The
“Heads Up,
Don’t Duck
Hockey Equipment
& Maintenace Guide
Sponsored by Caritas Christi Health Care System
The "Heads Up, Don't Duck" Hockey
Equipment & Maintenance Guide
Having the right equipment is key for enjoying any sport. In ice hockey, well-fitting and comfortable equipment, including skates, pads and
helmet, is critical not only for comfort, but also for safety and protection. Use the following information to guide you in selecting and fitting everything you need to play hockey.
Equipment
To be fully prepared for ice hockey, you need:
• skates
• hockey helmet with protective mask and chin protector
• shinpads
• pelvic protection
• shoulder pads
• breezers or pants
• hockey socks
• elbow pads
• mouth guard (preferably custom fitted by a dentist)
• skate guards
• hockey stick
• hockey jersey
Defend Your Head
Select a helmet that feels comfortable and is a brand certified by
the Hockey Equipment Certification Council (HECC). It
should be adjusted to prevent shifting and maximize protection. Adjust the chin strap so that it gently makes
contact under the chin when fastened. If the helmet
is ever dented or cracked it must be replaced, as It no
longer offers sufficient protection against injury. It is
also good practice to change the foam padding inside
undamaged helmets every few years.
Save Your Face
Both wire masks and full-face shields offer excellent protection
for the face and chin from sticks, pucks and other hazards. The traditional wire mask offers greater ventilation than the full-face shield.
However, the full-face shield is extremely strong and can protect the
face from a puck traveling in excess of 150 mph. It also offers excellent straight ahead and peripheral vision. Although fog resistant, the
full-face shield does collect sweat and needs periodic wiping.
Regardless of the mask style you choose, be sure to get one that is
HECC approved.
Always Wear a Mouthguard
Athletic mouthguards are essential equipment and should never
be overlooked. A good mouthguard, preferably custom fitted by a dentist, can offer the following protection:
• Protect against broken, chipped, lost or nerve-damaged teeth
by absorbing and deflecting the force of a blow.
• Protect oral tissues from laceration by shielding the lips,
tongue, cheek and gums.
• Protect the brain from concussion by absorbing and dissipating the shock from a blow to the lower jaw.
• Protect the temporomandibular joint (jaw) from dislocation
and other injury by supporting and cushioning the lower jaw.
• Protect against jaw fractures by providing a cushion between
upper and lower jaw.
Protect Your Legs
Shinpads are critical for player safety as the lower leg experiences
frequent contact from sticks, pucks and skates.
Wear your skates when selecting the proper size shinpads. Your
kneecap should fit snugly into the center of the shinpad's knee area.
The pads should extend down the full length of your lower leg, but
not interfere with free motion of your skate. Most pads come with
protective foam that wraps around the lower leg to cover the back of
the calf, as well as a strap designed to hold the pads in place.
For Women Only
As more women and girls have picked up the sport of hockey, a
wider range of equipment options have become available. Many manufacturers now make safety equipment, from gloves to pads, in sizes
and cuts more suitable to a woman's smaller and lighter frame.
Among the gender-specific equipment you should look for are
shoulder pads with extended chest protection. In addition, many leading skate manufacturers have developed a variety of quality hockey
skates built on a narrower form that better suits the contours of the
female foot.
STICKS — Choose the Right Stick Length
The general guidelines for determining the correct length are:
• Without skates, stand on the floor. Place the toe of your stick
on the ground between your feet.
• Lean the stick straight up and down so the stick handle
touches the tip of your nose. Mark this location and cut your
stick at this spot.
• If you measured correctly, the stick should come to your
chin, or just below, when you are wearing skates.
Players in different positions may choose slightly different
lengths. For example, a defenseman may opt to use a longer
stick to increase his or her reach, while a forward may want a
shorter stick for easier stick handling.
Determine the Proper Lie
The lie is the angle that the stick heel forms with the shaft. For
example, forwards generally use a lie of 5, 6 or 7. The higher the lie
number, the greater the angle. To determine correct lie, examine your
current stick. If the blade and/or tape is worn evenly from heel to toe,
you are using the proper lie. If the toe of the blade is worn more than
the rest of the stick, you should increase the lie. If the heel is worn,
switch to a stick with a lower lie.
SKATES — Comfort is Key
Hockey skates generally fit 1 to 1 '/2 sizes smaller than your street
shoes. To ensure that you have the correct size, slip your feet into the
skates while wearing the same socks that will be worn while skating.
• Press your toes far forward, so that your toes touch the front
of the skates. In this position, you should have enough room
at the heel to slide a finger between your heel and the inside
of the boot.
• Before lacing skates, kick your heel back into the heel of
the boot.
• Tightly lace the first three eyelets. Loosely lace the next few
eyelets to prevent constricting the arch of your foot. The
remaining eyelets should then be tightly laced.
Some skates are designed for wider or narrower feet. To
determine whether your skates are the proper width, check
the distance between eyelets once fully laced. They should be roughly
11/2 to 2 inches apart. If they are farther apart, look for a wider boot. If
the eyelets are closer together, look for a narrower boot.
• To check the fit of your skates, walk around in them for 10
to 15 minutes (while wearing skate guards). Remove your
skates and socks and look for any pressure points. Properly
fitted skates should not leave any red marks.
Caring for Your Blades
• When not on the ice, always wear hard, plastic guards when
walking on your skates. Though most rinks have rubber mats,
dirt can cause nicks and damage your blades.
• When finished skating, completely wipe off your blades
with a dry towel. Any excess moisture can encourage the
development of rust. Once dry, you can put soakers or
guards on your blades to transport them, but be sure to
remove guards or soakers once home so no remaining moisture damages the blades.
A Few Words About Sharpening
Properly sharpened skates can improve your performance on the
ice. The hollow of your skate blade, which determines how much the
blade grabs the ice, is a personal preference. It usually takes a few
sharpenings before a player is committed to a certain sharpening hollow, which is measured by radius. A radius of 1/2 inch has less bite
than a radius of 5/16 inches.
Players in different positions generally prefer different sharpenings to enhance the specific requirements of that position. For example, an offensive defenseman will probably prefer a more shallow hollow than a defensive defenseman because a shallow hollow accentuates speed and glide, while a deeper hollow grabs the ice for a more
aggressive style of skating.
You can determine the existing hollow of your skates with a single coin:
1. Flip your skates upside down so the blade is facing up.
2. Place a penny, on its skinny edge, on your blade's hollow. The
penny should face heads up, with the curve of the penny sitting
in the blade's hollow.
• If the curve of the penny fits snugly in the hollow, your
radius is 3/8".
• If the penny can be slightly rocked back and forth in
the hollow, your radius is probably 1/2".
• If the penny touches the side of the blade's hollow and light can be seen between the bottom curve of the penny and the
blade's hollow, your skate has a deep
5/16” radius.
For more information about hockey safety contact:
Alan B. Ashare, MD, St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center of Boston
736 Cambridge Street, Brighton, MA 02135 ● (617) 789-2815
The following hospitals are part of the
Caritas Christi Health Care System:
Caritas Norword Hospital, Norwood
Caritas Southwood Hospital, Norfolk
Carney Hospital, Dorchester
Holy Family Hospital and Medical Center, Methuen
Saint Anne’s Hospital, Fall River
St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center of Boston