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| Don't Skimp
on Safety When Buying Gear |
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Questions like ‘What level of
competition is best?’ to ‘What type of skates should I buy?’ to
‘Does my kid really need one of those fancy new one-piece
sticks?’
The answers to these questions invariably involve two points: it
depends on personal preference (which includes level of play and
budget) and most importantly safety first.
Hockey can be an expensive sport, if you let it. All the major
manufacturers make high-end and high-priced elite level product
and they do a masterful job of marketing it from the NHL ice
down to the local retailer to the neighborhood rink. But they
also offer excellent choices in entry-level and price-point
models, so consumers have options.
If a child is playing house league or even the first level of
competitive play, he doesn’t need a $200 one-piece stick. If
it’s his first year in the game, he doesn’t need top-of-the-line
skates. Many of the companies, in fact, have developed product
lines for a variety of levels of play that look like what the
pros use and even have some of the characteristics, but are
lower in price. This way, Little Johnny can use a stick that
looks like that of his favorite NHL player, but is designed – in
function and cost – to best suit a player of a recreational
level. Johnny gets the pleasure and confidence of mimicking his
favorite star and his parents get the piece of mind of breaking
the bank to do it.
Any reputable and honest retailer knows these critical
differences and will sell product according to what the player
really needs, not just what the store wants to sell.
However, like any sport, good equipment does make a difference
in hockey. This is especially true when it comes to the
performance tools, skates and sticks. But, players and parents
should never sacrifice anything in protection to gain in
performance.
It’s amazing, for example, how many parents have no problem
buying their child a top-of-the-line. one-piece composite stick,
but won’t dedicate the same time, energy and money when it comes
to selecting a helmet or shin pads. Too many kids play
competitive level hockey with house league equipment, and that’s
a mistake that could lead to injury.
Clearly, it’s the responsibility of the parents to ensure their
child is well protected and properly equipment for the
appropriate level of hockey. As the kids grow older, they too
become part of this decision process. And even good coaches
occasionally will conduct equipment reviews of their players to
make sure the kids’ helmets aren’t cracked, their shin pads
still fit, or that their elbow pads are the right size. To help
in this process, the following are some key tips on what to look
for when buying hockey equipment and using it during the season.
UNDERGARMENTS
• The hockey under apparel area has undergone significant
development over the last few years. Sure, there have been long
johns for decades, but now more companies are making engineered
performance gear designed to keep the sweat on the outside of
the fabric so the player is dryer and more comfortable. It
really works.
• Cotton sweat pants, t-shirts or pajamas are not recommended
because they absorb perspiration, become heavy, stick to a
player’s body and generally impede performance.
SKATES
• Never buy skates a player can “grow into.” Always buy skates
that fit properly.
• Tying laces around a player’s ankles is not recommended. This
limits forward flex and can prevent players from strengthening
their ankles and improving their skating.
• Make sure the laces fit properly and are in good condition
with the tips intact.
• “Molded tip” laces are best. They cost a little more, but the
tips last many times longer.
STICKS
• Depending on their age, size and body weight, most young
players should use junior or intermediate sticks, not senior
models.
• Using a shaft without the end-plug is illegal in most minor
hockey associations and is cause for a penalty.
• Using black hockey tape on the knob end of a stick is not
recommended. Most black tapes chemically accelerate wear and
breakdown of leather palms.
• Never tape over an existing tape job. Remove all old tape.
• When taping a stick blade, start at the heel and work your way
to the toe. This leaves the overlaps facing the heel of the
stick, which means the tape won’t peel back and tear every time
the puck touches the stick and the tape job will last longer.
• Stick wax on your blade tape prevents ice or moisture
build-up.
• Stick length can be a personal choice, but for minor hockey
players it is best to follow this rule of thumb: cut the stick
between nose and mouth height when the player is in stocking
feet.
HELMETS
• A helmet with the slightest crack or deep scratch may be
ineffective.
• Periodically check and tighten all screws. Perform this check
several times a season and especially after the helmet has
absorbed any puck or hard contact.
• Chin straps must be done up snuggly under a player’s chin.
CAGES
• Make sure the cage is the appropriate size for your helmet.
• Check and maintain all fasteners, straps and hooks throughout
the course of the season.
• Plastic hook fasteners (the part on the side of the helmet
that the cage slides into when done up) are recommended over
steel ones. Plastic ones are lighter; they hold in place better
and don’t bend or rust.
MOUTH GUARDS
• Mouth guards may not be mandatory in all hockey associations,
but common sense says they can go a long way to preventing not
just dental damage but also possible concussions.
NECK GUARDS
• If neck guards are mandatory in your hockey association,
turtleneck style neck guards are recommended over the banded
ones for maximum protection.
• Make sure the guard fits snuggly but not too tight, and that
the Velcro fastener is in good condition.
When in doubt, seek the professional advice of a hockey
specialty retailer. The good ones really know their business and
can advise consumers on what to buy and how to use it. Then it’s
up to the players and parents to check their gear – regardless
of the cost – for wear and tear and to make sure it provides
proper protection.
The best advice of all? Have fun and play safe. |
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