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Ice hockey?
mooshoepork
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So, we just got two ice hockey/skating rinks here where I live. This is a big deal for us (being in Australia).
I've skated before, and I can do it without falling over, but I'm by no means awesome. Me and my brother wanted to start playing ice hockey. We've wanted to for years but never had the means to do it (we just stuck to roller hockey instead).
Then I realised, I don't know shit about ice hockey, ice skates, gear, or anything.
Any...tips? Let's start with skates. I presume I should get these fitted rather than buy a size off ebay. What type of skates are there? What am I looking for? What are some good brands? How often do they need to be sharpened? How much should I be spending?
I've tried regular skates and "hockey skates" at the rink. The hockey skates seemed to really hurt the ball on the outer edge of my feet. As if my foot was sitting too high. I tried a few different sizes with the same effect.
In terms of gear, what am I looking at? I literally have no idea. I presume there are some type of shin protectors/body protector/jersey/cup?/facemask? Should I get that in a pack? or buy it all seperately? How much should I spend?
Sticks. Again, I have no idea. I hear I'll be breaking these regularly. Is that true? How much for a good starter stick? Are they all made out of aluminum?
Lastly, I'm a fairly short guy. 165-170 I think. Am I going to die?
Any tips are appreciated. Even skating tips. Still trying to get the hang of going backwards fast enough.
I've skated before, and I can do it without falling over, but I'm by no means awesome. Me and my brother wanted to start playing ice hockey. We've wanted to for years but never had the means to do it (we just stuck to roller hockey instead).
Then I realised, I don't know shit about ice hockey, ice skates, gear, or anything.
Any...tips? Let's start with skates. I presume I should get these fitted rather than buy a size off ebay. What type of skates are there? What am I looking for? What are some good brands? How often do they need to be sharpened? How much should I be spending?
I've tried regular skates and "hockey skates" at the rink. The hockey skates seemed to really hurt the ball on the outer edge of my feet. As if my foot was sitting too high. I tried a few different sizes with the same effect.
In terms of gear, what am I looking at? I literally have no idea. I presume there are some type of shin protectors/body protector/jersey/cup?/facemask? Should I get that in a pack? or buy it all seperately? How much should I spend?
Sticks. Again, I have no idea. I hear I'll be breaking these regularly. Is that true? How much for a good starter stick? Are they all made out of aluminum?
Lastly, I'm a fairly short guy. 165-170 I think. Am I going to die?
Any tips are appreciated. Even skating tips. Still trying to get the hang of going backwards fast enough.
mooshoepork on
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Sharpen them when they get dull. I haven't purchased skates for a long time so I have no idea on what prices are these deals.
skates, hockey socks, shin pads, pants, cup (no fucking question mark here), something to hold up your socks and hold your cup, shoulder pads, elbow pads, gloves, helmet. You're going to want to try all these on first and make sure they're comfortable and move with you.
Aluminum sticks are fucking garbage. Just use woods sticks. Sticks don't break often, unless you play professional hockey. $15-40 CDN here for a good wooden stick. Before I buy a new stick I always take a few shots with it to make sure I like the curve, weight, length of it. Surprisingly no one has ever told me to stop taking wrist shots at item displays.
In Canada there is no hitting in men's league hockey. I assume it'll be the same in Australia. If you're going to get hurt, do it at work that way you still get paid for missing work due to injury.
Anyways, about equipment, you do have a pretty large investment ahead of you, but that can be curtailed a bit by buying second hand stuff. But, you being in Australia, I'm not sure if there is much second hand equipment to be bought. You might try eBay.
For reference, I am about 5'6" and around 135 pounds (167 cm, 61 kg for you Aussies). I do just fine in hitting and no hitting leagues alike, though I am by no means a bruiser.
By "regular skates", do you mean ones with a toe pick? I cannot even come close to skating with those and I won't try. You'll need hockey skates to skate like a hockey player.
I bought the skates that I've been using for several years off of eBay for $50 USD. They were worn once before I started using them, and I really like them a lot. They are CCM 652 Tacks. Skates will hurt like shit for a long time before they start to break in and get nice and comfortable, so don't get discouraged if you have blisters for weeks, it will get better.
As for a jock, I use this: http://www.goal-line-golf.com/hockey/jocks-undergarments/hockey-jocks/itech-200-senior-loose-fit-hockey-jock/prod_2171.html
It keeps your junk nice and safe (there is a slot on the inside for your cup) and the Velcro on the front and back of the legs keeps your hockey socks up.
