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Do Hockey Players Wear Leggings?

By Kapil Sapkota / 11 August 2023 07:28 AM

Connor McDavid pictured in complete hockey gear during the game
Source : twitter

Do Hockey Players Wear Leggings? Yes, hockey players wear leggings for safety and mobility purposes. They are simply called pants.

The hockey players' pants are padded and offer protection for the thigh and waist region. The length of the pants is short, which allows them a maximum range of motion during skating.

Hockey pants are made tight around the waist and loose around the thighs so that the pants stay on securely at the waist and allow optimal mobility to the player.

Long hockey pants are also in existence, but they are not as popular as short ones. Long pants don't provide a better range of motion and they fit tightly around the knees and the thighs.

What Do Hockey Players Wear?

Hockey players commonly wear gear helmets, pads, and jerseys. They also wear shoulder pads and, a helmet to play safely and comfortably.

A general gear setup for a hockey player consists of the following items:

  • Helmet
  • Shoulder pad
  • Chest protector
  • Elbow pads
  • Mouthguard
  • Hockey gloves
  • Padded shorts
  • A cup and possibly jock shorts
  • Shin pads
  • Neck protector (optional)
  • Skates
  • Hockey socks

Hockey Gear Pant

Hockey pants are part of the full body of equipment worn by the players. They are made from nylon fabric exterior with firm padding inside.

The pants are also called 'short pants' or 'breezers' in some places in the United States. The pant covers a player's thighs and their waist region.

The pant is designed with heavy pads on the front thigh portions of the pant legs. The waistband region also contains padding. The remaining parts of the pant are less padded to provide better mobility for the player. There are no paddings on the back of the pants.

One important thing, you should not turn your back on a player during a match if he is trying to shoot the puck past you toward the net.

Shin Pads

Adidas Shin Pads
Source : facebook

Shin pads protect an ice hockey player from leg and knee injuries. It is a necessary kit as the cushion of the pad and the plastic shell of protection make the player safe while taking a hit, blocking a shot, and falling on the ice.

Shin pads are also known as knee pads. They completely cover the kneecap area and then go down the leg and tuck into the skate.

Shoulder Pads

Shoulder pads keep the player's shoulder and torso safe during a hit, shot block, or hard fall. The pad absorbs the shock significantly from the impact.

Jerseys

A jersey is won over a player's shoulder pads and elbow pads during a hockey game. A jersey usually has mentioned the team name on the front and the player's name and number on the back

Most of the teams have different jerseys for their home and away games. Needless to say, a jersey provides a distinct identity to the player.

How to Wear Hockey Socks?

The right way to wear hockey socks is by taping them securely with hockey sock tapes just below the kneecaps of your shin pads.

Hockey socks are essential gears that a player needs to play hockey as they help hold his shin pads in place. They also help to distinguish a hockey team’s uniform.

Hockey socks are baggy indeed, made enough to fit over the shin pads and thighs. The socks can fall down easily and bunch up around a player's shins and ankles, that interferes with his skating.

The most common way to keep your hockey socks up is by securing them in place with hockey sock tape. Some specially designed gear can also be used to hold them up. You can wear hockey socks by taping them.

Step I: Pull the socks up over the shin pads to the middle of your thighs.

  • Put your shin pads on first
  • Then pull your hockey socks up over them
  • Stretch each sock up to your mid-thigh, so they are tight and not bunched up around your shins.
  • You can use this method on its own or with others to keep your hockey socks up securely during a game.

Step II: Apply hockey sock tape to the socks just below the kneecaps of your pads.

  • Peel up about 12 cm of hockey sock tape.
  • Press the tape firmly onto your hockey sock, horizontally, to the point where the kneecap starts on your shin pad underneath the sock.
  • Don't tear the tape until you finish wrapping it.

Step III: Tightly wrap the tapes twice around your shins below the kneecaps.

  • Wrap the tape 2 times around the socks and shin pads and secure everything tightly.
  • Pull the tape diagonally down and wrap it 2 more times around your shins
  • Tear the tape after you're done

What to Wear for Hockey As A Fan?

A cute hockey fan girl pictured in an adorable dress
Source : pinterest

You should decide your wear according to the place of the event. It is a smart choice to wear layers during a hockey match as an audience.

As you know that hockey games are cold, you will regret entering the arena with light clothes. Don't forget to check the weather if the match is taking place outdoors. Arrange your wearings accordingly.

Consider wearing at least a pair of jeans, shoes, and a long-sleeved T-shirt. Hoodies, Sweaters, gloves, hats, scarves, hats, etc. are also good options to go with.

The temperature in professional ice hockey games is somewhere between 15 to 18°C. The environments of the local rinks are even colder.

Do Hockey Players Wear Cups?

Yes, hockey players wear cups. However, the protective cups don't always ensure protection against a hit or a perfectly timed puck.

A protective cup is designed to protect the player's groin area which consists of a hard outer layer lined with softer padding.

Best Hockey Shin Guards

Shin guards are essential protective kits for a hockey player to protect his shin from injuries. They are designed with an anatomical fit that provides support and protection to the athletes.

Here, we have listed some of the best shin guards available in the market.

Bauer Vapor 2X Pro Hockey Shin Guards

Offering maximum coverage and comfort without restricting mobility, we can recommend the Bauer Vapor 2X Pro for athletes of any level.

You can get a better fit with the X-Lite Shield contour pads which are not too much bulky either. The guards feature TuneFit and DynaFlex strap systems to secure the pads efficiently.

The kneecaps are made up of top-quality plastic, which is extremely light and durable.

