Help me figure out what gear I need to start playing shinny

[Azure]

If you're going to get elbow pads, pay some decent money for good ones. The crappy $20 dollar ones limit mobility.

It might seem a bit daunting at first, but hockey is a great sport once you get into it. I love playing, even if the games sometimes suck.

[Northendzone]

Originally Posted by blankall

Pants + suspenders.

Suspenders, I can't recall the last time I saw a pair of these.

When it comes to new wheels, I'd recommend Graf, comfy right outta the box

[Buff]

When I started out it was just a bunch of guys having some fun. Most guys wore only skates, gloves and helmets. A couple others wore a cup and shinguards under their track pants. As we got better people started wearing more gear. Now we wear everything but a shoulder pad and neck protector and every now and then we'll see a guy with shoulder pads.
This past year most guys went out and got visors and mouthguards.

See what some of the other guys are wearing. Maybe you don't need to get to much gear to start with. It all depends on the rules you play by that determines what you need to wear.

[Jbo]

I find the best time of the year to get Hockey gear is Boxing day. I tend to upgrade a few pieces every year. I know it is far away, but just a thought as you get better and play more.

Some tips on skates, get a good mid-level skate. It can be confusing, but most skate manufactures have "series" of skates. Try and go a level or two above the most basic series to start. Make sure that the skate fits tight. You will break them in about 15-20 games and everyone that does it, knows how much it sucks to break in a new pair. Hoever, I know lots of people that bought a size too big for comfort and wobble all over the place or have the skate cause issues for the ankles.

My 2 cents

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Azure

If you're going to get elbow pads, pay some decent money for good ones. The crappy $20 dollar ones limit mobility.

It might seem a bit daunting at first, but hockey is a great sport once you get into it. I love playing, even if the games sometimes suck.

+1 to spending decent coin on elbow pads. When I started, I took the same advice of "just spend money on skates and a helmet, get everything else cheap and used".

Well I got some cheap elbow pads and took a nice fall in one of my first games, which lead to some bruising on my elbow, and I swear to god after all these years that one minor elbow injury still haunts me to this day. Now everytime that elbow makes contact with the ice, even with now using good elbow pads, that damn thing flares up and just throbs.

[hkstylez]

I'm looking to play shinny as well soon, i got a buddy who keeps asking me to play for him because he needs a goalie. I might have to buy a whole new set of goalie pads so that I can have one for floor and ice.

[Northendzone]

Originally Posted by J-bo09

knows how much it sucks to break in a new pair.......

Not if you have grafs.........I would say that there are good sales on stuff all the time

[GrrlGoalie33]

Originally Posted by hkstylez

I'm looking to play shinny as well soon, i got a buddy who keeps asking me to play for him because he needs a goalie. I might have to buy a whole new set of goalie pads so that I can have one for floor and ice.

Becoming an ice goalie is addictive. Whatever you do, don't go out and find forums dedicated to goalies, or you will instantly become a gear whore, always wanting to try something new.

[ernie]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

Not if you have grafs.........I would say that there are good sales on stuff all the time

Baking the skates will all but eliminate the break in period.

[J epworth]

Originally Posted by flameswin

+1 to spending decent coin on elbow pads. When I started, I took the same advice of "just spend money on skates and a helmet, get everything else cheap and used".

Well I got some cheap elbow pads and took a nice fall in one of my first games, which lead to some bruising on my elbow, and I swear to god after all these years that one minor elbow injury still haunts me to this day. Now everytime that elbow makes contact with the ice, even with now using good elbow pads, that damn thing flares up and just throbs.

I've had my Easton Ultra-lite's since second year Peewee, so going on over 10 years now with the same elbow pads, I've never found any since that work so well. After my Graf skates they are my favourite piece of equipment I have.