Ice hockey equipment

In ice hockey, players use equipment both to facilitate the play of the game and for protection.

History of hockey equipment

Hockey equipment in current use

Game equipment

• Puck

Players equipment

Essential equipment

• Hockey skates
• Stick

Protective equipment

• Helmet
  • Wire or plastic facemask (required for youth players)
  • Visor, a clear plastic shield that covers the eyes and nose
• Shoulder pads
• Elbow pads
• Padded gloves
• Protective cup or pelvic protector
• Padded girdle or hockey pants, which are actually shorts that cover the entire thigh
• Shin pads that also cover the knee

Uniform

• Jersey
• Padded hockey pants or unpadded pants shell covering padded girdle
• Hockey socks worn over the shin pads covering the entire leg up to the thigh

Goaltenders equipment

Main article: Goaltender

• Goal stick
• Goal skates
• Goalie mask or helmet and wire facemask
• Chest and arm protector
• Blocker, worn on the hand that holds the stick
• Catch glove, worn on the opposite hand
• Goal jock or jill
• Goal pants, which are typically more protective than players pants
• Goal pads, covering the leg from the foot to just above the knee

Certification of hockey equipment

Many leagues require players to wear equipment, especially head and face protection, certified by trusted agencies. As of 2005, there are four groups that specify standards for hockey head and face protection:[1]

• European Committee for Standardization (CEN)
• International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
• Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
• ASTM International

Most countries requires youth players to wear helmets and facemasks certified by the Hockey Equipment Certification Council (HECC). This group certifies equipment based on the ASTM standards; it does not write standards.[2]