Speed Skating Gear: Clap Skates, Cut-Resistant Suits, Helmets and Neck Guards

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A speed skater’s bag is a strange mix. Long, gleaming blades in soft covers. A skinsuit that looks like a superhero costume but is woven with cut-resistant fibers. A smooth, round helmet with nothing sticking out to catch a blade, a neck guard, white gloves, shin guards, clear glasses, and a sharpening jig that comes out the night before a meet. The right speed skating gear keeps you fast and, in short track, keeps sharp steel away from skin. This guide covers skates (clap skates for long track, short track skates and inline speed skates), cut-resistant suits and gloves, helmets that meet the ISU rules, neck guards, blade care and the recovery gear skaters use after training.

Prices change often. The prices below are what we saw at the maker or a major retailer in October 2026; check the current price before you buy.

Our top picks

Long track skates: why clap skates

Long track skaters use clap skates. The blade is attached to the boot by a spring-loaded hinge near the front, so as the skater pushes, the heel lifts while the whole blade keeps gliding on the ice, then snaps back with the “clap” the skates are named for. In a study of ten elite skaters, clap skates raised skating speed by about 5% compared with conventional fixed blades, because the push-off ends more effectively. The ISU’s equipment rule allows a boot that can move relative to the blade as long as all the energy comes from the skater; heating blades is banned.

Long track skates are usually bought as a boot plus a blade. Bont’s entry-level Long Track Jet boot (about $99, stock limited) has a heat-moldable carbon composite base and comes in standard, narrow and wide fits. For blades, the Bont M3 clap blade (about $249) uses 58 Rockwell steel that the maker calls easy to sharpen and not too brittle; it arrives unsharpened. The Cádomotus NSX-III is a step-up clap blade sold in half-inch lengths from 14 to 17.5 inches. Check the mounting before you buy: Bont notes that US blades mount at 165 mm, and boots and blades must match. A coach or pro shop should help set blade position.

See the Bont M3 clap blade at Bont

Short track skates

Short track skates have fixed blades and a supportive boot for the tight corners. The ISU requires short track blades to have closed tubes, ends rounded to at least a 10 mm radius, and to be fixed to the boot at two points or more with no moving parts. The Bont Short Track Two Puresprint package (about $449) pairs a heat-moldable carbon-composite boot with Puresprint blades, a sensible first own pair once a skater outgrows club loaners. Bont also sells boots and blades separately for skaters who want to fine-tune.

See the Bont Short Track Two package at Bont

Inline speed skates

On wheels, a low-cut racing boot and a long frame do the job of the blade. The Bont GT4 (about $350 on Amazon) has a heat-moldable carbon composite boot, an aluminum frame, 85A wheels (100 mm in sizes 3.5 to 7, 110 mm from 7.5 up) and ABEC5 bearings. Bont sizing differs from US shoe sizes, so measure your foot in millimeters and use the chart. The Uniq Q8 (about $295) uses a 4 x 110 mm frame with 165 mm mounting that can also take short track ice blades. For pads and helmets on wheels, see our roller skating gear page.

Check the Bont GT4 price on Amazon

Helmets that meet the ISU rules

For short track, ISU Rule 288 requires a safety helmet that meets the current ASTM standard for short track (or another ISU-approved standard), with a regular shape and no protrusions. In long track, the ISU allows helmets in individual races and, at ISU events, accepts only helmets approved by the ISU. A short track helmet is round and smooth, so it can’t catch on a blade or a pad. Fit it snug and level, and buckle the strap every time.

For kids and smaller heads, the LAND Glacier youth short track helmet (about $95) is listed as tested to ASTM F1849-23 and F1446-20, with an EPS liner and an adjustable fit system. For adults, the Cádomotus Alpha-3 is, per the maker, approved to ASTM F1849-07, compliant with ISU short track rules and EN 1078 for cycling, with wire-covered vents. Bont’s short track helmet (about $109) comes in S/M (54–58 cm) and M/L (58–62 cm). Keep in mind that a 2024 review found two studies in which short track helmets performed poorly next to other sports’ helmets: replace any helmet after a hard crash.

Check the LAND Glacier helmet price on Amazon

Cut-resistant suits, gloves and neck guards

US Speedskating requires every member to wear full-body cut-resistant protection in short track, either as a cut-resistant skinsuit or as separate cut-resistant underwear under a regular suit. For 2025-26 the minimums are a Level 3 suit and gloves at selection races and a Level 2 suit at Age Group Nationals, with Level 2 highly recommended at club and regional meets. Suits are sold mainly through speed skating specialty shops; look for the cut level on the label and buy for the level your meets require.

