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What are Toe Stops? (and what kind do you need?)
When it comes to roller skating, the often-overlooked toe stop can play a crucial role in your performance and safety. In this guide, we’ll delve into the different types of toe stops available— bolt-on, adjustable, and more—explore their features, and offer tips on how to select the right one for your skates. Whether you’re a seasoned skater or just starting out, understanding toe stops is key to enhancing your skating experience.
Types of Toe Stops
Bolt On Toe Stops
Adjustable Toe Stops
Jam Plugs
How to choose your stopper/ jam plug
Safety Precautions
Additional Tips
Firstly, let’s begin by learning about what toe stops are for.
Toe stops are primarily used for braking. By applying pressure to the toe stops, skaters can slow down or come to a complete stop. Skaters can use the toe stops to push off from a standstill or to gain initial momentum when starting from a stationary position. They can also be used to execute some tricks such as pivots and jumps. In situations where quick direction changes or sudden stops are needed, toe stops provide a reliable point of contact with the ground for emergencies.
Types of Toe Stops
There are 2 main types of toe stops, the first being bolt-on toe stops (5/16”) and the other being adjustable toe stops (5/8”)
Bolt-on | Adjustable |
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Bolt-on Toe Stops
Bolt-on toe stops are commonly found on entry level skates. Bolt-on toe stops have a hole in the centre of the stopper with a bolt going through, the toe stop is then secured to the plate of your roller skate by screwing the toe stop bolt into the plate.
As they wear down, rotating your bolt-on toe stops can help to even out the wear. The downside to Bolt-on stoppers is that they cannot be adjusted, the height of the stopper would be fixed and as they wear down you would need to replace them rather quickly to maintain the height.
If you need new bolt-on toe stops or plugs make sure to hold on to your original bolt as many new bolt-on replacement toe stops don’t come with a bolt.
Adjustable Toe Stops
As the name implies, adjustable toe stops allow you to customise their height to fit your personal preferences. These toe stops typically feature either a washer and nut that help secure them in place or a hex screw on the plate that can be tightened to keep the stopper firmly attached.
Adjustable toe stops come in 2 types of threads; Imperial and Metric thread which we will go deeper into this topic in a later post.
Jam Plugs
Jam Plugs are an alternative to toe stops. They are small, smooth plugs designed to protect the skate plate in the absence of toe stops. They fit into the same mounting holes as toe stops and are secured with a bolt or screw. They are small and allow for better manoeuvrability, ideal for skaters who perform tricks where toe stops might get in the way, such as spins or complex footwork. They also allow some slip and skaters use them to slide across the floor.
How to choose your Stopper
Depending on the style of skating you do, the type of stopper you’ll use may vary. The great news is that many retailers provide detailed specifications and usage guides for each type, making it easier to pick the right one. Here’s some info about the characteristics and how they affect your skating.
- Stem Length
- Shape
- Hardness
- Size
Long/Short Stem:
Long Stem toe stops are typically around 30mm, while Short Stem toe stops measure about 17mm. Our toe stops are 22mm, which offers a good in-between option. This length allows you to screw them in securely but still leaves enough stem length if you prefer them to sit lower. Typically short stem stoppers are preferred for indoor and park skating and long stem stoppers are preferred for outdoor and derby skating. *Short Stem Stoppers are not quite compatible with the plates that use a nut for tightening.
Round/Flat:
Rounded stoppers are great for agility, offering smooth, easy pivots, while flatter stops provide more surface area, making them ideal for quick stops or starts. Typically Stoppers for Derby are flat.
Soft/Firm:
The hardness of your stopper affects its grip on the surface. Softer stoppers provide better grip and more bounce, but may wear down faster on rough surfaces, while harder stoppers offer durability but may be less grippy, especially indoors.
Small/Big/Thickness:
The size of stoppers affect agility, stability, durability and weight. Small toe stops are great for agility and unobtrusive movement, while large toe stops offer enhanced stability, durability, and control. The thickness of the toe stop also affects how close your toe stops sit to the ground/ how high it can sit even with the stem screwed all the way in.
Safety Precautions
- Always ensure toe stops are tightly secured to the plate, and check regularly to avoid them loosening. A toe stop can loosen during the skate session and cause falls.
- Make sure that the stem is screwed at least about 1 cm inserted into the plate to prevent it from falling out/ damaging your plate.
- Check your toe stops for wear regularly and replace if any sort of metal from the bolt is showing as that will affect stopping and damage the floors.
- Learn different ways to stop without using Toe Stops such as the Plow Stop or T Stop in case of any stopper malfunction.
Additional Tips
- Rotating your toe stops helps to even out the wear on the different directions and extend your stoppers life
- Some skaters like to use Loctite threadlocker Blue or plumbing tape to prevent stoppers from loosening
- If your toe stops are too high, a good alternative would be to use them with smaller wheels instead