This article will help you in deciding what type of hockey equipment is appropriate for your youth hockey player. There are rules in most leagues regarding hockey equipment that exist to protect players. While hockey equipment can be expensive, the cost of not being protected appropriately is far greater. All protective equipment must be properly sized to ensure safety, skill development, and playing ability. To help with costs you can purchase some equipment used, athletic support, helmets, and skates should be new. Your youth player should be responsible in maintaining the condition of their equipment. If properly maintained their youth hockey equipment can be used for many years or until they have grown out of them.

An important part of the equipment you will need is it should be durable, sturdy, and safe. You want ice skates specific for hockey. These skates are typically made of synthetic leather and ballistic nylon, and molded plastic. Molded plastic is rarely used for the boot of competitive hockey skates because it results in limited mobility. With the exception of goaltender skates, all hockey skates are designed to not injure an opponent and use safety blades.

A hockey stick, which is used to move the puck across the ice comes in all shapes and sizes. Generally speaking, the stick is about long, for handling, with a flat blade at the end for contact with the ice. The blade is angled about 45 degrees, and is sometimes curved to aid in retaining the puck. Sticks can be made of wood, carbon fiber, and even aluminum the latter provides for more flexibility and weighs less.

Helmets with face cages are used in youth hockey. The helmets are designed to comfortably grip the head from the inside. Your youth player should be measured to insure proper fit as a loose fitting helmet would not provide the intended protection. The shell of the helmet is designed with vinyl nitrile that disperses force and absorbs impact of hits by pucks, skates, sticks, or contact with the ice. The helmet provides protection from concussions. While the face cages prevent injury to the face from pucks, sticks or skates as well.

The goalie mask is designed specifically for goalies. The mask is designed to protect the goaltenders head from injuries that could arise from being hit with a puck. There are two types of goalie masks used; the first is a helmet/cage combination the second is a fiberglass mask with a cage connected in the middle. The latter seems to be the most popular, as it provides protection on all sides of the head and allows for decorating the mask.

An athletic cup or support is required among all youth hockey organizations, these are simply designed to protect the genitalia of the ice hockey player, as well as protect reproductive organs.

Hockey gloves are designed to protect the player’s hands from injury and provide leverage on the stick during game play.

Other protective equipment that are generally required in youth hockey are neck guards, shoulder pads, elbow pads, and shin guards. All of which are designed to protect their respective areas.

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