The best protection for hockey players and why

Summary: A hockey player needs a helmet with a cage or visor, neck guard, shoulder pads, elbow pads, gloves, suspenders, pants, shin guards, and skates. The best protection is not the most expensive, but the one that is the right size and stays in place throughout the entire practice. Here we go through what each piece of protection does, how you check that it is positioned correctly, and how tape, laces, and proper care ensure that the equipment protects as it should throughout the season.

Introduction

It is easy to focus on buying the right protection: the right brand, the right model, and the right level. But on the ice, something else determines the outcome. A shin guard that has slipped down after two hits, a helmet that is too loose, or shoulder pads that ride up toward the neck provide less protection, regardless of how much they cost.

That is why this guide is about fit as much as equipment. We go through the protection from top to bottom, explain what each piece does and how to see that it is positioned correctly, and provide tips that make a difference in the locker room. This applies whether you are a parent buying the first set of equipment or a player who wants everything to fit perfectly before the season.

Head and neck – helmet, cage, and neck guard

The helmet is the most important piece of protection of all. It should be approved for ice hockey and fit snugly around the head without pressing. Test it by shaking your head with the chin strap fastened: the helmet should move with you and not slide. The front edge should sit about a finger's width above the eyebrows. The chin strap should be tight enough that just one finger fits under the chin.

Replace the helmet if the shell has cracked, if it has taken a really hard hit, or if the padding has become flat. Follow the manufacturer's recommendation for its lifespan. The date is often on a label inside the helmet.

Screws and clips on helmets and cages sometimes come loose, often at the wrong time. Howies Hockey Helmet Repair Kit contains 26 parts and a screwdriver, so you can replace a loose screw right in the locker room. The kit is for screws and fasteners. A helmet with cracks in the shell should be replaced, not repaired.

Cage or visor protects the face and eyes. For young players, a full cage is standard. Visors must be kept clean and free of fog, otherwise you will see less clearly during the game. Visirspray Hockey cleans and prevents fogging in one step, on both visors and protective masks.

The neck guard protects against cuts from skate blades. It is a small piece of protection that makes a big difference, and in Swedish youth and junior hockey, it is mandatory. Check what the rules are in your league. The neck guard should cover the entire neck without being tight when the player turns their head.

Upper body – shoulder pads, elbow pads, and gloves

The shoulder pads protect the shoulders, chest, collarbone, and back from hits and falls. They should completely cover the shoulders and end approximately at the navel in the front. Check that the player can lift their arms over their head without the pads riding up toward the neck. Younger players often do best with lighter and more flexible pads, as they need to move freely and are not exposed to hits as hard.

The elbow pad is easy to forget, but it takes many hits when falling onto the ice or boards. The elbow should be centered in the pad's cup. The pad should reach down to the cuff of the glove, so that there is no bare gap on the forearm. If the pad tends to twist, you can wrap one turn of Benskyddstejp PRO loosely around the jersey sleeve above the pad. Do not tape directly to the skin or pull it too tight.

The gloves protect the fingers and wrists, but feel is just as important. The glove should reach up to the elbow pad. The fingers should reach the fingertips without being tight. The palm wears out fastest, and a thin or damaged palm provides less feel and grip. The grip on the stick also affects how tightly you need to hold it. With Grepptejp or LizardSkins on the shaft, the stick stays securely in place even with sweaty gloves. We go through the differences in the guide Grepptejp eller LizardSkins?.

Shin guards and skates – where tape makes the biggest difference

The suspenders are the piece of protection no one talks about, but everyone needs. They should fit snugly and be the right size. For girls, there are shin guards with the same function. The pants protect the hips, thighs, and tailbone. They should reach down to the top of the shin guard, so that the knee is covered even when the player bends over.

The shin guards are the pieces of protection most affected by how they fit. They protect the knees and shins from pucks, sticks, and falls, but only if they are positioned correctly. The right size means that the knee is centered in the knee cup and that the bottom of the pad ends just above the skate blade.

The Velcro straps hold the pad in place for a while, but rarely for a whole game. That is why almost all players tape their shin guards to their skate boot. Wrap 2–3 turns just below the knee and 2–3 turns just above the skate, around both the skate boot and the pad. Do not pull tighter than allows one finger to fit under the tape. Benskyddstejp PRO is made of 0.18 mm PVC film with a rubber-based adhesive and withstands everything from −10 °C to 80 °C. It stays in place even in games with a lot of close contact. For practice, the classic Benskyddstejpen works well. The entire technique, step by step, is in the guide on how to tape shin guards.

