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Refresh Your Skate Mates: The Range That Gets Your Rink Ready
As the season approaches, your public sessions are about to fill with first-timers — school groups, families and people trying skating for the very first time. The Skate Mates range is how you turn that nervous first visit into a great one. Supplied by Marshalls International since 1984, our skate aids get beginners off the barrier and give your rink a bit of personality while they’re at it.
You already know what skate aids do. At this time of year the question is a simpler one: is your fleet ready for the season, and is it the right mix?
Here’s the full range, who each one suits, and how to get your rink set up before the busy weeks arrive.
Meet the Skate Mates
The range has grown well beyond the classic penguin, so there’s now a Skate Mate for every age and every kind of session:
- Penguins — the much-loved classic, perfect for younger beginners finding their feet.
- Polar bears — a little larger, giving older children and adults more to hold on to.
- Walruses — sturdy and supportive, ideal where a bit more stability is needed.
- Snowmen — cheerful and confidence-building, encouraging older children out onto open ice.
- Ride-on options — for the very youngest skaters and family sessions.
Each is a recognisable, friendly character that beginners actually want to use — which matters more than it sounds. A skate aid that looks fun gets picked up; one that looks like a piece of equipment gets left by the boards. On a public session, the difference is a queue of eager first-timers versus a rack nobody touches.
Why a mix works best
Very few rinks are best served by a single type. A public session brings a wide spread of ages and confidence levels, and a well-chosen mix means everyone finds something that suits them — the four-year-old and the nervous adult alike. Running a mix also keeps your busiest sessions moving, because there’s always a Skate Mate free rather than a queue for the one design everyone wants.
If you’re not sure what combination would suit your rink, we’re happy to advise. After four decades supplying rinks of every size, we have a good sense of what works for different sessions and footfall.
Built for a busy rink
A skate aid on a public session takes a hard life: pushed, leaned on, dropped, stacked and knocked into the boards, session after session. Our Skate Mates are built for exactly that — daily use in a working rink — and need little more than a wipe down and the occasional check.
They’re also quick to move on and off the ice between sessions, which your team will appreciate on a busy day. Bought once, they earn their place for years, which is part of why so many rinks treat a good fleet as core equipment rather than an optional extra.
Is it time to refresh yours?
Skate aids don’t last forever, and a tired, grubby or damaged fleet does your rink no favours in front of first-time visitors — the very people whose first impression decides whether they come back. Before the season starts, it’s worth an honest look at what you have: count the fleet, check each one for damage and wear, and be realistic about which have had their day.
Topping up, or replacing tired aids, is far easier to do now than in the middle of a busy December — when being short simply means beginners stuck on the barrier and a poorer experience for exactly the customers you most want to keep.
Get your rink ready for the season
Winter brings your highest proportion of complete beginners, which is precisely when skate aids do the most work and when a good fleet has the biggest effect on how your rink is received. Getting set up early — the right range, the right quantity, in good condition — is one of the simplest things you can do to make the season run well.
It’s a small piece of preparation with an outsized effect on the experience your visitors have, and on the impression your rink makes during its highest-footfall weeks of the year.
Part of the experience, not just equipment
There’s a reason the penguins and polar bears end up in so many photos. For families and first-time visitors, the Skate Mates are part of the fun of the day, not just a safety aid — children want to use them, parents photograph them, and they give your public sessions a friendly, welcoming character that sets the tone before anyone has even laced up.
In a market where the experience is what gets shared, recommended and remembered, that personality is quietly valuable. A rink that feels welcoming to beginners fills its sessions more reliably than one that feels intimidating — and the right skate aids are a small, visible part of making that first impression a good one.
Why buy your Skate Mates from Marshalls International
Plenty of places will sell you a skate aid. Fewer can advise you on the right mix, hold the range in stock, and still be there for everything else your rink needs. Marshalls International has supplied ice rinks since 1984, and our skate aids are already in use at rinks across the country, including Planet Ice venues.
When you buy from us you get proven, durable aids, honest advice on what suits your sessions, and a single supplier for the whole rink — not just this season, but every one after it.
Where to browse and order
The full Skate Mates range is available at iceskateaid.com, our dedicated site for the range, where you can see every design and place your order. Prefer to talk it through? Get in touch with the Marshalls team and we’ll help you choose the right mix and quantity, and take care of it alongside anything else your rink needs for the season ahead.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Where can I buy skate aids for an ice rink in the UK?
Marshalls International supplies skate aids to rinks across the UK and worldwide, and has done since 1984. The full Skate Mates range can be browsed and ordered at iceskateaid.com, or you can enquire directly with our team, who will advise on the right mix for your sessions.
What's in the Skate Mates range?
The range includes penguins, polar bears, walruses and snowmen, along with ride-on options — a friendly character for every age and every kind of session.
Which skate aid suits which age?
Penguins suit younger beginners; polar bears and walruses give older children and adults more support; snowmen help build confidence for older children on open ice; and ride-on options suit the very youngest skaters. Most rinks run a mix so every age group is catered for.
How do I know when to replace my skate aids?
If they're damaged, worn or looking tired and grubby, it's time. It's worth counting and checking your fleet before the season starts and topping up early, rather than discovering you're short during a busy public session.
How many skate aids does a rink need?
Enough that nobody waits during a busy public session. The right number depends on your session sizes and how many beginners you typically host — our team can help you work out the right quantity and mix for your rink.
