Pablo's Skate Build Diary: Bauer Supreme One20 on Playmaker Plates
There are some older Bauer hockey boots that just seem made for converting into quad roller skates, and the Bauer Supreme One20 is definitely one of them.
This pair arrived in remarkably clean condition. The classic black Supreme boot, silver detailing and small gold accents still look great, and once the original ice hardware was removed they made an excellent base for a straightforward quad conversion.
For this build we paired them with Playmaker nylon quad plates, creating a simple, traditional hockey-boot roller skate setup that should feel immediately familiar to anyone who grew up skating Bauer-style conversions.
The Bauer Supreme One20
The Supreme One20 comes from an older generation of Bauer boots, but that's not necessarily a disadvantage when we're building roller skates. One of the reasons we still use older hockey boots at Pabloskates is that a good boot doesn't suddenly become useless just because a newer model has replaced it. If the shell, sole and internal structure are still in good condition, removing the blade holders gives us an excellent platform from which to build a completely different skate. And these One20s were in exceptionally nice condition.
The predominantly black construction also makes them particularly easy to build around aesthetically. With the black Playmaker underneath, the plate almost disappears into the sole of the boot rather than dominating the finished skate.
Why Playmaker Plates?
The Playmaker is one of our most popular choices for traditional Bauer conversions, and there's a good reason for that. It's a relatively simple nylon plate using a 10-degree truck geometry. That makes it a good option for recreational, rink and general-purpose skating without adding unnecessary weight or expense to the conversion. It also suits this type of build visually. On these One20s, the black nylon plate follows the black sole closely enough that from the side it almost looks like it belongs there. The polished metal trucks then provide a bit of contrast underneath. They're not the most exotic plates in the world, but they don't need to be. For plenty of skaters, a Playmaker provides exactly what they actually need.
Mounting the Plates
Converting hockey boots isn't simply a case of removing the blades and drilling four new holes. Once the original blade holders have been removed, each boot needs to be assessed individually. We establish the centre of the boot, look at the shape of the sole and then position the quad plate according to the boot and the intended setup. A centre line is a useful reference, but it's only that: a reference. Hockey boots aren't perfectly symmetrical blocks, and we've found after mounting hundreds of pairs that relying purely on measurements can sometimes be misleading. The final plate position needs to make sense when viewed against the actual shape of the boot. Fore and aft positioning matters too. The location of the front axle relative to the ball of the foot has a significant effect on how the finished skate behaves. The photos underneath these One20s give a particularly good view of how the Playmaker sits once mounted.
A Proper Old-School Bauer Roller Skate
This is probably my favourite thing about this build. There's nothing particularly outrageous going on. No massive colour scheme. No expensive performance plate. No attempt to turn the skate into something it isn't. It's simply a really tidy pair of Bauer Supreme One20 hockey boots converted to quad roller skates using Playmaker plates. And sometimes that's exactly what you want. Add your preferred bearings and wheels and you've got a classic Bauer-style quad setup built around a proper hockey boot, but without having to rely on a decades-old complete pair of roller skates. It's also a good example of why we're constantly looking for decent used Bauer boots. There are plenty of older hockey skates sitting unused because they're no longer wanted on the ice, while the boots themselves may have years of useful life remaining. Give them a second life, put four wheels underneath them, and they're useful again.
Want Your Own Hockey Skates Converted?
At Pabloskates, we convert suitable ice hockey and figure skate boots into custom quad roller skates. You can supply your own boots and plates for mounting, or we can help work out which plate and components suit the type of skating you're planning to do.
And if you're not sure whether the boots you've found are suitable for conversion, send us some pictures before buying anything. I'd much rather check them first than have you spend money on something that isn't suitable.
Another one out of the Pabloskates workshop. 🛼🔥
Got a pair of Nike Bauer, Bauer, Nike or other suitable hockey skates you'd like converted into quads? Get in touch with Pabloskates and let's see what we can build.
Every skate featured in our Build Diary is individually hand-built in the Pabloskates workshop. Since we use pre-owned hockey boots, each pair is unique and no two builds are ever exactly the same.
Browse our latest converted skates or get in touch to discuss your dream setup only at Pabloskates.com.
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Phone/WhatsApp - 07848287929
Email - mail@pabloskates.com
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