We put together this quick guide to help you better understand the key features and technologies powering the Rinkster line of roller hockey bearings. All Rinkster bearings, from the Bullets to the Sniper, come pre-lubricated so they are ready to use right out of the box.
You may notice that Rinkster bearings do not use the tradition ABEC rating system, this is because it’s really a rating that makes sense for commercial and industrial applications, not necessarily for skating. Instead of looking for something like an ABEC rating, we’ll help you better understand the key features in each of our bearings to help you find the right bearing for your game.
Rinkster Bearing Key Technologies
Removable Rubber Shield
All Rinkster bearings feature a removable rubber shield. Many other brands use shields made of metal, which can lead to rust and make that rattling noise that every roller hockey player is all too familiar with.
Nylon Ball Retainers
The Nylon Ball Retainer is the inner piece of a bearing that looks like a crown. Many other brands use shields made of metal, not only they can rust and make noise, they also generate less friction therefore the bearing spins for longer maintaining the forward momentum better.
Bearing Coating
Any bearing that comes coated provides extra protection from rust. At Rinkster, we take many precautions to protect our bearings against from rust. Rust is one of the main causes for bearings failing (other than just being dirty from lack of maintenance). It’s very easy for bearings to rust without proper precautions, especially with many players leaving their skates "marinating" in their bags after a beer league game or practice. So when we had the opportunity, we replaced the metal; when we couldn't, we coated it too add extra protection against rust.
Cleaning & Bearing Maintenance
All Rinkster bearings can be disassembled down to the single ball, and easily re-assembled for the best cleaning and maintenance.
# of Balls - 7 vs 6
Most bearings on the market feature 7 balls inside the bearing itself, with the design of 6 balls of larger diameter featured in some of our Rinkster bearings, our raceways are deeper, which gives you tighter tolerances that translate into greater acceleration, higher top-end speed and greater strength and durability.
Steel vs Ceramic Balls
Ceramic is as hard as steel - if not harder, depending on the type of ceramic, but is lighter and water resistant. We use two types of ceramic in our roller hockey bearings.
- Si3N4 Ceramic Balls: Si3N4 Ceramic Balls are much lighter than steel, water-resistant (this means no rust on the bearing balls), They are also harder and last longer than any steel bearing balls on the market today.
- ZrO Ceramic Balls: ZrO Ceramic Balls are made of zirconium dioxide, a tough ceramic material with very similar tolerance properties to steel, although 30% lighter! This material provides greater strength and water-resistance, which means no rust on the bearing balls.
Rinkster Roller Hockey Bearing Guide
We proudly offer a full line-up of roller hockey bearings for all price points and playing styles. Now that you understand the key things to look for in a roller hockey bearing, we’ll help you find the right bearing for your needs.
Rinkster Bullets
The Rinkster Bullet is our entry-level, standard bearing.
- Removable Rubber Shield ✅
- Nylon Ball Retainers ✅
- 7 Steel balls
- Pre-Lubricated ✅
Rinkster Ninja
- Removable Rubber Shield ✅
- Nylon Ball Retainers ✅
- 7 Steel balls
- Black Coating ✅
Rinkster Warrior
- Removable Rubber Shield ✅
- Nylon Ball Retainers ✅
- 7 Steel balls
- Titanium Coating ✅
Rinkster Samurai
- Removable Rubber Shield ✅
- Nylon Ball Retainers ✅
- 6 Steel balls
Rinkster Assassin
- Removable Rubber Shield ✅
- Nylon Ball Retainers ✅
- 7 ZrO Ceramic Balls
- Black Coating ✅
Rinkster Sniper
The Rinkster Sniper is our performance bearings for player's who demand the most from their gear.
- Removable Rubber Shield ✅
- Nylon Ball Retainers ✅
- 6 Si3N4 Ceramic Balls
Rinkster Golden Sniper Bearings
The Rinkster Golder Sniper Bearing was designed to out perform the competition in all the tests we performed. The Golden Titanium Coating provides higher durability as it helps the bearings resist wear longer, especially in humid and damp environments.
- Removable Rubber Shield ✅
- High Speed Nylon Ball Retainers ✅
- 6 Si3N4 Ceramic Balls