Hockey equipment is like a player's suit of armour. If it fits well you have little to worry about.

If you are thinking of using street hockey equipment on the ice; stop! Street hockey equipment is not made to withstand the force of a vulcanized rubber hockey puck. Yes, ice hockey equipment is expensive, but with the expense comes durability. Don't sacrifice safety for a few extra dollars.

There are quite a few shops on the web that are either based in, or will ship to the UK. It's always a good idea as well to ask around the team, as there is almost always someone selling some used equipment.

To give you an idea of what you will need, here is a list of the equipment for players and goalies beginning from the top and working down.

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Helmet

By far the most important piece of equipment is a player's helmet. It should fit snugly without causing discomfort to the head or headaches. It also should not be so loose that the shell slides down covering the player's field of vision.

The option of using a shield or a wire cage is up to the player. Some players like the metal cages because of the fogging problem associated with the shield.

A great tip to avoid fogging is to apply some liquid soap or shampoo to the visor, rub a thin film on the inside and out and dab off the excess with a towel. Do this before you start to get dressed so it can dry. Then buff off the dried soap with your towel, and voila! Homegrown anti-fog that works a treat!

To fit properly:

1. Place a tape measure 1” (2.54 cm) above the eyebrows and measure the distance around the head.
2. Select a helmet with the corresponding inches from the chart below.

3. Open your helmet to its largest setting. Position the helmet on the head so the rim is one finger width above the eyebrow. Gradually begin to downsize the helmet (if necessary) until a comfortable snug fit is achieved. Tighten and secure the helmet adjustment. The helmet must be snug enough to prevent rotation with the adjustment secure and the chin strap securely fastened at all times. An oversized helmet can lead to unnecessary injuries.

Face mask should match helmet model and size. Hockey faceguards must meet CSA or ASTM Standards, and must be approved for use with the helmets to which they are attached.

Shoulder Pads

Shoulder pads are designed to protect a player during checking in the open ice, or along the boards. Since many leagues do not allow hitting, manufacturers now make the shoulder pads to also protect the chest and sternum area, as well as the back and spine.
To fit properly:

1. Measure the player's chest just below the arm pits.
2. Match the player's chest size to the shoulder pad that corresponds.
3. Determine the level of play.
Shoulder pads should fit snugly while the vital tips of the shoulder must be properly under the shoulder caps. The bicep pads should not interfere with the player's elbow pads.

Elbow Pads

If you ever got hit on the "funny bone" you know it is not very funny. The newly designed elbow pads are made to not only protect the elbow but also the upper arm or bicep and the forearm.

To fit properly:

1. Measure the length between the shoulder pad and the cuff of the glove.
2. Match the player's measured size to the size of the elbow pads by inches. Or, use the chart below to match the elbow pad size with the height of the player.
3. When fastened securely, there should be no gap between the elbow pad and either the biceps extension of the shoulder pad or the cuff of the glove. Players who wear a short cuff style glove should choose the longer model of elbow pad.

Gloves

The one body part hit more than any other is the hands. The hockey gloves you purchase must be able to withstand the force of a slash but also offer enough flexibility to aid in your stickhandling abilities. You should be able to extend you fingers fully inside the glove while still getting a good feel for the stick. Important: to size properly, the elbow pad should rest underneath the top to the gloves.

To fit properly:

1. With the player's forearm bent, measure the distance between the fingertips and the elbow pad.
2. Use the chart below to determine approximate size.
3. The glove's palm should be reasonably thin and pliable. The polyethylene thumb must be protective and flexible. The glove's foam padding must be dense.
Gloves should fit properly. They should not be so large that they inhibit the player's ability to properly feel the stick, yet so small as to jam fingertips to the end of the gloves.

Pants

If there is one piece of equipment that you can buy big, its the pants. Every inch of the pants is covered in protective padding. Hockey pants are designed to cover from the stomach and kidney region of a player's body down to the lower thigh. To fit properly:

1. Measure the player's waist.
2. Select the hockey pants with the corresponding size for that model. Use the chart below as a guide.
Pants should reach the top of the player knee and extend up to cover the kidney and lower ribs. The molded polyethylene hip, kidney and tailbone pads and foam padding should cover critical areas.Pants should not be larger than required for unrestricted movement.

Shin Guards

For years shin guards were designed to protect only what the name suggests. Now manufacturers make them to safeguard the sides of the knees and the calves. The shin guards are secured to the leg by non-slip velcro straps and covered with hockey socks for added support.

