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Q. I want to get goalie leg pads that my son can grow into, but someone told me there is a rule about how big they can be. Plus, I want him to be able to move properly. What size should they be?
A. First, let’s see what the rule book says about the size. Rule 303: Goalkeeper’s Equipment starting on page 21 of USA Hockey’s 2011–13 Official Rules of Ice Hockey booklet covers this clearly:
Rule 303: Leg Pads
The leg guards worn by goalkeepers shall not exceed 11 inches in extreme width and 38 inches in length. The boot channel of the goalkeeper pad must be flat or concave in appearance with no additional attachments such as a puck foil. The boot is the bottom of the pad that sits over the top of the skate. Calf protectors must follow the contour of the calf and ankle and can have a thickness of no greater than 1 ½ inches The knee strap pad is not to exceed 1 ½ inches in thickness and must be fastened to the inner risers and follow the contour of the inner knee.
All thigh pads must follow the contour of the leg, or placed under the pant, and the maximum width of the thigh pad across the front of the leg is 10 inches.
Fitting Leg Pads
For information on how leg pads should fit for maximum protection and maneuverability, we turned to TotalHockey.net. Here’s what you need to know.
Leg pads should extend from the toe of the skate to 4 to 5 inches above the knee. To select a size:
- Bend your leg slightly and measure the length of your shin from the center of your kneecap to your ankle.
- Measure the length from the center of your kneecap to your mid-thigh.
- Add these two measures together, along with your skate size, and you should have a good idea of what size leg pad to purchase.
For example, if your shin measures 17 inches, your mid-thigh measures 7 inches, and your skate size is 10, you should consider 34 inch +1 leg pads. The +1 sizing system is standard for leg pads, meaning that +1 is an extra inch added to the top of the leg pad. This addition helps goalies with their butterfly position as well as with their five-hole coverage. Some leg pads come with a +2 sizing system, which is more common with high-level, experienced goalies.
Editor’s Note: Thank you to Kelly Anton, Executive Editor of Grow the Game, for this story.
