Equipment Questions

[sc37 0]

Sry if this is a repeat, I've seen the other threads but they were kinda old and didn't answer all my questions.

Ok, well the situation is we have no goalie for our next session of adult ice hockey. I was thinking of filling in. I've played some street and roller hockey goalie before. But I was looking for some pads, low cost(though I did get my tax returns and we have a posible sponsor) since idk if I'm really committed to playing goal(most likely just here and there). What are the essentials?...pads, chest protector, blocker, glove, stick, and pants is what I'm thinking. Was gonna slap a cage on my helmet and figure using normal skates for now would be ok.

What size would the chest protector be? Medium shoulder=medium chest protector? And are the gloves and blockers pretty much all the same size? I got smallish hands and use 12"-13" gloves when I play winger or D so that might be a problem. Any recommendations? I play a mix of stand up and butterfly so idk if that has an effect on pads. Trying to get an idea of what to look for before I head off to the shop, or if I figure what I want, I might just order and search eBay. I saw you guys mention the DR stuff. I saw some cheap Gear, Tour, and Itech stuff, any experience with that?There any package deals out there?

Thanks

[jrphantom042 0]

it alll depends on the quality and size that you want.

[sc37 0]

I used a calculator on a site and it says 32in. I'm 6', so it seems a little short maybe? I'm looking for an entry level to intermediate pad most likely. Saw a package...Tour Lexur 400..any expereince with it? Has leg pads, catch and blocker

[sogaduch 0]

if your 6 feet youd be atleast a 34inch pad min, also i may reccoment a jock cause a players jock may not do much good

[unholygoalie 0]

The equipment you choose really depends on the level of competition you'll be facing. If you're gonna be facing serious slapshots I wouldn't skimp on things like leg pads, chest, and helmet. Especially not helmet, we are talking about your head dude!

As far as size goes, that's a personal matter. I can only give you guidelines. I'm 6' and I use 36+2 Brian's pads, and a Large chest protector, but that might not be best for your particular body. Gloves and blockers are usually one size fits all. The best idea would be to go to your local hockey store and try the equipment on and see what fits, and what's good quality for the money.

[sc37 0]

I'd say low to mid level competition is what I'm facing. Most pucks in my game hardly come past my waist. The cheap Gear and Tour pads are mostly roller hockey though I'm guessing? I think I'm gonna go to the shop, cept hating doing that when I'm sorta...browsing.

[dinkusmaximus 0]

Ok first off don't play guessing games with sizing, especially when it comes to leg pads. Measure the inside of your leg from your ankle bone to the middle of your bent knee and I can tell you what size pad you should be in.

As for pads I highly suggest you get one of the low priced Sr pads that are all over the market now. They offer superb protection and cost around $300 which is 1/4-1/3 the cost of most pro pads. You lose a little bit of the durability in exchange for cost with the Sr lines, but for how much you'll be playing it shouldnt really affect you. I suggest you take a look at the Reebok Sr, Sher-wood C5s, Itech 4.8 X-Factor Sr, & Itech GP4.8 Prodigy Sr. You can also look on ebay for some great deals on some used pro level gear.

Gloves you can go Sr level as well or you can look into getting Intermediate Pro gloves since you said you have smaller hands. Intermediate Pro level gives you high level protection in a smaller glove.

I also suggest you invest in some goalie skates. While you may only be playing every now and then, goalie skates are MUCH different then player skates. They are fitted differently to protect you from broken toes from a slap shot, they are cut differently to allow greater mobility, and the blade is flat for increased balance. Even if you think you aren't going to be seeing a lot of high powered shots in this league, let me remind you that it only takes 1 guy with a decent shot to break your toes. I made this mistake when I was first getting into playing goal in highschool and I missed almost a month due to a shot I took directly to the toe. Hell I lucked out because it didn't even break my toes. This piece of advice should be thought about in all areas of equipment though. It's always better to spend a little more $ to make sure you're safe. You don't want to regret it later.

[TBLfan 25]

Also your leg pads size might change due to personal preference. I'm 6'1 and I like shorter pads for better mobility. Just make sure your ankle to knee is right so that your knee will fit in the knee lock.

[sc37 0]

Yeah I measure the A2K...17" I plugged it into the calculator on one of the websites I went to for gear shopping and it said 32". I've been told to get at least a 34" if I'm 6'. Honestly, I'd wanna be quick so might settle for 33" if the pads I want come in that size.

Yeah someone told me about goalie skates on another board...gotta keep that in mind now.

[sc37 0]

I found some stuff that I think I can get cheap to start out with. One prob is the leg pads need new straps, the helmet needs a new cage, and the gear needs some cleaning. Is it hard to get new straps on the pads. How would I go about replacing the cage...does that require peeling back the padding on the mask at all, I find that to be the biggest pain in installing a visor on my normal helmet. And whats your recommendations on cleaning the gear if I get it?

[unholygoalie 0]

I've never had to replace a strap, but I do know they make strap pullers that aid in that. Check out ebay. Your LHS might be able to do it for you for a small price. As for the helmet, you'll probably have to peel back some of the padding. This can be a pain, but it's manageable. The thing you gotta watch out for is buying a new cage. If you can find one made specifically for your helmet, great, otherwise you might need to force the sucker on. I had that experience with my old Eddy GT, no other aftermarket cateye cage would fit it. Again, your LSH might be able to help.

This is how I clean my gear, and it's pretty self-explanitory. Things with little to no leather (chest, pants, jock) get thrown in the bathtub and handwashed with detergent, hung out for a couple days to fully dry. As for everything else, just wipe down periodically with mild soap and warm water. Spray with febreeze or any other anti-fungal deodorizer, and allow to completely air dry.

[dinkusmaximus 0]

Yeah I measure the A2K...17" I plugged it into the calculator on one of the websites I went to for gear shopping and it said 32". I've been told to get at least a 34" if I'm 6'. Honestly, I'd wanna be quick so might settle for 33" if the pads I want come in that size.

Yeah someone told me about goalie skates on another board...gotta keep that in mind now.

Well you can prolly get away with 33" pads easily. I'd prolly try and get 33+1" or 33+2" if you can. It will give you that added height in the thighrise that will help protect your thighs and knees. As for straps, they can be a pain in the ass to replace if you don't have the right tools, plus straps usually run about $15 a piece. My company can restrap them for you, but I'd need to know how many straps and which exact straps need to be replaced to give you a quote. Also you may want to see if there is any Esporta cleaning systems in your area. They'd be able to professionally clean your gear and get rid of the other guys bacteria in there.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

My ankle to knee is 20 (I am 6'3"), I guess I am looking 36" pads for that yes?