Choosing the Best Ice Hockey Equipment

By Sven Steelsein

If you or someone in your family plays ice hockey, you know how important it is to have the right equipment. You will need a good pair of skates of course to help you move about the ice with ease but there are many other safety pieces you should consider as well. Hockey is by and large one of the fastest and roughest sports around with speeds of more than 80 miles an hour pucks fly around aimlessly. You don't inevitably need to buy the highest priced gear available on the market, of course it should be good enough to allow enough protection, and complementary to the size, skill level and manner of the player.

Helmets and mouth guards are equally important, protecting your teeth and tongue is imperative when you think about impacts that are likely in hockey. Check out the current rates charged by dentists if you think chipping or losing a tooth is a trivial matter. A mouth guard also helps protect from jarring your skull and brain as many don't realize. It is best to consider a mouth guard that can be custom fit to your mouth simply by dropping it into hot boiling water and inserting into your mouth.

Many of the pieces of equipment available for hockey players are formulated to protect the body for obvious reasons as you skate and make contact with other players at high speeds. Shoulder and shin guards aren't the only considerations however, you should also consider wearing elbow pads to protect the forearms, triceps and elbows from harm. An injury to your elbow can be very painful not to mention debilitating if you fall on the ice unprotected. Don't forget the importance of this piece of protective gear available in both soft and hard varieties which are typically adjustable.

Shoulder pads are important tools for providing the upper body protection necessary to shield your upper body.

One item of hockey equipment that is vital for you to place all your stuff in is a hockey bag. Hockey is a sport that calls for lots of gear, from padding to skates to your stick, and you need a convenient place to keep it when you're carrying it about. Your hockey gear bag can be any kind that you take a liking to, as long as it's large enough to fit all of your gear and powerful enough to withstand the typical punishment it's likely to take with everyday use. Nowadays, several players have bags on wheels, a lot like travel luggage, which is more convenient than carrying around a bag all the time. It's optimal to acquire a hockey gear bag that is weatherproof and can keep all your belongings safe and dry.

Helmets are vital for the safety of hockey players against head injuries. Dangers lurk in the form of pucks that fly at alarming speeds, players with eyes on the puck and not each other, wayward sticks, skates, collisions, and refs; helmets add one layer of protection for your head that is greatly needed. Helmets should be certified by the Hockey Equipment Certification Council also known as HECC. The helmet has to be well fitted in order for you to survive what you must do next. Wear your helmet whenever you're wearing your skates in order to maximize your protection.

Prices range greatly in hockey equipment as you will see. Hockey gear in general can be expensive, you need to consider how serious you are about playing before you can determine what your needs are. If you discover hockey is your passion you'll be able to upgrade from your cheap equipment to better gear as you go along saving you some time and frustration if it doesn't pan out to be your forte. The one area you don't want to skimp on, whether you're a beginner or a pro, is safety gear like the helmet.

Take your time and shop around to be certain you're getting the best hockey gear. While price is always a factor, you don't want to skimp when it comes to getting gear that's durable and able to protect you and bring out your best game. We've looked at some factors you should keep in mind when buying hockey gear. The more practice you get buying hockey equipment, the better you will be at it.

In this short article we've covered some helpful tips for choosing hockey equipment, so get the gear you need and have fun.

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You may search for supplies at your local sports retail store or online at one of the best hockey gear stores where you can get goalie gear, safety equipment, sticks and ice skates.