CCM Super Tacks AS1 Hockey Shin Guards

These 3-piece pads from CCM are flexible, comfortable, lightweight, and durable. You don't need to worry about your leg movements with AS1.

The D30 Smart technology material is used to absorb all harsh impacts during the games. The calf region consists of HD foam that offers comfort and protection.

To keep your knees safe and comfortable, JDP is combined with D30 which absorbs the shocks. The guard is equipped with high-dense compression foams, that offer you anatomical fit and provide full coverage.

Warrior Alpha DX Shin Guards

Dynamic Strike technology is used in the Alpha DX for excellent design construction. Anti-abrasion materials are used in all of its components.

To lock the pad in place, the Sling Wrap strap system is used. It will not restrict motion for the players. The guards feature compressed EVA foam to protect the players from the harsh impacts

You can find padding in the calf region as well. The guards are not bulky at all and give you the best fit.

Bauer Supreme 2S Shin Guards

Bauer’s Supreme 2S shin guards are a fine pick if you are looking for performance and freedom of mobility. They come with AMP technology.

The kneecaps are made up of IX Foam for shock absorption from the stick and puck. Your legs are comfortable and secure with the Vent Armor Foam present on the side knees.

Best Hockey Elbow Pads

 RX3 hockey elbow pads
Source : facebook

Bauer Supreme 3S and CCM Jetspeed FT485 are some of the best elbow pads on the market. You can also consider Warrior Alpha LX Pro.

Hockey Elbow Pads are protective kits that keep hockey players' important joints and other parts of the arms from impacts on the ice. Elbow damage can be caused by lying pucks, slashes, collisions, and falls, and so on.

Usually, Hockey elbow pads are made up of foam and hard plastics. Most part of affordable elbow pads contains foam, which is suitable for younger or recreational players as they offer basic protection.

Professional players use high-end pads, which are constructed by using advanced performance foams and plastics. It helps the athletes by absorbing the blunt force and high-speed impacts of the game.

Here are some of the best hockey elbow pads, that don't make a hole in your pocket:

Bauer Supreme 3S Hockey Elbow Pads

The players seeking top-notch performance at an affordable price can go for the popular contoured Bauer Supreme 3S elbow pads.

Comfortable IX Foam is used to make the pads, that are able to absorb impacts before the energy makes it to your elbow joints.

Low-profile forearms are surrounded with injected plastic anatomically, and Vent Armor Foam is used for protection. It also features Active Motion Protection (AMP) technology for maximum mobility.

CCM Jetspeed FT485 Elbow Pads

The lightweight three-piece elbow pads, Jetspeed FT485 are a new launch by CCM. The pad can be a great option who are in search of superb mobility and protection at an affordable price tag. The pads combine a full range of motion with first-class padding.

Tough molded plastic is used from the forearm to the elbow. The impacts are dispersed into the foam padding as CCM has used its signature JDP (Joint Dispersion Protection) Technology in the pads.

Bauer Vapor Hyperlite Elbow Pads

The three-piece Vapor Hyperlite Elbow Pads are also one of the new pads in the Bauer product line. The Hyperlite pads provide top-notch protection, comfort, and mobility to professional players with their new compressed-foam EXO-Lite Skin and synthetic leather construction.

Protective Hyperlite foam is used to construct the pads in the forearms and elbows. The pads can absorb the energy from blocked shots, on-ice battles, and slashes.

Warrior Alpha LX Pro Hockey Elbow Pads

The next hockey pad on our list provides maximum mobility, comfort, and protection to hockey athletes. The three-piece pads features stretch zones on the forearm guards for an excellent range of motion. S

Strong plastic is reinforced in the dual-density foam bicep guards. Warrior’s Impax Foam is used in the forearm guards for optimal impact coverage from sticks and pucks.

The sleeve liners are durable and offer a perfect fit. The sweat, bacteria, and odor are excellently managed by the WarTech FNC technology.

Hockey Warm-Up Pants and Gears

Hockey warm-up sets in the NHL are manufactured by different sports companies such as Bauer, CCM, Warrior, and more.

Warm-up is a very important exercise done before a match. We can also call it 'pre-match preparation'. Warm-ups help a player to prepare both physically and mentally.

You can find the list of some hockey warm-up gear in the following.

Hockey warm-up pants

  • Bauer FLC Performance Warmth Adult Jogger Pant
  • CCM Lightweight Senior Rink Pant - '21 Model
  • New Balance Rezist 2.0 Senior Pant
  • Bauer Lightweight Senior Warm-Up Pant
  • Warrior Alpha X Presentation Senior Pant
  • True Senior Rink Pant
  • Warrior Alpha X Aspire Senior Jogger Pant
  • Bauer Team Fleece Adult Jogger Pants
  • Warrior Barrier Senior Warm-Up Pants

Hockey warm-up jackets

  • Warrior Barrier Senior Warm-Up Jacket
  • Bauer Supreme Lightweight Senior Jacket
  • New Balance Rezist 2.0 Senior Jacket
  • CCM Lightweight Senior Rink Suit Jacket - '21 Model
  • CCM 7120 V2 Team Premium Light Senior Skate Suit Jacket
  • True Senior Rink Jacket
  • Warrior Motion Senior Warm-Up Jacket
  • Warrior Alpha X Presentation Senior Full Zip Jacket

NHL Warm-Up Gear Brands and Sponsors

NHL has recently dealt with Fanatics as its gear supplier. Fanatics will be providing sweaters for 10 years beginning the 2024-25 season.

NHL has partnered with the following brands for the gear in its history:

  • CCM
  • Koho
  • Nike
  • Starter
  • Pro Player
  • Jofa
  • Reebok
  • Adidas

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