina
Age: 44
Occupation: Psychotherapist private practice
How many times per week do you skate: 4-5 days a week
Do you own your own skates: Yes
Do you have a bag for your skates: Yes, I also use a larger carry on type luggage bag with wheels. It has the the extra space possible expanding type. I agree that the wheel type is important and that it not be cheap.
I like that my bad has extra pockets for little things.

Other than skates, what other equipment do you take with you when you go skating: My list is similar to the others that have posted...crash pads, guards, tissue, money, extra fleece jacket just in case, knee pads, wrist guards, ipod, bandaids, ballet slippers, and towels.

I think the Zuca cases are very popular at my rink with the kids and look cool. They look too small for all I take to the rink with me. I do not put my bag in a locker while skating. No one ever takes it and I just store it under a bench.

Name
Age 26 y/o
Occupation Occupational Therapist
How many times a week do you skate? 3-4x/week
Do you own your own skates? yes
Do you have a bag for your skates? yes, I use a wheelie, I bought it for around $25, I like it, it works fine for me. I used to use a bag that is uses for rollerblades but it was a shoulder bag and was hurting my shoulder, the wheelie is much better on the body-not that much strain and it has more room.
Other than skates, what other equipment do you take with you when you go skating? eg gloves, spare socks, spare laces etc

spare socks, 3 pairs of gloves, s/t an extra pair of tights, tissues, skate guards and soakers, towel to wipe my skates, bottle of water, snack, pocket change,

Ive also heard you shouldnt keep skates in a bag because its bad for them is this true?

i just use my wheelie for transportation, when I get home I leave them out to air dry until I skate again.

Id really appreciate any replys you can give me and look forward to reading them, thanks again![/QUOTE]

Great project keep us updated on your design!!

Very interesting! I don't fit in your category, but love to provide mine.

Name : Luna
Age: 38
Occupation: Software engineer
How many times a week do you skate? 2-3 times.
Do you own your own skates? yes, 4 pairs.
Do you have a bag for your skates? Yes. Water-proof tote bag with a zipper. But I rarely zip it.

Other than skates, what other equipment do you take with you when you go skating? 3 pairs of gloves, 4 pairs of coolmax socks, blade guards, soakers, bandages, Arnica gel and tablets, packet-size tissues, MIF and dance patterns, towels for drying blades, water bottle, mp3 player and earphones, hair pins/nets/rubber bands, notepad, CDs, umbrella, boot covers, skate tapes, elbow/knee pads. Oh, my shoulder. I didn't know my little bag can eat so much...

Ive also heard you shouldnt keep skates in a bag because its bad for them is this true? Very true. I always take them out when I get home. My skates have a special place at home.

Ditto here. I leave my cell phone and wallet in the car, only taking in enough money for the session or my punch card, and maybe a couple extra dollars for a drink or video games during ice cuts (I keep beating the high score on Pac-Man at one rink, and Ms. Pac-Man at another ). Theivery seems to be very uncommon at ice rinks, and seriously, who's gonna plot to get at my spare used blade guards and hole-ridden gloves with all those expensive shoes lying around?

(Insider information, at least at one rink, the employees make fun of the people who actually pay to use the lockers amongst themselves. Hehe...I don't know what the usual thing is, but here they charge $0.75 every time to open the locker. Errrrm? I could understand a dime or quarter maybe...but for that even if I had something valuable I'd just slap on my guards and run it out to the car. There's nothing worse than paying to stuff all your stuff in the locker, then realizing you forgot to take your gloves out of your bag, and having to pay again just to get them...)

__________________
Casey Allen Shobe | http://casey.shobe.info
"What matters is not experience per se but 'effortful study'."
"At first, dreams seem impossible, then improbable, and eventually inevitable" ~ Christopher Reeve

Oddly enough- the only thing I have ever had stolen from me at a rink was my blade guards, off the wall by the entrance to the rink- not at my current rink, but as a child.

Now, I actually leave my keys and wallet (with just a DL, insurance, and CC in it, I never have cash, but the wallet is actually rather nice) in my skate bag, but at the bottom. I figure it doesn't help to leave them in the car, because I need the CC to pay, and would like to have some sort of identification near my stuff if something happens. I figure the rink people see me enough that they could *maybe* figure out which bag is mine.

Name :
Age: 25
Occupation: Test development/ editor
How many times a week do you skate? 2-3 times.
Do you own your own skates? yes
Do you have a bag for your skates? Yes. A medium one of these http://www.landsend.com/cd/fp/prod/0...82898452118980
I keep my skates, my lesson binder, a towel, deodorant, a small thing of tissues, soakers, gloves, and some band aids. My skates stay in it when I go home but they aren't the top of the line skates, so I'm probably not as careful as some people, but the bag is completely open, and I don't skate everyday, so they do dry out.

__________________
-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

I leave valuables at home or locked up in my car and my bag on the side of the rink, not in the lobby. I've never had a problem, but I know others that have been robbed. Our skating director takes her purse on the ice with her rather than leave it in her office. Even if she locks the door, there's no guarantee someone won't open it to use the copy machine and forget to lock it again.

I used to teach a Wed morning group lesson for moms&tots - 11am. One of the ladies' wallet was taken from her bag during the lesson. No one saw anything, but the wallet (without $$, credit cards and metro card) was found out back in a trash pail by the maintenance guy. The Transit Authority was able to track the Metrocard usage and it basically fingered the maintenance guy since it was used that afternoon in his neighborhood. He never showed up again for work.

__________________

Sadly, at two of the rinks I skate at, I've already seen it happen to two adult skaters.... neither of them had their money or cell phones in their bags, but car keys, shoes, and the hassle of having to replace all of the little necessities that populated their bags made the entire experience a nightmare (going to your car barefoot or in skates with guards is no joke, either).

I don't usually use a locker, but my bag is small enough to throw into an inobtrusive corner, toss on top of lockers, or carry onto the ice and into the penalty box if I don't feel comfortable with the crowd milling around the rink.

Usually, the people who take bags do it because they expect to find some cash or valuables in them. Personally, I think that it would be smarter for them to them go through my bag, take my $2 and change, and leave the bag, but thieves are stupid.