• Gloves: required, and mostly white at ISU events and US selection races. Bont’s short track gloves (about $20) are rated level 4 cut resistance by the maker and come in six sizes; Bont also sells carbon fingertips to protect the glove where it touches the ice.
• Neck guards: must be cut-resistant and cover the whole neck. The Bauer NLP21 (about $20) is a thin collar in youth (10–14 in) and senior (13.5–17 in) sizes; the Shock Doctor neck guard (about $17) is a BNQ-certified gaiter with an aramid-fiber core. Both are made for hockey, so check that the one you choose covers the full neck.
• Shin guards and knee pads: short track requires shin protection and padded or hard-shell knee protection; in long track they’re allowed inside the suit.
• Eye protection: shatter-resistant glasses or a full visor; a strap is recommended.

Check the Bauer NLP21 neck guard price on Amazon

Blade care and sharpening

Many speed skaters learn to sharpen their own blades in a jig, a clamp that holds both blades level while you work them with a stone. The Bont sharpening jig (about $339) works for short and long track blades, is made of aluminum, weighs 1.91 kg and comes with two leveling plates. Ask your coach to show you the technique before you try. Between sessions, dry the blades, use soft covers such as Bont blade soakers (about $23) for storage, and use guards when walking off the ice.

Check the Bont sharpening jig price on Amazon

Speed skating gear compared

Product	What it’s for	Key detail	About
Bont M3 clap blade	Long track	Entry-level clap, 58 Rockwell steel	$249
Bont Short Track Two package	Short track	Boot and Puresprint blades	$449
Bont GT4	Inline racing	100 or 110 mm wheels by size	$350
LAND Glacier youth helmet	Short track, kids	Tested to ASTM F1849-23	$95
Cádomotus Alpha-3	Short and long track	ASTM F1849-07, ISU compliant (maker)	see maker
Bauer NLP21	Neck protection	Youth and senior sizes	$20
Bont cut-resistant gloves	Hand protection	Level 4 (maker), 6 sizes	$20
Bont sharpening jig	Blade care	Short and long track blades	$339
SPRI Slide Board	Dryland training	71 x 20 in, booties included	$49

Dryland and recovery gear

Off the ice, a SPRI slide board (about $49, 71 by 20 inches with booties) lets you practice the sideways push in the skating position at home; see our speed skating training page. After hard sessions, quads, glutes and the lower back feel the crouch. Many skaters use a foam roller like the TriggerPoint GRID 1.0 (about $40), compression boots such as Normatec Go (about $379), a small massage gun like the Theragun Mini (about $220), and soft OOFOS OOahh slides (about $60) for feet coming out of stiff boots. These are comfort tools, not treatment. Compare more in our foam roller, compression boots and massage gun guides, and see the speed skating recovery page.

How to choose speed skating gear

• Start with your club’s loaners and the rules for your meets; buy safety gear first, skates later.
• For short track, check every item against the rules: ASTM short track helmet, cut level on the suit and gloves, a neck guard that covers the whole neck, shin and knee protection, eye protection.
• Measure feet in millimeters and use the maker’s chart; speed skate sizing differs from shoe sizes.
• Match blades to boots (mounting distance) and have a coach set blade position.
• Replace helmets after a hard crash and cut-resistant gear when it’s torn.

More for skaters: the speed skating hub, the rules behind the equipment, the youth guide for parents, and gear for the rest of the rink in our figure skating and ice hockey guides.

Speed skating gear FAQs

What are clap skates and do I need them?

Clap skates have a hinged blade that stays on the ice while your heel lifts at the end of each push. They’re standard for long track. Short track uses fixed blades, so you only need clap skates if you skate on a 400 m oval.

What helmet do I need for short track?

One that meets the current ASTM standard for short track (ASTM F1849) or another ISU-approved standard, with a regular shape and no protrusions. A bike or hockey helmet doesn’t qualify unless it carries that approval.

What cut level does a speed skating suit need?

For US Speedskating in 2025-26: at least Level 2 at Age Group Nationals (Level 3 highly recommended), Level 3 at selection races, and Level 2 highly recommended at club and regional meets. Gloves must be cut-resistant too.

Can I use a hockey neck guard for speed skating?

It can work, as long as it’s cut-resistant and covers the whole neck, which is what the short track rules require. Check the fit and coverage before your first race.

Do speed skaters sharpen their own skates?

Many do. Portable jigs like Bont’s are built to travel to meets so skaters can sharpen their own short and long track blades with stones. Ask your coach or a speed skating pro shop to teach you the technique first.