The downside to being a goalie in hockey is the fact that playing the position is expensive any way that you look at it. Obviously buying brand new hockey goaltender gear is going to be more expensive than purchasing used gear, but a lot of goalies simply refuse to buy used equipment because they like the idea of ordering custom hockey goalie gear. However, buying used goalie equipment also has its advantages. The great thing about used hockey equipment in general is that it saves you (or your parents if you are a youth hockey goalie) a substantial amount of money. Another great thing about used hockey goalie gear is the fact that it comes broken in. When I used to play goalie I used to absolutely dread breaking in a new, stiff pair of goalie leg pads or goalie catch glove.

Whether you are on a tight budget or not, you do have the option of playing goalie. Saving a lot of money when buying goalie gear is a possibility, you just need to know where to go to find discount goalie equipment. Shopping for hockey equipment online is a great way to save money because you can compare prices easily and these online hockey equipment websites can often offer a cheaper deal on gear because they often do not have the overhead and expenses of your traditional hockey pro shop. You might also consider buying your hockey goaltending gear during the summer because it is the off season in hockey and you can usually find closeout deals on last years models of all sorts of hockey equipment.

Buying goalie equipment is an exciting process that does not need to cost an arm and a leg. As with any product, you should probably spend a bit of time researching each piece of hockey or goalie equipment before you purchase it so that you do not make a mistake and spend more money than necessary.

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Most goalie equipment manufacturers have fine tuned their pads to make sure that they are of a high quality, so you should not have to worry too much about your’s or your kid’s protection. As long as you aren’t buying equipment that is super old and beat up, and you purchase pads that fit you properly you should be able to take all of the slap shots you want without feeling very much. Sure occasionally you might catch a stinger to the palm of your glove hand, but for the most part you won’t feel anything. But when you start purchasing goalie gear that is too small, you start opening yourself up to exposed areas of your body that are susceptible to being bruised by the puck. Likewise, if you purchase ice hockey goalie equipment that is too large, it might start to get sloppy and slide out of position exposing your bare skin to slap shots.

If you do not know much about goalie equipment, visit your local hockey pro shop so that you can get some advice on how to purchase the gear that you know will fit you and protect you. Having the proper hockey goalie gear is essential because if you start taking heavy shots that hurt you, you will no longer be able to face shots without flinching, and as anybody who plays hockey knows…a flinching goalie is a bad goalie. Do the proper research and invest in the proper hockey goalie pads that you know are going to fit you and allow you to play without fear.

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The big difference to me when looking at the new style of goalie gear is that it seems much lighter and less difficult to break in. I used to dread breaking in any new ice hockey goalie equipment because it was so uncomfortable and difficult to move. But the way that hockey goalie pads are made now seems to be less of a problem for people like me who don’t like breaking in new equipment. Goalie gloves and chest protectors used to be the thing I dreaded buying the most because I knew they would just be too stiff.

The other thing that is very different is the way hockey goalie leg pads are being engineered to stop pucks in places that used to be much more difficult. Although the goalie leg pads are not as wide as they might have been in the past due to the goalie pad size regulations in the professional ranks of hockey which has had a trickle down effect on amateur hockey, now the leg pads have an extended thigh rise making goalie pads seem very tall on goalies. The reason for the high thigh rise is to prevent goals being scored in the dreaded 5 hole, or between the legs.  Nowadays, butterfly goalies do not have to worry so much about covering up their 5 hole because the leg pads pretty much do that for you automatically. This is a great new feature for butterfly goaltenders which has had an impact on the low scoring games that have become more prominent in leagues like the NHL.

Another thing that I have noticed when I have watched goalies in recent years is the way that hockey goalie chest protectors are being worn. I remember always wanting to have my chest protector be snug and right up against my stomach and chest. I even had suspenders to hold down my chest protector. Most goalies now end up allowing their chest protector to fit looser which seems to give them a few extra inches of net coverage in their upper body, which surely allows them to make a few more saves here and there. Also, it seems to provide more cushion allowing for them to absorb shots to the mid-section without even feeling the puck and it also allows them to control rebounds that are shot right into there body.

These are just a few observations that I have had about the new style of goalie pads that have made goalies these days so difficult to beat. Goalies are much quicker, more protected and have greater control over their rebounds and I think a lot of it is a direct result of the advancements in hockey goalie pads over the last decade or so.

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