Beginner - what equipment is worth spending on?

[fitz 0]

Hey there! Complete beginner here, just a couple weeks ago bought my first pair of skates. Following recommendations, I bought the best pair I could afford, Bauer supreme 170. I've been going to public skates around 3 times a week, and have made pretty good progress. Still, it's hard to push myself when I'm afraid of falling all the time, and my eventual plans of beginner hockey lessons require a full set of equipment.

 

So I'm looking for a set of pads. As a student with limited disposable income, my first instinct was to get the cheapest ones possible, but I realized that's probably not the best investment long term. I'm having a hard time deciding which pieces are important to spend on, and which ones I can save on.

 

I know shoulder pads aren't too important if you're not in a checking league, so I'm going to go low end with those, but other than that I'm rather confused. Should I get an expensive helmet? I know a concussion would probably be a concussion no matter what, but is the comfort and smaller impact protection worth it? Elbow pads seem important for falls, but is a low end one good enough for those? While I love the idea of blocking shots, I don't know if I actually would, and I imagine it'll be quite a while before I get to that level anyway, so I don't know if more expensive shin guards are worth it either. Pants I find especially confusing. I'm finding it hard to see a difference other than weight. Gloves I actually do have, I picked up a pair of Reebok 7k gloves on clearance for 40, which seemed like a good price to me. 

 

Thanks for any help you can provide. Reading through threads on this forum has inspired me to finally get off my ass and try out a sport I've loved watching for years. 

 

TL;DR need first set of pads, don't know which I can skimp on and which ones I should spend on. 

[tedpenguins 93]

I was in the same circumstances this last year as you are now. I basically went through 2 sets of gear in less than a year just because I didn't want to spend the money when I started. Buying 2 sets of gear is a heck of a lot more money than just buying the mid priced point stuff to begin with. The shoulder pads aren't very important if you're not playing in a checking league, I would buy a lower price point just to keep the weight down. I would recommend looking at CCM or Bauer because they have new products coming out soon which will cause prices of last years gear to drop.

 

SPEND THE MONEY FOR PANTS! I made a huge mistake by buying pants from the 90's that had hardly any padding. Of course I ended up falling and I'm pretty sure I broke my tailbone. The very next day I went and bought brand new mid priced Warrior pants and they have done the job. 

 

The helmet I would also spend at least $60 on. You only have one head and concussions are not something that you want to have to worry about. Plus, the difference with padding and comfort is huge. 

 

Elbow pads are similar to the shoulder pads. It depends on how often you think you will fall but the second lowest price point should be fine. The more you spend on them is typically for slash protection and I've never had a problem in lower leagues with slashing.

 

The shin guards are worth a little bit extra money and I would suggest a mid price point. Falling on the knees with hardly any protection is never fun and if you do start to block shots sooner rather than later you'll be all set. The removable liners are also really nice and are worth the extra $15.

 

Like I said before, check out the CCM and Bauer gear because it is starting to go on sale which will help you get some better gear at a much lower cost. Bauer 7500 helmets are actually on sale at Total Hockey right now and would be an excellent choice as long as your head shape fits them. If you want lighter gear with a good amount of protection I would highly, highly recommend the CCM RBZ line. If you can, try everything on in store and make sure it all fits properly. 

[x-axis 44]

There's a recurring theme if you search all the "what equipment should I purchase" threads on this forum, and there are numerous.

That theme is purchase what fits best in store. Nothing top end is ever necessary because your needs change as you improve. As ted mentioned, mid-priced items are more than enough protection. 

If you are purchasing items piece by piece, the next important item is shinguards, especially if you are trying to improve your skating at public sessions. The fit of shinguards is probably one of the most talked about concerns because some people tuck or flop their skate tongues. A lot of people find that their shinguards' length interferes with their skate. Bring your skates with you when purchasing shinguards so you know if the length and width are correct for the skates that you own. 