I'm sure I have some more, but this post is getting pretty long. I'll throw in some more tips later.
1) Learn to skate before playing any organized league type of hockey if that's what you're looking for. If you're just looking to have some fun with some like-skilled hockey newbies, that it's less of an issue, but typically you'll have a lot more fun if you learn to skate before trying to add a stick and puck to the equation.
2) Skates: Try before you buy. Different brands fit differently, and are sized slightly differently, so being a size 8 in one skate doesn't make that your "skate size" for everything else. You can find more info here and here. Your description of pain on the outer edge of your foot probably means you need a wider skate, or the skate was too big. Your toe should just barely touch the front of the skate when standing normally, and with knees bent should pull back from the front.
As far as good brands and what type, there are lots of brands, but which is best comes down to your feet and what you feel comfortable in. Generally the higher the price, the more "professional" the skate, meaning it'll most likely be very stiff, very hard, and have a form fitting gel inside that after heating and breaking them in will mould to your foot. Speaking of breaking them in: no matter what skates you buy in the end, wear them around for a day (with skate guards on) before trying to play with them. Your feet will thank you.
3) Gear
After skates, you will need:
- a cup, with garter belt to attach your hockey socks to (there are other ways of attaching socks, like velcro patches on shorts)
- shin pads
- aforementioned hockey socks
- hockey pants
- shoulder and elbow pads
- hockey gloves
- helmet
- jersey to over it all
Optional: neck guard, face shield/visor for the helmet. if you're just starting out, I'd wear a full face shield/cage, and a neck guard.
A wooden stick can be had for about $20 CAN, and I'd suggest stick to those until you get more experience with the game. Yes they will break on occasion, but so will the $400 composite sticks. Sticks come in a variety of blade curves, shafts, and flex ratings, and it all comes down to personal feel (personally, I hate aluminum sticks, but that's just me). Check out the NHL store again for a full breakdown.
As for how much it'll all cost... as with any big purchase (and hockey equipment is a large purchase), shop around and find the best deals. Go into a store, try some different gear, find some sizes you like, then look at other store and online for cheaper option once you have the sizes figured out. Again, the only thing I would not buy without trying on for a while are the skates.
What type of playing are you looking at? Joining a league? Playing pickup with friends? I don't know what's available in Australia, but if you find a league that accepts any skill level, it will most likely be non-contact, so being on the short and small side won't be a big issue.
Melbourne. They just built two Olympic sized rinks in docklands.
Good to know
Yeah toe pick. It was more because my skates were uncomfortable I think.
Did you know what size you were? I have no idea. I should get them fitted, but those look great. Price looks great too. I'm probably gonna get gouged.
Yeah, junk safety is #1 priority.
Thanks
I can skate without falling over. I think I'm fairly competent.
I was hoping I could get them on eBay, but this is probably a better idea
I'll have a look around. I think there are two stores here. I'm looking at joining a league. I'm pretty sure it's any skill level. I heard there were A,B,C leagues.
Thanks for the help guys.
Yeah, I'll definitely be getting additional lessons. If anything it'll be a good place to practice.
They cast a shadow like a sundial in the morning light. It was half past 10.
I was looking at:
http://cgi.ebay.com/New-ice-hockey-equipment-kit-COMPLETE-SET-senior-sr-men_W0QQitemZ130378934102QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item1e5b30a756#ht_2500wt_732
For the other gear. Any way to tell if medium would be too large? or L to large for elbow pads? How do they measure it? I might end up having to buy this stuff in store if sizing is dependent on brand.
No shit. Now Melbourne is fit to live in. I'm coming back.
We seem to be about the same size, so I'll tell you what size all of my equipment is.
Elbow Pads - Junior Long
Shoulder Pads/Chest Protector - Medium
Pants - I have no idea (I think the size markings have rubbed off over time)
Shin Guards - 13.5" (It looks like that eBay sale is only selling 17" ones, which would be way huge)
Jock - Size has rubbed off, but probably a small or medium
Helmet - Medium (The markings on the inside say 21.2"-22.4"/640-670mm, Hat Size 6 3/4-7 1/8, whatever the fuck that means)
Skates - 6.5 or 40. I'm not sure what the 40 means, maybe Canadians do their shoe sizes differently. I wear a size 9 (US) shoe. It's size 8 (UK), size 42.5 (Europe) and 27 cm.
The small/medium/large may differ between companies, so you might have to watch for that.
I love teaching people how to play, I wish I had studied abroad two years later so I could help you out a little more.
