Goalie Equipment
Most likely, the words ‘hockey goalie’ make you think of an ice hockey goalie, however, there are also field hockey goalies and roller hockey goalies in addition to the ice hockey kind. For anyone who knows any hockey goalies, this distinction might be crystal clear, but for the non-specialist, the distinctions might melt into one another. It’s for this reason that it becomes important to make explicit which gear is made as field hockey goalie equipment and which gear is specifically made as ice hockey goalie equipment since the needs of these two goalies are going to be very different.
Field Hockey
The field hockey goalie needs to have protection from getting hit with the ball, but she does not need all of the insulation that an ice hockey goalie needs. For field hockey goalie equipment, the most important thing is to cover the most crucial bones and regions of the body. While the facial part of a field hockey goalie’s mask is not so different from that of an ice hockey goalie’s mask, the construction of the two are quite different. Another area where the equipment is very different is the way in which the arms and legs are covered. Field hockey goalies need a lot of protection and no warmth, although the gear will indeed add some warmth that they are probably not going to like having very much.
 |
|
|
|
Roller Hockey Goalie Equipment
The bottom line is that this equipment is also different from that of field hockey equipment, so if you find discount field hockey goalie equipment on sale, you don’t want to simply substitute it for roller hockey goalie equipment. Goalie hockey equipment for roller hockey should be found in specialty sports stores and should be purchased specifically for roller hockey use. Roller hockey goalie equipment is more similar to field hockey equipment than to ice hockey equipment because roller hockey goalie gear does not need the warm insulation that ice hockey does, but it is still distinctly different from field hockey equipment.
Youth Gear
For young, beginning hockey goaltenders, the most important concern is that of safety. Youth hockey goalie equipment can be quite cumbersome because its goal is to protect the hockey goal keeper, but this is just what you want, despite its bulk. Hockey goalie gear for kids should keep kids extremely safe above all else, from their hockey goalie masks to their extensive shine guards; never go for lighter goalie gear in order to allow your child more mobility; protection should always come first.