I’ve known that upgrading my cushions would need to happen sooner or later, but after discovering a lot of cushion info during my pusher research, I’m thinking the first thing I need to upgrade actually are my cushions and not my wheels.
From what I’ve read, the stock cushions that come with the She Devils (and most skates for that matter) are rock hard and inflexible. This makes it difficult to get a really proper tightness for your trucks because the stock cushion limits your tightening ability. It also doesn’t allow for all the flexibility that is desired in a good cushion.
The cushions are located on the front and back kingpins of each skate. If a skate uses only one cushion it is known as a “single-action” truck, and if it has two cushions it is called a “double-action.” It goes without saying that for a double action truck you are going to need 4 cushions per skate.
This may be super obvious, but the tightness of the trucks is determined by how tight the nut at the end of the king pin is.
Skate cushions are rated by hardness, much like wheels. They use the durometer number system, with a higher number being a harder cushion, and a lower number being softer. Generally a heavier or less-experienced skater would need a harder cushion, while a lighter or more-experienced skater would want a softer cushion. Once you get past basic necessity of weight and ability, it comes down to personal preference on how soft a cushion you feel comfortable on.
Also like wheels, the color of the cushion is different for each durometer rating.
Not only do cushions vary in hardness, but they also come in two different shapes. The basic style is the regular barrel shape that is round and the same width at both the top and the bottom of the cushion. A style of cushion that is gaining popularity is known as the “conical” cushion. This style is cone-shaped with one end being narrower than the other. This allows for both more flex and for greater angle to be achieved due to the narrower end. Generally the conical cushions are used on the bottom of a double-action truck with the wider end touching the truck. However, there has been much experimentation with the use and placement of conical cushions that has yielded interesting results. I’ll cover this in a later post (when I understand them more).
Many people mix and match cushions of different durometer, with a harder cushion on the top and a softer cushion on the bottom. It is commonly recommended that you get a few sets of different durometers so you can find your ideal setup and so you’ll have softer cushions when/if you decide that you’d like to change your setup over time.
It looks like there are 3 popular kinds of cushions commonly used:
Sure Grip Super Cushions – Probably the cushions I’ve heard the most rave reviews about. They come in 4 hardnesses: Blue 72A, Yellow 79A, Purple 85A, and Red 93A. They are made of urethane and are supposed to be very responsive. The SG Super Cushions are also supposed to be more durable than some other cushions (and, thus, last longer). These cushions also come in both the barrel and conical shapes. Another bonus is they are one of the cheapest cushion options for their quality. You can find them for as low as $5 online for a set of 4 cushions. This makes trying out different durometers more affordable.
Powerdyne Magic Cushions – Another urethane cushion, the Magic Cushions are primarily made to fit Riedell plates but they do make a universal type of cushion that can be used on other models. These cushions come in a Red 78A, Orange 82A, and a Yellow 85A. There are also some purple ones somewhere that are harder than the yellow. They are reviewed pretty highly, but they’re far more expensive than the SG cushions, with a set of 8 running $15.95 each. They also make some conical cushions, but those will cost you more like $20 for a set of 8.
Khiro Cushions – These cushions come in White 73A, Orange 79A, Blue 85A, Red 90A, Yellow 92A, Black 95A, and Purple 98A. I know the least about these. Except in one review it was said that these and the SG are the best two cushions on the market. It seems like Khiro is more for skateboarding, while Powerdyne and SG were created for quad skates specifically. Their variety of durometers is nice. Prices seem to range widely, but the thing to note is that generally Khiros are sold in 2 packs. I’ve seen these cost between $5 and $10 a piece. This would mean for a full set of 8 you’d spend either $20 or $40 depending where you get them from.
Something to keep in mind is that not all of these cushions work for every plate. It is important to do some research to make sure that the cushion fit will be ideal for your skate before you get any.
Well, doing all this research and hearing how much difference good cushions can make, I’m thinking I’ll go with some purple Sure Grip barrel cushions to start with. I may decide to get a set of Purples and set of Yellows to mix and match.
Look for more posts in the future about how to change cushions, how to adjust trucks, and other fun cushion-related topics.
Here are some good links to further your cushion knowledge/research:
Powerdyne Magic Cushions Review
Cushions Explained (Bottom Paragraph)
Eight Wheeled Adventure 