EDIT: I should say that my helmet is pretty tight, and I should probably get a new and bigger one. I've been wearing it for like 7 years though and all the padding is falling out (I won it in some raffle or something).
If there's three pieces of equipment that need to fit properly and comfortably, skates, jock, and helmet would be it.
I had the worst helmet growing up. I'd had horrible headaches by the end of each game that would last for another 30 minutes after getting the helmet off, all because the foam padding inside was super stiff and did not fit my head at all. Just created pressure points and pain all over. I also have a huge head, so that might have been part of it...
Reasons why a jock should fit properly should be self-explanatory.
Yea, I really should get a new one. My head does end up hurting sometimes during games and stuff. I'm just too lazy/broke to buy a new one.
They cast a shadow like a sundial in the morning light. It was half past 10.
Likewise, buy and use a neck guard. This is rec league, you have to work/live life the next day. It really is unlikely that you are going to get cut in the neck, but it's not impossible. Skates aren't the only thing that can cut you, sticks can as well and they have a bad habit of getting up by the head area. And really there is no cost to wearing one (they aren't uncomfortable, I have an extremely sensitive gag reflex. Like wearing a tie can be enough to get me to start gagging, and I still wear a neck guard. Only results one or two gags in a game
I'll also second the full face shield. I don't play out without one. Again, this is rec league, you're not a pro and need the absolute best vision possible. And I mean lets face it, rec league players aren't all that responsible with their sticks and you will get whacked in the face. I know I'd rather keep my teeth than look macho without a shield.
Still confused why the NHL don't require their players to wear these.
I'll check out the shop at the rink and try some stuff on. I had a look at a fair amount of US online stores. Most don't ship to Australia. (One did, but you had to use a forwarder and it wouldn't tell you how much it'd cost until you paid for the items)
Do you guys know of any reputable online stores that ship to Australia?
That face guard looks pretty sweet too. Do I buy the guard and helmet separately?
And yea, generally you buy helmets and face shields seperately and install the face shield yourself. Don't worry, it's easy!
I will also re-iterate that it is essential you try stuff on before buying. A comfortable set of gear make it a much more enjoyable experience.
The only other recommendation I would have is to purchase skates and for the first while wear them around the house! (with skate guards of course). Don't try and get on the ice with a fresh pair of skates for a game and find 30mins in you want to chop your feet off. I played for about 15 years (up to junior) and everytime I got new skates I spent a few hours a day wearing them in before jumping on the ice.
Also thirding (fourthing?) trying things on before you buy them. Absolutely a must. In fact, if possible, get into some kind of shop to try the things you'll be buying on at the same time. You don't want to over-lap your protection, but you don't want gaps either. If you can talk to someone who knows what they're doing, they can probably give you help in getting set up, and may give you a discount if you buy all at once.
Oh! Do not buy a used helmet! It may look new, it may look in great condition, but do you really want to risk falling and smashing your head with something that looks like it should work, or do you want a reputable manufacturer standing by their product?
In learning to play, give the rinks a call. See if they've got any kind of learn-to-play program. I'm in Southern California, also a non-traditional hockey market, and it helped me and the guys I started with a lot.
EDIT: Also, not to badmouth Melbourne, but I understand there are more rinks, leagues, and players in Sydney. Ice hockey in Australia got its start there (by Canadians showing off an early ice rink on a cruise ship).
Here's an example:
Clearly I'm not used to using a mac.
Someone with more hockey experience can chime in, but if you're not in a contact/high level league see if you can get a lighter/thinner/cheaper pair of shoulder pads. Despite being mandatory in the rec league I played in last season most guys didn't even bother wearing a pair... FWIW
I'm not even joking.
other ones that are 300 here are 80 bucks on hockey monkey.
edit: " The shipping charges quoted on the web site are estimates only.
We will e-mail you the actual charge after we receive your order. "
edit: www.goal-line-golf.com also seems to be pretty good price wise and they ship internationally.
Man now I want to get back into hockey after reading this thread. Fucking hell, and I don't have a thousand bucks rattling around for the gear.
I'm pretty sure you are seeing the prices in US dollars. Don't forget to adjust that to AU dollars for closer to the real cost, although if I recall correctly, these days US$ and AU$ are pretty close.
I wonder if the store at the rink does baking or punching. That's probably not always necessary right?
EDIT: I had forgotten that hockeygeeks has some really good advice about how things fit. You can get this same advice in a shop, but this is the best way to say it that I've found online.