Hockey
Equipment Sizing Guide
by Tony Conte
Parents, this information may
not be what you would consider fun reading,
but properly fitting equipment
will prevent injuries.
It may also help you avoid spending
money on equipment that isn't appropriate.
As always, contact your coach
if you have questions!
WHAT IS THE PROPER FIT FOR SKATES?
Skates normally fit 1 to 1.5
sizes smaller then your street shoes.
To get a skate on, you must
loosen the laces to an extreme. This is normal for a properly
fitting skate. While wearing
the sock that will be worn when skating, slip your foot into the skate,
pressing the ends of the toes
against the front of the skate. In this position, you should be
able to place one finger between
the inside of the boot and the heel of your foot.
Before lacing up, kick your
heel back into the boot's heel. Snugly lace the first 3 eyelets,
with the next 3 or 4 loosely
laced to avoid constricting the arch area of the foot.
The remaining eyelets should
then be snugly laced to optimize the energy transfer to the skate.
Eyelets of the skates should
be roughly 1?" to 2" apart. If further apart, a wider boot
would work better. And if the
eyelets are closer look for a narrower boot. Some skate
models have been designed to
fit either narrow or wide feet. Walk 10 to 15 minutes in the
skates checking for comfort.
Red areas or pressure points on your feet are signs
of an improperly fitted skate.
WHAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN
BUYING A HELMET?
The areas to consider when choosing
helmets are protection, comfort and fit.
There are several acceptable
brands of helmets that offer quality protection
and these may be recognized
by the Canadian Standard Association (CSA) or HECC sticker they carry.
You should always look for equipment
that feels comfortable. Although most helmets
are lined with protective foam,
some do feel better then others. The helmet should be
adjusted to fit snug to prevent
any shifting and maximize protection. It is important that
the helmet is not too tight,
so it remains comfortable. Almost all helmets are adjustable in size.
Don't hesitate to adjust the
size as your child grows. Make sure the chinstrap is adjusted so
it gently makes contact under
the chin when fastened. Again, it should not be too tight or
create any other discomfort.
If the helmet is ever dented or cracked the helmet must be replaced.
In addition, it is good practice
to change the foam padding inside the helmet every 2 to 3 years.
It is important to periodically
check the hardware on a helmet. It often becomes loose over time.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
A SCREEN FACE
MASK AND A FULL SHIELD?
Both types provide excellent
protection for the face and chin from sticks,
pucks and virtually every body
part and piece of equipment on the ice.
The traditional metal screen
facemask is strong and durable and provides excellent
ventilation for cooling and
breathing, and adequate vision.
Not to mention a fraction of
the cost of clear shield type.
I prefer the metal screen type
because of ventilation.
The face shield provides excellent
straight-ahead and peripheral vision,
but does not provide as good
of airflow as the screen. Full-face shields are
virtually fog resistant, but
do collect sweat and moisture, which needs to be wiped off,
sometimes alot. To insure that
you are purchasing a good quality mask, be sure that
your mask is HECC approved when
purchasing it. If the facemask or shield becomes
dented or cracked the mask has
lost its strength and must be changed immediately.
HOW DO I SIZE SHIN PADS?
To measure the exact size of
shin pad be seated in a chair with a skate on your foot,
knee bent at 90 degrees. Measure
from the ledge just above the top eyelet on your
skate all the way up to the
center of the kneecap. Shin pads can be worn to fit over the
skate tongue ( which requires
the skate to be put on first, or they can be worn to rest
right behind the skate tongue.
The preference is up to the skater. If you wear the shin
pad over the tongue, they tend
to slide down a bit, so a longer shin pad will fit more comfortably.
HOW DO I KNOW WHAT LENGTH OF
STICK TO USE AND WHERE
SHOULD I CUT MY STICK OFF?
A good way to measure your stick
is to stand, without skates in your stocking feet,
on a flat surface. Place the
toe of your stick on the ground between your feet.
Lean the stick straight up-and-down
so the handle of the stick touches the tip of your nose.
A general rule is to mark and
cut the handle of your stick where it touches the tip of your nose.
Then when standing on your skates,
the stick should come up to your chin or lips.
Also, a defenseman may want
to use a longer stick to give them a longer reach for
poking the puck away and a forward
may want to use a shorter stick to help them
stickhandle better. This is
an individual preference for each player. A little bit of white tape
around the end of the stick
can create a knob so it won't fall out of the player's hand.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BEWEEN
GRAPHITE,
ALUMINUM AND WOOD STICKS?
Wood sticks are generally manufactured
with a standard square shape with the exception
of some higher-end wood sticks,
which can have a convex contour.
These are generally the heaviest
sticks.
They are a good value but have
poor consistency and many breakages.
An average cost is $25 or less.
Aluminum shafts most often are manufactured
with a classic concave shape
though some aluminum
shafts now have a rounded ergonomic
shape. Aluminum shafts are fairly durable and have
consistent flexes. They are
higher priced than wood, vibrate more than wood and eventually deform
and bend. An average cost is
$45 with blade. Composite shafts can be found to have all types of
shapes, weights and flexes.
A composite shaft should be purchased for the shaft consistency, shot
speed and accuracy and its lighter
weight. These are the most expensive and have less durability
than aluminum. The average cost
of a high-end composite shaft is $90 with blade. Lower priced
sticks are targeted at the recreational
market, less advanced players or young amateurs
( That would be us!). For our
level of play, inexpensive sticks work just fine.
Even roller hockey sticks will
work, but don't be suprised is it needs to be replaced
because it couldn't hold up
the the weight of a puck. For our youngest players,
I suggest an inexpensive wooden
stick with a blade that is straight, not curved.
It allows them to figure out
what side is most comfortable for them.
I have seen many a right handed
child play hockey with a strong left hand.
HAPPY SIZING!
________________________________________
Much of this information was
produced by Cyclone Taylor
Sports, 2000