Hockey Pants, Girdles & Shells - Page 101

Hockey pants are designed to protect four high-risk areas: the hips, tailbone, thighs, and kidneys. When properly fitted, hockey pants can prevent the rest of your pads from sliding out of place, thus protecting your body from exposure to shots, falls, hits, and slashes. As with other hockey equipment, all different hockey pant models come with different kinds of features. Some of these pants’ important features include adjustable belts for the waist, enhanced padding in the lower spine and kidneys, thigh zippers, and adequate ventilation.

Traditional hockey pants have three main components: armored plastic/foam padding, a nylon fabric shell, and stretch material for mobility. While hockey pants incorporate all these components, hockey girdles have separate, non-fixed nylon shells and tight-fitting liners.

Proper sizing is crucial. Most pants feature zippers for leg panel openings and adjustable padding throughout the back and sides of the pants. All pants have waist belts, most of which include buttons to which you can attach suspenders if you choose.

Most hockey pants come in standard XL – XXL size designations. However, each brand fits differently. Youth hockey pants come in 20-23” waist sizes and are 3'- 4'4" high. On the other hand, senior hockey pants measure 5'5"- 6'3” high and run 30”- 40" or more in the waist. Choose pants that are long enough to cover your knee when you bend it for optimal protection.

Senior Sizing By Brand

Buying used gear is a sustainable way to score high-quality items at a fraction of the cost. Not only can you find great deals, but you might also stumble upon rare or discontinued gear that’s no longer available in stores. When buying a used hockey pants, here's what to look for:

✔️ There are no rips or tears on the exterior of the hockey pants.
✔️ All interior padding is intact and in good condition.
✔️ There are no missing suspender buttons. There should be 6 of them. 
✔️ All straps and buckles are intact and functional.