Buy Goalie Equipment In Chicago
Goalie Catch Gloves
Your chest protector, catch glove & blocker should provide continuous protection for the length of your arm and hand.
The cuff of your catch gloves should extend up to or slightly over the bottom of the arm protection on your chest protector. To protect your fingertips, your fingers should not go all the way to the end of the gloves.
You should try the gloves on with your chest protector to make sure they fit comfortably and to not interfere with your hand movement.
Catcher gloves are sold in regular and full right styles.
Regular is for right-handed players who use their left hand for the catcher glove and their right hand for the blocker and stick.
Oddly enough, full right is for left-handed players who use their right hand for the catcher glove and their left hand for the blocker and stick.
Goalie Blockers
Skilled goalies angle their shot blocker to direct the puck; then, they use their stick—held in the same hand of the blocker—to steer the puck in an advantageous direction.
Of course, your blocker performs best if it’s fitted properly. While you don’t want to cut off circulation to the extremities, your blocker should be close-fitting, situated on the back of your hand, wrist, and forearm.
When shopping for the best shot-blocker in Chicago, you should ensure your blocker curves elegantly, offers protection in the intended areas, and works well with your chest protector, gloves, and stick.
| Size | Inches | Centimeters |
|---|---|---|
| Youth | 4¾ – 5⅝ | 119 – 143 |
| Junior | 5⅝ – 6¼ | 144 – 160 |
| Intermediate | 6¼ – 7 | 161 – 178 |
| Senior | 7 – 8⅜ | 179 – 213 |
Goalie Masks
Proper fit is crucial in assuring maximum protection. Place the mask on the head so that the top edge of the face opening is approximately 1/2″ above the eyebrows.
The mask should fit snug without movement on the head. Self-adhesive foam pads are included and can be added to provide a secure fit.
The sweatband must be securely in place while fitting and during use. The chin cup should be adjusted to be snug so as not to allow movement on the head or allow the mask to be pushed in closer to the jaw. The chinstrap must always be used and should be adjusted so that the mask cannot be displaced during play.
The rear skull plate and straps should be adjusted so as to apply a slight amount of tension to achieve a secure fit. These adjustments should be checked frequently to assure a proper fit. To determine the proper size required, measure the circumference of the head above the eyebrows.
Based on the measurements, select the head protector size as indicated in the chart. Due to varying head shape, jaw width, and body weight, you may find the best fit may be other than what is indicated in the chart.
The product must be tried on to confirm the correct fit.
Goalie Chest Protectors
Goalkeeper arm and chest pads protect your upper body and arms. For proper protection, your shoulders should fit comfortably into both shoulder cups and the pads should extend down to your waist.
A variety of straps will allow you to adjust the fit for arms, chest, and back. You should also make sure that the arms could be adjusted so that your elbows fit comfortably into the elbow cups. If the arms are too long, they will interfere with your catcher and blocker gloves.
The arms should extend to 1 1/2 inches above your wrist bone. Your catcher and Blocker gloves should extend up over the bottom of your arm pads. Arm & chest pads are sized based on the height of the goalie.
The sizing (e.g. Small, Medium, Large) for different arm/chest pad manufacturers varies, but this measure can be used to help you select the right size. As an example, Vaughn arm/chest pad sizes are shown below:
| Arm/Chest Pad Size | Height (inches) |
|---|---|
| Adult XL | 73 – 77 |
| Adult Large | 70 – 72 |
| Adult Medium | 66 – 69 |
| Adult Small | 63 – 65 |
| Adult XS | 60 – 62 |
| Junior XL | 59 – 62 |
| Junior Large | 56 – 59 |
| Junior Medium | 52 – 55 |
| Junior Small | 48 – 51 |
Goalie Pants
Add approximately 8″ (20cm) to your actual waist size to come up with a pant size. If you like a big fitting pant, add 10″ (25cm).
| Size | Actual Waist (“) | Pant Waist (“) | Actual Waist (cm) | Pant Waist (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extra Small | 24″ – 26″ | 32″ – 34″ | 61cm – 66cm | 81cm – 86cm |
| Small | 28″ – 30″ | 36″ – 38″ | 71cm – 76cm | 91cm – 97cm |
| Medium | 32″ – 34″ | 40″ – 42″ | 81cm – 86cm | 102cm – 107cm |
| Large | 36″ – 38″ | 44″ – 46″ | 91cm – 97cm | 112cm – 117cm |
| X-Large | 40″ – 42″ | 48″ – 50″ | 102cm – 107cm | 122cm – 127cm |
| XX-Large | 44″ – 46″ | 52″ – 54″ | 112cm – 117cm | 132cm – 137cm |
Pant sizes for kids can vary dramatically from player to player. After all, height and build (slim to stocky) can be drastically different. Please use the below chart as a general guideline.
