How Much Does Hockey Gear Weigh? This Much!

How Much Does Hockey Gear Weigh? This Much!

Hockey Gear Weight

All sports gear is designed to protect the player, and as a result, can often end up being quite heavy. Hockey is among the most guilty of sports for this, but few players actually realize how much their hockey gear weighs in total.

Hockey gear is among the heaviest sports gear, with an entire ensemble averaging from twenty to twenty-five pounds. However, this number fluctuates based on sweat, player size, position, and brand. Hockey goalie gear can weigh up to 50 pounds.

The equipment is there to protect the athletes, although it may not be comfortable or ideal for a player to be carrying all of this extra weight. We’ll break down the weight of each piece of equipment, why it’s so heavy, and discuss how to get your hockey gear for the best price.

How Much Does Hockey Gear Weigh?

Hockey is an incredibly physical sport. With pucks flying at lightning speeds, crashes, collisions, and checking to contend with, a player’s gear must be able to protect them from nearly every angle.

Unfortunately, that protection doesn’t come light. Collectively, hockey gear can weigh up to twenty-five pounds for average players and even reach up to fifty pounds for the goalie’s equipment. As we’ll see below, even small amounts of gear add up quickly!

For the purposes of this article, we’ll be talking about the:

  • Helmet
  • Shoulder pads
  • Elbow Pads
  • Chest protector
  • Pants
  • Skates
  • Other miscellaneous components

Here is a breakdown of the average weights for the different pieces of equipment. We’ve broken them down into two sections in order to account for the large weight difference in goalie gear.

General Equipment Weights

These can be found in the gear of all the players, whether they are a forward, a defensive player, or a goalie.

  • Hockey stick with blade: 1 to 2 lbs; used to play, not protect
  • Helmet: 2 to 3 lbs; head injuries are the most common in hockey; a snug helmet protects the player from lacerations and concussions.
  • Gloves: about 1lbs; protects hands and wrists, especially for goalies.
  • Elbows: less than 1 lbs; protects elbows in case of falls.
  • Padded Shorts: 3 to 6 lbs; protects legs from pucks and sticks.
  • Shoulder pads: 2 to 4 lbs; These protect the shoulders, collarbones, chest, and upper back.
  • Shin Guards: 1 to 2 lbs; protect bones in the lower leg.
  • Skates: 1 to 2 lbs; used to move around the ice surface.
  • Athletic cup: <1 lb; extra padded, protects the groin.

The total average weight for an adult hockey player’s gear is between 20-25 pounds.

Goalie Gear

Unlike the other players on the team, the goalie needs extra protection from the pucks flying 100 miles an hour at them. For this reason, their equipment can weigh nearly double what their teammates are wearing.

On average, a hockey goalie’s gear will weigh about 50 pounds. This can obviously vary, but the critical point is that it will be 75-100% heavier than their teammate’s gear.

The main difference, and what makes up most of the weight, is just the extra protection. Since a goalie’s main job is to get in front of hockey pucks shooting at them like bullets, they need an extra level of protection.

Bigger knee and shin pads, a thicker helmet, a thick glove and blocker are just a few of the extra protections a goalie has that cause their gear to double in weight. The chest protector is also much more extensive than what a standard hockey player would wear, adding significant weight.

Can You Make Your Hockey Gear Lighter?

Surely every player has asked this question after a long practice. Twenty-five pounds of gear pulling you down, rubbing against your skin, and soaking up sweat can be a significant annoyance.

So, can you make your hockey gear any lighter?

Technically, yes, although not in an easy way. Because you can’t afford to sacrifice safety, the only real way to make your gear lighter is to buy more lightweight gear at a much higher price. You could attempt to remove some padding, thin out some pieces, or even go entirely without, but you’d just be putting yourself in danger of a severe injury.

There are whole lines of gear on the market today that focus entirely on shaving off the pounds. Unfortunately, expect to pay a pretty penny for them.

Nearly every gear producer has a line of lightweight hockey gear, such as:

  • The CCM RBZ Fit line
  • The Bauer Vapor Fit line
  • The STX Surgeon line
  • The Easton Stealth Fit line

Prices of Hockey Equipment

With all the added padding, hockey equipment has become quite expensive. Even though buying new items is the preferred choice in most cases, many people opt to buy used equipment to save some money.

When buying, the prices range based on size, position, and brand. However, there are price ranges for whether you are purchasing a new set of equipment or a second hand one.

  • New: An entire set of new hockey gear will cost at least five hundred dollars and can reach up to a thousand depending on the brand and size.
  • A mixture of used and new: With this method, you can lower the minimum price to three hundred dollars with the highest price being five hundred dollars.
  • All used: Buying all used equipment is the most economical way to go about this, and usually, prices for this category do not go over the three-hundred-dollar mark.

Although hockey equipment is expensive, buying it secondhand can cut the total in half. However, it is crucial to keep in mind that most people purchase new helmets to ensure the best fit (snug-fitting helmets are recommended).

Buying a used helmet can be done, but you don’t know the history of that helmet. Much like football helmets or motorcycle helmets, the foam inside is only rated for a certain amount of impact. The safest bet is to buy a brand new helmet.

Is Goalie Equipment More Expensive?

Goalie equipment, on the other hand, is considered to be in a league of its own. Since some of their gear works best when personalized, hockey goalies usually end up having to spend more on their equipment in comparison to the rest of the team.

For example, a good quality, custom-made helmet can cost up to thousands of dollars while the other helmets don’t even go much past the low hundreds. That’s a lot of money, especially for something that will continuously get replaced. However, unless you are playing professionally, a general goalie helmet should work out just fine.

Most, if not all, helmets are made of fiberglass or Kevlar (used to make bullet-proof vests). As long as you find one that fits snugly on your head, you should be in the clear.

Even with all the high price tags attached to this gear, it is indispensable. Millions of American kids play hockey every year. Without the equipment, there would be way more head injuries and concussions from all around.

After all, hockey leans on a dangerous side of sports. If you really want to enjoy the game, you better protect yourself well, regardless of weight or price. It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt.

In Short

Hockey is played by millions of Americans all over the US. However, since it is so dangerous, the weight of the protective equipment can be a bit high. Still, it’s well worth the weight, as even a relatively minor injury received as a child or teenager can have long-lasting implications in adulthood.

A full set of hockey gear typically weighs about 25 pounds, while a goalie’s gear can weigh upwards of 50.

Despite the inconvenience, hockey players are obligated to wear the full set of equipment which includes, padded pants, gloves, a helmet, and several other general pieces of padding.

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