IbeLeaf
11-17-2007, 05:06 AM
As an absolute beginner to playing goal, I spent a lot of time researching and pricing equipment.
In the end, I went with mostly the least expensive, beginner level equipment I could find that I heard good things about. After my first time out, I've decided to let you all know what I think. This is from one beginner to others who don't know where to begin just like myself less then a month ago.
The first question I had was, what equipment do I need?
I made a list of everything I needed to play goal, and I was starting from scratch.
I ended up getting everything brand new, except for my catcher and blocker, only because I didn't have much time to shop around and find good deals. I ended up spending a grand total of $2300 for everything I needed to step foot on the ice. You can do it cheaper if you have the time to find used. Sites like eBay are great. Like I said, I didn't have the time though, I bought the equipment thinking I was going to be on the ice the next morning.
Hopefully some more advanced goalies can add to this, as I'm sure they have some more in depth info.
Needed:
Get all these things and you are ready to step on the ice:
Helmet
Neck guard
Throat guard
Chest/shoulder protector
Pants
Jock (I got a regular players jock and a goalie jock)
pads
Goalie skates
Stick
Goalie bag (Wheels are great!!)
Hockey tape
Water BottleGood website for sizing questions:
http://www.summitsportsinc.com/summitonline/ish/guides/goalie.htm#helmet
My setup:
Helmet:
I went with the Itech Envy 7 $350.00
http://www.cyclonetaylor.com/goalie/masks/glmitechenvy7.jpg
Which mask to buy was the hardest choice. I kept hearing what not to buy, and the name Itech kept coming up. From what I have heard, stay away from the 1200 and 1400. although the 1400 may have the cool graphics on it, Sprawl (forum member) clearly referred to it as "The Widow Maker".
After wearing the Envy7 the first time out, I thought it was great. I took a couple pucks to the head and can honestly say that at a beginner level where the shots are not that hard, it worked just fine. I can't vouch for it's protection against a good slap shot since I was playing with all beginners.
Also, don't go for the cat eye cage. You can tell by looking at it that a sticks butt end could easily go through, and when you are playing with beginners, they might not have the best control over their sticks.
Plasic neck guard:
Any will do $30.00
Wear one!! If you cant think of a reason to wear a neck guard and a throat guard, watch this video and you'll never think twice about it again.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=dT4PenDwiPo
Just like I said in respect to the cat eye cage, you are playing with beginners and they might not have the best control over their skates as well.
Throat guard:
Choose what fits $60.00
Watch the video again if you're still not convinced you should wear one.
I made the mistake of getting one without trying it on. Make sure you put it on in the store for a minute. My first one was a little too small and felt like I was being lightly choked. I had to go get a larger fitting one so I could breath and move my neck a lot better.
Chest/shoulder Proector:
Vaughn VP3700 $230.00
http://www.vaughnhockey.com/catalog/images/products/vp_3700-1-large.jpg
I went with something a little bigger and with the most padding I could find. As a new goalie I am hesitant to get a lighter one until I get used to having pucks flying at me.
When I first put this on, I thought it was so bulky I didn't know how I was going to be able to move once I was on the ice. Ended up not being a problem. I was able to move quite freely and felt like I had great protection for every shot. It may look big at first, but you get used to it the second you start playing.
Make sure you check where the elbow pad is. You can adjust it, but only a little bit, so make sure when you try it on at the store, that it is in the right place or can be adjusted to right over your elbow.
Pants:
Whatever fits $140
Pants are pants. I'm sure most of the expert goalies anywhere will tell you differently and they are probably right. However, as a beginner, who cares. As long as they fit, we (as beginners) wont be able to tell the difference between good and bad pants until we get some practice and a good feel for the position.
Jock 1:
Regular players jock shorts 39.99
On the advice of a long time goalie, I wear two cups. A regular jock shorts players cup and a goalie cup.
At first I only bought the goalie cup, but after trying on the equipment I quickly thought that a any shot that may come from an angle going up might make it under the cup and that's not a risk I'm willing to take.
Jock 2:
Goalie cup $60.00
Enough said in jock 1 section.
Skates:
RBK SK 3k $290
http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-90879101131287_1974_34021421
If you are like me, and you have skated on regular skates before, these will feel weird to you. Goalie skates do not go up and above your ankle. As a goalie you want to be able to move your ankles as oposed to being a skater where you want your ankle fully stabalized because you don't want any ankle movement. As a skater, you can injure yourself if your ankle isn't fully held in place. Not the case as a goalie.
