How To Choose The Right Hockey Gear
Hockey gear can be a little hard on the pocket book, especially if your
child’s a goalie. For many parents the best choice for players starting
out is to buy used equipment. Since hockey equipment is very durable
it’s a great option, but first you need to know how to choose the right
hockey gear.
Skates
To keep your child’s ankles from being hurt you need to make sure the
skate fits nice and tight. The heel should fit snugly into the heel cup
and there should be no more than ¼” extra at the toe. Ankle support
is always important but if your child has weak ankles take special care
to make sure the skate has adequate ankle support.
Normally a child’s skate will be ½ size smaller than their shoe
size. Remember never to buy skates so they can grow into them.
They’ll land up with an injured ankle. If you can stick your finger
down the back then the skate is too big.
Laces should be snug on the boot and nice and tight at the top.
Do not wrap the laces around the ankle. Only buy hardened steel
blades and for beginners the rocker should be fairly flat for improved
stability.
Gloves
Ideally your child’s gloves should meet the elbow pads, however many
players prefer a shorter glove for better stick handling. This is a
personal choice.
Pads
Choose shoulder pads, elbow pads, and shin pads that are hard
capped. If buying used equipment check to make sure they are intact
with no cracks.
Make sure the pads you buy are comfortable and not too bulky to
make your child’s movement too awkward. Elbow pads should fight
snuggly and not slip up or down. The same applies to shin pads. The
shin pads and the child’s pants should meet so that there is no
exposed skin.
Helmet
The helmet is the most important safety equipment you will buy for
your child. Do not skimp! Make sure the helmet you buy is an
approved helmet. A helmet is actually one item you should consider
buying new, however if you choose to buy used check the helmet over
carefully. A face guard either a wire cage or clear shield are highly
recommended and don’t forget the chin cup.
Stick
To make sure the stick is the right size, have your child stand with his
or her skates on, then hold their stick. The stick should reach the end
of your child’s chin. Some defensemen like a slightly longer stick to
give them a little more reach. One nice thing about sticks is that they
can be cut to the right size.
Once your child is using the stick watch the tape on the bottom of
the stick. If you see the tape wearing near the toe your child may
need a longer stick. If it’s worn near the heal chances are your child
needs a shorter stick. Keep playing with stick length until you get it
right.
Remember that the stick will handle different and shoot differently
depending on the curve. A fairly straight stick is a good starting stick
and then your child will need to experiment to find the curve that
works best for them.
There are plenty of stick options. Wood, graphite, aluminum,
Kevlar. To begin with a wood stick is a good starting stick. Affordable
and cheap to replace while you fine tune exact size and curve.
Pants
The pants you purchase for your child should fit snuggly and have
adequate thigh, hip, and tailbone protection. Pants should meet shin
pads so there is no exposed skin.
So if you’re wondering how much this is going to set you back.
You’ll be looking at around $400, less if you can find good used
equipment. Remember as tempting as it is to go cheap, don’t!
Remember it’s the health and safety of your child that you’ll be
jeopardizing.
|
