It saves your bacon from goons! (Ice Hockey Equipment in general)

Member Name: andycharger

Product:	Ice Hockey Equipment in general
Date:	09/11/01 (329 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Essential

Disadvantages: Bulky

When you play a contact sport such as Ice Hockey, Protection is the number 1 requisite.
Lets face it, if you play any level of the sport you are going to get hit, fall or do the hitting at some point.
For this, we need the padding and protection that may be seen as wimpish in some eyes.

I challenge anyone out there to try this sport that calls us wimps.
That padding is essential for your survival.

So what is protected and why?
Basically your whole body is covered head to foot in some from of padding.
Your kit can weigh about 25-30 pounds on although modern advances mean it is getting lighter and lighter.
Goalies abviously need more than most as they are being shot at with Small Rubber discs.

Some of the kit is discretional. This is to say, it is at your discretion as to whether you wear it.
Most is mandatory. This is a list of compulsory items and a minimum requirement for persons aged 21 and over:
Helmet.
Gloves.
Shorts.
Leg Pads.
Elbow Pads.

Under 21, it becomes a bit more protective. Here you also have to wear:
Full Fask mask/cage.
Body Armour.

This is to protect the younger players.

Below 18, players are further restricted and must also wear a throat protector.

Lets look at the Kit.
Helmet.
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Made from a strong plastic that normally has gel or foam padding on the inside. The helmet also has to be attached using a chin strap that must be seculey tightened and fastened during play.

Face Cage/Mask.
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This comes in 3 flavours.
A "Cage" is a wire mesh face protector made up of several bars. Good points include its strength and it does not fog. Bad points are its vision restriction.
The second type is what we call an ITECH. Itech are the manufacturers of the perspex face mask. These give good vision but become ruined after getting scratched and tend to fog up during play.
The Thir
d type is a Half Visor. Made of the smae stuff as an ITECH, it only covers your Eyes and nose. It does not fog but does not give as much protection.

Body Armour.
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Your first piece of non mandatory equipment. Bigger players tend not to wear it. I never do as its too restrictive.
Its mad up of rigid and semi rigid panels with foam padding for comfort.

Elbow pads.
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Rigid Plastic cups lined with foam padding make up this elbow protection.
Essential to be strong as your Elbows are what you land on when you get checked (hit).

Shorts.
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They look like a big nappy and feel much the same. A canvas type material with plastic panels sewn in protect your bottom from the inevitable sittin on the cold ice when someone creams you. Bulky and hard to play in.

Gloves.
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Come in a variety or stlyes to suit. Long cuffs for maximum wrist protection or shorter cuffs for manouvrebility.
Made from either Leather, canvas or neoprene. Some even use space age materials.

Leg Pads.
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Rigid plastic that stops you being hit in the legs by flying pucks. This has protected me on more than one occasion.

Optional Extras.
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A box.
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Protect your manhood from the High speed Rubber with a Girdle/Box.

Kit is essential if you value your health.

Summary: