Skate bag must haves...

[AliyahSk8]

I believe in being prepared, but not burdened with an over stuffed bag.

What are the must haves for your skating bag?

I have gloves, guards, ibuprofen (getting old:), extra laces, towel, bunga sleeves, jacket, mini- screw driver. Probably a few other things...

What do you have?

[Skittl1321]

Must haves: Skates, Silipos pads, patellar band, gloves, blade cloth, fleece jacket, ice pass card

Nice to haves: Deodorant, Tissues, extra laces (too short, but better than nothing- right?), feminine supplies, screw-driver, guards, pen, notepad, extra pants (I'm terrified of pulling the seam out on my current leggings.  I've lost a few inches of the seam- doused them in fray check, and safety pins, but they are too expensive to replace right now, so I'm still wearing them.)

Also in there: About 40 pairs of socks, since I take my socks off when I put my skates on, but usually don't put them on after skating since my feet are sweaty... then I forget to clean the bag out.

[AliyahSk8]

...of course there are skates in there, too.

[Query]

I keep gloves and boot covers in my jacket pocket.

I try to keep screwdrivers, extra screws, basic sharpening tools, athletic tape. Extra gloves and boot covers in the bag.

Sometimes the ISI Handbook and the USFSA Instructor's Manual and/or test book elements.

A more readable book, if I have to wait for ice.

I don't put skates in bags, not even mesh bags. I let them air out.

But I just bought vintage speed and hockey skates *cheap*. If I can make them fit, they can go in an enlarged bag. 

[Skate@Delaware]

skates, hard guards, soft soakers, hand towel for wiping blades, hand sharpener, "toastie toes" for inside my boots (I have Raynauds and have to keep my toes warm), 2-3 pairs of gloves, program music on cd's, skate patterns on laminated cards, notebook, gel sleeves, Champion Cords, first aid kit, duct tape, money (change for soda machine if blood sugar bottoms out), skating clothes (2 pair of under armour pants, 2 shirts, 1 jacket, headband). My purse (gets stuffed inside when all this comes out) 

Not as much as I used to carry...I've streamlined lately!

[FigureSpins]

Technically, all I need are the skates.  I don't even need the bag.

My major essentials for skating include skates, guards, soakers, trouser socks and a rag.  I bring tissues and a water bottle onto the ice.  There's a skate hook on the outside for when I change out of my skates.  (Use it to loosen the laces.)

I have a screwdriver and screws in my bag, just in case.  A sharpening stone to hone the edges when they start getting dull.  I have a stopwatch in there to time music or do interval training, but it's a leftover from years ago: I've been using my phone timer lately; it works better.

For coaching, I carry a portfolio with my instructors manual, MITF book, competition / test forms and a variety of evaluation forms plus pens, pencils and markers.  A few sheets of seasonal stickers for little kids are usually accessible.  I've been tucking my ipod and headphones in there lately, which makes it easy to find.  At times, I tuck a skating book into the pouch to review.  A few large index cards for choreography notes, and a CD wallet for students' music CDs.  Champion cord knockoffs with clips, a hockey puck for balance drills, and four small rubber duckie-penguins for teaching tots.  Plus extra markers.

However, my bag is always overfilled because I use it as a locker/portable office.  So, I have laces, spin trainer, some money, a first aid kit, Advil, an awl (to start screw holes), insoles w/ scissors, brush & hair accessories, hand sanitizer, extra tissue packs, boot covers, extra gloves, appointment book/receipt wallet, blank notebooks (for students), extra headphones, a small plug-in speaker for my ipod - it's like watching a clown car explode ...



See the little white-and-blue ball at the bottom of the photo?  It's a kids sock filled with silica gel and activated carbon - absorbs moisture and smells, so no problems with rust or stench.

[Kim to the Max]

My skate bag is the source of much teasing around the rink, but who do people go to when they need something?

* Markers - large black sharpies
* Moves in the field book - this has my CDs in it (program, show program, mixed for background music)
* Rule book
* Guards
* 2 pairs of bungas (both are getting old now, but I only wear one on my take off ankle and that was even gone for a while)
* Knee highs
* Hair ties, comb, bobby pins (ONLY for my use)
* 12 pairs of gloves (a friend counted one day! most of them have holes in them and haven't been disposed of yet)
* Soakers
* Spinner
* Aleve and Ibuprofen
* Icy Hot
* Either skating or work clothes depending on where I am in my day
* Spare laces
* Screw driver
* And more!

For the show we had last weekend, I had a separate bag with extra makeup, hairspray, 2 extra combs for doing hair, a hot glue gun and the stuff to make the headbands for my show group, extra rhinestones and the heat tool for those, snacks, etc.

