Ice hockey girdle fit
An ice hockey girdle uses a form-fitting design that keeps protective padding close to your hips, thighs and tailbone. One-piece hockey pants hang their padding inside a roomy outer shell; a girdle holds its foam padding and any moulded caps against your body instead. That is what keeps the padding moving with you when you accelerate, turn sharply or take contact along the boards.
Ice versus roller play
Your choice between girdle styles depends on your playing environment and the protection you need:
- Ice hockey girdles: Carry the thicker padding, because on ice the contact comes from pucks, sticks and the boards.
- Roller hockey girdles: Use lighter fabrics and perforated padding, because a dry rink runs warmer and a fall puts you down on a hard floor rather than on ice.
Matching shells to pads
A pant shell is worn over the girdle, to take the scuffing from the boards and the ice and to carry your team colours. The outer fabric is therefore the part to compare, and how much stretch it has at the crotch and the inside leg decides whether it follows a deep stride or pulls against it. When choosing a cover, make sure your shell and girdle are designed to attach securely together using the closure loops, belts, or fasteners specified by the manufacturer.
Adjustments and sizing
Whether the thigh guards adjust is worth checking before you buy, because that is what sets how far they reach down the thigh and how far around it they sit. To find the correct size, measure your natural waist circumference where your hockey pants sit, and compare your measurement with the size chart for your specific model. For routine washing and equipment care, refer to the product guidelines provided by the manufacturer.