To fit properly:

1. Shinguards are measured best while the player is sitting. Measure from the center of the kneecap to the top of the skate boot.
2. Match the player's shin size to the inches of shin guard. Or, use the guide below to match the player's height to the size of the shinguard.
Shinguards,which are either too long or too short, will result in the knee or instep being exposed and unprotected. Shinguards should be secured with shinguard straps or tape, never tight hockey stockings.

Skates

Hockey skates are like sneakers to a basketball player or cleats to a baseball player; if they don't feel comfortable you will have a hard time performing up to potential. Do not buy skates that are a few sizes bigger with the intention of wearing a couple pairs of socks. Your heel should fit securely in the cup of the skate with no more than a quarter-inch (6 mm) space between the tip of the skate and your toes. The laces of the boot should be tied tightly but not too tight. If you find that your feet get cold during a game, chances are your laces are too tight. Keep in mind when fitting skates that most skates will run a size smaller than the current shoe size.

Sticks

A hockey player's stick is his/her magic wand. To perform miracles out on the ice, your stick must be an extension of the rest of your body. The size and weight of the stick is most important when purchasing a new stick. The stick should rest just below your chin when standing erect in your skates. This will ensure the entire stick blade will be touching the ice when in the basic hockey stance. Young players should not buy a stick they find too heavy, because passing and shooting will become much more difficult.

There are three things a beginner should consider when choosing a hockey stick:

1. Which Size?
Hockey sticks come in adult and junior sizes. For very young skaters the shaft size of a junior stick is more proportional to their hand size. Do not buy an adult stick for a young player and cut it down.

Sticks are available in all-wood or aluminum and composite shafts with replaceable wood blades. Beginners should keep it simple and choose a wooden stick.

2. Right Or Left?
It is not necessarily true that if a player is right-handed, he/she shoots right. Whichever feels natural is "correct." Pick up a stick and notice where the bottom hand is. If the bottom hand is the left hand, then you shoot left and need a left hand stick. If the bottom hand is right, then you shoot right.

3. Length?
A good rule of thumb to determine proper stick length is — with your skates on — to hold the stick straight up and down in front of you with the toe of the stick touching the ground. Mark the stick just below the chin and cut with a saw.

Other stick considerations as you become more experienced:
•Taping the blade helps control the puck. Players also tape the end of the shaft, creating a knob for a better grip and making it easier to pick up a dropped stick
•Choices in blade curves, or patterns, and lies (the angle between the blade and shaft) are greater.

You Also Must Have:

Jock and Athletic Cup

Garters for Socks

Mouth Guard are an excellent idea as the dramatically reduce the risk and severity of concussions.

Equipment Care

The key to caring for your hockey equipment is not to leave it in your hockey bag when you get home. Your gear will smell, and actually start to rot.

Once you play in your equipment, you've got to either hang it up or lay it out to dry. Manufacturers have come up with a lot of different materials to help the equipment breathe and dry, so it doesn't take very long to air out. The body produces an ammonia from sweat, which, if it doesn't get out to dry, will rot your equipment and make it mildew.

You are best not to put equipment into the sun to dry. When you do that, the plastic parts of the equipment absorb the heat and that reduces their durability. A better idea is to hang your gear up in the basement for an hour or so.

You don't want to treat the equipment with anything perfumy, because when you wear it again that can react with your sweat and actually burn your skin or eyes.

Another thing to keep in mind is to avoid altering any piece of equipment. Manufacturers make equipment to protect players for one reason and that's to prevent injury. If you alter your equipment or take any padding out, you will create gaps in the protection. So cutting any piece of equipment for use is strictly a no-no.

GOALTENDING EQUIPMENT

Now that we've equipped the forwards and defensemen , it's time to suit up the players between the pipes.

All players should be very well protected when they step onto the ice . But it is even more important for the goaltender to be properly dressed. After all, they use any means possible to stop the rock-hard rubber disk fired at them at speeds exceeding 100 mph. An offensive or defensive player might get through a game without getting hit by the puck, but not a goaltender.

Goalies must be able to move quickly while carrying an extra 40 lbs. of equipment. Their wardrobe must, therefore, help and not hinder performance.

We will begin with the protective cup and work our way down to the stick. When putting on your equipment always start with the inside layer (the under garments and protective cup) and work your way out to the gloves, helmet and stick.