Hockey Equipment Guide for Goalies

Goalies wear larger masks, or helmets, as their position requires them to be low, making them more susceptible to being hit with pucks, sticks, and skates. Youth, high school, and girls age classification must wear a Hockey Equipment Certification Council (HECC) certified helmet.

While goalie helmets are designed with an elongated chin to protect a portion of the neck, they have their faults. Neck guards protect players' necks from dangerous injuries, and are commonly made of cut-resistant material.

A chest protector will protect the goalie's arms, chest, stomach, and collarbones with padding. Goalie chest protectors are designed to absorb and redistribute impact to reduce the risk of injury. It should fit comfortably enough for unrestricted movement, but tight enough that it won't shift.

Goalies utilize a blocker to deflect hockey pucks with their hand. A blocker is a rectangular board attached to the backside of a glove and is worn on the dominant stick hand.

A hockey goalie glove, or a catch(er) glove, looks like a deep mitt. The catch glove is worn on the non-dominant hand and is used to save pucks from entering the net. Coming in a variety of styles, each goalie can choose a glove based on personal preference.

A jock or jill is the protective equipment for the goalie's pelvic area. Goalie jocks have more padding and protect the pelvic bone, due to the goalie positions.

Goalie pants, or breezers, are padded shorts that protect the hips and upper thighs. Goalie pants are loose-fitting and have internal pants, while hockey player pants don't.

While knee pads are not mandatory for goalies, they can help prevent knee and hip injuries. These pads provide extra protection and reduce the risk of future injuries associated with goalies.

One of the main pieces of goalie gear is the goalie leg pads. Goalie leg pads are made out of synthetic leather and foam, reach from thighs to skates, and are designed to stop pucks while protecting the goalie's legs.

Goalie skates are designed for a wider range of motion and have a hard plastic shell to protect the foot. The blades of the skates are longer than the players because they push side to side, and must be sharpened frequently.

Different player to player, a goalie stick is used to extend their reach and to facilitate the game. Sticks vary in material and are all based on what feels best for the goalie. Goalie sticks are categorized based on youth, junior, intermediate, and senior, and should have a proper fit.

As mentioned, goalies have the most gear and utilize large hockey equipment bags to carry it all. Hockey equipment bags are durable, keep gear protected, and are much easier to transport all equipment.