After that would be pants and their length. Poor fitting pants do affect your stride. You want to make sure the length is just right and that they sit right above the top of the knee cap or very close to it. 

 

After that, a lot of your equipment decisions are a lot easier and relate to mobility and preference. 

[IPv6Freely 2093]

Skates, helmet, shin pads in that order would be my personal suggestion. 

 

You have skates so let's focus on the others. Helmet doesn't need to be top end, it just needs to fit and be comfortable. Helmets are meant to prevent fracture, not concussion so you can generally go with just about anything (modern) if it fits and feels comfortable. 

 

I say shin pads next mostly because if you're a beginner you're going to fall. And it's going to suck if your shins don't fit right. You don't need top end stuff, you just need comfortable especially in the knee area. 

 

With pants again I think anything currently on the market is going to be fine protection-wise, though you may want to be conscious of the tailbone protection because again, you're going to fall a lot. 

 

Elbows: as long as they're comfortable pretty much anything on the shelf will be fine. 

 

Shoulders: Don't worry too much about these. Find what's comfortable. Mostly you're looking for protection against falling, so it's really how well the shoulder cap fits that should dictate what you buy.

 

Thats about it really. Obviously you need a jock but just about anything modern will be fine. 

 

Hope that helps.

[IPv6Freely 2093]

Oh and if it helps, I suggest going one step above the low end for most things. Just because then you're getting something of decent quality but not spending a ton of money as you'll likely want to replace stuff as you develop and find a taste for what you like. In an ideal world you'd just buy a perfect set of gear the first time, but realistically you're likely to dislike something you bought after a while of using it.

[GloriousLeader 31]

Personal opinion from my experience - I would prioritize the gears in following order

Helmet - falling on your head sucks. Especially falling on your head skating backwards and catching a bad edge really sucks. No one likes concussion.

Elbow pads - IMO as a beginner I remember usually trying to catch my fall on my elbows. I seem to remember elbows hurting more than anything else.

Pants - pretty equal to the elbow pads. Falling on your tail bone sucks.

Shin guards - definitely need to protect them knees when you fall. Don't need to worry too much about blocking shots at low level friendly puck ups but there are sometimes unintentional shots that come your way. Just make sure the lengths are properly fit so you don't leave your ankles exposed.

Shoulder pads - quite right about shoulder pads. Don't need too much protection for learning to skate. Just need the shoulder caps to protect your shoulders if you fall on them.

 

Now would be a good time to check the end of season sales. Also try the second hand shops if you want to be frugal...

[fitz 0]

Thanks! I'll keep an eye out for the sales and try to head to a store to try on a couple different brands and models. 

 

I've actually been using a skateboard helmet that I usually use for biking. Do hockey helmets provide any advantage over these types of helmets when just learning how to skate and not playing hockey?

[GloriousLeader 31]

Skateboard helmet would be fine for learning to skate. When playing hockey you would want hockey helmet as you should have a cage to cover your face.

[vinprun71 61]

I'd splurge on the pants first and foremost. You can save on the elbows and shoulders. Shin guards I'd spend a little more than minimum. As for the helmet, you don't have to go crazy and spend 200 bucks, but I'd say you should be in the vicinity of 80-100 bucks on a helmet/cage combo. For the five pieces, I'd expect a bill around $400 give or take. This will give you decent protection - spending more on the pants and helmet.

[marka 526]

Howdy,

 

I just did this about 5 months ago...

 

As others have said... Fit matters more than anything else.  Saving money with badly fitting equipment didn't work for me, since I'd use it for a bit, get sick of stuff that didn't fit well, and then go buy something else.

My primary recommendation would be to find someone local who's good with hockey gear and go try on stuff with them.  Having some experienced eyes & advice in the moment is hugely helpful.  I wasn't able to do that for me, but we just got back from buying goalie gear from my son with a friend who's very experienced and the difference was huge.

