Hockey Goalie Equipment: Leg Pads

Timberwoof's Hockey Page
Leg Pads

Timberwoof
Hockey
Locker Room
Hockey Underwear
Goalie Equipment
Player Equipment
On the Ice
In the Stands
On the Road
Chalk Talk
Contact
Links

underwear
jock
pants
skates
pads
collar
chest&arm
jersey
mask
gloves
stick
equipment rack

Front view of Heaton Helite IV leg pads.

Side view of toe end of leg pad laced to skates.


Then I buckle the seven straps. The bottom two go through my skates and I like them fairly tight. The next three go over my calf, and they’re pretty tight. The top two are loose.	When I’m done, the pads have a nice L-shape, like this.	All ready to go.

My leg pads are Heaton Helite IVs, the same as worn by NJ Devils goalie Martin Brodeur. Pads are the most expensive and most visible part of a goalie’s equipment.

Sizing

Measure the distance from your ankle to your knee. Add 12 or 14 inches.

Breaking-In

The best way to break-in a pair of leg pads is to wear and use them. Push down on the knees and flex the shins.

I knew one young goalie who liked to lay his pads on the driveway and then drive his father’s BMW over them, but that strikes me as extreme. Other methods of tying, strapping, or running over break the pad down in an unnatural fashion and shorten the life of the pads.

Be sure to dry the pads after each use by placing the toe section of the pad in the “up” position leaning against the wall. This aids the drying of the pads since that area is the most affected and usually wettest.

Gearing Up

I use toe bridges at the bottom and lace the pads to my skates, like this:

The Wrong Way to Wear Leg Pads

He’s got them on backwards. Notice how the rolls along the vertical edge are on the inside.