Hockey Equipment Guide

There’s no doubt that hockey is a competitive and physical sport regardless of the level, so players need to make sure they have all the essential hockey gear prepped for the season. Whether you’re a parent getting your child ready for the new season or looking to play in a recreational league, our Hockey Experts cover exactly what gear you need for hockey from head to toe. 

Helmet, Mouthguard & Neck Guard

No matter the age or league level, a hockey helmet is always required. You’ll see hockey helmets with and without a cage or facemask. It’s important to note that youth, high school, and college leagues all require players to wear a cage or full face mask.

It’s required for youth hockey players and recommended for all players to wear a mouthguard. Even with a cage or facemask on the helmet, wearing a mouthguard is necessary to absorb the impact from a hit or fall, keeping the player’s teeth and jaw protected.

For youth hockey players, a hockey neck guard makes our hockey equipment list as it’s typically required for players through high school level. The main purpose of a hockey neck guard is to protect the player’s neck from skate blades.

Wearing these three pieces of hockey gear together offers greater protection from head and neck injuries.

Shoulder Pads, Elbow Pads & Gloves

As players develop their skills and move to a more competitive level, aggressive hits and checking become part of the game making shoulder pads an essential piece of hockey gear. Designed to be worn under the jersey, hockey shoulder pads protect the shoulders, chest, and back from hard hits and high-velocity pucks. 

Also worn under the jersey, elbow pads are a must-have for all players, especially those learning how to skate in order to prevent injury when falling. 

Hockey gloves are important to keep hands protected from pucks, skate blades, sticks, falls, and hard hits. Made from durable, flexible materials, hockey gloves ensure players have plenty of grip and control of their stick.

Hockey Pants, Jock/Jill & Shin Pads

For a balance between mobility and protection, hockey players wear a specific type of hockey pants sometimes referred to as breezers. Typically falling just above or at the knee, hockey pants feature padding and structure around the lower back, hips, and thighs to provide necessary protection yet still allow for complete range of motion when skating. Under hockey pants, players wear a jock or jill during practices and games. 

Held in place by hook and loop closures and or sock tape, hockey shin guards are another essential when suiting up for the ice. Covering the kneecaps and front part of the shins, shin pads are made from durable plastic and cushioned padding to absorb impact from a blocked shot or stick slashing.

Hockey Skates & Socks

You can’t hit the ice without hockey skates, and properly fitting skates at that. If you’re shopping for a young player, you may be tempted to get a size up so they can grow into them over the next couple of seasons. Matthew T., a ERLEBNISWELT-FLIEGENFISCHEN Hockey Expert shares, “It is best to get a player in the right size to maximize their skating ability and also safety. Wearing skates that are too big will cause blisters, foot slippage, and impact mobility.” Most hockey skate brands fit 1.5—2 sizes smaller than your shoe size for men and 2.5—3 sizes smaller than your shoe size for women. Plus, grab a pair of hockey skate guards to protect the blades when you’re not on the ice.

Hockey socks are worn over the shin guards to help keep them in place, but hockey socks alone won’t be enough to keep your shin guards in place. You’ll want several rolls of hockey sock tape stored in your equipment bag.

Hockey Stick & Equipment Bag

For scoring and defending, players need a properly sized hockey stick that matches all their preferred specifications. From the type of material to stick flex and kick point, playing with a hockey stick that’s suited to their skill level and age will help them gain better control of the puck and passing as well and make improvements to their shot. Stick tape is a hockey essential that players use to wrap their stick’s handle and blade for greater control of the puck.

With all these hockey essentials, don’t forget to round out your preseason haul with a high-quality hockey equipment bag. Designed specifically for hockey players, many of these bags feature a large main compartment, dedicated skate pockets, zippered storage for small accessories, and roller wheels.

To prevent injury when blocking a shot or reaching for the puck, players need to wear a lot of hockey protective gear. Use our hockey equipment list below when shopping online or at your local ERLEBNISWELT-FLIEGENFISCHEN so you don’t miss anything for the season ahead.

Hockey Equipment List

✔ Hockey Helmet

✔ Mouthguard

✔ Bowls & Feeders

✔ Hockey Shoulder Pads

✔ Hockey Elbow Pads

✔ Hockey Gloves

✔ Hockey Jersey

✔ Hockey Pants/Breezers

✔ Jock or Jill

✔ Hockey Shin Guards

✔ Hockey Skates

✔ Hockey Skate Guards

✔ Hockey Socks

✔ Hockey Sock Tape

✔ Hockey Stick

✔ Hockey Stick Tape

✔ Hockey Equipment Bag