The skates should fit snugly around the heel and ankle without pinching the toes. The heel should stay in place when the player bends their knee forward. Lace the tightest over the ankle and slightly looser at the top, so that the ankle can bend. Skridskosnören Vaxade hold the tension where you tighten them and do not slide up during the game. The right length and lacing technique are in the guide on skate laces.

How to make the protection last longer – drying, checking, and organization

Protection that sits wet in a closed bag becomes smelly, and the padding breaks down faster. A few simple routines make a big difference:

• Dry it after every practice. Take everything out of the bag as soon as you get home and let it dry at room temperature. Do not place the protection on a heater, as strong heat can damage plastic and padding. Hockeyback 2.0 has large ventilation holes so that the equipment dries faster. With Klaffar till Hockeyback 2.0, the bag can also serve as a drying rack for skate boots and gloves.
• Check the protection before every season. Look for cracks in hard parts, flat padding, worn straps, and Velcro that no longer sticks. Children grow, so also check that the size still fits.
• Replace laces and tape in time. A frayed lace will break when you least want it to. Always have a spare pair and extra tape in your bag. Skridskokittet contains waxed laces, Benskyddstejp PRO, and a case for spare blades.
• Keep track of the small things. Tape, laces, wax, and repair kits can easily get lost in a large bag. Howies Hockey Accessory Bag has two compartments and a transparent name pocket, so you can find everything immediately.
• Mark the equipment. In a locker room full of identical helmets and bags, it is easy to mix them up. Klisterbokstäver och siffror make it easy to mark a helmet and bag with a name or number.

Frequently asked questions about hockey protection

1. How do I know if my child's protection fits correctly?

Perform a simple movement test when the child has all their equipment on. Let the child squat down, bend their knees, lift their arms over their head, turn their head, and take a few strides on the ice. No piece of protection should slide, twist, or pinch. The helmet should move with the child when they shake their head, and the front edge should sit about a finger's width above the eyebrows. The shoulder pads should not ride up toward the neck when the arms are lifted. The elbow should be centered in the pad's cup, and there should be no bare gap between the elbow pad and the glove. The knee should be centered in the shin guard's knee cup, and the pad should end just above the skate. The shin guards are the pieces of protection that move most during a practice, so tape them to the skate boot with 2–3 turns below the knee and 2–3 turns above the skate. Benskyddstejp PRO keeps the pads in place throughout the game. Be careful not to pull too tight, as one finger should fit under the tape. Check the fit again after a few months, as children grow quickly and protection that fit perfectly in August may be too small in February.

2. How often should protection and helmets be replaced?

There is no fixed interval, as it depends on how much the protection is used and how it is cared for. Always replace the helmet if the shell has cracked, if it has taken a really hard hit, or if the padding inside has become flat and no longer springs back. Follow the manufacturer's recommendation for its lifespan. The manufacturing date is often on a label inside the helmet. For other pieces of protection, perform a check before every season. Look for cracks in hard parts, padding that has lost its shape, broken straps, and Velcro that no longer sticks. For children and youth, size is usually the deciding factor. Protection that has become too small does not cover where it should, and protection that is too large slips. Minor problems can often be addressed without replacing the protection. A loose screw on the helmet or cage can easily be replaced with Howies Hockey Helmet Repair Kit, which contains 26 parts and a screwdriver. A helmet with cracks in the shell, however, should always be replaced.

3. Is tape necessary if the shin guards have Velcro straps?

Yes, for most players. The Velcro straps keep the pad in place for a while, but sweat, moisture, and movement cause them to lose their grip during the practice. After a few hits, falls, and stops, the pad has often slipped down or twisted, and then it no longer covers the knee and shin as it should. The tape locks the skate boot and pad together, so that they move as a single unit and stay in place throughout the game. Wrap 2–3 turns just below the knee and 2–3 turns just above the skate, around both the skate boot and pad. Never tape directly to the skin and do not pull tighter than allows one finger to fit under the tape. Use a thin, flexible shin guard tape that withstands sweat and cold. Benskyddstejp PRO is our first choice for active players. If you want the tape to match the team's skate boots, Advance AT7 Shin Guard Tape is available in ten colors. The entire technique, including the most common mistakes, is in the guide on how to tape shin guards.

