Choosing Your Hockey Protection

When purchasing hockey protective equipment, there are important aspects to consider.

Size of the equipment

Ensure that the equipment you intend to purchase is well fitting to the player. Loose equipments may expose the player to injury. If the equipment has straps, ensure that they are strong.

The condition of the equipment

Inspect the equipment to ensure it is in a good condition. If any piece of the equipment is missing or cracked, it should be replaced or repaired by a professional. Hockey carries a huge selection of hockey gloves, hockey pants, shin pad, elbow pads, shoulder pads, hockey helmets and all other elements of protective gear. There is wide variety of hockey protective equipment in the market. When shopping, ensure that you make a wise choice of equipment that suits your needs.

Hockey protective equipments

For maximum protection, you need to purchase high quality protective equipment. Such equipments include:

Hockey helmet and face masks

Hockey helmet protects your head from injuries. They have a shell, inner padding and a hardware that holds the helmet together. The padding is made of dense foam that is designed to absorb shock. Go for adjustable both length-wise and width hockey helmet.

Buy a new hockey helmet. Avoid buying old helmets as they may not perform as well as they did when they were new. Go for helmets certified by a professional association to ensure they meet the required safety standards.

Face masks are sold as part of the helmet. However, they may also come separately. There are three kinds of facemasks.

Wire cage hockey face mask consists of a metal composite shield that covers the face area. High quality cage should be strong and resistant to rusting.

Face shield masks have a high resistance to impact. They are made of plastic and cover the face. They offer a better overall vision as compared to wire cage masks.

Combination masks have a plastic face shield to protect the eyes and a wire cage to cover the lower jaw and to add ventilation. 

Mouth guards and ear protectors

They come in all sizes. Before buying a mouth guard, ensure it fits your mouth well. Mouth guard safeguards your tongue and reduces impact on your teeth if you get hit or fall.

Buy mouth guards that can be remodelled by biting down on them.

Ear protectors can be inserted into helmets for extra comfort and protection. When buying the ear protector, get one which fits your ears well and can allow you to hear everything clearly.

Pads

It is advisable to wear variety of pads for protection if you intend to play hockey.  Each variety of pads has a specific function.

Shoulder pad

These protect your upper chest, shoulders, collar bone and upper arms. If you play the forward position, consider buying a light shoulder pad for easier movement. Defence men require larger pads for maximum protection against being hit by bucks. Ensure that the pad fits you well and is of high quality.

Hockey elbow pads: these protect you from elbow bruises and even fractured elbows. They also protect the upper arm as well as lower biceps and triceps. When shopping for elbow pads, pick the one that fits your arm well. Avoid too tight elbow pads.

Shin guards: these are worn to protect your knees, shins and calves. Every hockey player is advised to wear shin pads. When buying guards, ensure that they have straps, removable padding, shock absorbing knee caps and calf protection.

Go for a properly fitting and comfortable shin guard. This makes it easier for you to move freely.

Hockey Gloves

Hockey gloves are made to protect your hands from sticks, and pucks. Synthetic leather gloves are lighter and more durable. Gloves with a nylon shell are lighter and more breathable than synthetic leather shells. Ensure you get the type of glove that is nice for your hands.

There are gloves which are made with thump lock system. This is effective in protecting your thumbs from hyper-tension upon collision.

Buy a well fitting glove. This ensures that the glove does not fall off when playing. Loose gloves can be uncomfortable.

Hockey pants

Hockey pants protect your hips, thighs and lower spine. Before purchasing hockey pants ensure that they have adjustable belts for the waist, thigh zippers and enhanced padding in the kidney and lower spine.

Avoid buying loose hockey pants as you may feel uncomfortable in them.

As a hockey player, you need adequate protection while playing. It is important to find hockey equipment that fits your body and your budget. This guide will help you get the best hockey protection equipment