Here you'll find our complete collection of hockey protective gear – for children, juniors, intermediates, and seniors
After a practice or game, hockey gear, skates, and other accessories are often damp from both water and sweat. If you don't care for your equipment correctly, this moisture can lead to unpleasant odors and damage to your gear. To prevent this, it's essential to dry items that are wet, clean them regularly, and store your hockey equipment properly. In this guide, we provide valuable tips on ensuring your protective gear and other equipment stay clean and last longer.
How to Care for and Clean Your Hockey Protective Gear
Jockstraps, shoulder pads, elbow pads, neck guards, and shin guards all need to be washed regularly to prevent them from developing an unpleasant odor. Protective gear that is particularly exposed to sweat and moisture should be washed more frequently – ideally once a month depending on how often you play. This is especially true for jockstraps and neck guards, which are close to the body in areas where we tend to sweat more heavily. You should not exceed 40°C (104°F) and it's preferable to use a mesh laundry bag to place the protective gear inside during washing. Avoid using a dryer; instead, let the protective gear air dry.
Our collection of hockey protective gear
Keeping Your Hockey Gloves Clean and Fresh
Hockey gloves are highly susceptible to moisture, both from external sources and from the sweat of the hands which affects the gloves from the inside. As a result, gloves often tend to be the piece of equipment that emits the most unpleasant odor over time. Additionally, it's common for the inner glove to develop holes because the leather gets moist and then dries out, causing it to deteriorate. There are several tricks to maintain the gloves optimally and avoid bad odors, such as washing them with a splash of vinegar or placing them in a plastic bag in the freezer to kill off bacteria. However, the most crucial measure is to care for them properly from the outset, before any strong odors can set in and potential holes can form. This can be achieved by ensuring they are stored in a dry and warm place between practices and games to ensure thorough drying. Additionally, wash them at 30°C (86°F) as soon as you detect a hint of an unpleasant smell, avoiding the spin cycle, and then allowing them to air dry. Not only will this reduce the unpleasant smell, but it will also extend the lifespan of the gloves.
Our collection of hockey gloves
How to Properly Care for Your Skates
First and foremost, always use blade guards when walking between the locker room and the ice. This prevents dirt, gravel, and other hard objects from directly damaging the steel. Consequently, it's essential to ensure the guards are clean and free from grit by rinsing them with water. After a game or practice, you can also rinse the blades with warm water and then thoroughly dry them with a clean towel. It's recommended to remove the insoles from the skates after use to dry both the insoles and the inside of the skates. This practice helps to prevent moisture from attacking the rivets, which could then be damaged or even come loose. Store the skates in a dry and clean place without their blade guards on.
Our collection of skates from Bauer, CCM, and True.
How to Care for Your Helmet, Visor, and Cage
Regularly check that all screws are securely in place and that the chin strap is properly fastened. Pay special attention to ensure that the helmet doesn't have any cracks, as this could greatly reduce its protective capability. To clean the visor, you can use a specialized visor spray or alternatively, mild soap and water. If you play with a cage, ensure all the "wires" are symmetrical and not bent, as they risk breaking upon hard impacts from pucks or sticks.
Our collection of helmets, with or without cages. Our collection of visors and visor sprays
How to Wash Your Base Layer
A base layer is designed to keep you warm while wicking moisture away from your body. As a result, your base layer - including your socks - is especially exposed to moisture. If not cared for properly, this can lead to unpleasant odors and, in the worst case, bacteria buildup. Besides hygiene and comfort, keeping your base layer clean and dry is important to help prevent skin irritation, rashes, or even infections.
Always hang your base layer up to dry immediately after practices and games. Even more importantly, wash it as often as possible.
Hockey base layers are typically made from synthetic performance fabrics such as polyester and elastane. These materials are designed to wick away moisture while providing excellent freedom of movement, but they also need proper care to maintain their performance. If your base layer contains elastane, avoid exposing it to high heat unless the care label specifically allows it. Repeated exposure to high temperatures can reduce the fabric's elasticity and shorten the garment's lifespan.
Here are a few important things to keep in mind when washing your base layer:
Temperature: Always follow the care label. Most performance garments should be washed at 30–40°C (85–105°F). Avoid washing at higher temperatures than recommended, as repeated hot washes can affect the elastane, fit, printed graphics, and other details.
Detergent: Use a detergent designed for synthetic performance fabrics and follow the recommended dosage. Using more detergent won't make the garments cleaner and may leave residue in the fabric.
Fabric softener: Avoid using fabric softener on performance garments. It can reduce the fabric's moisture-wicking and performance properties.
Velcro: Always fasten all Velcro straps before washing. Open Velcro can catch on other parts of the garment, causing pilling, pulled threads, and unnecessary wear.
Zippers: Close all zippers and other fasteners before washing.
Printed graphics: Turn garments inside out before washing to help protect logos and prints from friction against other garments and the washing machine drum.
After washing, hang your base layer to air dry in a well-ventilated area and allow it to dry completely before using it again.
Our collection of base layers and hockey socks
How to wash hockey jerseys and socks
Practice jerseys and hockey socks should also be washed regularly, as they're exposed to sweat and moisture from both your body and your protective equipment.
Keep these tips in mind:
- Always follow the care instructions on the garment's label.
- Wash with similar colors and fabrics.
- Fasten any Velcro before washing.
- Turn garments with printed graphics inside out to help protect the print.
- Avoid using fabric softener if the garment is made from performance fabrics.
- Air dry if recommended on the care label.
Team laundry? A laundry loop or wash strap is a simple way to keep each player's base layer, socks, and other small items together throughout the wash cycle.
Our collection of laundry loops
How to wash jackets and shell layers
Hockey means spending plenty of time traveling to and from the rink, and your team jackets and shell layers need regular care too.
Keep these tips in mind:
- Always follow the garment's care label.
- Close all zippers and fasten any Velcro before washing.
- Use a detergent that's suitable for the garment's material.
- Avoid using fabric softener on waterproof or membrane shell garments.
- Follow the manufacturer's instructions if the garment needs to be reproofed.
If water no longer beads up on the outside of the fabric, the durable water-repellent (DWR) finish may need to be reactivated or reapplied. The correct method depends on the garment and its materials, so always follow the manufacturer's care instructions.
When it comes to drying, always follow the care label. Some garments can be tumble dried on a low heat setting, while certain shell jackets benefit from controlled heat to help reactivate the water-repellent finish.
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