4. What tape is best for juniors?

Juniors need the same type of tape as adults, but the technique needs to be extra careful. Children's equipment is often bought with little room to grow, and then the protection does not always fit perfectly. This makes the tape even more important, because it keeps the pad in place even though it is slightly large. Use a thin, flexible shin guard tape and be careful not to pull too tight. Children do not always say when something pinches. One finger should fit under the tape, and the top turn should be applied with the knee slightly bent. The classic Benskyddstejpen works well for younger players and practice. Benskyddstejp PRO is a good choice when there are more games and tougher play. It is a good idea to teach the child to tape themselves when they get older. It creates a routine and makes the player more independent in the locker room. If a new player is getting started from scratch, the Startkit – New Player contains cloth tape, grip tape, and waxed skate laces in one kit.

5. How do you dry and store hockey equipment?

Take all equipment out of the bag as soon as you get home, every time. Protection that sits wet in a closed bag starts to smell, and the moisture breaks down the padding faster. Hang or lay out the protection so that air can reach it from all sides, and let it dry at room temperature. Avoid heaters and other strong heat sources, because strong heat can make plastic brittle and padding shrink. Open the gloves so that air can get in. Skate boots and undershirts should be washed regularly. The bag itself also makes a difference. Hockeyback 2.0 is made of reinforced material with large ventilation holes, so the equipment dries faster even when it is in the bag. With Klaffar till Hockeyback 2.0, the bag can serve as a drying rack for skate boots and gloves, and several bags can be stacked securely. The small things, such as tape, laces, and wax, stay dry and easy to find in the Howies Hockey Accessory Bag. Good drying is the easiest way to make the protection last for more seasons.

6. Can you repair the helmet yourself?

It depends on what is broken. Loose or missing screws, clips, and fasteners for helmets and cages can be replaced by yourself, and this is something many players need to do at some point during the season. A screw that comes loose in the middle of a game is more common than people think. Howies Hockey Helmet Repair Kit contains 26 parts and a screwdriver, so you can fix the problem right in the locker room and be back on the ice in a few minutes. The kit is small enough to always keep in the hockey bag, and many teams have one in the equipment room. However, you should not repair the helmet shell or the padding. If the shell has cracked, if the helmet has taken a really hard hit, or if the padding has become flat, the helmet should be replaced, because it no longer protects as it should. This applies even if the damage looks minor. Do not tape over cracks either. It only hides the problem. Check the helmet before every season and follow the manufacturer's recommendation for its lifespan.

7. How can you see better through the visor?

Fog and dirt on the visor is a common problem, especially when there is a large difference between the temperature in the rink and the body heat under the helmet. A foggy visor makes it harder to see, and then you react more slowly to the puck and other players. Clean the visor before every practice. Use a soft cloth and avoid paper that can scratch the surface. Scratches scatter the light and make visibility worse over time. Visirspray Hockey is specially developed for hockey. It cleans and prevents fog in one step and leaves a clear surface on visors, protective masks, and glasses. Spray, let it work for a short while, and wipe it off with a clean cloth. Store the helmet so that the visor does not lie against other equipment in the bag, because it causes scratches. A visor that has become heavily scratched or cracked should be replaced. It is a good idea to keep the visor spray in the bag along with tape and a repair kit, so that everything is at hand before the game.

8. How can the team earn money through StickyTape?

The team gets its own team link to StickyTape. When players, parents, and hockey friends buy any of the selected Team Packages via the link, 20% of the sales goes back to the team fund. The team does not need to buy anything, hold inventory, or handle payments, because the families order and pay themselves, and the packages are delivered directly to them. There are four packages to choose from. Team Package Basic is the simpler option with tape. Team Package Standard also includes waxed skate laces and stick wax. Team Package Pro is suitable for the active player. Team Package Season corresponds approximately to an active player's consumption during a season. Since all players use tape and laces all season anyway, no one needs to sell to relatives and neighbors. The families buy what they already need, and the team earns from it. Read more about how you earn money for the team fund and calculate what it could mean for your team.