ARKANSAS SKATIUM

Goalie Equipment and Sizing Guides

What do equipment do I need to play hockey?
You may click on any of these to see equipment information and sizing.

Goalie Mask
Neck guard
Chest and arm protectors
Catcher and Blocker Gloves
Jersey

Goal pants
Goal Jock
Suspenders
Goal Pads
Hockey socks
Skates

As with player equipment, the most important thing about goalie equipment is that it should fit properly in order to allow maximum comfort and protection. The following information is for general purposes only and may or may not provide you with a perfect fit. However, it will give you a basic idea of where to start.

Goalie Mask
Helmets should be CSA and HECC certified, as shown by a sticker on the helmet. Goalie masks must fig snugly to allow the shape and composition of the shell to equally distribute shot pressure.
When fitting the mask, adjust it so that the upper perimeter of the frontal component is 1/4 inch above the eyebrow. Make sure all straps are fastened so that the chin cup fits snugly against the chin.

Neck Protector
Goalie neck protectors give more protection than player protectors do. Usually it has thicker padding and sometimes an additional plastic insert between the padding.
The neck guard should be snug, but not uncomfortably tight. It should completely cover the throat.
Measure around your neck using a tape measure and find your size below.

11-14 inches	Junior
14-18 inches	Senior

Chest and Arm Protectors
These protect your upper body and arms. Your shoulders should be fit directly into the center of the shoulder caps. The pad should extend down to your waist. Straps will allow you to adjust the fit for your arms, chest, and back. Make sure that the arms are adjusted so that your elbows fit comfortably into the elbow cups. The arms should extend 1 1/2 inches above your wrist bone. Your gloves should overlap the arm pads. To measure for shoulder pads, have someone measure around the widest part of your chest just underneath your armpits, using a tape measure. It is also based on your height.

Junior Sizes			Senior Sizes
Chest Measurement	Height	Size	Chest Measurement	Height	Size
(inches)			(inches)
20-24	4'0" to 4'5"	S	32-36	5'3" to 5'5"	S
24-28	4'4" to 4'5"	M	36-40	5'6" to 5'9"	M
28-30	4'6" to 4'11"	L	40-44	5'10" to 6'0"	L
30-32	4'11" to 5'2"	XL	44-48	6'0" to 6'5"	XL

Catcher and Blocker Gloves
The catcher and blocker gloves should extend 1 to 2 inches over the bottom of your arm pads. Your fingertips should not go all the way to the end of the gloves in order to protect your fingertips.
Catcher and blocker gloves come in "regular" and "full right" styles. "Regular" is for right-handed players who use their left hand for the catcher glove and their right hand for the blocker and stick. "Full right" is for left-handed players who use their right hand for the catcher and the left hand for the blocker and stick.

Jersey
Jerseys should be loose enough to fit over all your equipment, but not so loose that they inhibit your movement or your ability to control your stick (your stick shouldn't get caught up in your jersey). They come in practice weight, which is a thinner, more breathable material, and pro-weight, which is a much thicker and more durable material, often with reinforced elbow areas.

Goalie Jocks
Goal jocks have more padding and cover a larger area than player jocks.
They are fitted according to waist size and come in either Junior or Senior sizes.

Goal Pants
Goal pants are like player pants, except that they have extra padding in the inner thigh section. They should come down to the top of your kneecap.
To measure your waist size, wrap the measuring tape around your waist so that it intersects at your navel.

Junior Sizes		Senior Sizes
Waist Size	Size	Waist Size	Size
(inches)		(inches)
22-23	120 (S)	28-29	46 (XXS)
24-25	140 (M)	29-30	48 (XS)
26-27	160 (L)	30-31	50 (S)
28-30	180 (XL)	32-33	52 (M)
		34-35	54 (L)
		36-37	56 (XL)
		38-40	58 (XXL)

Suspenders
Suspenders are used to hold up beltless pants, and hook onto the pants via the suspender buttons. They may also be worn in addition to the belt. They are fitted according to body height.

Goal Pads
In general, your knee should fit slightly below the center knee roll of the pads when they are new. After they are broken in, your knee will be directly behind the center knee roll. The top two straps of the goal pad should be worn loose, for two reasons. First, most knee locks, knee cradles and thigh guards hold you in the pad and allow the pad to move properly with your leg. Second, your goal pants should ride behind the top of your goal pads, to give you double coverage, increasing your protection and allowing you better mobility.
To fit goal pads:

Measure the distance from inside your ankle to the center of your knee, while your leg is slightly bent.
Measure the distance from the center of your knee up the thigh to the desired height, usually 4 to 8 inches.
Add these two measurements to your skate size. This sum gives you the size of the goal pads in inches.

Hockey Socks
Socks come in Junior and Senior sizes and should not be too loose or too tight. They are worn under the goal pads.

Skates
Goal skates are different from player skates:

The boot is surrounded by a hard plastic shell for extra protection.
The blade is flatter (not rockered), to provide better balance, because more of the blade is in contact with the ice.
The height of the boot in relation to the ice is lower, giving more stability and a lower center of gravity.

Goal skates are sized and fitted similarly to player skates.

Sticks
Sticks also are a personal preference.
Options with sticks:

Shaft Length:In stance, with skates on and the stick blade flat on the ice, the shaft should not be higher than your shoulder. Never cut a goalie stick, because they are balanced, and cutting the shaft will eliminate the balance.
Paddle Length:In stance, with skates on and the stick blade flat on the ice, the blocker should be positioned between the waist and the bottom knee roll on the pad. If the blocker is too low, you will lean forward, be off balance and have difficulty with the top corner. If it is too high, you will have difficulty with low shots and manuevering your stick.
Lie:In stance, with skates on and the stick blade flat on the ice, you must be comfortable. Different manufacturers have different lies. A Louisville 13 lie is a couple inches different than a Koho 13 lie. The lie signifies the angle the blade is on. A lower lie will position your blocker hand further away from the body and closer to the ice, which creates a larger opening under your arm. A larger lie will put your blocker hand closer to your body and further from the ice. Every goalie will like a different lie, and preferences change throughout seasons and careers. Often incorrect glove positioning is mistaken for incorrect lie, so make sure your hands are in the right position before investing in a new stick.
Curve:The curve is basically for directing shots and rebounds. If you are under 10-12 years old, your stick should not have a curve. Learn to stop the puck before shooting it. Other junior goaltenders should have have large curves for these reasons:
- Pokechecking is more difficult--the toe of the stick is off the ice when the blade is pushed forward, and in the backhand position, the puck can easily slide under the curved area.
- Rebounds are harder to control.
- Shots and passes are more difficult to control.
- Curved sticks cannot be placed totally flat. The blade is usually rockered which will put the toe up when the heel is down and vice versa, allowing pucks to slide under.

Stick Tape
Stick tape is generally made of cloth. You can use it to tape your stick blade to provide some cushioning for the puck and also to either camoflage the puck or make it easier to see. You can also tape the top of your stick to provide a better grip.

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