I tried these on in the store and my first thought was, wow, my ankle can move so much. Don't even worry about it, once you put on the pads with your skates on, you get that ankle support you need and the skates feel much more comfortable and in place.
With that said, make sure you get a pair that fits just like regular skates.
Pads:
Itech 4.8 x Wing $300
http://rs.inlinewarehouse.com/iw/ProductImages/GP48XW-WBS.JPG
My biggest concern was that as a beginner and NOT knowing how to properly drop down to my knees to make a save, I would be going down really hard and I wouldn't have enough protection for my knees.
Tip: Do not consult an ex girlfriend about proper knee protection. Or if you do, make sure you are wearing a mask with more protection then the Envy7. Trust me!! My sence of humour got me in to some trouble.
Even though these Itechs are beginner pads, I can honestly say that after my first time out on the ice, the only part of my body that was not sore was my knees. I didn't feel a thing when my knees hit the ice.
Whatever pads you decide to with, make sure you get good knee protection.
I also wanted to make sure I got quick nap straps. So much easier then regular straps.
As time goes by and I start to get a little bit of skill, I'll upgrade to a nice set of Battram's.
Glove/Blocker:
Used Vaughn $50.00
Courtesy of Sprawl (forum member). After trying on a bunch of new blockers and catchers I decided the best way to go was used. A catcher that is already worked in made it a lot easier to keep the puck in the glove. I made a few good glove saves my first time out and was amazed at how the puck just sat in my glove instead of bouncing out and giving up a rebound. I didn't even have to close my hand which is great for a beginner who's reaction time is a little slower.
A new glove needs to b e worked in and may end up costing a few rebounds in the process.
Stick
Sherwood 2 for $115
Go with whats cheap. I got two Sherwoods at National Sports. Buy one get one half price deal. Cost me $115 total. The day after I bought the wooden Sherwood they announced they will no longer be producing them.
I made sure I got one that I felt comfortable holding in respect to my height and how low I bend when in ready position (which I'm sure will change when I get a little more skill).
Here's a good website: http://www.vaughnhockey.com/news.php?news_id=181
And that is my little blurb. Like I said, it's from one beginner to other beginners. I'm sure better advice can be given by almost anybody on this site, but I know when I was looking for equipment I wished somebody had laid it out in a simple way who could relate. Hopefully I've done that.
Cheers!!
In the end, I went with mostly the least expensive, beginner level equipment I could find that I heard good things about. After my first time out, I've decided to let you all know what I think. This is from one beginner to others who don't know where to begin just like myself less then a month ago.
The first question I had was, what equipment do I need?
I made a list of everything I needed to play goal, and I was starting from scratch.
I ended up getting everything brand new, except for my catcher and blocker, only because I didn't have much time to shop around and find good deals. I ended up spending a grand total of $2300 for everything I needed to step foot on the ice. You can do it cheaper if you have the time to find used. Sites like eBay are great. Like I said, I didn't have the time though, I bought the equipment thinking I was going to be on the ice the next morning.
Hopefully some more advanced goalies can add to this, as I'm sure they have some more in depth info.
Needed:
Get all these things and you are ready to step on the ice:
Helmet
Neck guard
Throat guard
Chest/shoulder protector
Pants
Jock (I got a regular players jock and a goalie jock)
pads
Goalie skates
Stick
Goalie bag (Wheels are great!!)
Hockey tape
Water BottleGood website for sizing questions:
http://www.summitsportsinc.com/summitonline/ish/guides/goalie.htm#helmet
My setup:
Helmet:
I went with the Itech Envy 7 $350.00
http://www.cyclonetaylor.com/goalie/masks/glmitechenvy7.jpg
Which mask to buy was the hardest choice. I kept hearing what not to buy, and the name Itech kept coming up. From what I have heard, stay away from the 1200 and 1400. although the 1400 may have the cool graphics on it, Sprawl (forum member) clearly referred to it as "The Widow Maker".
After wearing the Envy7 the first time out, I thought it was great. I took a couple pucks to the head and can honestly say that at a beginner level where the shots are not that hard, it worked just fine. I can't vouch for it's protection against a good slap shot since I was playing with all beginners.
Also, don't go for the cat eye cage. You can tell by looking at it that a sticks butt end could easily go through, and when you are playing with beginners, they might not have the best control over their sticks.
Plasic neck guard:
Any will do $30.00
Wear one!! If you cant think of a reason to wear a neck guard and a throat guard, watch this video and you'll never think twice about it again.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=dT4PenDwiPo
Just like I said in respect to the cat eye cage, you are playing with beginners and they might not have the best control over their skates as well.
