Hockey is a rough, physical sport filled with hard hits and aggressive play. No matter what level you play at, maintaining your health and safety must be a top priority. Wearing the proper protective hockey gear is essential in preventing or lessening the degree of injury suffered by hockey players.
Headgear
The majority of hockey injuries occur to the head or face. According to the Hughston Clinic, the risk of injuries such as cuts to the head and concussions is reduced when players wear helmets. When selecting a helmet, make sure it fits snugly and allows little vertical or horizontal movement. Check the snaps on the helmet to make sure they're working and be sure to wear the chin guard attached to the helmet strap. Use only helmets approved by the Hockey Equipment Certification Council or the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association.
Face Mask
Face masks protect the eyes and face from injury due to high sticks and flying pucks. The three types of face protectors include a partial shield, a full wire mask and a combination of both. Wire masks protect the whole face, while a shield mask covers the eyes and a small area of the upper part of the face but leaves the lower half of the face unprotected. The combination mask has a shield over the eyes and wire covering the lower part of the face.
Shoulder, Arm and Chest Protection
Hockey players wear shoulder pads and a chest protector to reduce the risk of injury to their collarbone, shoulders and chest. The pads come in a variety of styles and sizes. Defensive players tend to prefer more padding to protect them from high sticks, pucks and excessive physical contact. Offensive players use lighter pads, giving up protection to allow for flexibility and comfort. Elbow pads cover the upper arm and a portion of the lower arm and protect the arms from injury due to hits, sticks and pucks. Slash guards are used to protect the forearm area between the end of the elbow pad and the cuff of the glove.
Hockey Pants and Shin Guards
Hockey pants are a helpful piece of hockey gear that helps protect the thighs, hips and back of the player. Most hockey pants have padding sewn into the pants. The padding is located in the thigh, tailbone and hip area. Often a plastic shield is built into the waist to provide extra protection for the kidneys and the sternum. Shin guards are considered mandatory in most hockey leagues and prevent serious injuries to the knee and lower leg; the guards should fit well and extend from the top of the skate to the middle of the knee.
Other Equipment
Hockey players wear a mouth guard to protect their mouth and teeth and an athletic cup to protect their groin. Gloves keep the hands and wrists safe from slashes from the opposing players' sticks. Skates are necessary to move about on the ice and should fit well to provide proper ankle support. The hockey stick allows players to maneuver the puck around on the ice. Sticks are made from wood, carbon graphite or aluminum and must be fitted according to the size of each individual player.
FAQs
What equipment is needed for hockey? For hockey, the necessary gear includes a stick, skates, helmet with a face mask or visor, gloves, elbow pads, shoulder pads, and shin guards. Other items, such as a mouthguard and protective cup, may be needed depending on the level of play.
What do hockey people wear? ›
This usually includes a helmet, shoulder pads/chest protector, elbow pads, mouth guard, protective gloves, heavily padded shorts, a 'jock' athletic protector, shin pads and a neck guard. Goaltenders wear masks and much bulkier, specialized equipment designed to protect them from many direct hits from the puck.
What do NHL players wear under their equipment? ›
WHAT DOES A HOCKEY PLAYER WEAR UNDER ALL OF THEIR EQUIPMENT? Long shirt and pants that are breathable, typically a moisture wicking material is preferred. The base layer should fit tight and feel comfortable. This layer improves the fit of the pads and helps control body temperature.
What do boys wear under hockey gear? ›
Under equipment clothing: Make sure your child is wearing clothing that stretches. Jeans are often too stiff to allow proper movement while skating. Under Armour type material is great for flexibility and works well. Lightweight pajama bottoms and a t-shirt also work very well.
Why do hockey players have so much gear? ›
Hockey is an intense contact sport, so players need significant padding and equipment to help prevent serious injuries.
How many pounds of gear do hockey players wear? ›
Ice hockey players wear 10 kilograms (22 lbs) of pads, while goalkeepers carry over 20 kilograms (44 lbs). The gear worn by American football players weighs at most around 5 kilograms (11 lbs). Both sports involve head-on collisions.
What do girls wear under their hockey gear? ›
A: Girls should wear comfortable clothing in which they can play and have fun! We recommend a loose fitting shirt on top. On the bottom, some girls like to wear tights or leggings with their shin guards over the tights, all covered by hockey socks which we loan players for free.
Why do NHL players not wear neck guards? ›
But the biggest factor behind players not wearing neck guards is that they're not required. Players see their use as a matter of personal choice. "I think it's personal preference for everybody," Oilers star Connor McDavid told the Edmonton Journal.
What do hockey players call their jerseys? ›
The hockey sweater is called a sweater instead of a jersey (though some still insist it's a jersey) because that's quite literally what hockey players wore originally. The game was played outside, so the athletes wore wool-knit sweaters.
Do NHL players wash their gear? ›
Many NHL teams rely on a sanitation process to make certain that gear stays fresh and odorless. An ozone treatment machine can do wonders for any hockey player or team by killing the microbes that lead to smelly socks and gloves.
Hockey socks are held up either by a garter (old style) or attached to undershorts with Velcro tabs. Players usually keep their socks inside the upper ankle area of their skates. Athletic tape is generally used below the knee to hold the sock in place, and sometimes at the ankle as well.
Do all NHL players wear a cup? ›
(a) Each player is personally responsible to wear protective equipment for all games, warm-ups and practices. Such equipment should include gloves, shin pads, shoulder pads, elbow pads, hip pads or padded hockey pants, protective cup, tendon pads plus all head protective equipment as required by USA Hockey rules.
What do hockey wives wear to games? ›
“I have found for most people that attend a lot of hockey games, myself included, that fitted jeans, a light sweater and a leather jacket is a winning combo,” she says. “Layers for when your nerves kick in.” A Canucks T-shirt or hoodie with fitted jeans and a jacket is another fail-safe look, she says.
What do hockey players wear under their pants? ›
Undergarments can be compression shorts or jock shorts. Jock Shorts have a pocket for a cup and velcro tabs on the front and back of each leg to attach your hockey socks to. Jock shorts can be worn over compression pants. Some compression shorts also have a cup pocket with the velcro tabs.
What do hockey players wear to protect their lower body? ›
Shin Guards: The First Line of Defense for the Lower Legs
These guards are designed to absorb and distribute the force of impacts from pucks, sticks, and other hazards, reducing the risk of fractures, bruises, and cuts. Fit and Coverage: A properly fitted shin guard is essential for effective protection.
What gear do you need to be a hockey goalie? ›
Goalies wear a helmet, throat protector, neck guard, chest protector, special padded goalie pants (that look like padded shorts), a glove, a blocker, a jock or jill, pads on their legs, skates, and use a thick goalie stick designed to protect the “5 Hole”.
Do I need a jacket for an NHL game? ›
Start with a T-shirt, followed by a loose-fitting, long-sleeve shirt. Wear your hockey jersey over that. If you don't think all that's enough to keep you warm for a couple of hours, bring a lightweight jacket or a hoodie. If you need to remove a layer or two, you'll be good to go.
How should kids hockey gear fit? ›
Protective caps should be positioned on top of the shoulders and the arm pads should extend to meet the elbow pads. The back of the shoulder pads should overlap slightly with pants. Shin Pads: The cap of the shin pad should be centered on the knee cap, with the calf padding wrapping round the inner leg.
