One-piece pants or a girdle setup
Protective lower-body gear comes in two distinct formats: traditional hockey pants and modular girdles. Traditional ice hockey pants combine hip, kidney, thigh, and spine protection into a single garment with a loose cut over the hips and thighs. In contrast, a hockey girdle uses a close-fitting compression design with segmented pads that sit snug against the hips and thighs. A girdle is worn under a separate outer shell, so you can change the shell to match another team's colours without changing the padding underneath.
Coverage across the waist, hips and spine
Lower-body protective gear shields vulnerable areas including the lower back, tailbone, hips, and thighs against pucks, sticks, and falls on the ice. Finding the correct size starts with your waist measurement and your height, which place you in the youth, junior, intermediate, or senior size scale. Consult the specific size chart for your chosen model. The bottom of the pant leg should meet the top of the shin guard's knee cap when your knees are bent in a skating stance, so the two overlap instead of leaving the knee open, and the pant still lets you take a full stride. If the skater is still growing, check whether the pant has a zippered extension panel, because that is what lets the leg length grow with the player.
Closure systems and equipment care
How the pant stays on your waist depends on the closure: an internal or external belt, front lace-up ties, hook-and-loop fasteners, and suspender buttons. Choosing the right closure helps keep the kidney and spine padding aligned during quick turns and board battles. After games and training, take the pants out of your bag so they can air out. When cleaning pants, girdles, or shells, follow the manufacturer care instructions and let everything dry fully before it goes back in the bag.