| Size | Actual Waist (“) | Pant Waist (“) | Actual Waist (cm) | Pant Waist (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 20″ – 22″ | 26″ – 28″ | 51cm – 56cm | 66cm – 71cm |
| Medium | 24″ – 26″ | 30″ – 32″ | 61cm – 66cm | 76cm – 81cm |
| Large | 26″ – 28″ | 32″ – 34″ | 66cm – 71cm | 81cm – 86cm |
| X-Large | 28″ – 30″ | 34″ – 36″ | 71cm – 76cm | 86cm – 91cm |
| XX-Large | 32″ – 34″ | 38″ – 40″ | 81cm – 86cm | 97cm – 102cm |
Goalie Leg Pads
To properly estimate a goaltender’s size for a pair of leg pads, take the following 3 measurements:
- Floor to mid-point of knee cap -_____ (A)
- Mid-point of kneecap to desired height on thigh-_____ (B)
- Skate size-_____x0.75=_______(C) – only add up to size 10 skate as goal skate cowlings do not get larger over size 10
The estimated size of pads would then be (A) + (B) + (C). To get the best fit, it is a good idea to try the pads with your skates and pants on.
Leg pads for an adult goaltender should allow for your kneecap to be centered and secured in the knee cradle.
The pad for a youth goaltender may allow for your kneecap to be slightly low in the knee cradle to allow for growth. This is acceptable if the height of the pad does not interfere with your pants and the pad functions and protects as designed.
Goalie Skates
Sure, as a goalkeeper, you won’t skate from one end of the rink to the other, but you still need well-designed skates. Make sure to purchase goalie skates as opposed to normal skates; goalie skates are designed and produced for your specialty.
Goalie skates, when compared to normal skates, offer flatter, longer, and wider blades. The best goalie skate blades are made of high-quality carbon steel, rather than stainless steel. Goalie skates are shorter than normal skates.
Newer goalie skates do not have cowling, i.e., durable plastic that protects the toe, ankle, and heel. When searching for the best goalie skates for you, you’ll want to keep in mind that your shoe size will be almost always smaller than your skate size.
Senior Goalie Skate Size
| Skate Size | Shoe Size |
|---|---|
| 6 | 7.5 |
| 6.5 | 8 |
| 7 | 8.5 |
| 7.5 | 9 |
| 8.5 | 10 |
| 9 | 10.5 |
| 9.5 | 11 |
| 10 | 11 |
| 10.5 | 12 |
Junior Goalie Skate Size
| Skate Size | Shoe Size |
|---|---|
| 1 | 2.5 |
| 1.5 | 3 |
| 2 | 3.5 |
| 2.5 | 4 |
| 3 | 4.5 |
| 3.5 | 5 |
| 4 | 5.5 |
| 4.5 | 6 |
| 5 | 6.5 |
| 5.5 | 7 |
Youth Goalie Skate Size
| Skate Size | Shoe Size |
|---|---|
| 13 | 1.5 |
| 13.5 | 2 |
Goalie Sticks
There are several factors that should play into selecting a goalie stick. The goalie’s height and more importantly, personal preference, should be considered in selecting the correct paddle length.
Although there is no direct correlation between the goalie’s height and paddle length, goalies should usually start using a senior sized stick at about 55. Another difficulty that we face is that different manufacturers use different methods to measure their sticks.
For example, brands such as Montreal measure up the middle of the paddle whereas Sher-Wood measures up the outside edge.
Goalie Accessories
Throat Guard or Neck Guard
Goalies are required to wear either a throat guard or a neck guard. A throat guard is usually made of clear plastic and hangs from the helmet to provide protection for the neck area.
The throat guard should cover the area between the bottom of the face mask and the chest protector.A neck guard is padded and is worn around the goalie’s neck much like a players neck guard is worn.
Jocks
Goalies should use a protector (pelvic protector or cup/jock) which is specifically designed for goalies. Often, protectors include Velcro straps that fasten to the goalie’s hockey socks so a separate garter or sock tape is not necessary.
Contact Gunzo’s Today for Goalie Equipment!
Whether you’re looking for goalkeeper skates or goalkeeper masks, you can rely on Gunzo’s for your goalie gear needs. With convenient locations in Chicago, Morton Grove, and River Forest, Gunzo’s Sports Center is just a stone’s throw away. If you have any questions—or if you’d like to pick up equipment at a Gunzo’s near you—contact us today!