Equipment & Safety

Hockey equipment is large, and so are hockey bags. And while an 8U player’s equipment might fit into a large gym bag, older players will need a larger hockey bag. Hockey bags are designed to be tough and last many years, and so they shouldn’t be a yearly reoccurring cost. Because hockey bags can be larger than some of our younger youth players, wheeled bags may be a better idea than a shoulder bag, though shoulder bags are typically less expensive than wheeled ones.

The GRIT Flex Tower features an internal frame, multiple pockets, shelving, a roll-out foot carpet, and can carry a stick on the outside. In contrast, the CCM 320 is a big, empty bag with wheels. While the GRIT may appeal to the parent who envisions their child as highly organized, more often than not a youth player’s bag is a disorganized mess of equipment stuffed inside with little to no thought, which the CCM 320 and many other manufacturers' bags can handle more than adequately.

Hockey skates can be the most expensive piece of equipment for your youth player. Each major brand has multiple product lines of skates and multiple price points within each line.

The Bauer 3S Supreme is an entry level performance option for youth players that is sturdy enough to handle two seasons of hockey, which is about all you can hope for if your child's feet are still growing. It has a relatively stiff boot, which more advanced skaters need to transfer their body’s motion to the ice. The skates can also be “baked”, which means heated in a special oven and then tightly tied to your player’s feet, so they are molded to their shape.

In youth hockey, helmets help protect against a variety of hazards such as deflected pucks, high sticks, contact with other players, and so on. However, to do its job to its full potential, a hockey helmet must fit properly, which means it fits snugly to head to prevent shifting as well as fits comfortably. The good news is that all major brand hockey helmets have some form of adjustment to allow for growing children, so you should be able to get more than one season out of one. Be cautious of deeply discounted “new” helmets that have been on the shelf for a few years; hockey helmets do have expiration dates several years after manufacture. 

Hockey pants could be the most varied piece of hockey equipment with there being multiple styles, price points, and configurations. In fact, the term “hockey pants” actually refers to two separate pieces of equipment; the first is the girdle (all of the protective padding), and the second is the shell (the lightweight fabric that covers the girdle, often with many colors to choose from). They are most often sold as a combo.

In general, more expensive models will offer more protective features such as adjustable belts, thigh zippers, and more padding over the lower spine and kidneys as well as thicker padding over the thighs and hips. They may also be more durable than lower cost models.

Gloves cover sweaty hands, and then they quickly become stink-factories. That being said, hands are delicate features, and gloves can do a great job providing protection. Hockey gloves should fit loosely enough so that your player's fingers are not jammed, but snug enough so that they can keep a good grip on their stick with plenty of mobility for the fingers. Gloves of any given size will also come in a variety of lengths, which is indicative of how far past the wrist they go; the farther past the wrist, the more forearm protection they provide, but that can also begin to limit wrist flexibility.  

There are a large number of hockey glove brands available in a wide variety of colors and features. In general, more expensive gloves tend to offer more protection and be more durable, which means they can last longer if your youth player's fingers aren't growing too quickly. Gloves tend to wear our faster in the palm area of the glove that holds the end of the stick, where there is typically more friction between the glove and the stick.

Cost Savings Tip: if your child's hands are growing fast, lean towards the recreational models; they are likely to be outgrown before they wear out. Also look for discounts - at the time this article was written, the CCM Jetspeed FT350 was 30% off retail. 

Take a spill on the ice without elbow pads, and you're likely to notice that your funny bone isn't laughing. Fortunately, this is a piece of gear that doesn't need to break the bank. While some elbow pads sell for over $125, there are a wide variety of options much less expensive. 

Performance elbow pads will typically offer more protection, covering the entire forearm and bicep area, whereas Recreational options will bridge that area with a velcro strap. Less expensive pads also tend to be lighter, less bulky, and have a bit more mobility to them. However, a youth player can find themselves just as reliably protected, especially from falls, with less expensive models as the pricier ones. 

Almost as important as your helmet, shoulder pads actually protect a player's shoulders, chest, and back. Good shoulder pads should also extend down enough to protect the abdomen just above the hockey pants. If your youth player is 10U or younger, less protection is required than someone playing 14U or high school as game play is non-checking and pucks are not moving nearly as fast. Just like elbow pads, the shoulder pads should fit comfortably and allow for mobility, but not be so loose that they slip and slide around. Also like elbow pads, less expensive recreational models will have less protective material and be less bulky as compared to more expensive ones.

Cost Savings Tip: some shoulder pads come with adjustments, allowing protective elements to be lengthened as a player grows.

Once upon a time, all hockey sticks were made of wood, and the only major update in the 1960's was wood sticks being wrapped in fiberglass. If we ignore that brief fascination with aluminum stick shafts in the 1990's, the next major innovation was the one-piece composite material stick at the pro levels at the start of the 21st century. Since then, composites are the mainstay of every age division of every youth hockey team.

While composite sticks are lighter and more flexible (and more fragile) than their wood counterparts, they are also significantly more expensive with recreational models starting at $100. The obvious question being, does a new youth player or a player under the age of 10 need a composite stick? New players generally won't be able to take advantage of the benefits of a composite stick, and if they are going to outgrow one or two sticks before they develop those skills, does it make sense to pay so much? 

When selecting a stick, the blade should be curved for right-handed or left-handed shooting, and as a general rule the shaft should be long enough that it comes up to the player's chin while they are on their skates.

While the mainstay of essential equipment is shown above, there are any number of smaller items that are also required to play hockey.

• Hockey Tape $4 per roll (buy a 6-pack)
• Water Bottle $10
• Neck Guard $12
• Mouth Guard $3
• Jock/Jill Pants $50
• Hockey Socks $20
• Undergarments $30