I also carry in with me a water bottle and a box of tissues.

[sarahspins]

Must haves for me.. in my Zuca

Skates
Soakers
Hard Guards
2 Towels
Phillips Screwdriver
Lace hook in case I need help pulling laces (arthritis)
Extra socks
5 pairs of gloves (I think, it's possible I have more)
Hair bands
Hair clips
Knee wrap (I think I currently have 3 in my bag!)
Spare change ($11 and counting...)
Snacks
Emergency Glucose (Juice boxes or tabs, whichever I happen to toss in when I run out)
2 Glucose meters.. one lives in my bag permanently as a back up and the other is my regular meter
2 spare infusion sets for my insulin pump, along with adhesive wipes and medical tape to keep them stuck on if necessary
Video Camera
Suction Cup Tripod
Bunga pads (2 ankles, 2 achilles, and 2 bunion - JUST in case I might need them - but I haven't worn any in a long time)
Folder with MITF patterns (soon to be upgraded to binder)
REI sweater that is super warm


I think that's all that is currently in mine.

[JHarer]

Must haves for me.. in my Zuca

Emergency Glucose (Juice boxes or tabs, whichever I happen to toss in when I run out)
2 Glucose meters.. one lives in my bag permanently as a back up and the other is my regular meter
2 spare infusion sets for my insulin pump, along with adhesive wipes and medical tape to keep them stuck on if necessary

I think that's all that is currently in mine.

OMG Sarah you're Type 1? Me too! That's so cool, our skate bag supplies are like twins or something.

[Bill_S]

In addition to carrying skates in soakers, my bag contains:

-gloves
-hard guards
-a CD case with music
-a few extra dollars
-knee and elbow pads
-punch cards from two rinks
-miscellaneous receipts for punch cards
-tissues
-a small bottle of Aleve

My bag is one of the fitted hockey bags (the "Bauer" logo is silkscreened on the side) so I don't have much room for things.

If I travel beyond my home rink, I also take another small bag - one made for keeping 6-packs cold. It contains a change of clothes and wash cloth, and maybe a bottle of water.

[jumpingbeansmom]

band aids and blister stuff-- extra hair bands, drying towel for blades and an extra pair of skating socks and under armour pants in case my dd forgets after school.

[AliyahSk8]

Wow.  I had forgot to mention my speed rope for warming up and a few other things, but that still doesn't come close to the contents of some of your bags!  Funny thing is, as soon as you take it out of the bag, you will need it-- badly!

[sarahspins]

OMG Sarah you're Type 1? Me too! That's so cool, our skate bag supplies are like twins or something.

Yep.. sometimes I feel like I'm the only one out there too! 

[Isk8NYC]

I know 3 other figure skaters with Type I and insulin pumps.  Monitoring and the insulin pump really do make sports less difficult.
They carried separate bags for their diabetic supplies, though, and they were much younger so parents were always standing by to help.

[sarahspins]

Funny thing is, as soon as you take it out of the bag, you will need it-- badly!

Yep!  That's why my bungas are all still in there... I'd rather carry them and never use them.  I only used them a handful of times when I first got my new boots.  I keep extras of some things because they somehow never make it back into my bag once I use them..like anything that goes in my hair

[AgnesNitt]

I always carry a pair of scissors. I don't use it every session, but when I need it (to cut a bunga pad, or an insole stub or something) it's needed so badly that if I don't have a pair of scissors I can't skate.

[PinkLaces]

Contents of my bag:

skates
soakers
hard guards
towel to dry skates
music CDs
Y adapter chord (one rinks is purpetually missing)
about 4-5 pairs of gloves
screwdriver
waterbottle
2-3 pairs of trouser socks
gel sleeves (don't wear anymore, but if I take out, I will need them)
$5-$10 cash for open skate

[Sierra]

My 'absolutely must have or cannot skate' items are:
-Ibuprofen.
-Bungas & foot thingies (I skated without Bungas once and couldn't do a thing).
-Screwdriver, since my blades seem to like coming loose.
-Freestyle card
-Skates, of course
-Contact quickfix solution if my contacts get cloudy or dry.
-In competition season, my iPod. I never use CDs.


My other things:
-a million pairs of gloves, in black or bright blue, and one pair of cream.
-Guards, rag, soakers.
-Butt pads. I stopped wearing them because I'm not falling as much on the doubles, but sometimes I will come get them if I get sore.
-Assorted receipts, dollar bills, 2-for-1 coupons, tissue packets, foods, and public skate stickers.