A List of Hockey Gear

All you need to participate in a game of pickup hockey is a pair of skates and a stick. But if you want to reduce your risk of injury, or play any kind of organized hockey, you need plenty of safety gear. In a game full of collisions--with the puck, the boards, the ice and other players--it's wise to be protected from head to toe.

  1. Skates

    • A hockey skate is made up of two parts: the boot and the blade. The boot is the part that looks like a shoe. Hard plastic boots are best because they give you maximum stability and protection from stick and puck impacts. The blade is the steel piece you balance on. The portion of the blade that contacts the ice is known as the radius. A longer radius gives you greater stability. Beginners should look for a 5-inch radius. A shorter radius--3 or 4 inches--gives you greater maneuverability.

    Stick

    • The stick is the single most customizable piece of hockey equipment, as it should be because it is what you use to handle the puck. There are three basic elements to a stick: the shaft, the blade and the lie. The shaft can be made of wood, fiberglass, aluminum, graphite or another composite material. Stick blades are usually wood and are curved according to the player's preference. The lie is the angle between the shaft and the blade and it, too, is determined by player preference.

    Helmet

    • Hockey helmets are made of lightweight plastic. They are available with clear face shields, cage-style face masks or a combination of the two.

    Pads and Gloves

    • Competitive hockey players wear shoulder, elbow and shin pads, as well as gloves. The shoulder pads are considerably smaller than those used for football. Elbow pads are critical for preventing fractures when falling on the ice. Shin pads are a must in a sport where sticks flail about. Hockey gloves are heavily padded yet flexible enough to ensure a firm grip on the stick.

    Goalie Gear

    • The goalie wears special equipment. A goalie's protective gear includes a full face mask, a chest protector, thick leg pads and two gloves: the "blocker," worn on the stick hand, and the "catcher," used to snag pucks out of the air. In addition, goalie skates have a wider blade for stability, and a goalie stick is heavier and wider than a standard stick.

    Bag

    • You'll need something to haul all that gear around in as you go to and from the rink. Hockey equipment bags are big totes with room for everything except sticks. Some have special pockets for skates; others have wheels so you can pull them behind you instead of carry them.