 

As far as how to save money... I found that buying 3 to 5 year old higher end stuff on deep discount got me gear I really liked at a price point about the same as entry level current stuff.  Obviously the problem here is finding the gear.  I lucked out via Craigslist for some items, a local rink proshop for others, etc.

The other "save money" option is used stuff.  I've found some good deals at Play it Again.  I've also found some awful deals.  This is a place where a knowledgeable friend & a smartphone to check up on what you're looking at is HUGE.

 

In terms of specific equipment recommendations... It seems like pretty much all hockey helmets suck for protection.  So find one that fits well and is comfortable.  Make sure you get a cage, and make sure you're trying the helmet on with the cage in place.

Starting out, the main thing you're getting from shin guards is knee protection from falling.  Basically anything is going to do that.  I liked the entry level CCM Tack 1052 shins I had just fine since the strapping system kept them in place and fall protection was fine.  I ended up upgrading to some "old higher end" Reebok 11k's per the above to get some better side / calf protection.

Elbows, I would say that almost anything is going to give you fall protection, but the lower end stuff may well not be very comfortable.  The very entry level elbows we got my wife were basically locked in one position and she hated them.  So again, comfort and fit is the main recommendation here.

Gloves... Try on a bunch.  You can much different fits even in the same generic size glove.  Some folks like them loose everywhere, some like tight on the fingers and loose on the wrists, some like snugger everywhere.

Pants... I'm going to go against the grain here a bit and say to spend some energy on pants.  I've found the protection level to be reasonably different between the basic pants and some higher end stuff and as a beginner you're likely to be falling on your ass / hips a decent bit.  Use your hands and feel how much protection is in place.  I think the people that don't find much difference in pants don't fall as much as I do as a beginner.  :-)

Shoulders... Basically, anything here is likely fine.  Until you're actually playing / scrimmaging, I wouldn't bother even buying any.  I ended up with some higher end shoulders under the "buy 3 to 5 year old good stuff" plan above because the deals just made sense, but it wasn't a huge concern for me.

Anyway, in terms of "protection importance to me as a new person", I would rate elbows and pants as the most important to pay attention too.  Any shins that fit will likely be fine, as will any helmet.

MHO as a newb.  Take it for what its worth!

Mark

[rawkstar 45]

You absolutely don't need an expensive helmet. They will all protect you from getting hit in the head with a puck or a stick, but none of them will protect you from a concussion. Virginia tech did a study and ranked all current hockey helmets, as you can see price has nothing to do with the ranking, some very expensive helmets fall under "not recommended" category. My advice - just find something that comfortably fits your head and don't worry about any of the marketing or the price.

 

http://www.beam.vt.edu/helmet/helmets_hockey.php

 

As for all of the other items you absolutely do not need top of the line gear in any category, low end to middle of the pack gear will do just fine.

 

Shoulderpads - skimp on these as much as you can, make sure they fit and are not uncomfortable.

Elbow pads - get middle of the pack, make sure they have a solid cap that will absorb impact, don't get any of the soft cap ones. Again, make sure they fit, try them with gloves you have, see how your arms move.

Pants - get comfortable pants, make sure there's a LOT of tailbone and hip padding, you'll be falling on your butt and your side a lot, make sure those areas are well protected. Middle of the pack should be fine.

Shins - comfortable, middle of the pack, make sure to get the right size, get measured, try them on with skates. One other thing too is make sure your leg and knee sits in the pad well and isn't sliding around, so strap them on and then get down on your knees and rock side to side to see how much the pad is moving under your leg. Some of the lower end pads don't secure your leg and knee in place well enough so the pads will slide around on your leg when you fall, they can slide right out from under you and you don't want that happening.

 

Make sure to get a cup :) you never know when a stray puck or stick is going to go straight in your junk.

 

As for brands and where to get it from, look for closeout stuff. I'm a huge fan of reebok gear, its mostly all discontinued now that its been rebranded as CCM as of a year ago, but you can still find it and at a good price. Don't get any new model of ANYTHING, absolutely not worth it in your case, you want it cheap, comfortable and protective, doesn't matter who makes it or if its the new shiny. Maybe check out play it again sports if you have one nearby.

