Ice hockey is a tremendously fun sport to play but it requires a huge commitment in time and gear to get started. This article will cover all of the basic equipment that you will need to play ice hockey to help you get started.

Hockey skates are the most important piece of equipment to get the best match for your feet and your wallet. If you have poor skates, you will struggle to skate well and you will fight the skates while you are on the ice. Spend the time and money to find a pair of skates that fit right from the first time you try them on at your local hockey shop. It will still take you a couple of weeks to a couple of months to get the hockey skates broken in to your feet and vice versa but starting with the best fitting skates will make this process go a lot quicker.

After skates you will need a hockey stick. There are a surprising number of different hockey sticks and hockey stick features to choose from. For your very first hockey stick, get a simple and inexpensive wooden hockey stick. After you have been playing hockey for a while you will have a better sense of what you want in a hockey stick and you can splurge on a nice composite stick then.

With skates and stick in hand it is time for all of the defensive gear and there are a lot of pieces that you will need. The list goes like this: shin guards, hockey jill or hockey jock, hockey pants, check guard, elbow pads, gloves and a helmet. In most recreation leagues a full face shield is required on the helmet but some allow visors or no face protection at all. You will save a lot of bruises if you wear your protective equipment on when you are first learning to skate.

Clothing comes next and there are under garments and outer layers to get. The under garments include skate socks, a hockey jock or jill, and an under shirt. Outer clothing include hockey sock that go over then shin guards and a hockey jersey. It is pretty standard to need both a white jersey and a dark jersey so players are easily dividable into teams.

Yes, there is a lot of gear required for you to play ice hockey! Once you get your first round of gear together you can swap out one piece at a time so the costs won't be so bad. One other thing to note is that it is very important that this gear fit correctly. Use the folks at your local hockey shop if you have any concerns about getting the right fit. Have fun and skate hard!

When you are first learning about hockey stick, you will prbably be surprised at home many terms are associated with an ice hockey stick. Some of the key terms include

• handle
• flex
• flex rating
• flex point
• blade
• blade pattern
• Blade curve
  
• blade lie
• blade face angle

Learn these terms to make a good hockey stick purchase decision that is right for you.