What Equipment Does an Ice Hockey Goalie Need?

Looking to get into ice hockey as a goalie? Then start here with our comprehensive guide on all the equipment you’ll need to play this specialised role!

As a goalie you’ll be the last line of defence and crucial to helping your team secure those points. Naturally, goalies wear more protective gear than any other player with pucks constantly flying your way! You’ll wear equipment that’s unique to the role, including goalie skates and sticks which are specifically designed to help you maintain your balance and block shots.

Quality, well-fitted ice hockey goalie equipment will keep you safe on the ice without impacting your agility, so it’s important that you get those first purchases right. Our guide covers all of the protective equipment you’ll need to get game ready, which you can buy online at Puck Stop or in our Sheffield ice hockey store, where our team can also help you with the correct sizing and fitting.

And if you’re completely new to ice hockey, check out our comprehensive guide on how to play ice hockey to get up to speed on all the rules of the game

If you’re going to become a regular between the pipes, you’ll want to invest in specialised goalie skates. These feature a longer, flatter skate blade when compared to regular hockey skates, providing you with greater stability in net and a better surface area for pushing off and gliding across the crease.

There are a lot of factors that go into a comfortable skate fit, and we’ve got all the info you need in our ultimate guide to choosing the right ice hockey skates to get that perfect fit.

And when you’re ready to start shopping for that first pair of goalie skates, why not try out our Bauer FitLab service in-store, complete with a 3D foot scanning process to offer you the most advanced skate fitting experience in hockey today.

Goalie sticks are designed specifically for the position to offer improved performance when compared to regular player sticks. The wider goalie paddle helps you pull off those big saves, and a correctly sized paddle keeps you in the correct stance and avoids any overlap with your leg pads and blocker.

The main thing to consider when choosing your next goalie stick is the paddle length, and this is measured based on your stance rather than overall height. You want to measure straight down the backside of the paddle, from the top of the shoulder to where the paddle meets the blade.

A correctly sized goalie stick will remain flat on the ice while in stance, with no overlap between the leg pads and blocker. All of our hockey goalie sticks have a handy sizing chart on the page to help you choose the right stick.

Protecting your head during the game is critical, so a well-fitted, top-quality hockey goalie mask should be top of your shopping list, which provide more coverage than standard player helmets.

You’ll need to make sure that the mask is a comfortable fit for your head shape before you wear it to a game or practice session, using the adjustable back plate straps to make sure there’s no movement.

At Puck Stop we stock two types of goalie mask: Non-certified and Certified.

• Non-certified masks feature a wider, “cat-eye” cage which gives you better visibility. Eligibility will depend upon your age group and league - please check this prior to purchase.
• A certified mask with a standard cage gives more protection and is mandatory for junior levels. We’d recommend a certified mask for any beginner goalie as you should prioritise your safety on the ice.

A pair of goalie leg pads are essential to make those big saves, while providing crucial protection and support for your knee and lower legs. They also give you a wider surface area and extra stability to help you block those shots and keep your team in the game.

Goalies rely on a catcher and blocker combination to make those highlight reel saves.

The goalie catcher is an oversized glove that features dense foam to absorb impacts and help you catch shots from any angle.

In your stick hand you’ll use a goalie blocker to block shots and help to direct rebounds away from the crease.

Neck protection is mandatory under the English and Scottish ice hockey associations for all on-ice activities, and for goalies this takes the form of a throat protector. This wedge shaped guard provides critical protection for a vital and sometimes exposed part of a goalie’s body.

At Puck Stop we also stock clavicle protectors to provide extra protection around the collar bone.

Goalie chest protectors (also known as body armour) provide full protection for your upper body. You’ll need to try on your chest protector while wearing the rest of your gear to make sure you can still move freely with no gaps in coverage.

There are a few different styles you can opt for - a bulkier chest protector to make you a bigger presence in net while offering added protection against impact, or a more sleek chest protector that will aid you when making those more agile saves.

Moving on to the lower half of your body, goalies wear a specialised version of padded hockey pants to provide critical protection for your legs and lower back.

Goalie pants come in a few different lengths based on your height, and should provide a close fit with your chest protector without getting in the way of your leg pads, so you can move freely around the crease.

Another core piece of goalie gear you’ll need to buy is a jock or jill. Jocks (for male players) and Jills (for female players) are worn under your hockey pants or girdle and provide protection for your sensitive areas!

You can opt for loose fitting mesh shorts, or longer compression pants which can also help to keep your hockey socks in place.

Whether you’re heading to the rink for matchday or just for a practice session, there are some other key pieces of clothing and accessories in addition to your goalie skates, stick and protective equipment that will help you perform at your best.

An optional piece of kit, goalie knee pads provide added protection and comfort around the knee to reduce injuries.

Your hockey jersey will have a larger fit to go over all of your protective gear and allow you to show off your team’s colours! If you’re looking for a jersey to wear during practice sessions, check out our range of ice hockey training jerseys in various sizes and colours.

We stock a wide range of knitted hockey socks in various colours to match your team’s kit, as well as socks for all your favourite NHL teams!

Investing in a hockey base layer reduces chafing and wicks away moisture, keeping you comfortable so you can focus on your game.

With the bulk of your protective equipment sorted, we have plenty of other hockey goalie accessories you may want to consider taking to the rink.

Hockey tape can help improve your grip on your stick, whilst leg tape can help to hold your hockey socks in place, while our hockey equipment care collection will keep your kit clean and fresh game after game.

Our range of mask accessories and pad accessories include buckles, straps, belts and more to make sure these two crucial pieces of gear stay in place for a comfortable fit.

And finally, you’ll want a hockey goalie bag to store and transport all of your gear, which includes a few wheeled bag options so you can save all your energy for the game!

We’ve covered a lot of stuff to help you start your hockey journey, so here’s a quick summary of the key goalie equipment you’ll need to start playing:

• Goalie Skates
• Goalie Stick
• Goalie Mask
• Throat Protector
• Chest & Arm Protector
• Catcher
• Blocker
• Goalie Pants
• Jock/Jill
• Leg Pads
• Knee Pads
• Training Jersey
• Socks
• Base Layers
• Accessories including a goalie bag and more!

While the list of goalie equipment you need may seem daunting at first, most of your gear will last you for years to come with proper care.

You can order everything you need online from Puck Stop, but we would also recommend visiting our hockey store if you can, where our team can help you try on the equipment and find the right fit for you.

We can also help with a wide range of in-store services including skate fitting with Bauer FitLab, skate sharpening, and custom skate profiling. Visit us or get in touch today if you need any advice and we’ll help get you game ready