Throat guard:
Choose what fits $60.00
Watch the video again if you're still not convinced you should wear one.
I made the mistake of getting one without trying it on. Make sure you put it on in the store for a minute. My first one was a little too small and felt like I was being lightly choked. I had to go get a larger fitting one so I could breath and move my neck a lot better.
Chest/shoulder Proector:
Vaughn VP3700 $230.00
http://www.vaughnhockey.com/catalog/images/products/vp_3700-1-large.jpg
I went with something a little bigger and with the most padding I could find. As a new goalie I am hesitant to get a lighter one until I get used to having pucks flying at me.
When I first put this on, I thought it was so bulky I didn't know how I was going to be able to move once I was on the ice. Ended up not being a problem. I was able to move quite freely and felt like I had great protection for every shot. It may look big at first, but you get used to it the second you start playing.
Make sure you check where the elbow pad is. You can adjust it, but only a little bit, so make sure when you try it on at the store, that it is in the right place or can be adjusted to right over your elbow.
Pants:
Whatever fits $140
Pants are pants. I'm sure most of the expert goalies anywhere will tell you differently and they are probably right. However, as a beginner, who cares. As long as they fit, we (as beginners) wont be able to tell the difference between good and bad pants until we get some practice and a good feel for the position.
Jock 1:
Regular players jock shorts 39.99
On the advice of a long time goalie, I wear two cups. A regular jock shorts players cup and a goalie cup.
At first I only bought the goalie cup, but after trying on the equipment I quickly thought that a any shot that may come from an angle going up might make it under the cup and that's not a risk I'm willing to take.
Jock 2:
Goalie cup $60.00
Enough said in jock 1 section.
Skates:
RBK SK 3k $290
http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-90879101131287_1974_34021421
If you are like me, and you have skated on regular skates before, these will feel weird to you. Goalie skates do not go up and above your ankle. As a goalie you want to be able to move your ankles as oposed to being a skater where you want your ankle fully stabalized because you don't want any ankle movement. As a skater, you can injure yourself if your ankle isn't fully held in place. Not the case as a goalie.
I tried these on in the store and my first thought was, wow, my ankle can move so much. Don't even worry about it, once you put on the pads with your skates on, you get that ankle support you need and the skates feel much more comfortable and in place.
With that said, make sure you get a pair that fits just like regular skates.
Pads:
Itech 4.8 x Wing $300
http://rs.inlinewarehouse.com/iw/ProductImages/GP48XW-WBS.JPG
My biggest concern was that as a beginner and NOT knowing how to properly drop down to my knees to make a save, I would be going down really hard and I wouldn't have enough protection for my knees.
Tip: Do not consult an ex girlfriend about proper knee protection. Or if you do, make sure you are wearing a mask with more protection then the Envy7. Trust me!! My sence of humour got me in to some trouble.
Even though these Itechs are beginner pads, I can honestly say that after my first time out on the ice, the only part of my body that was not sore was my knees. I didn't feel a thing when my knees hit the ice.
Whatever pads you decide to with, make sure you get good knee protection.
I also wanted to make sure I got quick nap straps. So much easier then regular straps.
As time goes by and I start to get a little bit of skill, I'll upgrade to a nice set of Battram's.
Glove/Blocker:
Used Vaughn $50.00
Courtesy of Sprawl (forum member). After trying on a bunch of new blockers and catchers I decided the best way to go was used. A catcher that is already worked in made it a lot easier to keep the puck in the glove. I made a few good glove saves my first time out and was amazed at how the puck just sat in my glove instead of bouncing out and giving up a rebound. I didn't even have to close my hand which is great for a beginner who's reaction time is a little slower.
A new glove needs to b e worked in and may end up costing a few rebounds in the process.
Stick
Sherwood 2 for $115
Go with whats cheap. I got two Sherwoods at National Sports. Buy one get one half price deal. Cost me $115 total. The day after I bought the wooden Sherwood they announced they will no longer be producing them.
I made sure I got one that I felt comfortable holding in respect to my height and how low I bend when in ready position (which I'm sure will change when I get a little more skill).
Here's a good website: http://www.vaughnhockey.com/news.php?news_id=181
And that is my little blurb. Like I said, it's from one beginner to other beginners. I'm sure better advice can be given by almost anybody on this site, but I know when I was looking for equipment I wished somebody had laid it out in a simple way who could relate. Hopefully I've done that.
Cheers!!