Hockey equipment is designed to protect the athletes, keep them warm and improve performance. It is important when purchasing equipment to make sure it fits your body and is properly sized. Equipment that is too large or too small may lead to injury and decreased performance. When choosing equipment, seek out a local pro shop that has experience sizing and selling hockey equipment. Newcomers to the sport must expect to buy skates, shin guards, pants, shoulder pads, elbow pads, gloves, a helmet and a stick.
Skates
Hockey skates are the most important investment a hockey player will make. Skates are very much like shoes; they should fit the individual's foot and feel comfortable. Skate boots vary in stiffness and height. Skates also differ in the angle of the boot and how the blade is balanced on the foot. The best way to choose a skate is to try on a few different pairs and see which is the most comfortable on your foot. Skate blades can be sharpened to a standard 5/8 inches, 1/2 inches or 3/8 inches. Many factors including the hardness of the ice, size of the player and skill level of the player will determine how sharp to sharpen the blade. Most beginning players should sharpen their skates to 5/8 inches.
Sticks
The second most important piece of hockey equipment is the stick. Hockey players have many choices when it comes to purchasing a stick. Things to consider when buying a stick are the material it is made of and the dimensions. Sticks are made of wood or a lightweight composite material. Composite sticks come as one-piece sticks or a shaft and a blade. The type of material will determine how heavy the stick is, how it performs and how expensive it is. The different dimensions to consider when buying a stick are the length of the stick, lie of the blade and flex of the shaft. Again, these things are very individual, and the hockey player should try out various sizes and models to determine what works best for him.
Gloves
The main purpose of gloves is to protect the player's hands from injury. Gloves vary in length of the glove and the length of the cuff. Players that need additional wrist and forearm protection will chose a higher cuff. Other players prefer a shorter cuff that affords more mobility and freedom when shooting the puck.
Helmet
The helmet may be the single most important piece of protective equipment. The helmet protects the players head and brain from injury. Helmets must fit snugly with a sturdy and tight chin strap. Hockey players younger than 18 years old must also wear a face mask attached to the helmet. The face mask can be a clear plastic shield or a metal cage. Players older than 18 years old may continue to wear a full face mask, choose to wear a clear half plastic shield that protects their eyes from injury or simply just the helmet.
Protective Equipment
Shin guards, elbow pads, shoulder pads and pants are the last pieces of equipment a player needs. These pads protect the player from flying pucks, sticks, the ice and other dangers of a contact sport. The equipment must be lightweight, breathable and limit the amount of water that is absorbed. The player should try different types of equipment to see what fits best and affords the most protect which allowing freedom of movement.
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