[NiCnoK 61]

It sounds like you're all overthinking things. When I got back into hockey, I went to Play It Again Sports and got all my equipment for right around $100 bucks and was playing hockey that weekend.

 

Don't waste time thinking about or spending alot of money on equipment in the beginning. I see alot of complete sets of hockey equipment on craigslist from people with the same good intentions as yourself at one point.

[IPv6Freely 2093]

I know I'm definitely not overthinking it. 

[krisdrum 233]

As someone in a very similar situation to the OP (started skating about a year ago, but have not been going consistently due to family obligations and such), I tend to agree with most of the advice you are getting.  

 

Here is how I'd prioritize:

Skates (that fit appropriately)

Helmet (no one wants to be a vegetable)

Gloves (get something comfortable with good dexterity)

Shins (I have found I mostly fall on my knees, having shins on provided alot of confidence)  - I wear mine under pants, either hockey specific warm-ups (they have room for the pads) or any decent pair of sweats you could pick up.  You might look a little funny, but who cares)

Elbows (I fell backwards pretty early on in my learning process and the pain in that elbow lasted weeks)

Pants (I think I've only used mine once or so, but I haven't done any stick time or anything where I would absolutely need them)

Shoulders (I have them, but have never skated with them yet, again... only really need them for stick time or pick up and beyond)

 

The only things I bought new were my skates and my helmet.  Everything else was either a hand-me-down (my brother in law is a big hockey guy and about the same build) or I bought used from either swap meets or eBay or similar.  

 

[z1ggy 81]

Skates is absolutely #1. If they don't fit well and have room for you to grow into (performance wise) you won't do well. After that, I'd say helmet would be #2 since you want that to fit well in case you take a hard spill. The rest of the gear you can honestly go pretty cheap on. Just make sure it all fits well.

[chippa13 1844]

You are going to fall and you're not going to know how to control your falls. Ice and boards hurt. Get the most protection that you can comfortable move in. You can always move on to less protection once you gain some ability and confidence.

[sectachrome 40]

Skates and pants are the most important IMO. Get something with good tailbone protection as you'll probably be using it a lot. I'm a decent skater and I still recently bought some padded shorts because I want more hip/ass protection than what's out there. Everything else is really all about fit and personal preference, you won't get a ton more out of the more expensive gloves, shins, elbows, shoulders or helmets as a beginner. If you feel more comfortable getting the more beefy stuff though, by all means go for it. Its better to have more than you need than not enough, shit happens.

[penguinpelts 7]

I'm going to go the other way as most here and start by asking if you have any previous injuries that worry you. For example, by the time I finished college I had already invested quite a few thousand dollars into my shoulders and reconstructive surgeries, so I focused on getting some of the best shoulder and elbow pads to protect them more. If there are any concerns like that in your medical history, that's what I would worry about first.

 

Other than that, one piece of advice is don't be married to a brand. Just because Bauer is out there as one of the top lines doesn't mean you have to dress like your sponsored by them. Go on feel and comfort and what makes you feel best, both physically and peace of mind. This may mean many hours spent trying on gear, which is one of the most enjoyable parts of playing hockey in my opinion.

[fitz 0]

penguinpelts, no real major injuries! I've been lucky enough to have had nothing more than a few minor sprains here and there.

 

Thanks for all the advice, everyone! Definitely makes walking into a hockey store and seeing the rows and rows of equipment a bit less intimidating. 

 

My last public skate, I couldn't tie my skates as tight as I usually do, because I jammed a finger catching a football awkwardly earlier. Man, what a difference it made! It felt so much easier to find the outside edge. I had only used rental skates before l bought mine, in what I now realize was at least a size too big, so I was used to really clamping down on those upper laces. Of course, feeling good in my skates made me become a little too aggressive in a turn and led to me slipping and sliding into the boards. While it wasn't quite as bad as I expected, I definitely think shins and elbows are next on my list. 

