Player Equipment
The players use the following equipment while playing roller hockey.
Even though roller hockey is a fast paced fun sport, physical contact between the players is quite common throughout the game which may result in injuries.
In order to avoid injuries, players use different protective equipment. The equipment used by players differ from goalie equipment.
Gear
The jerseys usually cover the shoulders as well as elbow parts. The pants used can be either shorts or ice hockey pants.
This video looks inside a normal roller hockey bag:
Hockey sticks
The sticks used in this game are different for players and goalies. Usually made of either wood or composite materials, the stick dimensions vary based on the size of the players.
The stick length has to stay between 90 cm to 115 cm. Similarly, the stick shouldn’t be wider than 5 cm or weigh over 500g. The present sticks are mostly made of graphite/composite.
Puck
The pucks are used in roller inline hockey and are also made of vulcanized rubber. All pucks have a diameter of 3 inch with 1 inch thickness and a weight of 170 gram.
Skates
In case of inline hockey, the skates have a set of wheels arranged in a single row which provides the riders not just better control and skill sets but also boost the pace of the game.
Wheels
The wheel size, playing surface, and the player's weight should all be considered when buying roller hockey wheels. Check out our quick video that will help guide you to the wheels that will best fit your needs! More details here: https://www.inlinewarehouse.com/lc/wheels-and-bearings/how-to-select-a-roller-hockey-wheel.html
Protective Guards
As it is a contact sport, suffering injuries because of physical contacts during the play cannot be avoided. In order to avoid accidents and injuries, players use different protective guards for their safety. Some of the protective guards, which are used in roller hockey are explained below.
Helmet
A helmet is used as a basic protective equipment to prevent head injuries during contact. These helmets are mostly made of flexible thermoplastic with a strap to tighten it. The front part of the face is protected by a face cage attached to the helmet.
Shoulder pads
These shoulder pads are typically a vest with front back panels and straps for better closure. The hard shelled arm cups are there for arm protection from physical contacts or collisions during the game. These pads provide protection to chest, arms, ribs, spine, and shoulders.
Other body guards
Other protective body pads include elbow pads which have a reinforced elbow cup for elbow as well as forearm protection and shin guards which are made of hard plastic shells and provide protection to knee joints and frontal bones. Jock straps are used for providing protection to genital parts whereas for hand protection, gloves are used.
Goalie Equipment
The equipment used by the players differ from the equipment used by the goalies.
Chest arm protector
Similar to the players, goalies also use chest and arm protectors in order to protect their chest, arm as well as collarbone areas. Mostly these products are made of hard plastic in order to provide better protection.
Leg Pad
The leg pads used by goalies are specially made and are meant for leg as well as knee protection. These pads are mostly made of synthetic leather and foam. These pad lengths usually are of 38 inches whereas width is of 11 inches.
Helmets
The helmets used by the goalies are specially made and can withstand severe high speed blows. A neck guard hangs below the helmet for preventing neck injuries. The helmet also has net at front to protect the face from any injury.
Goalie stick
In case of goalies, the stick used is very different as compared to the player’s stick. The goalie’s stick has a wider shaft and is mostly made of wood with fibre glass panels for better impact results and longer durability. These sticks are mostly used for blocking the ball from entering the goal.