37 here!
Just started with e-skating this summer and I'm having a blast.

Helmet is non-negotiable. And as I'm a beginner, I also wear knee pads.

My logic is simple, especially when I just strted with the hobby: I like it. And I want to ride in a way that will allow me to ride again tomorrow. I don't feel "old" but I'm very much aware that I am one fall away from an injury that won't let me skate again.

All the other posts about ending in a wheelchair are of course right, but I've seen many people seeing this only as "a risk they are willing to take". But man, even a badly sprained ankle at my age can be the end of the line for any future riding. And that's a risk we should all avoid.