[GloriousLeader 31]

1 hour ago, fitz said:

penguinpelts, no real major injuries! I've been lucky enough to have had nothing more than a few minor sprains here and there.

 

Thanks for all the advice, everyone! Definitely makes walking into a hockey store and seeing the rows and rows of equipment a bit less intimidating. 

 

My last public skate, I couldn't tie my skates as tight as I usually do, because I jammed a finger catching a football awkwardly earlier. Man, what a difference it made! It felt so much easier to find the outside edge. I had only used rental skates before l bought mine, in what I now realize was at least a size too big, so I was used to really clamping down on those upper laces. Of course, feeling good in my skates made me become a little too aggressive in a turn and led to me slipping and sliding into the boards. While it wasn't quite as bad as I expected, I definitely think shins and elbows are next on my list. 

 

Right on. That's how you learn to skate. Push that edge and get out of your comfort zone. Congrats and have fun!!

[IPv6Freely 2093]

Yep, have to learn where that breaking point is!

[z1ggy 81]

OP I suggest that when you tie the top most lace that you set your foot flat firmly on the ground and flex your knee forward as to simulate a forward lean while skating. The worst thing you can do when you are starting out is to think you need to lace up the crap of everything so you get more lateral ankle stability. All it does is make it so you can't flex your ankle forward..While you might gain some support, it will inhibit good skating technique. Many skilled skaters do not even tie the top most laces for this reason.

[MrData 93]

Gear, in order of importance for a beginner:
 

1- Skates (these are the foundation of hockey and will be the most important piece of gear for enjoying the game and improving as a player)

2- Helmet (most critical piece of your protective equipment)

3- Gloves (critical for protection, but also a big comfort factor)

4- Stick (not so critical at first, but a light enough stick with the proper curve and flex can really help you improve and enjoy the game. Plus sticks are the coolest piece of gear)

5- Pants, shins, shoulders, etc. (important for protection and comfort, but you don't have to spend that much to get decent ones. buy used gear)

[Bbd94 26]

1 hour ago, MrData said:

Gear, in order of importance for a beginner:
 

1- Skates (these are the foundation of hockey and will be the most important piece of gear for enjoying the game and improving as a player)

2- Helmet (most critical piece of your protective equipment)

3- Gloves (critical for protection, but also a big comfort factor)

4- Stick (not so critical at first, but a light enough stick with the proper curve and flex can really help you improve and enjoy the game. Plus sticks are the coolest piece of gear)

5- Pants, shins, shoulders, etc. (important for protection and comfort, but you don't have to spend that much to get decent ones. buy used gear)

Agree with this list, but I would change #3 and #4. Many beginners need low level gloves because they do not have a long break in time.  Protection is important, but if your gloves are so stiff you are hindering your ability. Low level leagues can be unpredictable, so may want to upgrade when you feel comfortable to play competitively.

Sticks are really what made the big difference for me. My stickhandling and my shot improved DRAMATICALLY going from a mid-level to a high end composite.  Plus, a lot of the time you can find last year's top model for the same price as a mid-level composite. This is what I did

[Andoy 5]

1. Protective cup/jill. Protect the goods!

1. Proper fitting/comfortable skates. Focus on fit and comfort.

2. Helmet. I also recommend getting full facial protection. Focus on fit and comfort.

3. Pants - you will fall lots. Your tailbone will love you for it. This is the only equipment where i would recommend spending a bit of money based on past experience. High end pants tend to be more protective/heavy/bulky so I recommend starting off with mid level pants.

5. Gloves  - Personal preference.  Higher end gloves tend to have more padding/ plastic reinforcements and could have a break-in period.

6. Shoulders - Personal preference. Depends on your level of play.

7. Stick - you'll go through lots of these as you develop your playing style/position. Recommend starting off with a lighter flex.