Every sport has it’s own list of safety equipment and for the long blades we have a lot. Our skates are so sharp you could cut up vegetables to cook for dinner with them. As a result we have an extensitve list of safety equipment!
Most of these you can purchase at a local sporting goods store (Canadian Tire, Ernie’s Sports Experts, Sport Check) while specific will either need to be purchased through a speed skating equipment provider or rented through the club
Please note that for Learn to Skate athletes; all you need is helmet, skates and gloves.
A helmet. Ski/snowboard, hockey, or roller sport helmets are all acceptable. Bike helmets cannot be used because the large vents allow skate blades to pass through.
A neck guard- bib style. The club may have some for rent.
Cut-proof gloves or mittens. Ski mitts or leather gloves are best. Hockey gloves are also acceptable.
Well-fitting, tall socks. Socks that are too short can cause skin irritation and blisters due to friction against the inside of the skates. A cut and puncture resistant anklet must be worn on both legs, covering the legs from the tops of the boots to 10 cm above the tops of the boots.
The rear and front tips of all skate blades must be rounded to a minimum radius of 1cm.
Shatter-resistant clear glasses or a complete visor are required for all skaters. All glasses must be held in place by a strap.
Comfortable, athletic-style long sleeve top and pants. A skin suit is not required at the introductory level. As a skater progresses in the sport and begins to compete at national-level competitions, they will require a skin suit with cut-proof material meeting or exceeding ISU standards.
Knee pads. Soft, volleyball style pads are preferred, although plastic roller sport pads are also acceptable. If possible, plastic pads should be worn underneath the skater’s pants. Hockey knee/shin pads are acceptable, but may limit the skater’s movement. Knee pads that are built-in to a skin suit are also acceptable.
Shin guards. Hard soccer shin guards are best, but hockey knee/shin pads are also acceptable.
We acknowledge that the activites of the Dawson Creek Speed Skating Club takes place in in Treaty 8 territory, the ancestral home of the Beaver, Cree, Saulteau, Sicannie (Sikanni), and Slavey