Merry Christmas All! I thought what a better way to celebrate than to dedicate an article to the Goalie equipment…maybe Santa brought some new gear to some of you.
Whenever anyone things of a hockey Goalie, immediately the topic of the equipment comes up. I know it was one of the main reasons i first thought it was a good idea to stand in front of a 4’x6′ net and subject myself to countless attempts to score. I mean come on…are there any other good reasons other than the really cool equipment. well, lets be honest, when I started, it wasn’t much more than D&R rod hockey pads, a Forwards glove and a baseball glove. And when it was road hockey in the winter, you had to really like to play net, as man it was cold! But those of us that loved it saw past the beat up old foam pads and baseball mitts. What we say was the gear of our Hero’s.
I remember my first gear as an ice hockey goalie. It was league gear, stored in a closet, musty old and ratty….It Was Awesome!!!! I was wearing real goalie gear. Not long from there I started borrowing gear. I borrowed a glove from a cousin of mine. At the time for a 9-10 year old, this was huge. I could catch anything. actually I couldn’t as it was too heavy to lift, but it was cool. From there my obsession started. From collecting used equipment, to the first time I had to break in “New” gloves. I have been a gear wh**e ever since. so lets break down the different pieces of equipment.
The Goalie Stick:
I know, boring right. But truly without this a goalies identity is broken. In the past, goalies did use the same sticks as regular players, but it gradually grew into the wide based stick we know today. I have seen many types of goalie sticks. From the straight bladed one piece sticks to the composite sticks of today. Pro goalies go through upwards of 4 dozen sticks a year. Well, at over 100 bucks a stick, my budget doesn’t allow this. I myself have become somewhat particular of certain aspects. since becoming a ball hockey goalie exclusively, I don’t tape my blade, as I find it slides better on the floor. I do however still tape the top of the stick, and also a small piece of tape around where I hold the stick. When I started this in ice hockey, it helped limit the vibrations I felt, now it’s more of a comfort, and dare I say, superstitious act. But whatever works.
The Goalie Pads:
Ah, the good stuff. Well, for some anyway. Goalie pads have come a long way in both design and Style. My first pads were brown, leather pads filled with of all things, horse hair. A little known fact, horse hair is hollow, and therefor didn’t absorb water as easily. What wasn’t considered I guess was that leather does! There were tournaments where I know my pads gained 5-10lbs. Today synthetics have replaced most of the materials, and weight is for the most part not an issue. What has become more noticeable is design. with changes in goalie styles of play, pad manufacturers needed to keep up. From traditional pads with knee rolls, to the flat faced design of most current pads. each goalie looks for a unique feel. NHL goalies are allowed anywhere from 3-6 sets per year. I couldn’t imagine having the resources to have that many sets of pads. Colors, designs all fair game. There is a Manufacturer that I follow, Battram, that will even do custom graphics on their pads. And odd as it seems, even “Retro” gear is cool again. Just ask Chris Day, man would i love that gear….
The Goalie Blocker:
A goalie blocker, while not as “cool” maybe as the pads, is still essential. That blocking surface needed whilst holding your stick. I myself am more particular with my blocker than I am with my pads. I tend to like a blocker with a bit more curve to it than most, due to my paddle down style. Blockers like most things have seen a wide range of design changes. Most of which have become “illegal”. I remember Vaughn had a blocker that was curved in the shape of a “C”. Odd duck for sure. What most people who know me don’t realize is that I at one time in my playing history, used my blocker for, oh, more interesting things. At more than one time during my ice hockey days, my blocker became my weapon of choice. I even received 37 minutes in penalties and a 3 game suspension for trying to put my blocker in an apposing forwards mouth…glad that’s out of my system…hahaha.
The Goalie Glove:
Ah, my favorite! There is no secret that the glove can be one of the most flashy saves. As such, having a glove that performs for a goalie is important, as least to me. I tend to look for a glove with a deep pocket, as ball hockey tends to see more pop outs than ice hockey. I remember breaking in gloves. I would spend hours tossing softballs into the pocket. Heating it, tying it closed, doing whatever I could to get it to close just right. Now I could get into things like 60 degree breaks vs 90 Degree breaks…but really, its all about comfort. And once you have found a glove that’s comfortable, it is very hard to change. I recently switched gloves this season, and for the first 2 weeks had my old gloves with me in the bag…just in case…
The Goalie Helmet
The piece of equipment can be the most elaborate of the set. With paint jobs these days helmets are a goalies way of personalizing his gear. Each goalie normally has a story behind his helmet. From simplicity to protection to comfort. I myself may now officially have one of the more unique helmets in the league. not for it’s bland over painted coating. but for the fact I have “modified” it to be more of an old school Tim Thomas style mask. The key is it protects my head, and is comfortable for me. Although flashy paint and style are cool, this piece of equipment does protect the head, and I know all too well what concussions can do to playing time.
Now I could break down chest gear pants and the goalie jock…but really…does anyone want me to get into the comfort of a goalie cup? what I will say is that remember as goalies, we may have started stopping shots to wear the gear..but now we wear the gear to stop the shots!
Next up will be the Goalie analysis of Freddy!
See you all in the New Year.
Tony
